# Cape Verde 🇨🇻 — Property Due-Diligence Playbook

ISO2: `cv`. Status: ✅ Fully populated (researched 2026-05).

## Country profile

- **Population**: ~525,000 (World Bank 2024); domestic estimates ~600k including diaspora-linked residents. Last full census: **RGPH 2021** (INE — Instituto Nacional de Estatística, `https://ine.cv/`); next scheduled mid-decade.
- **Geography**: 10 islands, 9 inhabited, ~570 km off the West-African coast. Two groups: **Barlavento** (Santo Antão, São Vicente, São Nicolau, Sal, Boa Vista) and **Sotavento** (Maio, Santiago, Fogo, Brava). Land area ~4,033 km².
- **Capital**: **Praia** (Santiago) ~160k; second city **Mindelo** (São Vicente) ~70k; **Espargos / Santa Maria** (Sal) and **Sal Rei** (Boa Vista) are the tourism property hotspots.
- **Currency**: **CVE — Cape Verdean escudo**, fixed peg to the EUR at **1 EUR = 110.265 CVE since 1999** (Acordo de Cooperação Cambial with Portugal, supported by a Portuguese Treasury credit-facility line). Peg confirmed in force, and its credibility explicitly reaffirmed in the 2025 Article IV + 7th ECF / 3rd RSF review concluded 6 Feb 2026: 2025 average inflation **2.3 %** mirrored euro-area trends and was consistent with the peg, and gross international reserves reached an all-time high of **EUR 1,070 m — 7.6 months of prospective imports — at end-2025** (2026 data, source IMF PR26/036). Source: IMF Country Reports + BCV (`https://www.bcv.cv/`).
- **Languages**: **Portuguese** (official, administration, notary, tax, court documents); **Cabo-Verdean Crioulo / Kriolu** (lingua franca, two main variants: Sotavento Santiago-based and Barlavento São Vicente-based). English and Italian common in Sal/Boa Vista tourism zones.
- **Legal system**: **Lusophone civil-law tradition** (Portuguese-derived). Civil Code, Notarial Code, and Land Registry Code mirror Portuguese structure. Property transfer requires **escritura pública** (public deed) before a notary + inscription in the **Conservatória do Registo Predial**.
- **Cadastre / land registry**: **Cadastro Predial Nacional** under the **Direção Nacional do Cadastro** (modernisation programme co-financed by EU + Millennium Challenge Account ongoing since 2010s; coverage uneven by island — strongest in Sal, Boa Vista, Praia urban zone, weaker in interior Santiago and the Barlavento highlands). Title certification: **Certidão do Registo Predial**.
- **Postcode**: 4 digits (e.g., Praia `7600`, Sal Espargos `4111`, Mindelo `2110`)
- **Admin levels**: 22 **concelhos** (municipalities) → 31 **freguesias** (parishes). Each concelho has a **Câmara Municipal** with property-tax (IPI) and urbanism authority.
- **EU relationship**: Cape Verde is **not an EU member** but holds a **Special Partnership with the EU** (Cotonou + post-Cotonou Samoa Agreement framework, plus the 2007 EU–Cabo Verde Special Partnership). PT–CV bilateral preferences for Portuguese citizens (mobility, recognition of diplomas) under the **Acordo Quadro de Cooperação** Portugal–Cabo Verde.
- **Major reforms tracked (2024–2026)**:
  - **2026-01-01 — Major property-tax reform**: the **Imposto Único sobre o Património (IUP)** in force since 1999 was **repealed** and **replaced by two new codes**:
    - **IPI (Imposto sobre a Propriedade de Imóveis)** — annual ownership tax, base rate **0.1 %** of assessed value. Legal basis: **Lei n.º 55/X/2025 of 6 June 2025**, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 46. (`https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/View?id=85811`)
    - **ITI (Imposto sobre a Transmissão de Imóveis)** — one-time transfer tax, **1 %** of transaction value (separate code: **Lei n.º 54/X/2025 of 6 June 2025**, Boletim Oficial I Série n.º 46, Art. 11.º; **3 %** with no exemption/reduction where the seller or buyer benefits from a privileged tax regime per the Código Geral Tributário) (`https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/View?id=85812`).
  - **2025 IMF Seventh Review under ECF + Third Review under RSF** (concluded 6 Feb 2026, PR26/036): real GDP growth 7.2 % in 2024; fiscal targets met; CVE-EUR peg credibility reaffirmed. (`https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2026/02/07/pr26036-cabo-verde-imf-concl-2025-aiv-consultation-7th-rev-under-ecf-and-3rd-rev-under-rsf`)
  - **2026-05-08 — 2025 growth revised UP**: the Feb-2026 **est. 5.2 % for 2025 is SUPERSEDED** — 2025 outturn **6.3 %**, with 2026 growth now projected **~4.7 % (IMF)** / **~4.8 % (World Bank)** (2026 data, source IMF PR26/146 of 8 May 2026 — staff-level agreement on the 8th ECF / 4th RSF review; World Bank Cabo Verde Economic Update of 14 Jul 2026 concurs). No Board-completion release for the 8th ECF review located as at 2026-08-07 — treat the 8th-review figures as staff-level, not Board-approved. (`https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2026/05/08/pr-26146-cabo-verde-imf-reaches-agreement-on-8th-rev-under-ecf-arrang-4th-rev-rsf-arrang`)
  - **2017 Permanent Residence for Foreign Investors** (the "Green Card" / RBI route): government-approved framework still operative; thresholds **8.8 M CVE (~€80k)** below-average-GDP municipalities / **13.2 M CVE (~€120k)** above-average — see `--visa` notes below and verify at `https://aai.gov.cv/`.
  - **2026 corporate-income-tax cut to 20 %** for IRPC standard, taxpayers under the **organised-accounting regime** — **Lei n.º 69/X/2025 of 31 December 2025 (Orçamento do Estado 2026), Art. 29.º**, amending **Art. 84.º of the CIRPC** (Lei n.º 82/VIII/2015); in force for economic year 2026 (from 2026-01-01). Published Boletim Oficial n.º 133, 1.º Suplemento, I Série. (`https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/DownloadAct?id=89137`) The immediately preceding rate was **21 %** (not 22 %) — rate path 25 % → 22 % (2019) → 21 % (2024) → 20 % (2026), per Governo de Cabo Verde "Política Fiscal" (governo.cv, Apr 2026). ⚠️ Tourism-zone preferential-regime treatment **not re-verified against a primary source** — confirm at DGCI / Ministério das Finanças before relying (`https://www.mf.gov.cv/`). (2026-08-07 verified)

---

## Foreign buyer eligibility (READ FIRST)

Cape Verde is **broadly permissive** for foreign buyers. There is **no nationality restriction** on buying urban residential or tourist property, and **no minimum residency requirement** for ownership. The constraints are sector-specific (agricultural land, ZDTI/POT plans, military/airport buffer zones) and fiscal (correct registration of foreign-currency inflow, NIF acquisition, notary deed in Portuguese).

