The maintenance of municipal tax rates for 2026 covers the IMI (Property Tax), the Surcharge, the variable share of Personal Income Tax (IRS), and the Municipal Right-of-Way Fee (TMDP), which will remain at the same values ​​applied in 2025.

“It was our understanding to maintain what was practiced in 2025. We haven't been [in the city hall] long enough to make any changes,” said the mayor of Coimbra, Ana Abrunhosa.

According to the mayor, a major review of all these taxes will be carried out next year.

“This doesn’t mean an increase, but rather a reflection,” he clarified.

Property tax

The IMI (Municipal Property Tax) maintains the legal minimum rate of 0.30% for urban buildings, as has been in effect since 2018. Exemptions, reductions, and increases already foreseen in the IMI Code and in previous municipal resolutions are also maintained.

The family IMI remains in place, with fixed deductions of 30, 70, and 140 euros, depending on the number of dependents, as well as the 30% reduction for buildings of public interest, of municipal value, or cultural heritage, as well as for properties located in the area classified as a World Heritage Site and its respective special protection zone.

The increases aimed at encouraging the use of properties remain in place: a tripling of the tax on vacant urban buildings, a 30% increase for dilapidated urban buildings, and a doubling for rural properties with abandoned forest areas.

The fiscal policy for 2026 also includes maintaining the municipal surcharge rate at 1.45%, applicable to companies with a turnover exceeding €150,000. Exemptions provided for in regulations in force since 2020 remain in effect, particularly for companies that, while not reaching that value, have created and maintained jobs in the last two years.

The Municipal Tax on Public Services (TMDP) remains fixed at 0.25%, applied to companies operating electronic communications networks and services; the municipality's variable share of Personal Income Tax (IRPF), which corresponds to 5%, will also remain unchanged.

Water prices

The proposal to increase water tariffs in 2026 was approved with votes in favour from the Avançar Coimbra coalition (PS/Livre/PAN), Chega, and one council member from the Juntos Somos Coimbra coalition (PSD/IL/CDS-PP/Nós, Cidadãos!/PPM/Volt/MPT), while the remaining four members abstained.

“This proposal was presented to us when we took office. We adopted this proposal and agree with it,” said the mayor of Coimbra, Ana Abrunhosa.

As an example, the mayor indicated that a monthly bill for someone who uses 5 cubic meters (m3), with the updates, will increase to €20.69 in 2026 instead of €19.34.

The increases were justified by the rise in the purchase price of Águas do Centro Litoral (AdCL), increased costs related to human resources, inflation, and the mandatory compliance with the regulatory criteria of the Water and Waste Services Regulatory Authority (ERSAR), namely the minimum coefficient of 25% for wastewater availability tariffs.

An increase of 3.9% will be applied to water supply tariffs and 5.88% to the variable tariff, and a 24.1% increase to the wastewater availability tariff.