Portugal's complaints book (Livro de Reclamações) in 2026: physical and electronic, for hotels and Alojamento Local

Updated 8 November 2026

In Portugal, hotels and Alojamento Local properties must keep a complaints book (Livro de Reclamações) in two formats: a physical book at the property and an electronic book reachable from their website. The rule comes from Decree-Law 156/2005, which Decree-Law 74/2017 amended to create the electronic format. In 2024, according to the Directorate-General for Consumers (DGC), 444,815 complaints were filed nationwide, about 43% of them electronically. This guide sums up the rules in force in November 2026, with the official sources at the end. Where a detail does not appear in an official source, we say so. It is not legal advice: for a specific case, ask ASAE, your trade association or your lawyer.

Who must keep one

Decree-Law 156/2005 applies to the suppliers of goods and services listed in its annex that deal with the public. Point 3 of the annex, on tourism, expressly lists:

Tourism developments: hotels, tourist villages and apartments, manor-house and rural tourism, and others.
Alojamento Local. Turismo de Portugal's technical guide (January 2025) confirms that every Alojamento Local property must keep a complaints book, in both physical and electronic formats.
The physical book is mandatory at every fixed establishment open to the public (Article 2(1)).
The electronic book is mandatory for every supplier in the annex, with or without physical premises (Articles 2(2) and 5-B(1)).
Having the electronic book does not replace the physical book at the property (Article 5-B(6)).

The mandatory sign

Article 3(1)(c) requires two notices, displayed in a clearly visible place in easily legible characters:

One saying «Este estabelecimento dispõe de livro de reclamações» (this establishment has a complaints book).
Another with the full name and address of the authority competent to deal with the complaint. For hotels and Alojamento Local, that is ASAE (see below).
The law sets no minimum size. We found no mandatory sign template currently in force in an official source: Ordinance 201-A/2017, which approves the book models, does not mention the sign. The Imprensa Nacional-Casa da Moeda (INCM) shop sells a complaints book poster and supplies it with the physical book.
We could not open ASAE's website to confirm the address that should appear on the sign: check it there before printing.
Not displaying the sign is a minor offence (Article 9).

How the physical book works

When a guest asks for the book, according to Articles 3, 4 and 5:

You must hand it over immediately and free of charge. You cannot refuse by pointing to another location or to the electronic book, nor require another complaint channel first or ask the guest to identify themselves.
If the book is not handed over, the guest may call the police. Refusing the book in that situation is a very serious offence.
The guest fills in the complaint form with their details, the property's details and a description of the facts. You must give them your identification details and confirm they are correct; if the guest cannot write, staff fill in the form from what the guest says, if asked.
The duplicate goes to the guest. The triplicate stays in the book and cannot be torn out.
Closed books are kept on file for at least three years.
Changing address, activity or CAE code does not require a new book: you request an endorsement (averbamento) from INCM (up to 8 per book, according to INCM). Closure, loss or theft requires a new book (Article 8).

The 15-working-day deadlines

The two deadlines people ask about most are confirmed in the consolidated text of Decree-Law 156/2005:

Physical book: the original complaint form is sent to the competent authority within 15 working days, unless a special law sets another period (Article 5(1)). Attach the reply you have already given the guest, if any.
Electronic book: you reply to the consumer within 15 working days of the complaint at most, to the email address they gave, unless a special law sets a shorter period (Article 5-B(4)).
The law allows complaints to be sent electronically on your own initiative (Article 5-A), but we could not find in an official source the exact channel ASAE currently uses to receive originals from the physical book. Check ASAE's website.

The electronic book and the website link

The complaints book digital platform is at livroreclamacoes.pt, hosted by INCM and run functionally by the Directorate-General for Consumers. According to Article 5-B and Ordinance 201-A/2017:

Your website must show access to the digital platform in a visible and prominent place. The ordinance says it should be on the website's home page.
If you have no website, you must have an email address to receive complaints filed on the platform.
Electronic complaints reach your email and are forwarded automatically to the competent authority.
The electronic book is bought from INCM's online shop, in modules of 25, 250, 500 or 1,500 complaints, in Portuguese or English. There is one electronic book per supplier, however many establishments it has.
Buying the physical book from INCM includes 25 electronic complaints; if you bought it elsewhere, you can request them from INCM with proof of purchase.
The livroreclamacoes.pt portal did not open during our check, so we do not describe the registration steps or the icon to use on your site here.