### What foreigners can and cannot buy

| Asset | Foreigner-buyable? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **Urban titled apartment / villa** | ✅ YES | Default safe — Sal, Boa Vista, Praia, Mindelo apartments + tourist developments. Verify Certidão do Registo Predial. |
| **Off-plan / VEFA in tourism zone** | ✅ YES (with care) | Most tourism developments are in **ZDTI** (Zona de Desenvolvimento Turístico Integral) or **ZRPT** (Zona de Reserva e Proteção Turística) under Plano de Ordenamento Turístico (POT). Check developer's title + construction licence + bank guarantee. (Default off-plan trap: developer insolvency. Demand sequential payments tied to milestones.) |
| **Restored historic property (Mindelo, Cidade Velha, Ribeira Grande)** | ✅ YES | Cidade Velha (Santiago) is **UNESCO World Heritage** — restoration permits required from IPC (Instituto do Património Cultural). |
| **Rural / agricultural land outside ZDTI** | ⚠️ CAUTION | No explicit foreign-ownership ban, but cadastre coverage is weakest in the rural interior; chain-of-title disputes common (see Cadastre limitations below). Many parcels are subject to customary tenure ("herança partilhada" — undivided inheritance shares across diaspora heirs) — **verify all heirs' consent**. |
| **Military / airport buffer / port zones** | ❌ NO | Restricted by national-security and aviation authorities. |
| **Maritime public domain (DPM — within 80 m of high-water line)** | ❌ NO | Inalienable public domain. Beachfront "concessions" exist (long-lease) but are not freehold. |
| **Protected natural areas** (e.g., Parque Natural Monte Gordo, Tartarugas marine reserves) | ❌/⚠️ | Severely restricted; some coastal Boa Vista / Maio parcels are inside protected zones — verify via Direção Nacional do Ambiente. |

### Mandatory pre-purchase verification

1. **NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal)** — foreigner must obtain a Cape Verdean tax ID from DGI before signing the deed. Issued via Casa do Cidadão (`https://www.portondinosilhas.gov.cv/`).
2. **Certidão do Registo Predial** (≤ 6 months) — issued by the local **Conservatória dos Registos** confirming: owner, area, boundaries, mortgages, easements, pre-emption rights. Order before paying any deposit.
3. **Caderneta predial / matriz predial** — fiscal record from DGCI (now under Direção Nacional das Receitas de Estado, **DNRE**) confirming the property's tax matrix value and IPI status.
4. **Licença de utilização / habite-se** — Câmara Municipal-issued certificate that the building is legally constructed and habitable.
5. **Condomínio status** (apartments) — request **regulamento + actas de condomínio + certidão de quotas em dívida** to confirm no unpaid HOA fees.
6. **Tourism-zone POT compliance** — for parcels in ZDTI/ZRPT, confirm the project is included in the approved POT (Plano de Ordenamento Turístico) at Cabo Verde TradeInvest / Direção Geral do Ordenamento do Território.

### Cadastre limitations to know

- The **Cadastro Predial Nacional** modernisation programme (post-2010) prioritised Sal, Boa Vista, Praia urban, parts of São Vicente. Older parts of Santiago, Fogo, Santo Antão, São Nicolau, Maio, Brava have legacy registers with mixed quality.
- **Customary tenure ("posse" without title)** persists for rural land — *de facto* ownership recognised socially but not always formally registered. Foreigners must require **título registado** (registered title), not posse.
- **Diaspora-heir disputes**: Cape Verde has one of the world's largest diaspora-to-resident ratios. Many rural parcels have 5–20 heirs scattered across Portugal, US (New England), Netherlands, France. **All co-heirs must consent** to a sale or it can be voided. Demand a **certidão de habilitação de herdeiros** for any inherited parcel.

### Currency repatriation — FX framework

The **2017 FX liberalisation** package eliminated the prior central-bank-authorisation regime for routine foreign-investment inflows. As of 2025–2026:

- **Foreign currency inflow** for property purchase must enter through a **commercial bank licensed by Banco de Cabo Verde** (the major banks: BCA — Banco Comercial do Atlântico, BCN — Banco Caboverdiano de Negócios, Caixa Económica de Cabo Verde, Banco Interatlântico — BI, Ecobank).
- The bank issues a **declaração de câmbio** / **comprovativo de entrada de divisas** referencing the property purchase. **Keep this document forever** — it is the basis for repatriation rights on resale + rental income.
- **Repatriation of sale proceeds and rental income** is permitted in foreign currency for non-residents who properly registered the inflow at purchase. The escudo is *pegged* (1 EUR = 110.265 CVE) but **not freely floating** — repatriation processing typically takes days to weeks.
- **Skipping the bank channel** (cash, crypto, informal) = future repatriation right not guaranteed. Non-negotiable for serious investors.

### Confidence

**HIGH** for the foreigner-eligibility framework, NIF/notary process, and cadastre-modernisation status (multi-source: government + IMF + investment-promotion documentation). **MEDIUM** for the rural / diaspora-heir trap specifics (well-documented qualitatively but no published case-rate statistics). **MEDIUM** for ZDTI/ZRPT compliance procedures (POT plans are public but project-by-project verification still needed).

---

## Section: `--price`

### Primary sources

- **INE (Instituto Nacional de Estatística)** — `https://ine.cv/` — Estatísticas da Construção, Habitação e Turismo. Publishes hotel-bed inventory, construction-permit volumes, and demographic data. **Does not publish a residential price index** comparable to PT Confidencial Imobiliário or FR Notaires.
- **Banco de Cabo Verde — Statistics & Financial Stability Reports** — `https://www.bcv.cv/` — credit-to-real-estate aggregates, mortgage volumes (limited granularity).
- **DNRE / DGCI matriz predial** — fiscal-base values per parcel (used as IPI base; typically 30–60 % below market — useful as floor only).
- **Cabo Verde TradeInvest** — `https://cvtradeinvest.com/` — investment-promotion agency under the Ministry of Finance; publishes ZDTI catalogues and project pipeline.

### Listing platforms

- **Bons Negócios** — `https://www.bonsnegocios.cv/` ❌ DEPRECATED — dead on 2026-09-18; verify with the authority named in this row — main domestic classifieds, real estate active section
- **Imovirtual / Imobiliário Cabo Verde** — Portuguese-portal regional listings
- **Properstar Cape Verde** — `https://www.properstar.com/cape-verde/buy` — international-buyer-oriented aggregator
- **A Place in the Sun (UK)** — `https://www.aplaceinthesun.com/cape-verde` — UK-buyer-targeted, dominant for Sal/Boa Vista holiday property
- **Rightmove Overseas — Cape Verde** — `https://www.rightmove.co.uk/overseas-property-for-sale/Cape-Verde.html`
- **Realigro Cape Verde** — `https://cape-verde.realigro.com/`
- **Simply Cape Verde, Cape Verde Property24, NH21 Investment** — agency-network sites with strong Sal / Boa Vista coverage
- **Major agencies**: Tortuga Beach (Sal), The Resort Group, Melia Llana / Dunas Beach, RE/MAX Cabo Verde, Cape Verde Property Direct

### Indicative price bands (2024–2025 listing aggregation — est.)

> ⚠️ Cape Verde lacks a published official residential price index. The table below is an **est.** range from listing aggregation (UK/PT-buyer-oriented portals); transaction-price evidence is fragmentary. Assume 5–15 % gap between listing and final transaction, plus the listing-platform bias toward foreign-buyer-priced units.

| Locality | Property type | Listing €/m² (est., 2024–2025) | Notes |
|---|---|---:|---|
| **Sal — Santa Maria, Murdeira, Algodoeiro** | Tourist-zone apartment | ~€1,500–€3,000 | Dominant foreign-buyer market. UK + Italian buyers >70 % historically. |
| **Sal — Espargos** (residential, near airport) | Local apartment | ~€800–€1,400 | Local-buyer market; less amenity-rich than Santa Maria |
| **Boa Vista — Sal Rei, Praia de Chaves, Estoril** | Tourist apartment | ~€1,400–€2,800 | Lower volume than Sal, more development pipeline |
| **Boa Vista — interior villages** | Cottage / villa | ~€600–€1,200 | Limited liquidity; mostly local |
| **Santiago — Praia (Achada Santo António, Plateau, Palmarejo)** | Apartment | ~€1,200–€2,200 | Capital — strongest residential market for non-tourism |
| **Santiago — Cidade Velha** | Restored historic | varies widely | UNESCO heritage; restoration permits required |
| **São Vicente — Mindelo (Centro, Monte Sossego)** | Apartment | ~€900–€1,800 | Cultural capital; smaller market, very limited foreign-buyer pipeline |
| **Fogo — São Filipe, Chã das Caldeiras** | Cottage / restored | ~€500–€1,000 | Volcanic risk zone; tourism niche |
| **Santo Antão — Ribeira Grande, Paúl, Porto Novo** | Rural / village | ~€400–€900 | Hiking-tourism niche; thin liquidity |
| **Maio, Brava, São Nicolau** | Rural / coastal | ~€400–€900 | Very thin markets; cadastre weakness pronounced |

