Registering your car in Portugal

You move to Portugal, you become a tax resident, perhaps with RNH status, and you necessarily spend more than 6 months in Portugal. Your car will no longer be able to remain registered in France, and you'll have 1 full year to regularise your personal situation and legalise the import of your vehicle (remember, 1 vehicle per person, no more!). By all accounts, this step, which is a simple administrative formality in most European countries, is described as a real obstacle course here in Portugal. It's true that you'll have to prepare for it and check your cash flow to pay the taxes, which can be quite high! Let's take a closer look...

The sticking point?

Registering your car in Portugal.

Before arriving in Portugal

Registering your car in Portugal.

Before arriving in Portugal

Registering your car in Portugal.

Before arriving in Portugal

Check the necessary documents: This generally includes the French vehicle registration document and the European Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued by the manufacturer or dealer. You can do without it, but it will be more complicated and more expensive, so not a real saving. You'll also need the insurance certificate, a current roadworthiness test and your valid identity document. To prove that you are indeed from abroad, ask for an official certificate of residence from the town hall and keep proof of address.

To certify the purchase value, keep the invoice if you've bought a new car, or the deed of purchase (plus the certificate of sale), which is the only document that will show the price, if you've bought a second-hand car.

Check the necessary documents: This generally includes the French vehicle registration document and the European Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued by the manufacturer or dealer. You can do without it, but it will be more complicated and more expensive, so not a real saving. You'll also need the insurance certificate, a current roadworthiness test and your valid identity document. To prove that you are indeed from abroad, ask for an official certificate of residence from the town hall and keep proof of address.

To certify the purchase value, keep the invoice if you've bought a new car, or the deed of purchase (plus the certificate of sale), which is the only document that will show the price, if you've bought a second-hand car.

Check the necessary documents: This generally includes the French vehicle registration document and the European Certificate of Conformity (COC) issued by the manufacturer or dealer. You can do without it, but it will be more complicated and more expensive, so not a real saving. You'll also need the insurance certificate, a current roadworthiness test and your valid identity document. To prove that you are indeed from abroad, ask for an official certificate of residence from the town hall and keep proof of address.

To certify the purchase value, keep the invoice if you've bought a new car, or the deed of purchase (plus the certificate of sale), which is the only document that will show the price, if you've bought a second-hand car.

Register your car in Portugal.

Online procedures.

Register your car in Portugal.

Online procedures.

Register your car in Portugal.

Online procedures.

Register your car in Portugal.

Online procedures.

You must have a tax identification number (NIF): Reminder, go to the tax office (Finanças) with your passport or identity card and proof of address. Keep your access codes for the Portal das Finanças to pay ISV.

Preparing the car: With your current French roadworthiness test in hand, have a roadworthiness test carried out in Portugal, which you'll need for customs purposes. You will need the Modelo 112, but beware: not all centres are authorised to issue it: see the ITM search engine.

Make your Declaração Aduaneira de Veículo (DAV) online with Customs and you can use it to simulate your ISV. Later on, we'll look at how to apply for exemption from this tax, which can be a real pain! You will also be able to download modelo 1460.1 Pedidos no âmbito do ISV and modelo 9 from the IMT, applying for registration in duplicate.

Pay the ISV on the Finance portal. You have your codes, of course!

Make an appointment with the vehicle registration department of the Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (IMT) online or by telephone. Follow this link to find the nearest one to you.

Register your car in Portugal.

Procedures mainly involving visits.

Go to the IMT to obtain your vehicle registration document. Present all the necessary documents and fill in the required forms. Staff will often guide you if you have not been able to complete them on your own.

Getting the new Portuguese number plates: Once all the formalities have been completed and you've paid the fees, go to a car centre to have the new Portuguese number plates fitted to your car.

Insure the car in Portugal: Take out Portuguese car insurance for your vehicle, as your French insurance will no longer be valid.

Pay the IUC within 90 days and then every year from the 1st day of the month preceding the anniversary month of your registration.

Thank you Villa Feria for your infographics, from which we drew much of our inspiration.

Thanks to Villa Feria for the infographics that we used as our inspiration.

Importing a car into Portugal can be an obstacle course, and is compulsory if you spend more than 6 months a year in Portugal. But there are no loopholes! You can get round importing by buying or leasing your car here in Portugal. You can also ask for our assistance or that of a solicitador, professionals who deal with these formalities in Portugal. It's their job, and this service is not very expensive.

EXEMPTION FROM ISV

It is possible to avoid paying ISV by applying for exemption: 

You must have been resident abroad for more than 6 months (tax residence) before arriving in Portugal;
The vehicle must have been in your possession for at least 6 months abroad and have at least 6,000 km on the clock. In the case of leasing, it is the start of the contract that counts.
All taxes relating to the vehicle must have been paid in your country of residence and the vehicle must be free of any pledges;
Only one vehicle per person can be legalised, and then only every 10 years. If you have two vehicles in your name, and your wife does not own one, consider putting the second vehicle into her name 6 months before you leave, by making a "donation" to her in order to legalise both vehicles.