Local Lodging in the Algarve: SIBA, tourist tax and headache-free management
A huge share of Portugal's local lodging bookings come from the Algarve — and so do the tightest legal obligations: SIBA with AIMA, tourist tax in multiple municipalities (Albufeira, Faro, Portimão, Vila Real de Santo António…) and monthly INE statistics. Chave AL handles everything in a single dashboard.
What Local Lodging in the Algarve means
Local Lodging (Alojamento Local, or AL) is Portugal's national legal regime for short-term tourist rentals — villas, apartments, private rooms and small guesthouses. In the Algarve the same national regime applies, but with a very active municipal layer: Albufeira was one of the first mainland councils to charge a tourist tax, and Faro, Portimão, Lagos and Vila Real de Santo António are following in different implementation phases.
An Algarve AL host needs a valid RNAL number, files a SIBA bulletin with AIMA for every foreign guest within 3 working days, declares tourist tax monthly on each relevant municipal portal, and reports monthly statistics to INE (WebInq / IPHH). Once you're running two or three properties across different councils, coordinating everything by hand becomes a full-time job over the summer.
Who this applies to
- Hosts with property in any Algarve municipality — from Aljezur to Vila Real de Santo António.
- Villas, apartments, private rooms and buildings with multiple units — each unit has its own RNAL.
- Professional managers running AL on behalf of owners (Portuguese or foreign).
- Foreign owners with a Portuguese NIF and a property registered in the Algarve.
When and how often to file
SIBA: within 3 working days of every foreign guest's check-in. Missing the window triggers fines of €100–€2,000 per bulletin.
Albufeira tourist tax: monthly declaration with a 2.5% commission invoice attached. Deadlines and night caps set by the council.
Other Algarve councils (Faro, Portimão, Lagos, VRSA…): their own calendars as municipal taxes come into force. Chave AL activates each municipality as soon as its regulation is published.
INE / WebInq: monthly, by the 15th of the following month, for every AL with an active RNAL — even with zero stays.
RNAL renewal, liability insurance and complaints book: annual. Store them in the Document Vault to receive 30-day expiry alerts.
Data you need on hand
- RNAL number for each unit and the council it belongs to.
- SIBA credentials (Utilizador + Senha, set after activation with the AIMA letter).
- Municipal tourist tax portal credentials (Albufeira and others as they activate).
- Guest ID document: passport, citizen card or residence permit.
- Check-in / check-out dates, number of adults and children up to 12, nationality.
- Host NIF and invoicing details for the Albufeira 2.5% commission invoice.
Most common Algarve mistakes
- Submitting Albufeira's declaration without the 2.5% commission invoice — Albufeira refunds 2.5% of the amount collected against an invoice. Chave AL generates the invoice with VAT in the format the council accepts, ready to submit.
- Not exempting under-12s or municipal residents — Mark age and residency on the guest form — the exemption is applied automatically to the calculation.
- Grouping all guests of one booking into a single SIBA bulletin — It's one SIBA line per foreign guest 16+. A group booking with 8 adults produces 8 bulletins, not one.
- Skipping INE with zero stays in the low season — You must submit zero rather than leave the form blank. Chave AL pre-fills IPHH even in months without bookings.
- Sharing one SIBA inscrição across several units — Every RNAL needs its own SIBA inscrição. A single login cannot serve 6 units — AIMA rejects the submission.
- Missing when Faro, Portimão or Lagos activate their tax — Chave AL tracks Algarve municipal legislation and turns on each council the moment it comes into force.
How Chave AL handles Algarve compliance
- Albufeira pre-configured with €2/night, exemptions in force and automatic generation of the 2.5% commission invoice.
- Automatic split for stays crossing two months, with correct totals in each monthly PDF.
- SIBA submission via Web Services to AIMA, with one inscrição per unit.
- IPHH pre-filled for the monthly INE return, even with zero stays.
- Multi-language guest form so guests fill in their data on their phone before arrival.
- iCal sync with Airbnb and Booking — one calendar for every Algarve unit.
- Renewal alerts for RNAL, insurance and complaints book.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the tourist tax in Albufeira?
- €2 per guest per night, with exemptions for children and some specific categories. The declaration is monthly and requires a 2.5% commission invoice of the amount collected, with VAT.
- Do other Algarve municipalities charge a tax?
- Several Algarve municipalities are in different implementation phases. Chave AL tracks the evolution and activates each one as it comes into force.
- Do I have to submit SIBA for every guest?
- Yes, for all foreign guests, within 3 working days of check-in. Portuguese guests are automatically excluded.
- Does it work with multiple properties?
- Yes. You can add several properties to the same account, each with its own licence, SIBA credentials and synced Airbnb and Booking calendars.
Related
Chave AL — SIBA, tourist tax and INE compliance for Alojamento Local. Pricing · Concierge · Guides · Guias (PT) · Glossary · iCal sync · Agencies · SIBA setup help · AL licence application