Initially, the competition was divided into two zones (Northern and Southern), with the title being decided between the two champions of each zone. Eventually, a new Central Zone was added and the winners of three series would win promotion to top level and would dispute a mini-tournament for the title of Second Division Champion. In most years a similar mini-tournament called Liguilha with the runners-up of each series and the fourth worst placed of the First Division would contest the remaining place at the higher level. From the 1999–00 to the 2004–05 seasons, no final league was played with the three champions of each zone becoming co-champions. In 2005–06 the division was split into four geographical zones (series A, B, C and D), where the winner of each league would compete in a four-team elimination tournament, with the two finalists being promoted to the Liga de Honra. This was reverted back to the old system of the northern, central and southern zones in 2009–10.
| Club |
Winners |
Runners-up |
Winning Years and Runner-Up Years |
| Barreirense |
7 |
4 |
1943, 1948, 1951, 1960, 1962, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1978, 2004, 2005 |
| Sporting da Covilhã |
5 |
6 |
1939, 1948, 1958, 1985, 1987, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2008 |
| Estoril-Praia |
5 |
1 |
1942, 1944, 1946, 1975, 1981, 2003 |
| Atlético CP |
3 |
3 |
1945, 1959, 1966, 1968, 1971, 2011 |
| Olhanense |
3 |
2 |
1936, 1941, 1961, 1973, 2004 |
| Varzim |
3 |
1 |
1963, 1976, 1982, 1996 |
| União da Madeira |
3 |
1 |
1989, 2001, 2002, 2011 |
| Beira-Mar |
3 |
0 |
1961, 1965, 1971 |
| Portimonense |
2 |
4 |
1949, 1976, 1979, 1993, 2000, 2001 |
| Boavista |
2 |
3 |
1935, 1937, 1940, 1950, 1969 |
| Salgueiros |
2 |
3 |
1936, 1951, 1957, 1960, 1990 |
| Leixões |
2 |
3 |
1938, 1942, 1959, 2002, 2003 |
| Braga |
2 |
2 |
1947, 1957, 1964, 1975 |
| Farense |
2 |
2 |
1940, 1970, 1983, 1986 |
| Famalicão |
2 |
2 |
1978, 1988, 2000, 2001 |
| Oriental |
2 |
1 |
1950, 1953, 1956 |
| Académica de Coimbra |
2 |
1 |
1949, 1973, 1980 |
| Moreirense |
2 |
1 |
1995, 2001, 2010 |
| Carcavelinhos |
2 |
0 |
1935, 1939 |
| Marítimo |
2 |
0 |
1977, 1982 |
| Amora |
2 |
0 |
1980, 1994 |
| Ovarense |
2 |
0 |
1991, 2000 |
| Marco |
2 |
0 |
2000, 2002 |
| Freamunde |
2 |
0 |
1999, 2007 |
| Oliveirense |
2 |
0 |
2001, 2008 |
| Torreense |
1 |
5 |
1953, 1954, 1955, 1964, 1997, 2004 |
| Feirense |
1 |
3 |
1962, 1977, 1994, 2003 |
| Tirsense |
1 |
2 |
1967, 1970, 1989 |
| Sporting de Espinho |
1 |
2 |
1974, 1979, 2004 |
| Sanjoanense |
1 |
1 |
1943, 1966 |
| União de Tomar |
1 |
1 |
1968, 1974 |
| Rio Ave |
1 |
1 |
1986, 1991 |
| Leça |
1 |
1 |
1941, 1993 |
| Vizela |
1 |
1 |
1984, 2005 |
| Fátima |
1 |
1 |
2007, 2009 |
| Lusitano de Évora |
1 |
0 |
1952 |
| CUF Barreiro |
1 |
0 |
1954 |
| União de Coimbra |
1 |
0 |
1972 |
| União de Leiria |
1 |
0 |
1981 |
| Belenenses |
1 |
0 |
1984 |
| Desportivo das Aves |
1 |
0 |
1985 |
| Felgueiras |
1 |
0 |
1992 |
| Maia |
1 |
0 |
1997 |
| Santa Clara |
1 |
0 |
1998 |
| Nacional |
1 |
0 |
2000 |
| Gondomar |
1 |
0 |
2004 |
| Olivais e Moscavide |
1 |
0 |
2006 |
| Arouca |
1 |
0 |
2010 |
| União de Lisboa |
0 |
2 |
1937, 1938 |
| Vitória de Guimarães |
0 |
2 |
1956, 1958 |
| Vitória de Setúbal |
0 |
2 |
1952, 1987 |
| Mafra |
0 |
2 |
2003, 2005 |
| Dragões Sandinenses |
0 |
2 |
2004, 2005 |
| Vila Real |
0 |
1 |
1944 |
| CUF Lisboa |
0 |
1 |
1945 |
| Lusitano VRSA |
0 |
1 |
1947 |
| Seixal |
0 |
1 |
1963 |
| Montijo |
0 |
1 |
1972 |
| Águeda |
0 |
1 |
1983 |
| Académico de Viseu |
0 |
1 |
1988 |
| Gil Vicente |
0 |
1 |
1990 |
| Campomaiorense |
0 |
1 |
1992 |
| Alverca |
0 |
1 |
1995 |
| Esposende |
0 |
1 |
1998 |
| Vilafranquense |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
| Sporting de Pombal |
0 |
1 |
2002 |
| Sporting CP B |
0 |
1 |
2002 |
| Lousada |
0 |
1 |
2003 |
| Estrela de Portalegre |
0 |
1 |
2003 |
| Pinhalnovense |
0 |
1 |
2005 |
| Trofense |
0 |
1 |
2006 |
| Desportivo de Chaves |
0 |
1 |
2009 |