{"id":1126,"date":"2026-10-03T10:38:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-03T10:38:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/?ba_guide=importing-car-portugal"},"modified":"2026-10-03T10:38:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-03T10:38:29","slug":"importing-car-portugal","status":"publish","type":"ba_guide","link":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/?ba_guide=importing-car-portugal","title":{"rendered":"Importing a car into Portugal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Importing a car into Portugal can make sense, especially if you already own a suitable vehicle or find a model abroad that is difficult or expensive to buy locally. But do not assume that bringing a car from another EU country is automatically cheap. There are no customs duties between EU countries, yet Portugal can still charge its own <strong>Imposto sobre Ve\u00edculos (ISV)<\/strong> when the vehicle is first registered here. For some cars, that tax is large enough to wipe out the saving from buying abroad.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The surprise: EU free movement does not mean tax-free Portuguese plates<\/h2>\n<p>The EU single market removed customs duties on goods moving between Member States. It did <strong>not<\/strong> harmonise national vehicle-registration taxes. The European Commission even uses the example of somebody moving a car from Belgium to Portugal and being surprised by Portugal&#8217;s registration tax: Member States remain free to levy such a tax when a car is first registered in their territory, subject to EU-law limits.<\/p>\n<p>So distinguish three things:<\/p>\n<ul><li><strong>Customs duty:<\/strong> normally none when a vehicle moves from another EU Member State.<\/li><li><strong>VAT:<\/strong> depends particularly on whether the vehicle is \u201cnew\u201d for EU VAT purposes and how\/where it was bought.<\/li><li><strong>ISV:<\/strong> Portugal&#8217;s vehicle tax can still be due when an EU vehicle is legalised and receives Portuguese registration.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p><strong>Practical rule:<\/strong> calculate ISV and the entire legalisation cost before buying the foreign car. \u201cIt&#8217;s already EU registered\u201d is not a cost estimate.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">EU car versus a car from outside the EU<\/h2>\n<p>For a vehicle acquired in another EU country, Portuguese tax authorities state that legalisation can involve <strong>ISV<\/strong> and, where applicable, <strong>VAT<\/strong>. A vehicle imported from a third country can additionally be subject to <strong>customs duty<\/strong>, import VAT and ISV. That makes non-EU imports a different calculation altogether.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Before you buy: collect the right documents<\/h2>\n<p>Do not buy a foreign vehicle on price alone. Check that you can obtain the paperwork Portugal will need. Depending on the case this can include:<\/p>\n<ul><li>purchase invoice or private sale declaration;<\/li><li>foreign registration\/title documents;<\/li><li>proof of transport into Portugal if it did not arrive under its own power;<\/li><li><strong>Certificate of Conformity (CoC)<\/strong> or the applicable Portuguese homologation data;<\/li><li>technical\/homologation documentation required by IMT;<\/li><li>inspection documentation for a used imported vehicle;<\/li><li>documents proving any tax exemption you intend to claim.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>A missing CoC, unusual specification or difficult homologation can turn a seemingly cheap purchase into an administrative project. Verify the vehicle&#8217;s technical route before committing to an unusual import.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Portuguese import\/legalisation process<\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Bring the vehicle to Portugal legally.<\/strong> Make sure its foreign registration, export\/temporary plates and insurance remain valid for the journey where applicable, or transport it.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sort out homologation and inspection.<\/strong> Used imported vehicles can require IMT technical documentation and an inspection (including the relevant Modelo 112 documentation).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Submit the DAV.<\/strong> The <em>Declara\u00e7\u00e3o Aduaneira de Ve\u00edculo<\/em> is the central vehicle customs\/tax declaration. Gov.pt currently says the tax formalities for a foreign vehicle should be handled within a maximum of <strong>20 working days after the vehicle enters Portugal<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pay ISV and any VAT\/customs amounts due<\/strong>, unless an exemption applies. AT says assessed ISV is payable within <strong>10 working days after notification of the assessment<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Receive the Portuguese registration number.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Have Portuguese number plates made and fit them.<\/strong> The foreign plates do not simply become your permanent Portuguese registration.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Arrange Portuguese insurance.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Request the Portuguese registration certificate \/ DUA<\/strong> and complete the vehicle registration formalities. Gov.pt currently states that after fiscal regularisation you have <strong>60 days<\/strong> to pay the IMT registration fee and request the registration certificate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Deal with ongoing obligations<\/strong> such as IUC and future IPO inspections. See #102.