Quick answer: For an Alojamento Local (AL) with capacity for 10 guests or fewer, Portuguese law requires an extinguisher and fire blanket that guests can access, first-aid equipment that guests can access, and 112 displayed where guests can see it. An AL registered for more than 10 guests falls under the wider fire safety in buildings regime, which determines its extinguishers and safety signs. The threshold is the property’s capacity, not the number of guests staying tonight. AL law, Article 13; ANEPC’s AL guidance.
This guide focuses on fire extinguishers and signs. An AL identification plate, a noise-hours notice and a complaints-book notice have their own rules; none replaces the fire equipment or the visible 112 number.
First, check your AL’s capacity
Registered capacity | Extinguisher and fire blanket | Fire and emergency signs |
|---|---|---|
10 guests or fewer | Provide one accessible extinguisher and an accessible fire blanket. First-aid equipment must also be accessible. | Display 112 in a place visible to guests. Article 13 does not itself prescribe a general package of extinguisher pictograms or illuminated exit signs for every small AL. |
More than 10 guests | Apply the property’s fire safety in buildings requirements (SCIE). The number, type and location of extinguishers depend on that assessment. | The SCIE regulation requires extinguishers to be signposted and appropriate evacuation-route signs. Their design and placement follow the property’s fire safety layout. |
The small-AL list comes from Article 13 of the AL law. For larger ALs, ANEPC describes the wider regime, including self-protection measures and inspections tied to the building’s risk category. The consolidated SCIE technical regulation sets detailed extinguisher and signage rules. Do not apply its technical dimensions or extinguisher counts to every AL with 10 guests or fewer.
Which fire extinguisher should a small AL buy?
There is no single extinguisher model specified for every small AL in Article 13. ANEPC says the agent should suit the likely type of fire and gives two examples: 6 kg ABC powder or 5 kg additive-water. Those are examples, not a rule that every host must buy the same 6 kg unit. Ask a qualified fire equipment supplier to match the extinguisher to the property’s risks and explain its use. ANEPC’s AL guidance.
The fire blanket is a separate requirement. ANEPC advises choosing a blanket large enough for the cooking appliance it might cover. Keep both items where guests can get to them promptly; a locked owner’s cupboard does not make equipment accessible. Check the extinguisher’s condition and service label as part of your routine property checks, and arrange maintenance with a competent provider. ANEPC links a register of fire safety equipment providers. AL law, Article 13; ANEPC guidance.
For an AL above 10 guests, do not assume that one extinguisher near the kitchen is enough. The SCIE regulation has its own rules for suitable distribution, visibility, access and signs. Get a property-specific fire safety assessment before deciding the layout.
Which signs and notices should guests see?
Sign or notice | When it applies | Where it belongs |
|---|---|---|
Emergency number 112 | Required by the small-AL rule for 10 guests or fewer. Guesthouses and hostels also have a separate duty to provide the emergency number with reception contact information. AL law, Article 13; Portaria 262/2020, Article 3. | In a place guests can see. A posted notice near the entrance or another obvious spot is practical; repeat it in guest instructions. |
Extinguisher and exit pictograms | Article 13 does not specify a universal pictogram or exit-sign package for small ALs. For ALs over 10 guests, the SCIE regulation requires signposted extinguishers and appropriate evacuation-route signs. SCIE technical regulation. | Follow the assessed fire safety layout. In a smaller unit, simple wayfinding is useful if the extinguisher is not obvious, but do not describe it as a blanket national AL mandate. |
AL identification plate | Required for apartments, rooms and guesthouses at the establishment entrance; hostels have a specific rule for the building’s outside main entrance. The national provision does not list villas. AL law, Article 18. | At the required entrance. The standard plate is 200 × 200 mm. For apartments, rooms and guesthouses whose entrance is inside a building, an optional 100 × 100 mm model is allowed; it does not replace a hostel’s required outside plate. AL law, plate annex; Portaria 262/2020, Article 16. |
Noise-hours notice | Required inside an AL unit that is an autonomous unit in a condominium building. It must show the hours provided for in the General Noise Regulation. AL law, Article 9(11). | In a clearly visible place inside the AL. The Noise Regulation identifies 23:00–07:00 as the nighttime period; nuisance noise can also be addressed at other hours. |
Complaints-book notice | AL operators must have a complaints book and display a notice stating “Este estabelecimento dispõe de livro de reclamações” and identifying the competent authority by its full name and address. This is a consumer notice, not a fire sign. AL law, Article 20; complaints-book law, Article 3. | In a prominent place where guests can read it. If you operate your own website, also visibly link the electronic complaints book. |
The AL plate is an identification sign; it does not tell guests where to find the extinguisher. The 112 notice is emergency information; it does not replace an exit route or the fire signage required under a larger property’s SCIE plan.
