# Selling an imported UK car already portuguese matriculated



## Lousa

HI, I hope that this can help clarify the situation regarding the sale of a previously UK registered car before 5 years, once you have matriculated it into Portugal.

My wife and I brought both our UK cars to Portugal, when we moved here 7 years ago. We did all the required paperwork to make ourselves residents of the country and then set about the daunting process of matriculating the cars ourselves.

Many people advised us not to bother, best to stay on UK plates and then drive back to the UK every year for an MOT test....plus presumably UK road tax....Unsure about the practicalities of this, especially when you add insurance validity to the complex mix!

Anyhow, we managed to matriculate both cars satisfactorily after several frustrating trips to the local Alfandega, and did NOT pay any import duty so we were now completely legal. As the authorities dragged their feet, the final date for the plates missed the JUNE/JULY 2007 deadline and now both cars are treated as new ones with the resultant very high annual road tax!

Sadly, my wife contracted cancer and after four years, she died. I went to the local authorities to advise them of my wife's demise and was informed that since she had died "too soon" in other words before the car had been Portuguese registered for 5 years, I would have to pay import duty on the car if and when I transferred its ownership to myself! We had and indeed I still do own this car from new since 2002. As you can imagine I was not exactly thrilled with this damned ridiculous situation. I love this country but hate the petty beaurocratic nonsense and frankly corrupt practices used by some government departments in a thinly veiled attempt to extort money.

My message is that by all means consider importing and matriculating your UK car into Portugal, but bear in mind that you have to keep it for 5 years before selling it over here, no-one but the registered owner and spouse is insured to drive it for a year. Finally, if you do eventually sell the car in Portugal, ensure that you go to the financas and complete all the transfer of ownership papers...just 60 well spent euros, because if you don't you will be caught, as I did, by the buyer of my other car leaving the car in my name, resulting in two years' road tax for me to pay and God knows what other problems if the car had been involved in an accident or road traffic offence!!


----------



## Veronica

I have moved this thread to the Portugal section.


----------



## canoeman

Very sorry to hear of your loss, but for others reading your post on matriculation there are a couple of things that need redressing

_"Many people advised us not to bother, best to stay on UK plates and then drive back to the UK every year for an MOT test....plus presumably UK road tax....Unsure about the practicalities of this, especially when you add insurance validity to the complex mix!"_
As a Resident can't legally drive a non Portuguese plated car then you did correct thing

As far as I know it has always been the case that when any vehicle is matriculated it's IUC or road tax is the year of matriculation not the year of first registration unfortunately that year saw a hike in IUC costs, but you might have been able to appeal at the delay 

Yes should you dispose of a matriculated vehicle under 5 years you pay the ISV saved but it is a reducing percentage not the full amount. 

Change of ownership is no different to UK but unlike UK the place to change ownership is the *Conservatoria* not Financas but you should check that when ownership changed vehicle is removed from your Financas NIF number as unlike UK Financas collect IUC not DVLA like UK.

So others are aware when selling a vehicle you as seller must supply the correct form from the Conservatoria and for your own peace of mind make sure it is completed and filed, on a private sale here the norm is that both parties go to Conservatoria or online complete and halve fee

Portugal acts perfectly legally within EU Laws regarding matriculation, IUC etc yes it's dearer than some EU countries but less than others


----------



## OrangesYeah

I am worried because we've sold our pt reg vehicle to someone in Spain - they've paid but haven't picked it up yet. When I went into IMTT (is that the same as the conservatoria?) they said that we should hand over the registration document to the new owner but couldn't register the sale with them as they are not living in Portugal. We can complete a change of ownership document but we don't hand it in anywhere. Unless they import it into Spain straight away we will be liable for the iuc due in June which isn't a problem but we cannot do anything about it staying in our name as far as Portugal is concerned until after 8 months when we can can get it stuck off. I'm concerned that if the chap drives it away without insurance and has an accident or uses it for a crime then it will come back on us.


----------



## canoeman

IMTT is Government department for road safety, driving licences, test, and supply the actual number plate numbers IPO etc etc
Conservatoria is the Public Registry where all documents, Wills ownership of property, cars, boats, airplanes etc etc is Registered

At least charge him the IUC but unless he matriculated onto Spanish plates immediately which he'd need log book etc for not sure what you can do but you should ask at the Conservatoria as they are responsible for registering ownership in Portugal and they in turn notify Financas when ownership alters

Conservatoria offices are normally attached to the Courthouse at your areas Camara town


----------



## canoeman

I should have also said that IMTT are the reporting agency also for scrapping, SORN'ing and de- registering, the last is triggered by someone matriculating in another country.

I have seen some reference to export plates but not sure how this would work, form used to cancel matriculation is a Modelo 9 but all info says they won't cancel registration till it's scrapped or registered somewhere else http://www.imtt.pt/sites/IMTT/Portugues/Formularios/documents/modelo9.pdf


----------



## OrangesYeah

Thanks Canoeman, sorry for the delay in thanking you, I've been away. Car got sold but I will see if the conservatoria has anything different to say from IMTT about registering the sale but we'll wear the iuc anyway as only €51.


----------



## canoeman

No problem, it's the ongoing IUC that's the issue because until car is deregistered from your ownership at Conservatoria it is not deregistered from your NIF and therefore you are still classified as owner and responsible for IUC, fines etc etc


----------



## notlongnow

Sad to say this has happened to our family too. Dearly departed grandfather died a year or two after new resident matriculation and the family faced the full price of matriculation (several thousand Euros). They bit the bullet and paid it, but it left a bad taste...


----------



## TAO22

Hi there, this is a very interesting thread also for me. I purchased a uk vehicle in September 2012 which had been matriculated in Portugal by the previous owner in July 2011. All good as I went to imtt, paid the 60 euros to change over and all was good. However, after reading this thread I have two questions. Firstly, I presume that as the previous owner sold within 5 years then any repayment on the import liability will be down to him and not me the new registered owner?! Secondly, if I wish to sell the vehicle myself then presumably I need to re-register and pay the 60 euros as previous to change over to the new owner? 
Thanks in advance.


----------



## canoeman

He must have got a hefty bill

By IMTT I presume you mean Conservatoria (IRN), the seller has the responsibility to supply form for the registering of new ownership, this can be completed online, your information certainly and should be printed *on 1* sheet of paper *not* 2, advice you keep a copy of form when completed and signed by both parties

http://www.irn.mj.pt/IRN/sections/i...le/DUA_modelo_unico.pdf?nocache=1217232046.45 

The buyer has the responsibility to register new ownership within 30 but might be 60 days of purchase

The normal procedure in Portugal is you both go to Conservatoria or some Citizens Shops complete formalities and *split* fee, you then know it's been done, you should check that Financas *when* notified by Conservatoria have removed ownership from your NIF

The whole process can be done online but I've never attempted


----------