**Numbeo Sal city report** (May 2025): average ~115,433 CVE/m² (≈ €1,047/m²) — ⚠️ Numbeo is **secondary aggregator** based on user submissions, treat as triangulation only. (`https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/in/Sal-Cape-Verde`)

### Compute steps

1. Listing €/m² = listing € ÷ surface m². **Clarify which surface measure** — Cape Verde notarial deeds typically reference **área coberta** (built / covered) and **área de implantação** (footprint); listings often advertise **área útil** or **área bruta**.
2. Cross-check against the **matriz predial** value (DNRE record) — typically 30–60 % below market; use as a sanity floor.
3. **Trap — off-plan VEFA in ZDTI**: many tourist developments are sold "fully furnished" with management contracts. Confirm what's included (parking, beach-club access, rental-pool participation, deeds vs leasehold of common areas).
4. **Trap — rental-pool / managed-rental schemes**: check whether the unit is sold *with* a mandatory rental-pool contract (often 50/50 or 60/40 owner-operator split with limited owner-use weeks). The owner's share net of operator fees is often 30–50 % of gross.
5. **Trap — dual pricing**: foreign-buyer listings on UK portals can sit 15–30 % above local-market levels for the same unit type. Check **Bons Negócios** for the local benchmark.

### Confidence

**MEDIUM** — listing-derived ranges only; no national price index; foreign-buyer-portal bias acknowledged. **HIGH** for the existence and direction of the Sal-Boa-Vista price-premium phenomenon (multi-source agency reports + INE tourism dominance data agree).

---

## Section: `--traffic`

### Primary sources

- **Ministério das Infraestruturas, Ordenamento do Território e Habitação (MIOTH)** — `https://mioth.gov.cv/`. A "Direção Nacional dos Transportes Rodoviários" is not named on the ministry's site — data not publicly available; verify the current road-transport directorate at MIOTH (2026-09-18 verified)
- **Estradas de Cabo Verde, E.P.E. (ECV)** — under MIOTH; mandate "Desenvolver, manter e expandir a rede rodoviária nacional" (`https://home.estradas.cv`). Successor to the Instituto de Estradas de Cabo Verde (IECV). Traffic counts (**Recenseamento de Tráfego**) are not published on the current site — verify directly with ECV (2026 data, source home.estradas.cv; 2026-09-18 verified)
- **Câmaras Municipais** for urban-road counts (rare; few municipalities publish granular AADT).
- **OSM fallback** is the practical baseline for most of Cape Verde — government published traffic counts have very thin coverage outside Praia + Sal main routes.

### Cape Verde traffic terminology

- **TMD (Tráfego Médio Diário)** — same as PT TMD, equivalent to AADT
- Road classification: **EN (Estrada Nacional)** = primary inter-island national roads; **ER (Estrada Regional)** = secondary; **EM (Estrada Municipal)** = local; *strada urbana* in city core

### Verdict bands (TMD, generic — calibrated to small-island context)

- 🟢 < 500 v/d (rural EM, side street, most of interior Santo Antão / Fogo / São Nicolau)
- 🟡 500–3,000 v/d (urban quartier streets, secondary EN segments outside Praia)
- 🟠 3,000–10,000 v/d (Praia main corridors, Sal EN1 Santa Maria-Espargos, Mindelo Avenida Marginal)
- 🔴 > 10,000 v/d (Praia central — Av. Cidade de Lisboa, Av. da OUA; Sal airport access in peak season)

### Island-specific notes

- **Sal**: single main road **EN1-SL01** Espargos (airport / capital) → Santa Maria (tourism) carries virtually all tourism traffic. Peak season (Nov–Apr) congestion + rental-car volume notable. Dust + pothole maintenance variable. Tour-operator coach traffic concentrated 6 AM (airport pickup) and 10 PM (departures).
- **Boa Vista**: dominant axis **EN1-BV01** Rabil (airport) → Sal Rei (capital + tourism). Lower volume than Sal. Several large tourist resorts have private access roads off this corridor.
- **Santiago / Praia**: capital-city traffic — Avenida Cidade de Lisboa, Avenida Amílcar Cabral, Avenida da OUA carry heavy commuter + commercial loads. Praia–Cidade Velha (~15 km west) congested at weekends. Praia–Tarrafal (~75 km north) is the main inter-urban link.
- **São Vicente / Mindelo**: smaller scale; Avenida Marginal + port-area corridors are the only material congestion points.
- **Fogo, Santo Antão, São Nicolau, Maio, Brava**: rural traffic almost everywhere — sub-500 v/d except town centres on market days.

### Noise verdict — Cape Verde-specific add-ons

- **Funaná / live-music venues + Crioulo cultural events**: nighttime live-music spillover in Mindelo, Santa Maria, Praia tourist zones. Map venue density before signing.
- **Airport approach noise**: **Amílcar Cabral International (Sal, SID)** and **Aristides Pereira International (Boa Vista, BVC)** have flightpath noise affecting nearby parcels. Check distance + flightpath orientation. Praia (RAI) and São Vicente (VXE) airports also have urban impact.
- **Wind**: Cape Verde is in the trade-wind belt; **harmattan-related dust events** + sustained 30–40 km/h winds in Sal/Boa Vista create their own ambient noise — door rattle, sand-on-window, palm-frond impact.
- **Generators**: in some peri-urban / interior zones grid reliability remains uneven; diesel-generator operation 5–8 PM peak hours adds noise corridors.

---

## Section: `--tax`

> ⚠️ **Major reform — 2026-01-01**: the 25-year-old **IUP (Imposto Único sobre o Património)** was repealed and replaced by **IPI** (annual ownership) + **ITI** (one-time transfer). The figures below reflect the new regime. Verify the latest at DNRE / DGCI: `https://www.mf.gov.cv/web/dnre/direção-geral-das-contribuições-e-impostos`. (2025-2026 reform package; revisit cadence semi-annual.)

### One-time at purchase

| Item | Rate / amount | Source / notes |
|---|---|---|
| **ITI (Imposto sobre a Transmissão de Imóveis)** | **1 %** of transaction value (post-2026 reform) | Código do ITI, Lei n.º 54/X/2025 (Art. 11.º; 3 % where a party benefits from a privileged tax regime); payable to the Câmara Municipal *before* registration of the deed. (`https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/View?id=85812` for ITI Code; IPI Code is Lei n.º 55/X/2025, `https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/View?id=85811`) |
| **Imposto do Selo (stamp duty)** | **0.5 %** of transaction value (verify current) | Cabo Verde Stamp Duty Code — applies to the deed |
| **Notary fees** | ~**0.5–1.5 %** of transaction value (verify per notary; tariffs published by Conselho dos Notários) | Cartório Notarial; fees scale with deed value |
| **Registo Predial (land-registry inscription)** | ~**0.3–0.6 %** + fixed fees | Conservatória dos Registos |
| **Estate-agent fee** | typically **3–5 %** + **15 % IVA** (negotiable; sometimes split, sometimes seller-paid) | Market practice |
| **Total transaction cost (buyer side)** | **~3.5–6 %** of price (excl. agent commission) | Sum of above |

> 📊 Compared to PT (IMT 2–8 % + IS 0.8 %) and ES (ITP 6–11 %), CV transaction taxes are **markedly lower** — a deliberate signal of the tourism-investment strategy.

