How this works
The CAE — Economic Activity Code — tells the tax office and the State what you do. You give it when you open activity 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. The tax authority 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 activity?
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 tax office.
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 VAT and Social Security 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 Finanças portal under "A Minha Área > Situação Fiscal Integrada > Informação Cadastral".
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 activity.