# Buying a car advice needed



## Speago

Hi all

Am buying my first Portuguese car in the next couple of weeks.

Am unfamiliar with what paperwork should come with the car. Logbook, Inpsection test & road tax.

Does the inspection come with a certificate or is it just a sticker in the Window? Same with the road tax, is it just a window sticker? 

The log book, will it just be a paper log book similar to what you would get with a U.K car and how do I go about registering it in my name?

Also what does the inspection consist of? as one of the cars I am looking at only has a couple of months left, so I want to check that it is going to pass the next one with no problems..

Any other advice on the buying process would be much appreciated. 

Thanks


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## In 2 bikes

You're going to need a N.I.F. number to purchase a car.

You will need to source insurance for it before you buy it. It's my experience a dealer will not let it go until he / she sees it.

The log book is comically small compared to the UK's brochure version. It is the dealer's responsibility to send it off to the authorities for your details to be put on it and the dealer pays the 65 euro fee.

Should you buy from a private seller it is customary that you both attend an agency to update the log book. You both split the 65 euro fee at the agency. Such agents are normally found inside insurance brokers in the high street.

The test certificate ( IMTT ) is similar to the UK in as much as they do a basic check of some safety aspects of the car such as lights, emissions, tyres etc, although it's not as thorough and doesn't take as long. The car will have two stickers in its window. One will be the MOT and the other is the insurance. The master documents must be carried in the car WITH the log book. Whilst waiting for yours to arrive the dealer provides a covering document.

Vehicle tax does not have a window sticker and is paid for via the Portuguese Finance Portal on the web. This is the reason you must have a fiscal number because all vehicles you own are shown against your name and identified on your personal finance page and it is from there that you print off documents which you take to the post office and pay for the tax and then receive a receipt which also must be carried in the car for road checks. Car tax here is much cheaper than the UK and runs yearly from the month the car was first registered. So if the car was sold, new, in June 2005, the tax will run from then (and usually the MOT too)

Another legal requirement E.U. expats overlook is that you must register your Brit drivers licence with the IMTT . It is illegal for any E.U. citizen to drive a PT registered car, unless it is a rental car, without registering their licence with the IMTT. Please note this is NOT exchanging your UK DL for a PT one, (unless you want to), it is only informing the authorities you have the correct licence for that class of vehicle. This process is very, very, hit and miss and you will discover that Portugal is 25 years behind modern thinking admin systems, still often using 'green-screen' computers and producing reams of paper which they love to staple together when it could all be done by email.

Overall you will get what you used to in the UK with the car, plus a warranty if done via a dealer.

Last point........when you sell, make sure the log book is updated with the new owner's details because all parking fines and the like are sent to the person whose name is on the livrette ( log book ) and there is no escaping no matter how much you can prove you were holidaying on Mars at the time and have a receipt for the sale. They're green-screen says 'NOooo!'


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## Speago

Hi in 2 bikes.

Thanks for all the info. Very helpful.


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## Mattskii

> The log book is comically small compared to the UK's brochure version. It is the dealer's responsibility to send it off to the authorities for your details to be put on it and the dealer pays the 65 euro fee.


Sitting in angry astonishment. I was told, and have been charged €200 for the garage to do the paperwork and taxes to transfer ownership into my name. 

Does it really only cost them €65 to do this?



> Another legal requirement E.U. expats overlook is that you must register your Brit drivers licence with the IMTT


How do you do this?


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## In 2 bikes

Mattskii said:


> Sitting in angry astonishment. I was told, and have been charged €200 for the garage to do the paperwork and taxes to transfer ownership into my name.
> 
> Does it really only cost them €65 to do this?
> 
> How do you do this?


It was 65 euros when I bought an L200 4x4 from a dealer in Sept 2014, and when I bought a Peugeot Partner van for the Mrs, ( also from a dealer ), in March this year and I didn't pay for either. It cost me 32.5 euros when I bought a Mercedes from a private seller in March this year as both myself and the seller stood in the agency going halves on the document fees. I didn't pay for any other form of fees to dealers. I'm guessing they're sticking an 'admin' charge on......Perhaps the one that is because you're not Portuguese.

The IMTT thing is done at your local IMTT office....This requires a bit of google time, because you'll need to fill out a form which can be printed in advance off the web. You'll need your 'life' folder as we call it which includes your passport, residency papers, NIF papers and original licence.


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## robc

In 2 bikes said:


> The IMTT thing is done at your local IMTT office....This requires a bit of google time, because you'll need to fill out a form which can be printed in advance off the web. You'll need your 'life' folder as we call it which includes your passport, residency papers, NIF papers and original licence.


