The Portuguese Institute of Registries and Notary (IRN) is a public institution under indirect State administration, endowed with administrative autonomy and with jurisdiction extending throughout national territory.
The institute began operating in 2007, replacing the Directorate-General of Registries and Notary, as a result of guidelines laid down by the Restructuring Programme for the State’s Central Administration (PRACE) and State service goal-oriented administrative modernisation.
IRN is present in the life of citizens since birth. From that moment on, people’s life events such as marriage, acquiring nationality, purchasing a car, purchasing a house, inheriting estate, incorporating a company, and eventually death, are requested and registered in Register Offices in order to establish authenticity and ensure legal certainty. Whenever a citizen needs to submit proof of relevant legal facts related to a life event, IRN issues certificates, being the only entity entitled to do so.
Registries are a key role of the State, social rights and obligations and a fundamental pillar of a country’s economic organisation.