Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

There’s lots of info here about changing a UK D/L to a Portuguese one, but none that I can find about eu to eu. I recently moved from Malta to Portugal and am wondering if I need to change my Maltese (eu) driving licence or if I simply renew when it expires? I have a British passport. Any clues? I have checked the IMT site but of course, it’s in Portuguese!

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

An EU driving licence doesn't have to be exchanged, you can just register it with IMT then exchange it for a PT one before it expires.

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

Thanks for this, that's a relief! However I'm a bit stumped by the requirement for a 'Certificate of Authenticity'. What on earth is this? I thought the Brits were bureaucratic, but Portugal takes the cake!!

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

A certificate of authenticity (document from the licence issuing authority confirming its validity) is only required for exchanging a non EU licence.

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

J00Ls said - I recently moved from Malta to Portugal
I believe there is a time limit between your Rresidency date (possibly even the date you arrived in the country before applying for residency ...) and doing the exchange. So it is important to check that. We came from Spain with spanish driving licenses, got appointment at IMT office - unfortunately the nearest competent office was at the district HQ, not local but at least not Lisbon or Porto - and it was fairly straightforward to do. You have either two years, or when your EU license runs out, whichever is the shortest, to then exchange it for a Portuguese one (no driving test involved).
We are told that admin offices will remain accessible during the coming lockdown, but you will probably need to get an appointment in advance. Word of warning - if both you and OH, or other person in the family, want to exchange, make sure you get an appointment for each person, or you get sent back to the back of the queue to start again!

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

Not for licences issued by an EU member state unless the licence doesn't have an expiry date in which case it is 2 years.

Países da União Europeia e do Espaço Económico Europeu

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

For completeness' sake, perhaps it should also be mentioned that you are supposed to register (or exchange, if you opt to go straight for that) an EU licence within 60 days of "fixing residence" (sic)

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

Thanks Rambling Archer - the bureaucracy here is hard enough without the tight time limits imposed as well!

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

Thank you - exactly what I thought as well. However the new online form has a box asking for an upload of the Certificate of Authentication. All very confusing - I will give it a try anyway.

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

Yes, this was a bit of a nasty surprise as I have read guidance that suggested I could just go on using an EU licence until it expired. Clearly WRONG!

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

Can someone give me an idea of how long the process of exchanging a driving license is likely to take? In my case the license being exchanged is a U.S. one. I submitted my application for the exchange a month ago and received a confirmation of the request. Two weeks later I received an email from the IMT asking me to submit my certificate of residency which I immediately did. (Incidentally I was puzzled that this certificate was not requested as part of the original application.) I got an acknowledgement for the certificate and have heard nothing more. I believe the next step should be that the IMT sends me a request for the 30 euros fee after which I am given an appointment to show up in person. I am concerned about how long this is taking because my wife and I have a road trip planned for the end of June and I would like that she (who has a Portuguese license) not have to do all the driving. Another question is, is it likely that I would be okay driving in Portugal with my U.S. license (which is still valid) as long as I have my "PEDIDO DE TROCA DE TÍTULOS DE CONDUÇÃO ESTRANGEIROS V2" in hand?

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

My wife is still waiting for her Portuguese driving license 9 months after applying on 1 Sep 20. I got mine after an 8 month wait and that's after handing in my UK license, all the documentation they requested and my 30 Euros just like she did. Some people have been waiting over a year, so don't hold your breath.

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

You have my sympathy. It is enough to drive you mad. I don't know where you are located, but to save our sanity, we have handed over the problem to a Portuguese lady who is very efficient at sorting through the Portuguese bureaucracy on our behalf. She is in the Algarve, just outside of Loule if you need any contact details. If you have Facebook then there are also a number of American groups (Americans and Friends in Portugal, etc) who may be able to give you some other pointers. Good luck!

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

Thank you very much Bill and JOOls. It was a shock to me to learn that the exchange process could take many months. I wonder how people who need to drive manage. Thank you especially for the offer of contact to the fixer near Loule. I might take you up on that but I am in Porto which could make it awkward. I have decided to take a next step of getting some advice from the ACP (the Automobile Club of Portugal) of which I am a member. If that is productive I will post something further here.

Re: Changing Maltese Driving Licence to Portuguese
 

That sounds like a sensible idea. Too sensible to have occurred to me!