The physical checklist your AL property must pass: what the law actually requires on-site

Most hosts sort out their registration, their AL number, their tax obligations — and then breathe a sigh of relief, convinced the job is done. But there's a layer of compliance that lives inside the property itself: physical objects and documents the law requires to be present and accessible at all times. This is exactly where inspections catch hosts off guard.

This article walks through the most common physical requirements, explains the reasoning behind each one, and suggests a way to manage them without relying on memory.

What the law requires inside the property

Identification plate

Every alojamento local must display a plate on the exterior of the property, next to the entrance, identifying it as such and indicating its category. The plate is neither optional nor decorative — it's a legal requirement that signals to the public (and to the authorities) that the space is properly registered.

The design and specifications for the plate are set out in the legislation governing AL. If you don't have one yet, or if yours dates from an earlier version of the rules, it's worth confirming it still meets current requirements.

Fire extinguisher and fire safety equipment

An alojamento local is required to have fire safety equipment appropriate to the size and type of the property. In practice, that means at minimum a fire extinguisher in good working order and within its service date.

Two details hosts commonly overlook:

• The service date. An extinguisher that's past its inspection date is, for all practical purposes, the same as having no extinguisher — inspectors treat it exactly that way.
• The location. It must be accessible and visible, not tucked away in a cupboard.

Depending on the size of the property, additional first-response equipment may be required. Check the fire safety in residential buildings regulations (SCIE) to understand what applies to your specific situation.

Complaints book

The livro de reclamações — or its electronic equivalent — is mandatory in every alojamento local. It must be available to guests whenever requested, without delay or conditions.

Having it in a drawer isn't enough. Guests need to know it exists, and you need to be able to produce it immediately. The ASAE and some local councils specifically check this point during inspections.

The electronic complaints book (via the Livro de Reclamações Online platform) is a valid and, for many hosts, more practical alternative — but it requires the guest to have access to the platform, so it's worth having a clear process in place.

Mandatory information displayed inside the property

Beyond the exterior plate, the law requires certain information to be visible inside the accommodation. This typically includes:

• The AL registration number
• The maximum occupancy of the property
• The house rules (if they exist)
• Emergency contacts and contact details for the person responsible for the property

The exact format in which this information must be presented can vary, but the principle is straightforward: guests must be able to access these details without having to ask.

Other equipment and conditions

AL legislation also sets minimum habitability, equipment, and comfort standards — from heating to the quality of bed linen and kitchen utensils, depending on the type of accommodation. These requirements differ between apartments, villas, and rooms, so it's worth reviewing the legal framework that applies to your specific category.

The real problem: it's not knowing — it's remembering

Most hosts are aware of these requirements, at least in broad terms. The problem isn't ignorance — it's managing everything over time.

The extinguisher that was serviced last March. The plate that got damaged in a storm. The complaints book that was in property A and somehow ended up in property B. These details slip through the cracks, especially when you're managing more than one property.

Physical compliance isn't a moment — it's an ongoing state. And ongoing states need systems, not memory.

How to keep everything in order

The simplest approach is to maintain a single record per property that consolidates:

• What's installed and where
• The date of the last service or check for each item
• When the next service or check is due
• Who is responsible for handling each point

It can be a spreadsheet, a shared note, or a dedicated tool. The format matters less than the consistency: the record needs to be updated whenever something changes, and reviewed before each season or whenever there's a regulatory update.

When the rules evolve — and they do, with some regularity — a centralised system lets you quickly identify what needs updating across each property, rather than running through a mental checklist property by property.

A note on inspections

Inspections of alojamento local properties can be carried out by the ASAE, the local council, or other competent authorities, and they can happen without prior notice. What inspectors check isn't just what's on paper — it's what's physically in the property at the time of the visit.

Having everything in order on registration day and letting things slide afterwards is the most common scenario behind fines. Physical compliance requires active maintenance, not just an initial setup.

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The physical AL checklist isn't long, but it is concrete and verifiable. Extinguisher within its service date, plate properly displayed, complaints book accessible, mandatory information visible — each point is straightforward on its own. The challenge is making sure all of them are in order at the same time, across all your properties, throughout the entire year. That's exactly what a system is for.