Over the years, the identification of land/property ownership and the lack of a land registry across a large part of mainland Portuguese territory have posed one of the main challenges to our legal system.

This structural gap harms territorial planning and management, while making it difficult to create and implement public policy measures and risk prevention actions, particularly in wildfire prevention and management. 

As a way to overcome issues related to properties that were never formally registered in the national registry - which was a common issue until then - and as a way to easily identify property owners and consolidate their information clearly, the simplified land information system and BUPi (EN: Single Property Desk | PT: Balcão Único do Prédio) were created. This was introduced into the Portuguese legal system on August 17, by Law No. 78/2017.

This system is part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (component C08 - Forests), aiming to standardize and centralize interactions between citizens/companies and the Public Administration on the BUPi platform. Other core missions include land-use planning, resource enhancement, owner identification, and wildfire prevention. Note that this system still requires compliance with the standard rules applicable to land registration.

More specifically, BUPi is a governmental platform dedicated to registering rural land (rustic and mixed properties). Upon proof of ownership by the citizen, each person's properties are demarcated on the application's online map.

Registering the property leads to full recognition of ownership, which naturally protects the owner's legal rights and facilitates future transactions regarding the property, such as construction/development or sale. In addition, one of the key areas highlighting the system's current advantage and evolution lies in the legal certainty and security it provides regarding land identification. This reduces and prevents disputes that were common in the past due to a lack of clear records and difficulties in proving property ownership.

The project launched in 10 pilot municipalities in November 2017 to test the method for one year (Alfândega da Fé, Caminha, Castanheira de Pêra, Figueiró dos Vinhos, Góis, Pampilhosa da Serra, Pedrógão Grande, Penela, Proença-a-Nova, and Sertã). It has since expanded through the application of the law across the national territory, currently covering 158 municipalities.

There are two ways to identify and register properties in BUPi: online and in person at designated service desks in each municipality. For both methods, specific documentation is required to complete the act: Citizen Card, Property Matrix Certificate, and proof of land ownership (such as a deed).

With this documentation ready, the citizen must access the online platform (bupi.gov.pt) or go to the local municipal desk and pinpoint the location of the properties on the platform map. After validation by a qualified technician, the property georeferencing process is automatically concluded if the property is already registered in the Land Registry Office; otherwise, the owner must proceed to register it there. Registration at the Land Registry Office is free of charge if the property has never been registered or if its details are outdated.
This fee exemption period is in effect until September 30, 2026; however, citizens should ensure they book an appointment in advance if they prefer the in-person option at the municipal desk.

Overall, BUPi offers the advantage of ease and practicality in accessing knowledge about the national territory, enabling citizens, municipalities, and public administration to protect property rights and the land itself, while implementing conservation and prevention measures alongside planning and management for regional development.

Scientific organizations, higher education Institutions, and businesses also benefit from this simplified regime due to the ease and accessibility of cross-referencing updated data for studies and projects linked to territorial profitability and sustainability.

“In doing so, we help citizens protect what is theirs, securing their property. At the same time, we protect everyone's greatest shared asset: Portuguese territory.”