I might also add, a deck chair, thermos flask and sandwiches...............for something as important as IMTT the offices are in a real organisational mess.

Rob


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## Mattskii

IMTT - would that be the same office as when I went to change the address on my registration document? if so they seemed pretty together. 

How much is 1 year of road tax? I wonder if they are charging me for transfer of ownership and the first years tax together, that would explain the higher figure. I don't remember paying any additional tax when I got the last car....?


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## GARY WILLIAM

Hello. As far as road tax goes, I have an old (27 years) Renault and this road tax is €10.72. I also just paid approximately €43.00 tax for a 1999 model 4x4.


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## azoreseuropa

GARY WILLIAM said:


> Hello. As far as road tax goes, I have an old (27 years) Renault and this road tax is €10.72. I also just paid approximately €43.00 tax for a 1999 model 4x4.


That's annual tax for €43.00 ? Correct me if I am wrong, thanks.


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## travelling-man

azoreseuropa said:


> That's annual tax for €43.00 ? Correct me if I am wrong, thanks.


As I understand it, the way it works here is the tax is set at the year of matriculation/first registration (which incidentally, may not be the same as year of manufacture) and as far as I know the tax payable remains the same for the life of the vehicle.

I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee +/- 3.1 diesel that was made/first registered in Portugal in 2000 and my road tax is about €90 per year. 

I also have a Jeep Wagoneer made in 1982 which has the 5.9 litre engine BUT was only imported into Portugal in 2012 so I had to pay the 2012 road tax figure which was set at €776 per year. 

Fortunately that was only for the first year and after that, I was able to get it registered as a car of historical importance to Portugal which made it exempt from road tax.

I can well believe Gary only pays a little more than a tenner a year to tax his little Renault.


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## GARY WILLIAM

Hello, and yes, that is annual tax. I also have a 250cc quad bike and thatannual tax is €5.20.


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## azoreseuropa

Nice and its cheaper than here in America. Anyway, I am curious about Sport motorcycle for an annual tax, does anybody knows ?


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## travelling-man

azoreseuropa said:


> Nice and its cheaper than here in America. Anyway, I am curious about Sport motorcycle for an annual tax, does anybody knows ?


Motorcycles and cars are both taxed on the same principle so age of machine, engine size and emissions etc all come into the equation. 

For what it's worth, I have a 125 cc machine that I bought new about 2 years ago and road tax is about €5.50 per year.


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## oronero

azoreseuropa said:


> Anyway, I am curious about Sport motorcycle for an annual tax, does anybody knows ?


You do seem to have very open ended, non specific questions.

In the UK they sell sport motorcycles from 50cc through to around 1300cc plus, I should think the same is available in Portugal.

Are you buying a Portuguese registered motorcycle and if so what year or are you importing it?

All these things make a difference with regards to road licence costs.

Please be more specific in your question(s) and give more of the important information so that somebody can actually help you.


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## azoreseuropa

oronero said:


> You do seem to have very open ended, non specific questions.
> 
> In the UK they sell sport motorcycles from 50cc through to around 1300cc plus, I should think the same is available in Portugal.
> 
> Are you buying a Portuguese registered motorcycle and if so what year or are you importing it?
> 
> All these things make a difference with regards to road licence costs.
> 
> Please be more specific in your question(s) and give more of the important information so that somebody can actually help you.


Well, as I already mentioned somewhere that I am Portuguese Citizen (as birth) and American Citizen in 1999. No, I sold car years ago in America and save my money. Never had a motorcycle but I want one when I purchased one as well in Portugal/Azores. So, I already have two - Car and Motorcycle in one Driver License here in America. Once I am moving there and I am getting a car in year of 2000 or so. For a motorcycle -- A sport one -- in a year ? I don't know. Maybe 2000 or less depends on the used car and motorcycle. If a brand new car and motorcycle.. What tax (IVA) ? Oh yeah, Sport Motocycle is perhaps about 500cc, I think. I wonder. Hope it helps ?


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## oronero

azoreseuropa said:


> Well, as I already mentioned somewhere that I am Portuguese Citizen (as birth) and American Citizen in 1999. No, I sold car years ago in America and save my money. Never had a motorcycle but I want one when I purchased one as well in Portugal/Azores. So, I already have two - Car and Motorcycle in one Driver License here in America. Once I am moving there and I am getting a car in year of 2000 or so. For a motorcycle -- A sport one -- in a year ? I don't know. Maybe 2000 or less depends on the used car and motorcycle. If a brand new car and motorcycle.. What tax (IVA) ? Oh yeah, Sport Motocycle is perhaps about 500cc, I think. I wonder. Hope it helps ?


