tudo certoGuide · IRS
Where is my IRS return?
A Portuguese IRS return moves through four stages: submitted, accepted, assessed (the nota de liquidação is issued, with the amount to pay or to get back) and, if there is tax to pay, a payment reference ready. If the Portal shows «Declaração com divergências», the return has stopped and needs sorting out.
Updated 18 September 2026
Step by step
- Sign in to the Portal das Finanças.
- Open the IRS returns list, at
irs.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/app/consulta. - Under the year, choose «Últimos 11» (last 11) and press Pesquisar (search) to see every return at once.
- On each line, the first column shows the return's status; next to it are the year, the date received and the amount.
The stages, one by one
| Stage | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Submitted | The return was received and is still being processed. | Wait. |
| Accepted | The Portal shows «Declaração certa»: it was validated with no problems. | Wait for the assessment. |
| Divergences | The Portal shows «Declaração com divergências»: the Finanças found differences. | Open the detail on the Portal and sort it out, usually with a replacement return (declaração de substituição) or the documents asked for. If it is complex, talk to a contabilista certificado. |
| Assessed | The nota de liquidação is out: the final calculation, with the amount to pay or to get back. | If you owe, a bill appears on the list of payments due. A refund is paid to the IBAN registered on the Portal. |
| Reference ready | The IRS bill now has a payment reference. | Pay by the deadline, by MB WAY or with the reference. |
The payment reference can appear a few days after the nota de liquidação. If you have the assessment but no reference yet, check again in a few days.
See the stage without digging
tudo certo. reads the returns list for you and says, in one sentence, which stage each return is at and what happens next. Free, always.
Frequently asked questions
What is the nota de liquidação?
The result of the tax calculation: it says how much you pay or get back for that year.
Why is there no payment reference yet?
The reference can take a few days after the nota de liquidação. Check again in a few days.
What do I do about a return with divergences?
Open the detail on the Portal to see what was flagged, and sort it out before anything else, usually with a replacement return. If in doubt, talk to a contabilista certificado.