NSG666

It you matriculate the car it will need to pass the PT MOT and for that will need LHD lights and fog light. While ever it is on UK plates it needs to have a valid UK MOT only available from a UK test station so only you can decide whether the current MOT expiry will work for you - if in doubt get it tested early before you depart the UK.

riv

Definitely worth investing in an MOT during the three weeks ( in case it needs work ) prior to departure .

If for whatever reason you end up needing to sell it whilst still on UK plates it gives flexibility and added value for any potential purchaser intending to drive it back to UK.

Sally1605

Can I jump in with a question please? I am thinking that driving down may be my best option too (2 cats and 6 hens very complicated and expensive on a plane). My car is good but old and a rhd on uk plates. It’s taxed, insured and mot’d til next year. If I bring it am I right in thinking I can only use it until my SEF appointment and then I need to get it sorted as Portuguese? If I don’t, can I sell it or scrap it after I have had my SEF appointment provided I don’t use it? Is scrapping a car easy?

ps if anyone fancies a road trip to share the driving in Sept from the uk to PT with a menagerie as company please feel free to message me 🤣🤣🤣

SgtTroy

Driving alone is not anything I would recommend.

You also need at least two overnight stops - France and Spain, if not three - France 1, France 2 and Spain.

We've done that route years ago, now I would rather charter a flight for £10K or so instead of doing that again.

Alan PT

Used to do 1400km (plus channel crossing) UK to Italy in a day, but slacking off these days, did an overnight stop for 1900km Portugal to Italy recently

Sally1605

I was thinking of setting off at teatime, so the animals are all settled and driving through the night, stopping in the morning in south France for a sleep and to let them stretch their legs ( I’m hoping to find an Airbnb that is chicken proof!!!!) then doing the same again for the stretch from France through Spain and down to Sintra the following night. Prob crazy, and yes really don’t fancy doing on my own, but strangely my friends and family don’t seem keen to help out.

Rambling archer

According to Google Maps BEST estimate of actual driving time from Calais to Sintra is 20 hours, that is without stops of petrol, food, rest, sleep, WC breaks for dogs, etc at full belt down the expensive motorway systems ...
Have you checked out the ferries from UK to northern Spain - with pet accommodation ... not sure about the famous hens so you would need to contact the ferry company direct for advice, but at least it would save driving through France, especially on your own! The few with pet acceptance get booked up very quickly and even in September you may have difficulty so enquire early (now even?). Check also that your insurance for the car will cover you for an "extended" stay in the EU so that it will cover you until you get your Residencia, and complete the formalities for importing and re-registering the car in PT as part of your goods and chattels ... will take at least a couple of months ... then you get PT insurance for the PT registered car ...

I believe, though someone more knowledgeable might be able to confirm, that it is not permitted to legally scrap a vehicle in PT which is not registered on PT plates?

SgtTroy

Everyone is free to end their life as painfully as they wish, but ideally not involving pets or other innocent people.

The regulation for commercial drivers is 9-10 hours of driving a day within the EU, and that is for professional drivers.
Two people switching could do a 14 hrs journey a day at most.
One person on his own should not be doing more than 7-8 hrs, breaks excluded in all cases.
Anything else, especially after the age of 24 is pure madness.

If one gets involved in an accident at the twelveth hour of driving (and with cameras and toll posts that can be easily established), I very much doubt that the insurance company would pay anything, even if he would normally be due such payment.

Bomber Harris

It is possible (terms and conditions apply).
https://dre.pt/dre/legislacao-consol...5975-107114079

Alan PT

I'll thank you not to assume or judge, or to quote fanciful supposition about insurance. People are different. Some people find driving stressful and exhausting. Fortunately I don't, especially on clear motorways.

Alan PT

It's quieter on the roads at night of course, but personally I prefer doing as much of it in daytime as possible. Beware the 4am dip!

If they'll take all your animals on the Bilbao ferry maybe that's your best option? Bilbao to Norther Portugal is a really easy drive to do in one go.

Sunseeker1st

riv

Is it legal to transport livestock from UK to France / Spain / Portugal ?

I imagine there are ways it can be done legally but I would have thought it involved all kinds of veterinary certificates and whatnot which would have to be produced at the three borders concerned ?
Jus' wondrin'.

Rambling archer

Riv, Sally has already investigated all the pro's con's and regulations on bringing the beloved hens and the dogs so is probably aware of the complications in crossing the borders.

Sally1605

Yes, and yes.

it’s not too complicated, cats need microchip, rabies jab and signing off by a vet as fit to travel. Hens need testing for a couple of diseases, a leg ring to identify them and swabbing for some nasty bacteria, they also need to be seen by a vet a couple of weeks before travel and then again no more than 24 hours before travel out of the uk.

both have to have a very long defra form signed by the vet ( special defra appointed one), that is what should get us through customs.