I understand that you have a licence that covers both cars and motorcycles. 

All information relating to vehicle taxation costs can be found on this site...

Imposto Sobre Veículos e Imposto Único de Circulação


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## oronero

*azoreseuropa*, se você achar que é difícil escrever em Inglês por que não escrever a sua pergunta em Português ?


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## azoreseuropa

oronero said:


> *azoreseuropa*, se você achar que é difícil escrever em Inglês por que não escrever a sua pergunta em Português ?


No because It doesn't matter if I can ask the question in Portuguese. To my understanding that this forum is about English, right ? 

Thanks for the link but it didn't tell how much ?

Is this one - ercentagem redução (Percent reduce)

Com mais de 8 anos e até 9 anos de uso 70 Com mais de 9 anos e até 10 anos de uso 75 Com mais de 10 anos de uso 80

Again, it didn't tell how much.. I would like to know:

I would like to ask people that lived in Portugal for their experiences with the cars and motorcycles.


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## oronero

I suggested that you write your questions in Portuguese because I find it difficult to easily comprehend exactly what you are asking on some of your posts.

I just thought that if you wrote in both languages, especially questions it would make it easier for people to figure out what you are trying to find out.

Despite me having Portuguese parents, I was born in the UK, my written Portuguese is atrocious. To compensate for this when I write to Portuguese officials I have an attempt to write in Portuguese and generally include the English version which I know to be correct in case something is lost in my Portuguese.


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## azoreseuropa

Sighing. My portuguese is not great either and you know why ? I am deaf! Read this: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Sign_Language_grammar

Can you try and figure it out ? You re smart and use your concept to understanding my English grammar. Okay, I am asking for the Car Property Tax annual itself just like a house ? Here in Florida, you don't pay car property tax annual at all but you pay the house property tax annual.


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## oronero

azoreseuropa said:


> Thanks for the link but it didn't tell how much ?
> 
> 
> 
> Again, it didn't tell how much.. I would like to know:
> 
> I would like to ask people that lived in Portugal for their experiences with the cars and motorcycles.


The cost of road fund licence is available from that link, if you can read Portuguese you should be able to find the link to the page.

However if you cannot understand I have added it here... Tabela Imposto Único Circulação (IUC) 2015 - Tabela Imposto Único de Circulação - Imposto Sobre Veículos e Imposto Único de Circulação

If you scroll down the page you will see that it gives the costs for motorcycles of various capacities, both for bikes registered between 1992 and 1996 and for post 1996 registered motorcycles.


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## azoreseuropa

Yes, I read them.. A motorcycle for an annual is above 5.50€ IVA but what about car ? Since you might have a car and what year and what iva annual if you don't mind to sharing that with us ? I would be appreciate if you do and thats all I am asking for.


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## oronero

azoreseuropa said:


> Yes, I read them.. A motorcycle for an annual is above 5.50€ IVA but what about car ? Since you might have a car and what year and what iva annual if you don't mind to sharing that with us ? I would be appreciate if you do and thats all I am asking for.


If you look at the top of the page, from my last link, the costs for vehicles is also given.


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## In 2 bikes

azoreseuropa said:


> Nice and its cheaper than here in America. Anyway, I am curious about Sport motorcycle for an annual tax, does anybody knows ?


My XT660Z Tenere ( not quite sporty ) was 52 euros.


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## GARY WILLIAM

Hello , my 1984 Renault 1400 cc is €10.72 and a Kia Sportage 1999 2.0 diesel is €43.00. These are annual tax.


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## azoreseuropa

Your XT660Z Tenere is fine because its very nice bike for both on the road and on the dirty. 

Your 1984 Renault 1400 cc is a wow. Very old and it's still running good ? Its classic!!!  And a Kia Sportage is fun for the beach. Thanks for sharing!

Thank you guys. Much appreciated. Those are cheaper price than here in America. Thank you so much!


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## grandwazoo

You mention residency... Is it a requirement to be a resident to own/drive a Portuguese-registered car?


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## GARY WILLIAM

You don't need to be a resident to own a car, but you need a fiscal number(which you probably already have) to buy a car, as far as I know anyway.


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## grandwazoo

GARY WILLIAM said:


> You don't need to be a resident to own a car, but you need a fiscal number(which you probably already have) to buy a car, as far as I know anyway.


Excellent, thanks.


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