In 2026, the normal age for accessing retirement by age in the general Social Security regime is 66 years and 9 months and anyone who reaches this age throughout the year can request retirement without cuts in advance, as long as they meet the guarantee period required by law.
This means that, in practical terms, workers born between April 1, 1959 and March 31, 1960 reach 66 years and 9 months in 2026, remaining within the normal age range for that year.
It is important, however, to distinguish two things: requesting early retirement without penalty, when the normal age or, in the cases provided for by law, the personal age, is reached, and the final value of the pension, which continues to depend on the contributory career and registered earnings.
What is the legal retirement age in 2026
The normal age for access to old-age retirement in 2026 was set by Ordinance No. 358/2024/1 at 66 years and 9 months, within the scope of the annual update mechanism provided for by law.
In other words, when a worker reaches this age, he or she will be able to apply for the pension without early cuts associated with age.
The requirement that many people forget: the warranty period
To be entitled to retirement based on age, it is not enough to determine your age: you must meet the guarantee period, which in the general regime corresponds, in general, to at least 15 calendar years with a record of remuneration, consecutive or not, in accordance with article 19 of Decree-Law No. 187/2007.
Without this minimum, there may not be access to the contributory old-age pension, and it is sometimes necessary to evaluate other social responses on a case-by-case basis.
Who turns 66 years and 9 months in 2026
With the normal age at 66 years and 9 months, anyone born, in terms of reference, between April 1, 1959 and March 31, 1960, reaches this threshold in 2026.
There is also a relevant calendar detail: those born in January, February and March 1960 only turn 66 years and 9 months between October and December 2026. Those born from April 1960 onwards enter the 2027 calendar, the year in which the normal age for access to old-age retirement has already been set at 66 years and 11 months by Ordinance No. 476/2025/1.
Anyone who meets the conditions of the flexibility regime can benefit from the so-called personal age. Pursuant to article 20 of Decree-Law No. 187/2007, in force, 4 months are subtracted from the normal age for each complete calendar year in addition to 40 years of contributory career with a record of remuneration relevant to the calculation of the pension, without the reduction being able to lead to an age below 60 years.
In practice, this allows some people to reach the level without cuts in advance before the age of 66 years and 9 months. But there is one condition that cannot be forgotten: to access the flexibility regime, the beneficiary must be at least 60 years old and, when they reach that age, they must already have 40 or more years of remuneration records.
Important exception: very long careers without penalties
There is a specific regime for very long contributory careers that allows early retirement without penalties, as long as demanding conditions are met, such as being 60 years old and 48 years of deductions, or 60 years old and 46 years of deductions when the career started before the age of 17.
This mechanism recognizes very extensive contributory paths and early entry into the job market and, in accordance with article 21-A of Decree-Law No. 187/2007, eliminates early cuts and the sustainability factor.
How to confirm if you can order now and avoid surprises
Before moving forward, the essential thing is to confirm three points: normal age or personal age, guarantee period and remuneration records in the contributory career. According to Social Security, the consultation and request can be made online, through , or in person at the services.
For those nearing the age, a timely check of records helps you avoid mistakes, understand if there are discount gaps, and make more informed decisions about when to order.
Also read:
