# Classic car import to Madeira?



## Captainbeaky

Hi there,

I'm new to this forum, so hello to all here.

We are considering buying a property in Madeira, and thinking about taking our classic cars out there from the UK.

I've read about the process for bringing a modern car into Portugal/ Madeira, but it's not clear if this process is the same for a classic car.

The cars We have got were made in the 60's - so are definitely pre "certificate of conformity" - also, would I have to pay tax on them, and how would this be calculated?

Any help from someone who has done this before would be gratefully received.

Also - any expats out in Madeira who are into classic cars?
Please get in touch - we will be based in Calheta next week ( 19th to 26th Feb )


Thanks,

Mike.


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## travelling-man

Welcome to the forum.

I can't comment about Madeira specifically but would assume it's the same rules as mainland Portugal & FWIW, I bought my classic car from South Africa to mainland Portugal about 5 years ago & as it was impossible to get a CoC for it, I just downloaded a copy of the original sales brochure that had the tech spec on it & that was accepted without question.

Probably the easiest way to do it is to join the ACP AND their classic car section (ACP Classicos) & pay them to do it all for you.

Again, not Madeira specific but mainland PT allows each adult new immigrant to import one classic motor vehicle tax free but it has to have been registered to the importer for at least 12 months prior to import & the matriculation process must be started within 6 months of the immigrant's arrival.

There are also a few other requirements but none are difficult to fulfil.

Oh & you need to know that road tax is calculated on engine size, emissions & year of PT matriculation NOT year of manufacture.

The good news is the ACP Classicos can help you get the vehicle registered as a car of historical interest to PT & therefore exempt from road tax.


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## travelling-man

Here's a copy of what I gave them in lieu of a CoC and they accepted it without question although I have heard of other people who had more trouble than I did.


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## travelling-man

Oh and you'll need a FIVA ID document/car passport as well.


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## Captainbeaky

Thanks for that.

Does anyone know if the "one car free" import rule is one car only - ever, or is there a time limit ( one per year?)

Also, how is the used car import tax actually calculated?

I understand that we will probably be better off buying "normal" cars out in Madeira ( not just because all our cars are RHD) but we have a number of special and rare cars that we want to keep hold of if we can ( and my Landrover 50th anniversary model can be converted to LHD fairly simply) so would like to know what it would cost to bring them in.

Thanks,

Mike.


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## Centralbound

As suggested above, join the classicós. It will be a smallish group on Madeira and you'll get plenty of help.

No need to matriculate investment grade cars unless you are going to be actually driving them about. There are bound to be options for stretching their legs once in a while.


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## travelling-man

Captainbeaky said:


> Thanks for that.
> 
> Does anyone know if the "one car free" import rule is one car only - ever, or is there a time limit ( one per year?)
> 
> Also, how is the used car import tax actually calculated?
> 
> I understand that we will probably be better off buying "normal" cars out in Madeira ( not just because all our cars are RHD) but we have a number of special and rare cars that we want to keep hold of if we can ( and my Landrover 50th anniversary model can be converted to LHD fairly simply) so would like to know what it would cost to bring them in.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Mike.


It's one car per immigrant imported within 6 months of getting your residencia ONCE. After that, you pay import tax on every car and that tax is a set figure rather than a percentage of the value. - The set figure is dependent on things like engine size etc but often lower for classics than for modern cars. 

I disagree with Centralbound about importing but not matriculating. As I understand it, it's illegal to do the former and not the latter & that the matriculation process must be begun within (if I remember correctly) 6 months of import.

The problem with Portuguese bureaucracy is that every civil servant seems to interpret the rules differently which is another reason to join ACP/Classicos and have them do it all for you.

If you are going to import a classic, you need to make sure that everything is absolutely accurate because they check not only every VIN & engine number but also their location and all paperwork. 

My own car is fitted with the old AMC 360 5.9 litre V8 engine which were never allocated engine numbers but my original SA registration document stated a fictitious number so I had to have a plate made up with the same number which I then fitted in the engine bay AND got a letter from my local main dealer AND another from the manufacturer confirming the engines were not numbered....... and even then, the PT traffic dept queried it.


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## Centralbound

I have seen foreign classics on show and for sale here so there must be a way. Also quite a lively trade in foreign / unplated rally cars, off-roaders, tractors etc. I would join the club and get some clear advice because importing anything that falls into the emissions scheme without relief will be ruinous.


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## travelling-man

I've also seen foreign registered cars on show and sale here but that doesn't mean the owners aren't required by law to get them registered....... it just means they might be breaking the law or have only recently imported the vehicle. 

The good news is that classic car values are through the roof here.  

The bad news is that if you sell within 5 years of import, you have to repay the import tax on a pro-rata basis. IE 20% per year.


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## travelling-man

Let me add that if one does import and not matriculate within the stipulated time period, the GNR can & often do confiscate the vehicle.


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## Captainbeaky

Thanks for that - I'll get into the ACP and ask their advice.

It sounds like I'll need to work it out carefully to get the best deal to minimise the import cost. We've spent a long time and a lot of effort to get hold of the cars that we have, so it would be nice to keep them. I have absolutely no interest in selling them - it took long enough to find them!

Anyone know what the road tax would be for a 4 litre Land Rover?

Thanks,

Mike.


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## SpiggyTopes

The tax relates to the CO2 ...... I am being asked for 500 Euros for my 4.6 P38, although I had been told 800 Euros.


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## travelling-man

The subject has been discussed several times & if you use the search function here, I think you'll find someone published a link to an online calculator for both import and road taxes.

But road tax on a newly matriculated vehicle can be high...... especially for big engined vehicles.

As an example, the road tax on my 5.9 litre classic Jeep was set at €776 per year when I imported/matriculated it in January 2012 and I'm told that was the 2nd highest band so my guess is a 4 litre vehicle would be in the region of about €500 per year or so.

The ACP Classicos are very helpful once you are a member but you won't get much info until you join.


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## Captainbeaky

Thanks for that - I found the calculator, I wanted to double check the result.

I'm coming up with the same sort of figures, but an absolutely astronomic import cost, so the V8 defender might well be the car I import for free...

I did find out that you are allowed one tax free car every 5 years ( from the British consulate information) which is the sort of time frame that I am thinking about fully emigrating - so this could be How I get all the classics over...

We are thinking of a "staged" transfer - spending several months per year over there at first, until we are 100% sure.

Food for thought.

Many thanks,

Mike.


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## travelling-man

The import tax/fee is very controversial & it's legality has been challenged in court on several occasions but the Govt has won every time.

I thought it was one vehicle once but will be interested to hear what ACP Classicos tell you. 

I wonder if they're referring to import from a non EU state into the UK or EU as opposed to import from one EU member state to another?


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## Captainbeaky

Yes, I've read that - also, Portugal has been warned by Brussels that it needs to revise the vehicle import tax rules, as they are discriminatory. 

As usual Portugal is doing its best to ignore it.


This was from the British Consulate, so I guess it's from another EU state.


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## travelling-man

In theory there shouldn't be taxes when importing from one member state to another but PT have been doing it for years & Brussels fines them & tells them to stop every year & every year the Govt ignores the warning & pays the fine......... My guess is that won't change any time soon! lol


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## Captainbeaky

Is there any news on the possible resumption of the ferry service?


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