Temporary admission of motor vehicles

An EU-registered motor vehicle (including light goods vehicles, trailers, caravans, motor homes and motorcycles) may be kept in Portugal for 183 days, consecutive or otherwise, in any one period of 12 months, provided all of the following conditions are met:

• the vehicle has been registered definitively in another EU member state
• the vehicle is registered in the name of a person who is not resident, employed or carrying out any type of paid activity in Portugal
  
• the vehicle is brought into Portugal by its registered owner or keeper.

Vehicles brought into Portugal temporarily may only be driven by their owners, their owner’s spouse or common-law spouse, their owner’s parents or children or their registered keeper, provided none of these individuals are resident, employed or carrying out paid activity in Portugal.

Under the temporary admission regime, foreign residents in Portugal may only use a foreign-registered vehicle if so authorised by the Customs authority.

For the purpose of the legislation on the temporary admission of motor vehicles into Portugal, a resident is a person who spends 183 days or more, consecutively or otherwise, in any one calendar year, in Portugal, or whose source of income from paid employment is Portugal, or whose headquarters or established business activity is in Portugal.

Permanent importation of motor vehicles 

If you are transferring your residence to Portugal from another EU member state or from a third country, you may be able to import your motor vehicle tax-free, provided:

• you are over 18
• you have been resident in the country from where you are transferring for a minimum period of 12 months, consecutive or otherwise
• you have held a valid driver’s licence in that country for a minimum of 12 months
• you are transferring your normal place of residence to Portugal
• your vehicle was purchased fully-tax paid in the country of your former residence
• you owned the vehicle in the country of your former residence for at least 12 months prior to transferring your residence to Portugal, from the date of issue of the vehicle registration document, or from the date on which the leasing contract was signed, as appropriate.

Importation procedures

In order to import a vehicle, you should submit an application within six months of the date on which you transfer your residence to Portugal. The application should be made to the Customs office with jurisdiction for your area of residence. The application should be submitted with:

• a customs declaration relating to the vehicle
• the vehicle’s registration certificate/logbook, as proof of ownership
• your driver’s licence, valid for at least 12 months prior to the date on which you transferred your residence to Portugal
• official residence certificate, issued by the competent authorities in the country of your former residence or, if this does not exist, a consular certificate confirming the dates between which you were resident in the country of your former residence
• documentary evidence of residence in the country from which you are transferring, such as rent receipts, utility bills, salary slips, proof of pension payments or national insurance contributions.

The Customs authority may request official translations of all documentary evidence.

A motor vehicle that has been imported in this way may not be sold, loaned, pledged or hired for a period of 12 months following the date on which the Portuguese registration number is attributed. In addition, in order to maintain eligibility for tax-free importation, you must continue to reside in Portugal for a minimum period of 12 months. Only one vehicle may be imported tax-free per person once every ten years.

If your application for tax-free importation is turned down, you will be notified by the Customs authority to declare to them, within a period of 30 days, what you intend to do with the vehicle. If you fail to do this, they will consider that the vehicle has been brought into Portugal illegally.

Vehicle documentation 

All vehicles in Portugal are required to have:

• Certificado de Matrícula* (Registration Certificate), issued by the Instituto de Mobilidade e dos Transportes Terrestres .
  

OR (for vehicles registered before 31 October 2005) 

• Título de Registo de Propriedade (Ownership Registration Document, issued by the Conservatória do Registo Automóvel (Vehicle Registration Office), and
  
• Livrete (Vehicle Registration Document), issued by the  Instituto de Mobilidade e dos Transportes Terrestres .
• Road Tax (Imposto Único de Circulação). Paid annually, during the month in which the vehicle was registered, on-line at your local tax office or Loja do Cidadão . This tax is payable in respect of all vehicles, regardless of whether or not they are in use.

*The Certificado de Matrícula came into effect on 31 October 2005. It is not compulsory to exchange existing vehicle documentation (Livrete and Título de Registo de Propriedade) as this remains valid until its expiry date. Proof of payment is madeby showing the receipt issued by the relevant authority. Tax discs (or stamps) are no longer issued.

Insurance

All vehicles must have at least third party insurance cover. The insurance company will provide an insurance stamp for display in the lower right-hand corner of the vehicle’s windscreen, at the time the policy is issued. These documents, as well as the driver’s ID and licence, should be carried at all times for production to the authorities on request.

MOT testing & certificates

MOT testing is compulsory in Portugal for all vehicles over four years old. Cars aged between 4-7 years must be tested every two years and thereafter every year. The test (Inspecção Periódica Obrigatória - IPO) must be carried out at an approved garage. The garage is required to request the vehicle’s ownership documents (Título de Registo de Propriedade and Livrete or the more recent Certificado de Matrícula) and the owner’s taxpayer’s identification card (cartão de contribuinte) before carrying out the test.

A stamp confirming that the vehicle has undergone (and passed) the test is subsequently issued. This should be displayed below the insurance stamp, in the lower right-hand corner of the vehicle’s windscreen.

The information contained in this leaflet is intended for your general guidance only. It is not a substitute for obtaining information from your local Portuguese Customs Office whom we strongly recommend you consult on the question of the importation of your vehicle. 

The accuracy of this information can not be guaranteed and the applicable law and procedures may change. For these reasons, neither Her Majesty's Government nor any member of the British consular staff can accept liability for any loss, costs, damage or expense which you might suffer as a result of relying on this information.