How to Pay Water or Electricity Bills in Portugal Without a Portuguese Bank Account
A simple guide to where to go, what to bring and how to check your payment details.
You have just moved to Portugal, your first water or electricity bill arrives, and you do not have a Portuguese bank account yet. In many cases, there is a straightforward solution: pay the bill in cash at a CTT post office or a Payshop agent.
The important part is checking whether your utility provider accepts payments through this network. Your bill will usually tell you.
Where can you pay?
CTT (Correios)
Portugal’s postal service. CTT branches and participating postal counters accept payments for utility bills. Bring the bill and cash.
Payshop
Payment agents often found in convenience stores, newsagents, tobacconists and other local shops. Look for the Payshop sign or check the location online first.
How to pay: five easy steps
- Check that your bill supports CTT or Payshop payments and look for the payment deadline.
- Find a nearby payment point and bring your bill. A printed bill or PDF is helpful, especially when it includes a barcode.
- Show the bill and say: “Bom dia! Queria pagar esta fatura, por favor.” It means: “Hello, I’d like to pay this bill, please.”
- Pay in cash. Card acceptance may vary from one location to another.
- Keep the receipt, called Comprovativo de pagamento, until the payment appears in your utility account.
Which details should you look for?
Many Portuguese bills have a Multibanco payment section. You may see these labels:
- Entidade: the organisation code
- Referência: the payment reference number
- Montante: the amount due
One detail that is easy to miss
An Entidade and Referência pair is not automatically a valid Payshop payment code. Those details may be intended for Multibanco only, while in-person payment may require a specific Payshop reference, barcode or instruction. The safest option is to show the cashier the complete bill rather than just reading out the numbers.
What if the payment is refused?
Check the due date, marked Data limite de pagamento. If it has passed, the original payment details may no longer work. Ask your provider for an updated bill or another payment method. If there is no mention of CTT or Payshop on the invoice, confirm with the provider before going.
Find your nearest payment point
According to CTT/Payshop, there is no extra fee for supported utility bill payments.