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>AT states that, after ISV has been paid and a Portuguese registration number assigned, the proof of ISV payment showing that number permits unrestricted circulation for <strong>60 days from assignment of the registration number<\/strong> while the registration-certificate process is completed.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How ISV is calculated<\/h2>\n<p>ISV is not simply a percentage of what you paid for the car. For ordinary passenger vehicles the calculation can depend on factors including <strong>engine capacity and CO\u2082 emissions<\/strong>, with rules also concerning particulate emissions for relevant diesel vehicles. Used vehicles admitted from the EU have their own age-related treatment under the ISV rules.<\/p>\n<p>This is why two used cars with the same \u20ac15,000 purchase price can have dramatically different Portuguese landing costs. Engine size, fuel, emissions, age and homologation data matter. High-emission cars can be particularly painful.<\/p>\n<p>Use the current <a href=\"https:\/\/info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt\/pt\/apoio_ao_contribuinte\/Cidadaos\/Veiculos\/Compra\/Paginas\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Portal das Finan\u00e7as vehicle-tax information<\/strong><\/a> and its current calculation tools\/rates before agreeing to buy.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Moving to Portugal with a car you already own: check the ISV exemption first<\/h2>\n<p>This can completely change the economics. Portugal provides an <strong>ISV exemption for qualifying transfers of residence<\/strong>. Current gov.pt guidance includes core conditions that the applicant is over 18, lived abroad for at least <strong>six months<\/strong>, is transferring legal residence to Portugal, and had owned the vehicle in the country of origin for at least <strong>six months before transferring residence<\/strong>. The full statutory conditions, evidence and restrictions still need to be satisfied.<\/p>\n<p>Evidence can be more substantial than newcomers expect. AT lists, among other things, an exemption request, DAV, vehicle ownership\/registration documents, an official residence certificate from the previous country showing registration and cancellation dates, and everyday evidence of actual residence such as rent, utilities, salary receipts or social contributions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do this early.<\/strong> If you are moving to Portugal, check the exemption requirements before disposing of old residence evidence, changing ownership of the car, or assuming you can sort everything months later.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.pt\/pt\/servicos\/pedir-a-isencao-do-imposto-sobre-veiculos-quando-se-vem-morar-para-portugal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Check the current transfer-of-residence ISV exemption on gov.pt<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">VAT: \u201cused\u201d in normal speech may still be \u201cnew\u201d for VAT<\/h2>\n<p>For EU VAT purposes, a car is treated as a <strong>new means of transport<\/strong> if it has been in use for no more than six months <strong>or<\/strong> has travelled no more than 6,000 km. Both conditions must be exceeded for it to fall on the used side of that EU definition.<\/p>\n<p>If you buy a qualifying new vehicle in another EU country to register in Portugal, VAT is generally due in the country of registration. Do not casually pay VAT twice: tell the seller the vehicle is being taken to another Member State and check the transaction structure before payment. A genuinely used EU vehicle has different VAT treatment. ISV remains a separate Portuguese issue.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A worked example: why the cheap German car may not be cheap<\/h2>\n<p>Suppose a used car is \u20ac3,000 cheaper in Germany than an equivalent Portuguese car. Your real comparison is not \u20ac15,000 abroad versus \u20ac18,000 in Portugal. It is:<\/p>\n<ul><li>foreign purchase price;<\/li><li>travel or transport;<\/li><li>export\/temporary registration and insurance where needed;<\/li><li>CoC\/homologation or document costs;<\/li><li>inspection;<\/li><li><strong>ISV<\/strong>;<\/li><li>Portuguese registration\/DUA;<\/li><li>number plates;<\/li><li>professional\/legalisation service if you use one;<\/li><li>VAT\/customs if applicable;<\/li><li>your time and the risk of unexpected documentation problems.<\/li><\/ul>\n<p>Only compare the vehicles after you have that <strong>landed-and-legal Portuguese cost<\/strong>. On some cars importing still makes excellent sense; on others the apparent saving disappears.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I just keep the foreign plates?<\/h2>\n<p>Do not assume so. Temporary use by somebody whose normal residence genuinely remains abroad is different from a resident importing a vehicle for normal use in Portugal. EU rules themselves recognise that permanent movers generally need to register their car and pay the applicable car-related taxes in the new country, subject to national exemptions.<\/p>\n<p>If you have actually moved your normal residence to Portugal, treating a foreign registration as a permanent workaround can create tax, registration and insurance problems.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should you use a vehicle legalisation agent?<\/h2>\n<p>You can handle the process yourself, but commercial <em>legaliza\u00e7\u00e3o autom\u00f3vel<\/em> services and customs representatives can be useful where the paperwork, homologation, exemption evidence or non-EU customs process is complicated. Ask for a written breakdown separating <strong>government taxes\/fees<\/strong> from the provider&#8217;s own service charge, and do not accept an ISV estimate as guaranteed unless the underlying vehicle data have been verified.