Moving to Portugal - Moving of Cars

The registration certificate issued for your vehicle in a Member State allows you to use that vehicle everywhere in the European Union; however Portugal requires that the vehicle be registered in the country where you have your usual residence.

Your usual residence is the key factor to the decision if you should or should not have your car papers changed to Portugal. After entering Portugal with your car, and after having your residence changed to this country you must request a new registration and change of licence plates.

Before registering or paying any tax on a vehicle in Portugal, you should ask the Portuguese tax authorities about the rules applicable to your type of vehicle and the detailed formalities to be completed. For this you should contact the Direcção-Geral das Alfândegas e Impostos Especiais de Consumo. This is also the office for payment of vehicle tax and where licence plates are issued.

If you do not have the Community Approval Certificate for your car (obligatory for new types of private vehicles from 1 January 1996) you have to present the following documents at Direcção-Geral de Viação:

• registration document of the car
• document showing proof of ownership, if is not the same as the document referred above
• document showing proof of payment of tax
• document showing conformity of technical characteristics of the car with national standards, to be filled in by the manufacturer or his legal representative

A roadworthiness test and technical inspection is usually required in comparable circumstances for second-hand vehicles brought to Portugal (because of the age of the vehicle, new registration, etc.). It is also requested you to change the car insurance to an insurance company that operates in Portugal.

If you have a new private vehicle with an EEC type-approval certificate acquired in another EU country, no formalities or checks on the technical characteristics of the vehicle may be imposed. But you need to fill out a form that you can get at Direcção-Geral de Viação and you need to present the original EEC type-approval certificate. No tax is required for this service.

Useful references:

• DGV – Direcção-Geral de Viação
  Avenida da República, 16 - 1069-055 Lisboa
  Tel: 213 122 100
  Fax: 213 555 670
  Website
• DGAIEC – Direcção-Geral das Alfandegas e Impostos Especiais de Consumo
  Rua da Alfândega, 5, r/c - 1149-006 LISBOA
  Tel: 218 813 700
  Website

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2003
Reproduction is authorised.