# Motorcycle import and Driving Licences ... again !



## Aden'Soph (Aug 25, 2007)

Has anyone experience of importing a motorcycle with a Certificate of Construction ? Specifically - what do the Portuguese make of it (we are told by Suzuki UK that France is iffy and expects a full Inspection) Our problem being that before 2005 Suzuki did not issue Certificates of Conformity and there is no sense waiting weeks and paying for a document from Japan if its useless. 
Likewise has anyone specific recent experience of applying for a driving licence exchange to a UK one and the question of residency? The hiccup seems to be tied in with the new ID cards. The driving school we are dealing with has no previous experience of ' this new system with foreigners'. 
Our Municipal no longer issue 'Statements of Residency' and our Junta da Freguesia Statement of Residency for some bizarre reason is not sufficient. We are now being steered towards some new kind of Statement of European Residency which we collect later today - cost 15 euros - although it has no photo of us on it !


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

The new kind of _Statement of European Residency_ you refer to has been in force for quite a few years now and replaced the reguirement to apply for Residence in Portugal, when Portugal fully recognized the EU Social Charter.
No it does not have a photo but states your name and address in Portugal and is normally valid for 5 years, when you can then obtain a Permanent Residence Card from SEF, which has your photo, fingerprint etc and is valid for 10 years.
The Junta statement you refer to is* only* a proof of address* not* Residency.
There is no hiccup with new ID cards, they are only available for Portuguese Nationals *not* EU citizens moving to Portugal.

Driving licences there has been recent clarification from IMTT on EU Licences.
If you are a Registered Resident, you can register your *valid* UK driving licence with IMTT, it should be done within* 30 days of Registration of Residence * you are then legally allowed to drive classes as stated on your UK licence whilst it is* valid*, *as you can't renew* a UK licence if not a *UK resident* then you should exchange licence before expiry date.
Or you exchange your UK licence for a Portuguese one, which has different class restrictions and renewal dates.
The exchange process is reasonably straightforward but takes time, the major downside is until you receive your new licence you can only drive in Portugal and depending on classes of vehicles you want to drive you might need stricter medical or physiological tests. Unless you have an IMTT office(regional centres only) close it is easier to apply through an agent or driving school.
Países do Espaço Económico Europeu


Import of bike, whether you pay ISV or not depends on when you moved to Portugal, length ownership of bike in UK etc, but process must be started within 6 months of date you left UK, if your importing and paying ISV then process must be started within 20 days of import, both cases you need to be a registered Resident.
As it's not a classic you'll need a Cert of Conformity or similar, owners club are quite often able to help. Full MOT and noise test is part of matriculation process.


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## niner_mike (Jun 2, 2009)

Is your bike possibly a "GREY " import to the EU from Japan? - this could cause real problems. Otherwise my understanding is that a euro CoC was compulsory on all cars supplied to the EU since 2001 (not sure if the same apllies to Mbikes) & that this should be adequate to allow import to Portugal.

My own bike, a 1998 official UK model was an easy import despite not having a Euro CoC, some piece of paper from Yamaha UK plus a noise test (no problem with OEM tailpipe) plus some beaurocracy nonsense was all that was required.


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## Urbanbeechcomber (May 29, 2009)

*Importing a motorcycle into Portugal*

Can anyone advise me please

I live in London but have a house in Central Portugal and would like to import my 1979 motorcycle into Portugal and leave it there. 

Is that very difficult and or expensive?

Any advice would be very helpful - thanks


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## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

If your *not* a Resident in Portugal, then you can only legally keep it here for *183 days in any 12 month period*, during that time it must be fully road legal in UK (MOT, road tax, insurance) to be legal here, and being a *Non* Resident you *cannot import*.

If you had a friend who was a Resident, they could import for you and matriculate, motorcycles are not expensive, but he would then be the legal owner and you would need to "buy" back from him, you could then legally own and keep it here.


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