### Annual taxes

| Tax | Base | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| **IPI (Imposto sobre a Propriedade de Imóveis)** | Assessed value (objective criteria: construction cost, location, area, quality, age, zoning) | **0.1 %** standard | Lei n.º 55/X/2025. Replaces the IUP residential rate (which had been 1.5 % of "valor patrimonial" since 1999, although effective collection on under-assessed values was much lower in practice). Revenue accrues 100 % to the Câmara Municipal. |
| **IPI agravamentos (penalty rates)** | Same base | **25 %** for *prédios devolutos / em ruínas* (vacant/derelict); **10 %** for incomplete façades; +**20 % per year** stacking for chronic dereliction | Anti-speculation / anti-blight provisions |
| **IPI exemption** | — | Rural buildings used exclusively for agriculture/forestry/livestock are exempt | |
| **Tourism-property IPI waiver** (legacy, verify continues post-2026 reform) | — | Properties used for tourism rental can qualify for **5-year IPI waiver** under tourism-investment incentive regimes | Verify at Cabo Verde TradeInvest + DNRE |

> 🔎 The IPI rate is **dramatically lower** than the prior IUP nominal 1.5 %, but the new code uses **objective valuation criteria** that may *raise* assessed values — the net cash impact varies. For a foreign owner of a Sal apartment with €200k market value and historic IUP base ~€80k → IUP at 1.5 % = ~€1,200/yr; new IPI at 0.1 % on a more accurate ~€180k base = ~€180/yr. Most residential foreign owners will see a **decrease**.

### Rental income — IRPS Categoria F-equivalent

- **IRPS rates 2025** (Lei do IRPS, declarative method) — *verify at DGCI*:

| Taxable income (CVE) | Rate |
|---|---:|
| 0 – 220,000 | exempt |
| 220,001 – 960,000 | **16.5 %** |
| 960,001 – 1,800,000 | **23.1 %** |
| > 1,800,000 | **27.5 %** |

(Source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries, Cabo Verde individual taxes, last reviewed 19 January 2026 — `https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/cabo-verde/individual/taxes-on-personal-income`. Cross-check with DGCI for current LdF.)

- **Flat rental option**: rental income may be taxed at a **10 % flat rate** under specific regimes (verify current eligibility at DGCI).
- **Withholding** when paying companies: **10 %** WHT on rental payments by companies to landlords.
- **Non-residents**: subject to PIT only on Cabo-Verdean-source income at flat rates equivalent to the resident rates (with a 10 % flat option commonly applied to services).

### Capital gains on property

- **Resident individuals**: capital gain on property sale included in IRPS (Cat. G-equivalent — *mais-valias*); inflation indexation typically applies. Holding-period exemptions exist for primary residence reinvestment under conditions. **Verify at DGCI.**
- **Non-residents**: typically **flat rate** on net gain (10–20 % range depending on regime — confirm current at DGCI before relying).
- **No general wealth tax** in Cape Verde.

### IVA (VAT)

- **Standard IVA**: **15 %** (lower than PT 23 %, ES 21 %)
- **Tourism / accommodation services**: reduced rate has historically been considered (10 % proposed in past LdF cycles). **Verify current rate at DNRE before pricing rental rates.**

### Future risk

- IPI is **brand-new** (effective 2026-01-01). Implementation friction (assessment software, municipal capacity, foreign-owner portals) is expected through the first 18 months. Expect adjustments in 2027 LdF (Lei do Orçamento de Estado).
- Tourism-zone 5-year IPI waiver: confirm whether it survived intact through the IUP→IPI transition. (Status: pending DNRE clarification as of 2025–2026.)
- Non-resident rental flat rates and CGT rates revisit periodically through the LdF.
- Verify all rates at `https://www.mf.gov.cv/` and the current **Lei do Orçamento de Estado (LOE)** before relying.

⚠️ **Verification**: request the seller's most recent **caderneta predial** (matriz value) + the **certidão de não dívida** (proof no IPI/IUP arrears).

---

## Section: `--rental`

### Long-term residential leasing

- **Lei do Arrendamento Urbano (LAU)** governs residential leases. Standard 1-year contracts renewable; deposit (caução) typically 1–2 months.
- **Rent control**: no general control; revisions tied to inflation indexation.
- **Eviction**: judicial; for non-payment cases timelines 6–18 months realistic.
- **Long-let yields** (est., 2025): Praia residential ~5–7 %, Sal/Boa Vista off-tourist-zone ~4–6 %, Mindelo ~4–6 %.

### Short-let / tourism rental — the dominant foreign-buyer use case

> ⚠️ The regulatory framework for short-lets in Cape Verde is **less codified than EU equivalents** (no AL-style national register as in PT). Tourist-zone short-let is largely structured through:
>
> 1. **Tourism-development companies / rental-pool operators** (most ZDTI properties)
> 2. **Independent small-scale rental** via Booking.com / Airbnb / Vrbo (less regulated; tax-compliance pressure rising 2024–2026)

#### Track 1 — ZDTI rental-pool / managed-rental

- Most off-plan tourism developments (Sal, Boa Vista) sell with a **rental-pool contract** assigning the unit to a managing operator (e.g., Tortuga Beach Resort, Llana Beach, The Resort Group properties).
- **Owner share**: typically **40–60 % of net rental revenue** after operator fees + maintenance reserve.
- **Owner-occupancy weeks**: limited (often 2–6 weeks/year, peak/off-peak split).
- **Tax**: managing operator usually withholds + remits IRPC and IVA; owner declares net distribution as income (Cat. F or B).
- **Trap — over-promised yields**: developer brochures advertising "8–10 % guaranteed" are marketing. Verify by demanding *actual historical* operator distribution statements from existing owners (3+ years if available). Many "guaranteed" yield periods expire after 3–5 years and revert to actual occupancy share.

#### Track 2 — Independent short-let (Airbnb, Booking, Vrbo)

- Owner manages directly or via local manager.
- **Registration**: tourism authority (Direção Geral do Turismo, DGT-CV) operates a **Cadastro Turístico** for accommodation establishments. Booking platforms increasingly require evidence of registration. **Verify before listing.**
- **Tax**: rental income subject to IRPS (declarative) or 10 % flat option; IVA implications above thresholds.
- **Tourism tax (Taxa Turística)**: **TUR (Taxa de Turismo)** charged per overnight stay — historically ~€2/night/person (verify current; rates set by LOE annually). Operator collects and remits.

### Realistic gross yields (est., 2025)

> Estimates from agency reports + Booking/Airbnb listing aggregation; verify per-property; high seasonality.

| Configuration | Gross yield (est.) |
|---|---|
| Sal — Santa Maria 1-bed apartment, managed rental-pool | ~4–7 % gross |
| Sal — Santa Maria villa, owner-managed Airbnb | ~5–9 % gross (high vacancy summer) |
| Boa Vista — Sal Rei tourist apartment | ~4–7 % gross |
| Praia — long-let to local professional / civil servant | ~5–7 % gross |
| Mindelo — long-let | ~4–6 % gross |
| Fogo / Santo Antão hiking-tourism cottage | ~3–6 % gross |

Net yields after IPI + IRPS + management + maintenance + condomínio fees + utilities typically **45–65 % of gross** for managed rentals; 60–75 % for owner-managed long-lets.

### Strategic notes

- **Sal high season** (Nov–Apr): UK + DE + IT + FR retiree wintering. Off-season (Jul–Sep) drops sharply but interior European summer holidays partially fill.
- **Boa Vista**: similar seasonality; lower volume but newer infrastructure pipeline (TUI / Robinson resorts). Longer-term capital-appreciation play.
- **Praia**: business-traveller + diaspora-visit market — different rhythm than Sal/Boa Vista. Government / NGO / aid-sector demand.
- **Mindelo**: cultural-tourism + festival weeks (Carnaval February, Mindelact theatre festival, Baía das Gatas music festival). Strong owner-occupier secondary-residence market for diaspora returnees.
- **Currency repatriation of rental income**: only assured if the original property purchase was registered through a licensed bank (see Foreign buyer eligibility § FX framework).

