General rules elements that make up company names or designations must be true and not misleading as regards the holder’s identification, legal status or activities. The company name or designation must be distinguishable and not lead to confusion or deception with others already registered. Designations cannot be exclusively composed of everyday use words, identifying or regarding product or technical activities. Place names and any type of reference to geographical origins are not permitted. Expressions which may mislead as far as the company’s legal status, namely, usage, by for profit entities, of expressions commonly used by public bodies or non-profit associations are not permitted. Expressions forbidden by law or transgressing standards of moral and public decency, are not permitted Expressions inconsistent with the respect for political, religious and ideological freedom of choice, are not permitted Expressions that violate or take illegitimate ownership of national symbols, institutions, times or public figures whose name or meaning are necessary to safeguard for historical, patriotic, scientif, institutional, cultural or other reasons, are not permitted.
The company name must be formed as provided for in points a), b) and c) and must always end in “Sociedade Anónima” or its abbreviation “S.A.”:
a. with or without acronym, with the name or company name of one or all partners, including or not an expression identifying its corporate object; or
b. fantasy name, acronym or structure including or not an expression identifying its corporate object; or
c. a combination of a. and b.
Example: Smith & Collins, S.A, S.C. - Smith & Collins, S.A, AGEXP – Agricultural Export, S.A, AGEXP S.A.
The company name must be formed in one of two ways:
a. full or short names of one or more partners followed by "E Associados"(and associates); or
b. acronym, initials, fantasy expressions or a combination as long as followed by "Sociedade"(company).
When a company name does not address all partners, it must include the name or company name of one of them plus an expression which indicates the existence of others, e.g.: "E Companhia"(and company) or "& Filhos" (& sons), "& Sobrinhos"(& nephews), etc.
The company name must be formed by the name or company name of at least one of the limited partners and include "Em Comandita" or "& Comandita", "Em Comandita por Acções" or "& Comandita por Ações".
The company name must be formed in one of the following ways and must always end in “Limitada” or its abbreviation “Lda”:
c. a combination of a. and b)
Examples: Smith, Coutinho & Collins, Lda.; S.C.C. - Smith, Coutinho & Collins, Lda.; Dourel – Textile trade, Lda.”
The company name must be formed as provided for in points a), b) and c) and must always include "Sociedade Unipessoal" or "Unipessoal" before ending in "Limitada" or its abbreviation "Lda.":
c. a combination of a. and b).
Example: John Smith, Unipessoal, Lda; J. S. - John Smith, Car trade, Sociedade Unipessoal, Lda; Jocati – Car trade, Unipessoal, Lda
Legislação de suporte
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Instituto dos Registos e do Notariado