In Portugal the thing that decides which clients you can work with is not your camera, it is whether you can issue a recibo verde. A brand cannot pay someone who cannot invoice, and no agency will make an exception for a first job.
What abertura de atividade actually is
Opening activity means declaring to the tax authority that you work for yourself. From that moment you can issue green receipts, the electronic invoices a Portuguese company books like any other supplier document.
It is a declaration, not a company. You do not create a legal entity, you do not need capital, and you can close the activity later if you stop. That distinction matters, because many creators delay registering because they imagine forming a business.
Why a brand insists on it
Picture the other side. A marketing manager wants to hire you. Their accounts department needs a document with a tax number on it to justify the payment. Without that document the expense cannot be recorded, so the payment cannot be made.
This is why "I will pay you by transfer, no invoice needed" is a bad signal rather than a favour. It usually comes from someone who cannot get the expense approved, which is also someone who has no obligation to pay you on time.
The three decisions you make on the day
The activity code
You pick the code that describes what you do. It is what your whole tax treatment hangs from, so it deserves five minutes rather than the first plausible option.
Whether you charge IVA
There is an exemption regime for small activities, with a turnover threshold. The threshold moves, and it is the single most common piece of outdated advice circulating in creator groups. Check the current figure at Portal das Financas rather than trusting a forum post from two years ago.
When Social Security starts
Contributions for a newly independent worker do not begin on day one, and the rules for the first period are specific. Knowing the date they start is what stops the first bill from being a surprise.
What changes once you are registered
| Before registering | After registering |
|---|---|
| Only private individuals can pay you | Companies and agencies can pay you |
| No deductible expenses | Equipment, software and part of your connection become deductible |
| No proof of activity | You can answer a supplier questionnaire, which some brands require |
| Payment terms are whatever the client says | You issue a document with a date on it |
The mistake that costs the most
Working for months without registering, because the first clients paid informally. Beyond the legal exposure, it locks you out of exactly the clients worth having: the ones with a real budget and an accounts department.
The honest sequence is the reverse of what people assume. Do not register and then look for clients. Find the first client who is ready to sign, then register, then invoice. Registering has a running cost, and paying it for an activity that has not started yet helps nobody.
Stopping is also a declaration
If you stop working for yourself, you close the activity the same way you opened it. Leaving it open costs you the running obligations for an activity that no longer earns anything, and that is the second most common regret after registering too early.
Closing is not permanent either. Reopening later is an ordinary procedure, which is what makes the decision to register low risk in the first place.
One practical habit while the activity is open: keep the proof of registration somewhere you can reach in a minute. Brands with a supplier onboarding process ask for it before the first payment, and answering the same hour rather than the following week is often the difference between being paid this month and being paid the next one.
Keep reading
- UGC Creators in Porto
- Invoicing UGC Work in Portugal: IVA and Withholding
- What to Charge for UGC in Portugal
- European or Brazilian Portuguese for Your UGC
- The complete UGC guide for Portugal
Publish your creator profile →
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a company?
No. Opening activity is a declaration, not a legal entity.
Can I be employed and independent at the same time?
Yes, that is a common situation and worth checking with an accountant once.
Should I register before finding clients?
Register once a client is ready to sign, not months earlier.
Where do I check the IVA threshold?
At Portal das Financas, because the figure changes and forum answers go stale.
Sources
Checked on 27 August 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.