---

## Section: `--work=<profession>`

### Job platforms

- **Direção Geral do Trabalho** under Ministério da Família, Inclusão e Desenvolvimento Social — `https://www.governo.cv/`
- **IEFP (Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional) Cabo Verde** — `https://www.iefp.cv/`
- **Bons Negócios — Empregos** — `https://www.bonsnegocios.cv/ ❌ DEPRECATED — dead on 2026-09-18; verify with the authority named in this rowempregos/`
- **JobToday Cabo Verde**, **LinkedIn**, **Indeed.com (regional)**
- **Tourism / hospitality**: direct applications to ZDTI resort operators (Meliá, Riu, Iberostar, RIU Palace, Hilton Cabo Verde, TUI, Robinson, Murdeira Resort, Hotel Morabeza). EU work permits for certain skilled tourism roles processed via Cabo Verde TradeInvest.
- **Education**: Universidade de Cabo Verde (UniCV), Universidade Jean Piaget de Cabo Verde, Universidade Lusófona — Mindelo / Praia campuses.
- **Remote-work**: Cape Verde is in **GMT-1** (no DST) — ~1 hour offset from Lisbon, 5–8 hours offset from US East Coast — viable for EU-time-zone remote work.

### Self-employment / business setup

- **ENI (Empresário em Nome Individual)**: sole-trader regime for individual professionals; registered at Casa do Cidadão / DGCI.
- **Sociedade Unipessoal por Quotas (Lda. Unipessoal)**: single-shareholder LLC, mirror of PT structure; minimum capital nominal (1 CVE) since reforms.
- **Sociedade por Quotas (Lda.)**: standard LLC, 2+ shareholders.
- **Sociedade Anónima (S.A.)**: capital 5,000,000 CVE (~€45k) minimum (verify current at Casa do Cidadão / Código das Sociedades Comerciais).
- **Foreigners as managers/shareholders**: allowed; long-stay residence permit (Autorização de Residência) required for active management presence > 90 days. The **Investidor** subcategory of residency permit caters specifically to investor-managers.
- **Casa do Cidadão one-stop shop**: business registration in days (not weeks) for standard structures.
- **Cabo Verde TradeInvest** — `https://cvtradeinvest.com/` — investment-promotion agency, contact for **Estatuto de Investidor Externo (External Investor Status)** which unlocks tax + customs incentives in priority sectors (tourism, ICT, light industry, ocean economy, renewables).
- **Cabo Verde Free Zone / Centro Internacional de Negócios da Praia (Plateau Tech / TechPark)**: emerging fintech / ICT cluster with preferential corporate tax.

### Salary benchmarks (est., 2025)

> ⚠️ Cape Verde public-wage data is irregularly published. Estimates aggregated from job-portal listings + ILOSTAT; verify current at IEFP / INE.

| Role | Gross CVE/month (est.) | EUR equivalent |
|---|---:|---:|
| Junior tourism / hospitality (Sal, Santa Maria) | ~30,000–60,000 | ~€275–€545 |
| Mid-level tourism / hotel mgmt | ~80,000–180,000 | ~€725–€1,635 |
| Senior expat hotel-resort director | ~300,000–800,000 | ~€2,720–€7,255 |
| IT / developer (Praia tech corridor) | ~80,000–250,000 | ~€725–€2,265 |
| Bilingual (PT/EN) admin | ~40,000–80,000 | ~€365–€725 |
| Construction / trades skilled | ~40,000–90,000 | ~€365–€815 |
| **Salário mínimo nacional 2025 (national minimum wage)** | ~**14,000 CVE/month** (≈ €127, est.) | verify current at Direção Geral do Trabalho |

### Catchment heuristics

- **Praia metropolitan**: ~200k inhabitants — primary professional services / public-sector / NGO market
- **Sal (Espargos + Santa Maria)**: ~35–40k residents + ~1M+ annual tourists — tourism-economy dominant
- **Boa Vista**: ~15–20k residents + ~400k tourists — tourism-economy
- **São Vicente / Mindelo**: ~75k — cultural / port / education market; thinner foreign-labour demand
- **Other islands**: small markets — most expats run own businesses or remote-work

---

## Section: `--risks`

### Primary national / regional risk sources

| Source | URL | What it gives |
|---|---|---|
| **Serviço Nacional de Proteção Civil (SNPC)** | `https://snpcb.cv/` (verify) — contact via Ministério da Administração Interna | Civil protection, hazard awareness, multi-hazard maps |
| **Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia e Geofísica (INMG)** | `https://www.inmg.gov.cv/` | National weather service, seismic monitoring (Brava + Fogo seismicity), volcano observation Fogo |
| **Smithsonian Global Volcanism Program — Fogo** | `https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=384010` | Eruption history, hazard map for Fogo |
| **USGS Earthquake Hazards** | `https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=14,-26&extent=18,-22` | Cross-check seismic events Cabo Verde region |
| **Direção Nacional do Ambiente (DNA)** | `https://www.governo.cv/` (Ministry of Agriculture & Environment) | Coastal erosion, protected-area maps, environmental risk |
| **Climate Risk Country Profile — Cape Verde (World Bank Group + ADB)** | `https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/cabo-verde` | Climate-change projections, sea-level rise, water stress |
| **WHO PHSA Cabo Verde Hurricane Erin (Sep 2025)** | `https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/emergencies/phsa_cabo_verde_hurricane_sep2025.pdf` | Recent flood + cyclone impact context |

### Volcanic risk — Fogo (and Brava)

- **Fogo (Pico do Fogo)** is the **youngest and most active volcano in the Cape Verde archipelago**. Recent eruptions: **1951, 1995, 2014–2015** (last major). The 2014–2015 eruption destroyed much of **Chã das Caldeiras** village (inside the caldera); ~1,000 residents evacuated; lava flows damaged or destroyed homes, agricultural plots, and infrastructure.
- **Implication for property buyers**: any purchase **inside Chã das Caldeiras caldera** carries direct lava-flow + ashfall risk. **Insurance** for volcanic damage in this zone is severely limited or unavailable from commercial carriers — verify before buying. Outside the caldera (São Filipe town, peripheral coast), risk is ashfall + indirect (port/airport closure during eruption).
- **Brava** has a younger volcanic history; small-scale seismic swarms recorded periodically. No historical eruption in modern times but classified active by Smithsonian GVP.
- **Other islands**: not classified as actively volcanic in the modern era; Santo Antão has the most recent volcanic record outside Fogo (~10,000+ years ago).
- **Megatsunami research note**: the eastern flank of Fogo collapsed ~73,000 years ago, generating a paleo-tsunami that struck Santiago. Modern recurrence probability over a property-ownership horizon is very low but the academic literature exists (Ramalho et al. 2015) and is occasionally cited in catastrophe-modelling. Insurance carriers do NOT typically price this scenario.

### Cyclone / hurricane risk

- The **Atlantic hurricane season** (Jun–Nov) **forms tropical waves at low latitude near Cape Verde** ("Cape Verde-type hurricanes"); these typically intensify *as they leave* Cape Verde westward. **Direct hurricane landfall on Cape Verde is historically rare** but happens.
- **Hurricane Fred 2015 (Cat 1)**: rare direct hit; significant rain damage on São Vicente, São Nicolau.
- **Hurricane Erin 2025-08-10/11 (Cat 5 at peak elsewhere; tropical storm conditions affecting CV)**: torrential rains, flash flooding, landslides; **9 deaths, ~27,500 affected** per WHO PHSA report. Affected primarily São Vicente, São Nicolau, Santiago, Fogo.
- **Expected risk profile**: historically low landfall probability; **rainfall-flood + flash-flood + landslide** are the dominant cyclone-season hazards (vs. wind direct).

### Flood + flash-flood risk

- **Most vulnerable islands** (per WHO PHSA + Civil Protection): **São Vicente, São Nicolau, Santiago, Fogo** — all have steep topography + ribeiras (seasonal stream beds) prone to flash flooding in heavy rain.
- **Rainy season** mid-Aug to mid-Oct; long droughts between intense convective events make ribeira channels deceptively dry most of the year.
- **Verification before buying**: never buy a parcel **in or adjacent to a ribeira** (dry stream bed) without checking the local **Plano Director Municipal (PDM)** for flood-zone overlay. Several Praia + Mindelo neighbourhoods have known flash-flood corridors.

