# taking car to Portugal?



## suiko (Dec 7, 2015)

I'm planning on moving to Portugal in the autumn - September if I can't be sure of being able to register my residency right away, December if I can.

I'm wondering whether it's best to take my car with me in the autumn, and register it with Portuguese plates. Will there be any difference in procedures if I take it some time in 2021 (when I'll have residency but will no longer be an EU citizen)?

Or would it be better to sell it (or leave it) in UK, and buy a cheap second-hand one in Portugal? 

I imagine I'll need to change my licence in Portugal in any case.


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## jumblemon (Mar 29, 2020)

I’m trying to puzzle out the same process myself. I’m afraid I don’t have all the answers but I’m sure someone will be along shortly to provide them. However a couple of observations of discovered:

- prepared to be shocked how expensive old second hand cars are in Portugal. A £500 banger in the U.K. can go for 10x the price here. I understand that is related to tax.

- new residents can re-register one car tax free immediately after their residency is granted. But you must have owned it in your home country for 12 months

- you will need a manufacturers certificate of conformity and the car might need some changes if it does not meet Portuguese requirements (e.g. new headlights if it is a LHD car.) the parts and certificate required can cost 500 euros or more.


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## jumblemon (Mar 29, 2020)

And yes, you are required to exchange your UK licence for a Portuguese licence as the EU do not allow you to hold two EU licences, however, after January next year when the transition period is over you should be able to get a replacement UK licence and hold both.


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## jumblemon (Mar 29, 2020)

On balance I think I will ultimately sell my car in the U.K. and buy a Portuguese RHD car. It will probably be the slightly more expensive route, but at least I will be able to resell the car later and I prefer driving a car with the wheel on the correct side.


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## suiko (Dec 7, 2015)

Thanks. It certainly looks as if it's complicated either way!

I guess if I don't bring it with me this autumn, I can always drive it down in the future (as long as I drive it back again!) Or am I not allowed to do that once I'm a resident?

Certainly those prices are a bit scary. Someone else said it was worth buying a small van because of the tax issue? Are taxes that high for all vehicles? Could one buy one in Spain?


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

Residents here are not allowed to drive foreign registered cars (with some exceptions) so registering as resident here then going to the UK to get a UK car can be an issue. There are other ways which work like getting a cheap UK car and driving it here initially just to use for the convenience of having transport for 6 (?) months then selling it as scrap in Portugal, obviously one similar to a common car here would be sensible and that'll give you 6 months lee way. Some vans are registered as "commercial" here so different hoops to jump through.


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## suiko (Dec 7, 2015)

So how much should I expect to pay for a fairly old small car?


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

If you mean in the UK then over the past 8 years I've paid less then £400 for each of Citroen ZX, Peugeot 106, Peugeot 306 and Skoda Filicia and driven the route UK/France/Spain/Portugal and shifted ovens/sinks/fridges/beds/people/tents etc.


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## suiko (Dec 7, 2015)

Strontium said:


> If you mean in the UK then over the past 8 years I've paid less then £400 for each of Citroen ZX, Peugeot 106, Peugeot 306 and Skoda Filicia and driven the route UK/France/Spain/Portugal and shifted ovens/sinks/fridges/beds/people/tents etc.


No, in Portugal! I know about UK prices


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## jumblemon (Mar 29, 2020)

suiko said:


> No, in Portugal! I know about UK prices




Here’s a typical example...15 year old Ford Focus with a whopping 330,000kms on the clock for €2,700


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## suiko (Dec 7, 2015)

Bloody hell 

I guess it isn't feasible to buy in Spain?


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## jumblemon (Mar 29, 2020)

suiko said:


> Bloody hell
> 
> 
> 
> I guess it isn't feasible to buy in Spain?




You can but then you have to register it in Portugal and pay a massive tax bill. It’s not how the single market should work... but that’s proof EU govts have control over their tax and country.

I’d bring a UK car over and try to get away with it for a year or so. I have 2 English cars here at the moment. At some point I’ll buy a portugueser


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## suiko (Dec 7, 2015)

Yeah. Don't want to do anything legal that might prejudice my getting residence, though, as that is by far the most important thing! I'd certainly be tempted to do it if I was just going to drive it down and then back, but of course the temptation would be to use it to drive around within the country. I guess if you were stopped and presented your passport, they would check whether you were in fact a resident?


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

Here's a few thousand secondhand cars for sale in Portugal - searchable by make, price and location.
https://www.olx.pt/carros-motos-e-barcos/carros/


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## Nostro (Dec 11, 2020)

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I hope this helps. It will still compensate to buy a car in Europe or LHD eBay & drive it into Portugal. I did that via eBay a few years ago & at the time had to pay €5k+ in Duty etc: but still cheaper than buying an equivalent here. 
I am given to understand the PT: Govt: was required by the EU: to normalize their Import laws & more Euro friendly ref: imported Cars from other EU: states. i understand the way it works now is that they will still bill you & refund you the difference. WHEN is the bug bear  
I hope this helps. 
Personally I would avoid buying a car in Portugal, unless it was a very good deal, I would obviously face the bells & whistles having through it once & import a 2nd: hand car from other EU state.


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