Overtime and Break Laws in Portugal (2026)
Codigo do Trabalho (Lei n.o 7/2009), arts. 203, 211, 213, 214, 228, 268 · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
Normal hours are 8 a day and 40 a week. Overtime on a working day pays +25% for the first hour and +37.5% for each later hour, for the first 100 overtime hours a year.
Breaks and lunch
The working day must be broken by a rest interval of 1 to 2 hours so no one works more than 5 hours in a row (6 hours if the day is over 10 hours).
Overtime in Portugal
- 1.25x pay for hours past 8 in a day.
- 1.375x pay for hours past 9 in a day.
- Above 100 overtime hours in a year the premiums rise to +50% for the first hour and +75% for each later hour on a working day.
- Work on a weekly rest day (mandatory or complementary) or a public holiday pays +50% per hour, or +100% once past 100 overtime hours in the year.
- Overtime caps: 175 hours a year in micro and small firms, 150 in medium and large firms, 2 hours on a normal working day. A collective agreement can raise the yearly cap to 200 hours.
- Average weekly hours, overtime included, may not exceed 48 over a 4-month reference period (6 months in some cases, up to 12 months by collective agreement).
- Collective agreements can set averaged hours (adaptabilidade) and hour banks, which change when hours count as overtime.
Averaging over a pay period: Allowed through adaptability or hour-bank schemes set by collective agreement or individual/group agreement; the 48-hour average uses a 4-month reference period by default.
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.25x after 8h in a day, 1.375x after 9h in a day). Hours.
| Two weeks of | Regular | Overtime (1.25x) | At 1.375x |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days of 8 hours, two weeks (80h) | 80 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 days of 10 hours, two weeks (100h) | 80 | 10 | 10 |
| 6 days of 9 hours, two weeks (108h) | 96 | 12 | 0 |
| 50 hours, then 30 hours (80h) | 70 | 5 | 5 |
Breaks and lunch in Portugal
- Meal break: 1 × 60 minutes, unpaid, for shifts of 5 hours or more.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | None |
| 6 hours | None | 1 × 60 min, unpaid |
| 8 hours | None | 1 × 60 min, unpaid |
| 10 hours | None | 1 × 60 min, unpaid |
| 12 hours | None | 1 × 60 min, unpaid |
- A collective agreement can allow up to 6 consecutive hours and can shorten, remove or lengthen the interval. The labour inspectorate can also authorise a shorter or no interval at the employer's request with the worker's written agreement.
- Daily rest of at least 11 consecutive hours between two working days.
- Minors get a 1 to 2 hour interval after 4 hours (under 16) or 4.5 hours (16 and over).
Pay by Portugal rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Portugal: the overtime and break rules above fill in, and every timesheet, report and payroll export follows them. Change any number to match your own contract.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the overtime rule in Portugal?
Normal hours are 8 a day and 40 a week. Overtime on a working day pays +25% for the first hour and +37.5% for each later hour, for the first 100 overtime hours a year.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Portugal?
Allowed through adaptability or hour-bank schemes set by collective agreement or individual/group agreement; the 48-hour average uses a 4-month reference period by default.
What breaks are required in Portugal?
The working day must be broken by a rest interval of 1 to 2 hours so no one works more than 5 hours in a row (6 hours if the day is over 10 hours).