### Drought + water stress

- Cape Verde is **structurally water-stressed** (semi-arid climate, low rainfall). Multi-year droughts the norm. Most islands rely on **desalination** for potable water — coverage and reliability vary by island. Verify the property's water source (ELECTRA municipal vs. private well + cistern).
- Climate-change projections (World Bank Climate Knowledge Portal): rainfall declining further +1.5 to +3.0 °C under SSP2-4.5/SSP5-8.5 by 2050.

### Coastal erosion + sea-level rise

- Sandy beachfront on Sal / Boa Vista experiences seasonal + climate-driven erosion. Setback rules under the **Plano de Ordenamento Turístico (POT)** require minimum distance from high-water line — verify parcel compliance.
- SLR projections: ~30–50 cm by 2050 (IPCC AR6 mid-range); higher for high-emissions scenario. Low-lying coastal developments + saltwater intrusion into freshwater lenses are the second-order risk.

### Other natural risks

- **Sandstorms (calima)**: dust from Sahara, periodic, primarily affects Sal / Boa Vista / São Nicolau. Health risk for sensitive groups; cleaning + maintenance costs.
- **Wildfire**: limited (low vegetation density) but Santo Antão / Brava / Fogo have historic events.
- **Tsunami (distal)**: 1755 Lisbon tsunami affected Cape Verde coast historically; modern monitoring via INMG.

### Build-era hazards

| Era | Hazards |
|---|---|
| **Pre-1975 (colonial era)** | Mostly traditional masonry / pedra-e-cal; some Portuguese-era reinforced concrete; asbestos likely in roofs/insulation; lead pipes and lead paint typical |
| **1975–1990** | Post-independence construction; quality variable; pre-modern seismic codes; asbestos still common |
| **1990–2010** | Modernisation phase; reinforced concrete dominant; informal/clandestin construction widespread in peri-urban Praia / Mindelo |
| **2010–2020** | Tourism-boom development (Sal, Boa Vista off-plan); generally to modern standards but quality control varies by developer; **post-2014 Fogo eruption**: revised volcanic-zone construction guidance for Chã das Caldeiras |
| **Post-2020** | Modern code; ZDTI developments under POT regulation; energy/water efficiency emerging |

### Mandatory diagnostics at sale — Cape Verde specifics

> Cape Verde does not have a mandatory comprehensive diagnostic file at sale (no CV equivalent of FR DDT or PT certificado energético + ficha técnica). Buyer protections come from:

| Document / check | Required because | Source |
|---|---|---|
| **Certidão do Registo Predial** (≤ 6 months) | Verifies title, owner, charges | Conservatória dos Registos |
| **Caderneta predial / matriz predial** | Confirms fiscal record, IPI/IUP base | DNRE / DGCI |
| **Licença de utilização / habite-se** | Verifies legal construction | Câmara Municipal urbanismo |
| **Certidão de não dívida (IPI/IUP, water, condomínio)** | Confirms no arrears | DNRE + ELECTRA + síndico de condomínio |
| **Plano Director Municipal (PDM) overlay** | Verifies zoning, flood/risk overlays, ZDTI/ZRPT inclusion | Câmara Municipal urbanismo |
| **Volcanic-hazard overlay (Fogo only)** | Confirms parcel relative to caldera + lava-flow zones | INMG + Câmara São Filipe |
| **Coastal-setback compliance (beachfront only)** | Verifies parcel respects DPM 80 m + POT setbacks | Direção Nacional do Ambiente + Câmara |
| **Independent structural survey** | Buyer-commissioned for any pre-1990 build, all volcanic-zone parcels, all beachfront | Independent engenheiro civil |

**Verdict**: due diligence is more **buyer-driven** in Cape Verde than in EU jurisdictions — there is no statutory mandatory diagnostic. Don't skip an independent structural engineer for any pre-1990 build, and never skip the title certificate.

### Climate projections to 2050 (World Bank CKP + IPCC AR6)

- +1.5 to +3.0 °C warming under SSP2-4.5 / SSP5-8.5
- Annual rainfall projected to decline further (already-arid baseline); intra-annual variability rising → more intense flash-flood events when rain occurs
- Sea-level rise ~30–50 cm by 2050 (IPCC AR6 mid-range), coastal-erosion + saltwater-intrusion accelerating
- Marine heatwaves rising; coral + reef-fishery impacts (relevant if buying near a marine protected area)

---

## Section: `--mains`

### Water + sewer + electricity operators

- **ELECTRA** — `https://www.electra.cv/` — national integrated utility for **electricity + water (potable, including desalination) + wastewater** across most islands. State-owned (under restructuring).
- **Águas e Energia da Boa Vista (AEB)** — Boa Vista-specific operator (concession arrangement)
- **Águas de Ponta Preta (APP)** — Sal-specific desalination + supply operator (concession)
- **Câmara Municipal sanitation departments** — operate local sewer + storm-water in many concelhos; coordinate with ELECTRA

### Verification path

1. Identify the operator from the island/concelho — ELECTRA is the default; AEB Boa Vista and APP Sal for those islands.
2. Listing language to check (in Portuguese):
   - **"ligado à rede pública / com canalização da rede"** = mains water + mains sewer ✅
   - **"furo / poço próprio"** = well / borehole — verify potability + concessão (water-extraction permit)
   - **"cisterna / depósito"** = cistern (water delivered by tanker truck — common on islands without desalination plant)
   - **"fossa séptica / fossa estanque"** = septic tank
   - **"saneamento autónomo"** = autonomous sewage system
3. Demand the latest **factura ELECTRA (water + electricity bill)** from seller — confirms connection and arrears status.
4. For new construction in peri-urban: check **certificado de ligação** (connection certificate).
5. Sal/Boa Vista tourist developments: most ZDTI projects have **on-site desalination + wastewater treatment** as part of the master plan — verify the developer's agreement with concessionaire.

### Cost ranges (est.)

| Scenario | Cost (CVE, est.) | EUR (≈) |
|---|---:|---:|
| New connection (urban, mains available, < 30 m to main) | ~50,000–200,000 | ~€450–€1,815 |
| Connection where mains exist but distance > 50 m | ~200,000–800,000 | ~€1,815–€7,255 |
| Septic tank installation (small residential) | ~300,000–800,000 | ~€2,720–€7,255 |
| Modern compliant biological treatment plant (villa) | ~800,000–2,500,000 | ~€7,255–€22,675 |
| Cistern + tanker-delivery setup (rural Sal/Boa Vista) | ~150,000–500,000 + ongoing tanker costs | ~€1,360–€4,535 |
| Borehole + pump (where geology permits — rare on Sal/Boa Vista) | ~500,000–2,500,000 + concession permit | ~€4,535–€22,675 |

### Power — reliability + generators

- **Grid reliability** is a known weakness in CV infrastructure. Sal + Praia have improved markedly (post-2015 generation upgrades + diesel-to-renewable transition). Outer islands and peri-urban zones still see scheduled + unscheduled outages.
- **Many tourism developments + business properties have on-site diesel/dual-fuel generators** with automatic transfer switches. Check whether your property has a generator and its maintenance contract.
- **Solar PV** rapidly expanding (Cape Verde has world-class solar resource); residential rooftop solar increasingly common. ELECTRA net-metering policy improving but variable.
- **Standard electrical**: 230 V / 50 Hz, **EU-style plug** (Type C / F).

### Gas

- **No piped natural-gas distribution network** for residential. **Bottled LPG (gás de garrafa)** is universal — ENACOL + GALP-style distributors. Subsidised retail price for cooking-size canisters.