A simple 112 notice
For a small AL, the law requires the number to be visible but does not prescribe a particular sign design. You can print and display this plain example, then repeat it in your guest instructions:
EMERGENCY / EMERGÊNCIA
Call 112 / Ligue 112
Property address: add the full address guests can give to emergency services
The address line is practical advice, not an extra item specified in Article 13. Keep the notice legible and update it if the property details change. AL law, Article 13.
Check the setup before the next arrival
In a small AL, walk in as a first-time guest. Can you find the extinguisher and blanket without a key or a phone call? Is 112 obvious? If your AL type requires an identification plate, is it at the correct entrance? If the unit is in a condominium building, is the noise-hours notice visible inside? Check the equipment’s condition and whether a guest can read the instructions on it. For a property above 10 guests, compare the installed equipment and signs with its fire safety assessment rather than relying on this small-AL list.
Frequently asked questions
Question | Answer |
|---|---|
Is a 6 kg ABC extinguisher mandatory in every AL? | No. ANEPC gives 6 kg ABC powder and 5 kg additive-water as examples and says the choice depends on the fire type. The small-AL law requires an accessible extinguisher without naming one universal model. ANEPC. |
Is one extinguisher enough for an AL? | ANEPC lists one as the AL-specific baseline for capacity of 10 or fewer; check any other applicable property conditions. Above 10, the SCIE assessment determines the quantity and distribution. ANEPC; SCIE regulation. |
How often must the extinguisher be serviced? | Article 13 does not give a universal annual interval for every small AL. Check the equipment’s service label and instructions, and use a competent maintenance provider. Larger ALs must follow their SCIE maintenance arrangements. AL law; ANEPC provider guidance. |
Must I put a red extinguisher sign above it? | Article 13’s small-AL list does not expressly require a separate extinguisher pictogram, though the equipment must be accessible. Use a clear marker if guests might miss it. The SCIE regulation requires extinguishers in larger ALs to be signposted under its rules. AL law; SCIE regulation. |
Where must I display 112? | For an AL with capacity of 10 or fewer, it must be visible to guests. The law does not specify a single room or sign template. AL law, Article 13. |
Are exit signs compulsory in every small AL apartment? | Article 13 does not itself require a generic set of exit signs for every small AL. Other building or local rules can matter. Above 10 guests, follow the property’s SCIE requirements. AL law; SCIE regulation. |
Does a villa need the AL identification plate? | Villas are not named in the national AL plate duty. Apartments, rooms and guesthouses are; hostels have their own outside-entrance rule. Check any applicable local or regional condition. AL law, Article 18. |
Does the 10-guest rule depend on how many people booked this week? | No. It refers to the AL’s capacity. A property with capacity for 11 guests still follows the larger-property fire regime when only a couple stays. AL law, Article 13. |
Sources reviewed: Portugal’s AL law, ANEPC’s AL fire guidance, the SCIE technical regulation and Portaria 262/2020. For a particular property, verify the registered capacity and any municipal or regional conditions before installing or changing signs.