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Import checklist<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"ba-checklist\">\n<li>Get VIN, first-registration date, engine and exact CO\u2082\/homologation data.<\/li>\n<li>Confirm the CoC\/technical documentation exists.<\/li>\n<li>Calculate ISV before buying.<\/li>\n<li>Check VAT status: over six months <em>and<\/em> over 6,000 km?<\/li>\n<li>If moving residence, check the ISV exemption <strong>before<\/strong> importing.<\/li>\n<li>Budget transport\/export plates\/insurance.<\/li>\n<li>Keep proof of the vehicle&#8217;s date of entry into Portugal.<\/li>\n<li>Complete inspection\/homologation steps.<\/li>\n<li>Submit the DAV within the applicable deadline.<\/li>\n<li>Pay assessed taxes on time.<\/li>\n<li>Obtain Portuguese registration and plates.<\/li>\n<li>Arrange insurance and request the DUA\/registration certificate.<\/li>\n<li>Diary IUC and IPO obligations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Useful official links<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.pt\/servicos\/tratar-do-imposto-de-um-veiculo-comprado-no-estrangeiro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>gov.pt \u2014 tax\/legalisation of a vehicle bought abroad<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/info.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt\/pt\/apoio_ao_contribuinte\/Cidadaos\/Veiculos\/Compra\/Paginas\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Portal das Finan\u00e7as \u2014 ISV and VAT when acquiring\/importing vehicles<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.pt\/pt\/servicos\/pedir-a-isencao-do-imposto-sobre-veiculos-quando-se-vem-morar-para-portugal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>gov.pt \u2014 ISV exemption when transferring residence<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/info-aduaneiro.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt\/pt\/informacao_aduaneira\/Veiculos\/isencao_res\/Pages\/isv-res-07.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>AT \u2014 documents for the residence-transfer exemption<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/europa.eu\/youreurope\/citizens\/vehicles\/registration\/registration-abroad\/index_en.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Your Europe \u2014 registering a car after moving within the EU<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/taxation-customs.ec.europa.eu\/buying-and-selling-cars_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>European Commission \u2014 VAT when buying and moving cars<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related BorderlessAdvice guides<\/h2>\n<ul><li><strong>#98 Driving in Portugal<\/strong> \u2014 road rules and Portuguese driving realities.<\/li><li><strong>#99 Foreign driving licences and exchanging a licence<\/strong>.<\/li><li><strong>#100 Buying and registering a car<\/strong> \u2014 buying a Portuguese car and the ownership-registration process.<\/li><li><strong>#102 IPO inspection, IUC and car insurance<\/strong> \u2014 next: the recurring obligations once the car is on Portuguese plates.<\/li><li><strong>#103 Portuguese toll roads and Via Verde<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Last verified: 2 October 2026. Vehicle taxes depend heavily on the individual vehicle and circumstances. Calculate from current AT\/IMT information before buying or importing a vehicle; do not rely on a seller&#8217;s generic \u201cEU import\u201d estimate.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to import and legalise a car in Portugal: DAV, ISV, EU and non-EU vehicles, VAT, inspections, Portuguese plates and the transfer-of-residence exemption.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"template":"","ba_country":[3],"ba_topic":[1123,411,1124,1116,1117,414],"ba_audience":[426,973,638,261,974],"ba_section":[428,20],"ba_stage":[1128,1125,1127,1126],"ba_location":[],"class_list":["post-1126","ba_guide","type-ba_guide","status-publish","hentry","ba_country-portugal","ba_topic-car-import","ba_topic-cars","ba_topic-dav","ba_topic-foreign-plates","ba_topic-isv","ba_topic-vehicle-registration","ba_audience-drivers","ba_audience-eu-citizens","ba_audience-expats","ba_audience-newcomers","ba_audience-non-eu-citizens","ba_section-driving-transport","ba_section-living","ba_stage-dav-portugal","ba_stage-import-car-portugal","ba_stage-isv-import-car","ba_stage-legalise-car-portugal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/1126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/ba_guide"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/1126\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1127,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/ba_guide\/1126\/revisions\/1127"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ba_country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_country&post=1126"},{"taxonomy":"ba_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_topic&post=1126"},{"taxonomy":"ba_audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_audience&post=1126"},{"taxonomy":"ba_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_section&post=1126"},{"taxonomy":"ba_stage","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_stage&post=1126"},{"taxonomy":"ba_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/borderlessadvice.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fba_location&post=1126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}