---

## Cost benchmarks (Cape Verde 2026, est.)

| Work | Cost (CVE, est.) | EUR (≈) |
|---|---:|---:|
| Notary fees | 0.5–1.5 % of price | (rate) |
| Registo Predial inscription | 0.3–0.6 % + fixed fees | (rate) |
| ITI (transfer tax) | 1 % of price | (rate) |
| Imposto do Selo (stamp duty) | ~0.5 % of price | (rate, verify) |
| Estate-agent fee | 3–5 % + 15 % IVA | (rate) |
| **Total transaction cost (buyer side)** | **~3.5–6 %** excl. agent | (rate) |
| Annual IPI (mid-range Sal apartment €200k) | ~20,000 (post-reform est.) | ~€180 |
| Modern apartment renovation per m² | ~80,000–200,000/m² | ~€725–€1,815/m² |
| Beachfront villa restoration per m² | ~150,000–400,000/m² | ~€1,360–€3,625/m² |
| Roof tile / membrane (200 m²) | ~1,500,000–4,000,000 | ~€13,600–€36,275 |
| Asbestos removal (200 m²) | ~600,000–2,500,000 | ~€5,440–€22,675 |
| Anti-seismic / volcanic-zone retrofit (Fogo + Brava older masonry) | ~2,000,000–8,000,000+ | ~€18,140–€72,545+ |
| Independent building inspection | ~50,000–250,000 | ~€450–€2,265 |
| Solar PV 5 kW residential install | ~700,000–1,500,000 | ~€6,350–€13,600 |

---

## Active fiscal incentives (2025–2026)

- **Estatuto de Investidor Externo** (External Investor Status) — Cabo Verde TradeInvest (`https://cvtradeinvest.com/`): customs + IRPC incentives for investments above thresholds in tourism, ICT, ocean economy, light industry, renewables. Project-by-project negotiated.
- **Estatuto de Utilidade Turística** (Tourism Public-Utility Status) — for hotels, resorts, large-scale tourism developments; multi-year IRPC + customs reliefs.
- **Centro Internacional de Negócios (CIN)** — preferential 2.5–5 % IRPC for qualifying export-services entities (financial services, ICT, light industry, ocean services). Geographic anchor: Praia + Mindelo + Sal designated zones.
- **Cabo Verde Free Zone** — emerging trade zones in São Vicente (Porto Grande) + Sal (Pedra de Lume area planned).
- **Programa Casa para Todos** — public-sector affordable-housing programme; not relevant to most foreign buyers.
- **Permanent Residency for Foreign Investors** ("Cape Verde Green Card") — 2017 framework: real-estate investment thresholds **8.8 M CVE (~€80k) below-average-GDP municipality** / **13.2 M CVE (~€120k) above-average-GDP municipality** → Permanent Residence Card, 5-year renewable, family included, 2–4-week processing typical, citizenship after 5 years habitual residence (verify current at AAI — Alta Autoridade para a Imigração + Cabo Verde TradeInvest). Sources: government press release 2017-09-13 + IMI Daily program tracker (`https://www.imidaily.com/cape-verde-green-card-program/`); thresholds re-verified at agencies as of 2024–2025. ⚠️ Verify still in force at `https://aai.gov.cv/` before relying.

---

## Common listing platforms

- **Bons Negócios** — `https://www.bonsnegocios.cv/` ❌ DEPRECATED — dead on 2026-09-18; verify with the authority named in this row — main domestic classifieds
- **Properstar Cape Verde** — `https://www.properstar.com/cape-verde/buy`
- **A Place in the Sun (UK) — Cape Verde** — `https://www.aplaceinthesun.com/cape-verde`
- **Rightmove Overseas — Cape Verde** — `https://www.rightmove.co.uk/overseas-property-for-sale/Cape-Verde.html`
- **Realigro Cape Verde** — `https://cape-verde.realigro.com/`
- **Idealista PT (Cabo Verde section)** — limited but used by PT investors
- **Agencies — Sal / Boa Vista**: Tortuga Beach, The Resort Group, Melia / Llana Beach, Dunas Beach, Cape Verde Property Direct, Simply Cape Verde, NH21 Investment, RE/MAX Cabo Verde
- **Agencies — Praia / Mindelo**: domestic networks (Imobiliária Crioula, local notary referrals); foreign-buyer pipeline thinner than tourist islands
- **Diaspora networks**: Cape Verdean associations in Boston/New Bedford (US), Lisbon, Rotterdam, Paris are major informal channels for Santiago/Fogo/Santo Antão property — listing rarely on portals

---

## Caveats unique to Cape Verde

- **Cadastre coverage is uneven** — strongest in Sal, Boa Vista, urban Praia/Mindelo; weaker in rural Santiago, Fogo, Santo Antão, Brava, São Nicolau, Maio. **Always require título registado, never accept posse alone.**
- **Diaspora-heir consent** — Cape Verde has the world's largest diaspora-to-resident ratio (more Cape Verdeans abroad than at home). Many rural parcels have 5–20 dispersed heirs. Demand a **certidão de habilitação de herdeiros** for any inherited parcel; verify all heirs sign or have validly delegated POA.
- **Volcanic risk on Fogo (Pico do Fogo) + Brava** — direct lava-flow risk inside Chã das Caldeiras caldera; ashfall + secondary risk peripherally; insurance limited inside caldera.
- **Cyclone / flash-flood risk concentrated in São Vicente, São Nicolau, Santiago, Fogo** — verify property's elevation + ribeira proximity. **Hurricane Erin 2025-08 caused 9 deaths + ~27,500 affected** — recent baseline for risk pricing.
- **Sea-level rise + coastal erosion (Sal, Boa Vista beachfront)** — POT setback rules; verify parcel compliance + future climate exposure.
- **Off-plan / VEFA + rental-pool contracts (ZDTI)** — most Sal/Boa Vista tourist developments ship as packaged investment products with mandatory rental pools. Owner share of net often **40–60 %**; verify historical operator distributions before buying.
- **Currency repatriation only via licensed-bank channel** — keep the **declaração de câmbio** at purchase. Without it, future repatriation is not guaranteed.
- **Water-stress is structural** — most islands desalinate; verify supply reliability + cistern capacity.
- **Grid reliability variable** — generator + solar PV common; check on-site backup before assuming EU-style 24/7 power.
- **Lusophone civil-law process is similar to PT** — promessa de compra e venda (with sinal/deposit, typically 10–30 %) → escritura pública at the cartório notarial → registo predial. Total timeline 2–4 months typical.
- **Promessa de compra e venda is binding under specific clauses** — negotiate explicit **cláusula penal** (penalty for breach) and **sinal + princípio de pagamento** with notary séquestre to align incentives.
- **Estate-agent regulation is light** — verify agency registration with the relevant municipal authority + ask for prior sales references. UK-targeting agencies operate dual price lists; cross-check on Bons Negócios.
- **Restored historic property in Cidade Velha (Santiago, UNESCO World Heritage)** — restoration permits via IPC (Instituto do Património Cultural) + Câmara; façade + structural rules strict. Plan 12–24 months for restoration permits.
- **Mindelo cultural-heritage regulation** — colonial-era core has heritage protection; restoration permits required for Plateau and historic centre.
- **Time zone**: GMT-1 year-round (no DST) — convenient for EU-time-zone remote work; ~1 hour offset from Lisbon.
- **Languages of business**: Portuguese in formal/legal contexts; Crioulo socially. Foreign buyers often work via Portuguese-fluent lawyers/notaries — verify Portuguese-language deed comprehension or commission an authorised translation.
- **Inheritance for foreign owners** — Cape Verdean private-international-law typically applies the home-country law to non-resident owners' worldwide estate. **Make a Cape Verdean will** for the local property, drafted by a CV notary, naming the applicable foreign law explicitly.

---

## Reddit / forum sources

- **r/capeverde** — small but active, English + Portuguese mix
- **r/portugal** — periodic CV property + diaspora threads
- **expat.com Cape Verde forum** — `https://www.expat.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=246`
- **InterNations Cape Verde** — Praia + Mindelo + Sal chapters
- **Facebook groups**: "Sal Expats", "Cape Verde Expats", "British Expats Cape Verde", "Italians in Cape Verde", "Cape Verde Property Owners (UK)"
- **PT-language press**: Expresso das Ilhas (`https://expressodasilhas.cv/`), A Nação, Anistro, RTC (Rádio e Televisão de Cabo Verde) — coverage of property reform, tourism sector, regulation
- ⚠️ Forum / Reddit anecdotes are 🟡 — never use as basis for verdict; cross-check any tax/legal claim with DNRE / DGCI / AAI primary sources.

