morro

My Drivers licence registration renewal is due soon.
I do not like to queue for hours in Faro, is it possible to register online?

Red Eric

If I'm reading this correctly it sounds to me as though you might actually be reaching a point where you need to exchange your UK licence for a PT one. I'm not aware of any circumstance where you could re-register it.

Sunseeker1st

You need to renew your Portuguese driving license at age 65 and 70 then every two years thereafter. I have to do mine again next birthday. I also do not like queuing or getting up at the crack of dawn so as to be in Faro to do so. Therefore, I pay an an agency to do it for me!

As you need new/current photographs and for those ages a doctor's certificate I don't see how it can be done on line. I don't know however for those under 60 although, again. current photographs will be required..

Red Eric

Ages and requirements for PT licence renewals vary a bit according to categories held and when the licence was obtained. For just a car licence acquired before January 2013, it's now at 50 without the need for a medical, then at 60, 65 and 70 and thereafter every 2 years, all requiring a doctor's certificate. There are slightly different rules for licences acquired between Jan 2013 and Jul 2016, and again from Jul 2016. See here

However, holders of a Cartão de Cidadão can renew online and at a slight discount under changes that were effected as part of the Simplex programme as of 1st Jan this year. Another of those changes does away with the holder's address being printed on the face of the licence, thus doing away with the need to have the licence re-issued to reflect current address if one moves house. Most of us won't have a Cartão de Cidadão, though.

I'm not sure the OP is talking about a PT licence renewal anyway....

morro

My mistake, it is my British Licence that I need to reregister. Every 2 years!

Red Eric

Are you sure about that?

The only circumstance I'm aware of involving registration of the UK licence is when you become resident and it's a one-off process, as an alternative to exchanging the licence.

Once that registration has been done, the UK licence is valid until the date on the document from the IMT but must then be exchanged for a PT licence.

RichardHenshall

I also think you will have to exchange your UK licence for a Portuguese one. You cannot renew a UK licence if you live in Portugal.

rollermum83

Having just recently been to Faro to get paper to allow us to drive in Portugal it states on the document the run out date, this coincides with the run out date on your UK licence.
It only actually took us around 40 mins in the end.

gedscottish

I think I know exactly what you are on about Morro, you registered your UK licence with the IMTT 2 years ago and they told you that the document would be valid for 2 years. However you don't now renew that document, you now have to change to a PT licence.

zoff

AFAIK You can now renew a PT license locally. My parents used to go to Faro but this last time they renewed locally in Porches.

morro

I had to register my UK Licence in Faro because I own a holiday home in Portugal and own a Portuguese car.
Now after 2 years I have to reregister my licence.
Nobody said I had to exchange my UK Licence, as I live in the UK!

RichardHenshall

Maybe you were told you needed to register your UK licence because they thought you were still Portuguese resident? You've previously posted that you received exemption from IMI when you bought your property - that exemption was only available to Portuguese residents, on their first home, so you must have been registered as such with the tax authorities. Did you fail to change your status when you became Portuguese non-resident?

AFAIK, there is no requirement for a non-resident holder of an EU licence to register that licence just to drive a Portuguese car, whether a property owner or not. Portuguese residency does bring a requirement to register and/or exchange your licence and generally restricts you to a Portuguese car.

Red Eric

That is exactly my understanding.

Furthermore, one of the documents listed on the IMT website as required for registering a foreign licence is a residency certificate!

morro

Thankyou for the replies. I now have 2 choices; sell the car , or become a non resident!How do I become a non resident?

Red Eric

The car's irrelevant. With regard to drivers' licence, assuming you really are non resident by the usual definitions (ie spend fewer than 183 days per year in total in PT and restrict visits to fewer than 90 days at a time), you don't have to do anything.

As a separate issue, you might want to check on the Finanças website to see whether they have you down as a PT resident because if they have and you fail to submit tax returns, that could land you in bother.