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CAE Activity Code Finder

CAE-Rev.4 Activity Code Finder

Search the most common CAE business-activity codes for freelancers and small businesses in Portugal by keyword. Updated for CAE-Rev.4, in force since January 2025.

By Elijah·UPDATED JULY 2026·4 MIN·OFFICIAL SOURCES
KEY FACTS
Revision in force
CAE-Rev.4 (since 1 Jan 2025)
Code format
5 digits (subclass)
What this list covers
Most common codes for freelancers & small business
Full list
Decree-Law 9/2025 + SICAE
EXPERIMENTE:

    How this works

    The CAE (Código de Atividade Económica, the economic activity code) tells Finanças and the State what you do. You give it when you open atividade as a freelancer or register a company. This tool searches, across description and number, a curated list of the codes that show up most in services, retail and small business. Type a word (say “design”, “restaurant” or “62100”) and results filter live. It is a most-common list, not the full table: for the entire set of subclasses, use the official links.

    Frequently asked

    Does this list have every CAE code?
    No. It is a hand-picked selection of the codes freelancers and small businesses use most: about 100 entries out of the 900-plus official subclasses. If your activity is not here, check the full table in Decree-Law 9/2025 or search SICAE, both linked below.
    Is this CAE Rev.3 or Rev.4?
    Rev.4. CAE-Rev.4 has applied since 1 January 2025 (Decree-Law 9/2025) and replaced Rev.3. Finanças automatically converted taxpayers’ old codes. Several numbers changed: for instance, "computer programming" went from 62010 (Rev.3) to 62100 (Rev.4).
    CAE or CIRS code: which do I pick when opening atividade?
    Professionals whose activity is on the CIRS article 151 table (doctors, lawyers, programmers, designers, etc.) usually give the CIRS code. People with a commercial, industrial or service activity outside that table use the CAE. Many cases need both. Check with your accountant or at Finanças.
    Can I have more than one CAE?
    Yes. You can have a main activity and secondary ones, each with its own code. Holding several CAEs does not by itself raise your tax: IRS is charged on income, not on the count of codes. Still, only declare what you actually do, since the CAE can affect your IVA (VAT) and Segurança Social treatment.
    Where do I confirm a company’s CAE?
    On SICAE (sicae.pt), the official system where you can look up a company’s CAE by its tax number (NIPC). For your own record, check the Portal das Finanças under "A Minha Área > Situação Fiscal Integrada > Informação Cadastral".
    OFFICIAL SOURCES
    DISCLAIMER
    A curated list of the most common CAE codes, per CAE-Rev.4 (Decree-Law 9/2025), for guidance only. It is neither the full official table nor tax advice. The right code (and whether to use a CAE or a CIRS code) depends on your specific situation; confirm against the official list, on SICAE, or with your accountant before opening or changing your atividade.