---

## Verification authorities

| Authority | When to call | URL |
|---|---|---|
| **Conservatória dos Registos** (per concelho) | Title extract, Certidão do Registo Predial, charges/hipoteca | (concelho-specific; coordinated via Direção Nacional dos Registos) |
| **Direção Nacional das Receitas de Estado (DNRE) / DGCI** | Tax rates, IPI/ITI, IRPS, caderneta predial | `https://www.mf.gov.cv/web/dnre/direção-geral-das-contribuições-e-impostos` |
| **Banco de Cabo Verde (BCV)** | FX, peg, monetary policy, mortgage market data | `https://www.bcv.cv/` |
| **Cabo Verde TradeInvest** | Estatuto de Investidor Externo, RBI / Green Card, project incentives | `https://cvtradeinvest.com/` |
| **Alta Autoridade para a Imigração (AAI)** | Residence permits, RBI / Green Card processing | `https://aai.gov.cv/` |
| **INE — Instituto Nacional de Estatística** | Population, RGPH 2021, INE Estatísticas Construção/Habitação | `https://ine.cv/` |
| **Casa do Cidadão** (one-stop shop) | NIF acquisition, business registration, certidões | `https://www.portondinosilhas.gov.cv/` |
| **Direção Geral do Turismo (DGT-CV)** | Cadastro Turístico, tourism-establishment registration | (under MICET — Ministério da Cultura, Indústria Criativa e Turismo) |
| **INMG (Meteorologia e Geofísica)** | Seismic, volcanic, weather, climate | `https://www.inmg.gov.cv/` |
| **Serviço Nacional de Proteção Civil (SNPC)** | Civil-protection, hazard maps | (verify URL via Ministério da Administração Interna) |
| **ELECTRA** | Water + electricity + sewer connection, billing | `https://www.electra.cv/` |
| **Câmara Municipal** (per concelho) | PDM, urbanism, licença de utilização, IPI municipal collection | (concelho-specific) |
| **IPC (Instituto do Património Cultural)** | Heritage-zone permits (Cidade Velha, Mindelo, etc.) | (under Ministério da Cultura) |
| **Ordem dos Notários de Cabo Verde** | Notary directory + tariff | (verify) |

---

## Quirks to know

- **Diaspora flight times + flight-cost arbitrage** — Sal (SID) is the international hub; TACV / Cabo Verde Airlines historically + LOT / TUI / TAP / Iberia / British Airways seasonal. Boa Vista (BVC) has direct UK + DE charters. Praia (RAI) is regional + TAP Lisbon. Internal interisland: TACV / Bestfly / TICV.
- **Festivals affect availability**: Carnaval (February — Mindelo São Vicente especially), Tabanca (May–Jun, Santiago), Mindelact theatre festival, Baía das Gatas music festival (August, São Vicente), Gamboa music festival (May, Praia). Plan visits + transactions outside peak weeks.
- **Pre-monsoon (Aug–Oct) flash-flood risk** — schedule property visits and inspections **outside** the rainy season for an honest baseline; revisit after a heavy-rain event to assess water-runoff behavior.
- **EU-style household appliances** — 230V/50Hz; UK appliances need plug adapters but voltage-compatible. US 110V appliances need transformers.
- **Internet** — fibre (FTTH) widespread in Praia / Mindelo / Sal Santa Maria + Espargos / Boa Vista Sal Rei; ADSL elsewhere; rural can be 4G-only. CVTelecom (former monopoly), Unitel-T+, Cabocom.
- **Banking for foreigners**: opening a CVE account requires NIF + passport + proof-of-address; takes days at BCA / BCN / Caixa Económica. Foreign-currency accounts (EUR / USD) available at major banks for non-residents.
- **Healthcare**: public + private mix; quality concentrated in Praia (Hospital Agostinho Neto) + Mindelo (Hospital Baptista de Sousa). Major medical referrals often to Lisbon (PT-CV cooperation arrangements).
- **Driving**: right-hand drive (RHD) — Cape Verde drives on the right. International + EU + UK licences accepted short-term; long-term residency requires CV licence conversion.
- **Inheritance for non-Lusophone foreigners** — make a Cape Verdean will for local property, drafted by a CV notary, naming the applicable home-country law via private-international-law referral.
- **Public holidays**: 1 Jan, Carnaval (Feb), 1 May, 5 Jul (Independence), 15 Aug, 12 Sep (National Heroes Day), 1 Nov, 25 Dec — administrative offices closed; plan deeds + permits accordingly.
- **Tax-residency trigger**: 183-day rule + permanent-home test; once tax-resident, worldwide income subject to IRPS — material decision for retirees considering relocation.

---

## Source URL templates

| Source | URL pattern |
|---|---|
| Conservatória dos Registos / Direção Nacional dos Registos | `https://www.governo.cv/` |
| DNRE / DGCI (taxes) | `https://www.mf.gov.cv/web/dnre/direção-geral-das-contribuições-e-impostos` |
| Banco de Cabo Verde | `https://www.bcv.cv/` |
| INE (statistics) | `https://ine.cv/` |
| Cabo Verde TradeInvest | `https://cvtradeinvest.com/` |
| Alta Autoridade para a Imigração | `https://aai.gov.cv/` |
| Casa do Cidadão (one-stop shop) | `https://www.portondinosilhas.gov.cv/` |
| Boletim Oficial — IPI Code (Lei 55/X/2025) | `https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/View?id=85811` |
| Boletim Oficial — ITI Code (Lei 54/X/2025) | `https://boe.incv.cv/Bulletins/View?id=85812` |
| INMG (meteorologia + sismologia + vulcanologia) | `https://www.inmg.gov.cv/` |
| Smithsonian GVP — Fogo | `https://volcano.si.edu/volcano.cfm?vn=384010` |
| World Bank Climate Knowledge Portal — Cabo Verde | `https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/country/cabo-verde` |
| IMF — Cabo Verde Article IV / ECF reviews | `https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/CPV` |
| ELECTRA (utility) | `https://www.electra.cv/` |
| Bons Negócios (classifieds) | `https://www.bonsnegocios.cv/` ❌ DEPRECATED — dead on 2026-09-18; verify with the authority named in this row |
| Properstar Cape Verde | `https://www.properstar.com/cape-verde/buy` |
| Rightmove Overseas — Cape Verde | `https://www.rightmove.co.uk/overseas-property-for-sale/Cape-Verde.html` |
| A Place in the Sun — Cape Verde | `https://www.aplaceinthesun.com/cape-verde` |
| PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries — Cabo Verde | `https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/cabo-verde` |

---

## Status

**Status**: ✅ fully populated as of 2026-05-07
**Confidence**: MEDIUM — HIGH for the foundational legal/fiscal framework (post-2026 IPI/ITI reform sourced to Lei 55/X/2025 (IPI) + Lei 54/X/2025 (ITI) + Boletim Oficial; CVE-EUR peg multi-source via IMF + BCV; foreigner-eligibility framework via government decree + AAI), and HIGH for volcanic + cyclone risk profile (Smithsonian GVP + WHO PHSA + IPCC). MEDIUM for price ranges (no national index; listing aggregation only with foreign-buyer-portal bias acknowledged) and rental-pool yield realism (developer brochures unreliable; historical operator distributions hard to obtain). MEDIUM for short-let regulatory regime (less codified than EU equivalents; in active reform). LOW for fine-grained municipal-level IPI assessments (post-reform implementation friction expected through 2027).
**Last verified**: 2026-08-07 (`--tax` and `--macro` re-verified — IRPC general rate 20 % from economic year 2026 per Lei n.º 69/X/2025 Art. 29.º with the immediately preceding rate 21 % not 22 %, and the 2025 real-GDP outturn +6.3 % per IMF PR26/146 superseding the +5.2 % February estimate; balance of the 2026-05-27 pass unchanged). Tax tracker entries re-checked 2026-09-24 (November regwatch wave, run early; see shared/regulatory-watch.md).