Which authority receives complaints

Article 11(1)(a) gives ASAE (the Food and Economic Safety Authority) supervision and fines for the establishments in point 3(a) to (f) of the annex, which include tourism developments and Alojamento Local. In practice:

Hotels and Alojamento Local: the competent authority is ASAE. Turismo de Portugal does not receive these complaints; in Article 11, its gaming inspection service appears as the competent authority for casinos.
If your hotel runs services regulated by another body (a health facility, for example), check the annex to see whether that part has a different competent authority.
The Directorate-General for Consumers publishes the book with INCM and runs the electronic platform, but it is not the body that fines properties.

Fines

Since Decree-Law 9/2021, breaches of the complaints book rules are economic administrative offences, punished under the Economic Administrative Offences Regime (RJCE). Article 9 of Decree-Law 156/2005 classifies them as follows:

Serious: not having the book, not handing it over immediately and free of charge, not sending the original on time, not having the electronic book or not showing access on your website. According to Turismo de Portugal's guide, serious RJCE fines range from 650 to 1,500 euros for individuals and from 1,700 to 24,000 euros for companies, depending on size.
Minor: not displaying the sign, not keeping books on file, not replying to an electronic complaint on time, not giving the guest the duplicate, among others. According to the same guide, 150 to 500 euros for individuals and 250 to 12,000 euros for companies.
Very serious: refusing the book when the guest had to call the police. We could not confirm in an official source the amounts for very serious offences or the exact limits per company size, because we could not read the RJCE article that sets them.
Before opening proceedings for a missing electronic book or website link, the authority must notify you to fix it within 90 consecutive days; if you do, the case is closed (Article 9-A, added by Decree-Law 9/2020).

Where to buy the physical book

According to Ordinance 201-A/2017 and INCM's FAQ:

The book is an exclusive INCM model, published jointly with the Directorate-General for Consumers.
It is sold in INCM's physical and online shops, and also by authorised trade associations and other bodies named in the ordinance.
To buy it you need the business name, the property's address, the tax number (NIF), the holder's tax name and address and the CAE code. Each book has 25 complaint forms.
The price is set by the ordinance and can be updated every year; we do not give it here because we did not confirm the amount in force in November 2026. See INCM's shop.

Why this also matters for AI

When a traveller asks ChatGPT or Gemini whether a property can be trusted, the AI pulls together what it finds: your website, the platforms and the reviews. A website that shows the complaints book link, the registration number and a direct contact that replies looks like a real, compliant business. And replying well and on time to complaints stops a small problem from turning into a bad review the AI will repeat.

How iQuota helps

The official page iQuota publishes for each property can include the link to the electronic complaints book, the registration number and direct contact details, and includes that information in the data AI assistants and search engines read. iQuota does not replace the physical book at your property, does not answer complaints for you, and we cannot guarantee that an AI will recommend your property.

Want an official page with your complaints book link, your registration number and direct booking? The first 30 hotels join free until 30 June 2027.

See the Founding Hotels programme

Frequently asked questions

Does Alojamento Local need a complaints book?

Yes. Alojamento Local is listed in the annex to Decree-Law 156/2005, and Turismo de Portugal confirms it needs both a physical and an electronic book.

If I have the electronic book, can I skip the physical one?

No. The law says the electronic format does not replace the physical book at the property.

How long do I have to answer a complaint?

For the electronic book, 15 working days to reply to the consumer. For the physical book, 15 working days to send the original to the competent authority, with any reply you have already given.

Where do I send a complaint from the physical book?

For hotels and Alojamento Local, to ASAE. Check ASAE's website for the current channel and address.

I have no website. Do I need to do anything?

Yes. You still need the electronic book, and you must have an email address to receive complaints filed on the platform.

I moved. Do I need a new book?

No. Request an endorsement (averbamento) from INCM's online shop. You only need a new book after closure, loss or theft.

Sources

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