What can't be seized from me?
Conditional: wages/pensions and a bank minimum are partly protected. The Code of Civil Procedure (arts. 735–739) defines what's unseizable, and seizure is run by an enforcement agent. Of a wage or pension (art. 738), 2/3 is unseizable — only up to 1/3 can be seized. There's a protected minimum equal to one national minimum wage (€920 in 2026) and a protection ceiling of 3× the minimum wage. In a bank account, a balance equal to one minimum wage (€920) is protected, recalculated monthly. Essential household goods and work tools are absolutely unseizable. In short: only 1/3 of the wage, and one minimum wage in the account is protected.
📋 The rules
- Wage/pension: 2/3 unseizable (only 1/3 seizable)
- Protected minimum: one minimum wage (€920 in 2026)
- Protection ceiling: 3× the minimum wage
- Bank account: one minimum wage protected (€920)
- Essential goods/work tools: unseizable
🔓 Exceptions
- Alimony: protection drops to the social-pension value
- Essential household goods and work tools: unseizable
- Annual figures updated (minimum wage rises most years)
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There's no "fine" — the issue is what can or can't be seized to pay debts. Seizure is run by an enforcement agent (not the bank). Of a wage/pension, the equivalent of one minimum wage (€920 in 2026) is protected, with at most 1/3 seized and never above a ceiling of 3× the minimum wage. Beware an important myth: many sites say the protected bank balance is "3× the minimum wage" — wrong; in the account, 1× the minimum wage (€920) is protected; the "3×" is the ceiling on wage/pension protection. The figures are updated yearly (the minimum wage rises most years). To protect your rights: check the unseizable minimum is guaranteed, and if there's abusive seizure, complain to the enforcement agent or in the proceedings.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
How much of my wage can be seized?
Of a wage or pension, two-thirds are unseizable, with at most one-third able to be seized. In addition, the equivalent of one national minimum wage is always protected, which in 2026 is €920. The protection has a ceiling of three times the minimum wage.
How much of the bank account is protected?
In the bank account, a balance equal to one national minimum wage is protected, i.e. €920 in 2026, recalculated monthly. It's a myth that the protected amount in the account is three times the minimum wage: that limit refers to the ceiling on wage or pension protection, not the account.
Who carries out the seizure?
Seizure is carried out by an enforcement agent, within enforcement proceedings, not directly by the bank. The enforcement agent is the one who pursues the seizure of wages, accounts or goods, respecting the unseizability limits set in the Code of Civil Procedure.
Are there goods that can't be seized?
Yes. Essential household goods, such as basic furniture, and the work tools indispensable to the debtor's profession are, as a rule, absolutely unseizable. This ensures minimum living and working conditions, even when there are debts to pay.
What if the debt is for alimony?
For alimony debts, the protection is lower: the unseizable part drops to the value of the non-contributory social pension. That is, a larger share of income can be seized, given the priority nature of the maintenance obligation.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “wage seizure 1/3 portugal”
- “bank account seizure protected”
- “unseizable minimum wage 920”
- “alimony seizure”
- “enforcement agent seizure”
- “unseizable goods cpc”