riv

Has anyone actually gone through the process of re registering in Portugal a car currently registered in the UK ?

I have a Clio Initiale 2006 model currently stuck in Portugal. It is ( my regular mechanic assures ) in excellent condition and good for quite a few years.

I would be happy to have it as my runabout in Portugal - but is it the best option ?

First of all, can it even be done ? Can the headlights be swapped for ones dipping to the RHS ?

I am told the cost of the registration ( if it can be done ) will be around five to five and a half grand ( including the 500 ish Euros fee of the office which makes the arrangements - which I am happy to pay them to do ). Not incl cost of new headlights.

The Clio cost #3,500 in UK two years ago. I dare say a similar car could be purchased in Portugal for maybe six grand ? So you might say it's just not worth it financially, as I could have it transported back to Uk and sell for maybe two grand ?

But the issue over that is , that I do know from usage and observations of a reliable mechanic, that this particular car is in excellent condition. I can't really know that about any second hand car I buy in Portugal. Or can I ? There may be firms / websites and so on which offer guarantees on paper.............. but without prior experience of how they behave if things do go wrong...........it's just a document.

Anyone with experience of or knowledge of either or both of registering UK cars in Portugal ? Or just buying a 2nd hand car in Portugal in the first place ? Thoughts / suggestions welcome, esp.if informed by relevant experience.

liveaboard

I've bought 2 second hand cars in Portugal, but I don't know what I can add you don't already know.

Mechanical parts have become much better in the last couple of decades, the most important things to look for are the most obvious; rust and upholstery.
If an older car isn't rusty and the interior isn't destroyed my sunlight, then it's been stored inside.

I only paid around 4,000 for each of my cars. They're old, but good reliable vehicles without rust.

In your case, you have a car you'll need to either dispose of or register as Portuguese; so either way, an extra step is involved.

Sitting on the wrong side is aggravating, especially when you want to overtake.
Resale value of a right hand drive car here is negligible.

TonyJ1

New residents are allowed to bring in one vehicle per person duty and tax free provided they have owned for the previous 6 months before coming to Portugal.
However there are some hurdles to avail of this

• need 6 month worth of utility bills (water, electricity, gas), rental receipts or salary slips, etc showing that the immigrant in fact livid abroad
• the vehicle ownership document
• invoice / purchase contract
• bill of lading if vehicle was shipped or other documentary proof on how car got to Portugal
• document from municipality (eg most european countries) or else declaration from Embassy that residence has been altered to Portugal
• Certificate of Conformity - often not needed if vehicle already on the Portuguese vehicle database
• Then locally obtain certificate of residence from the local parish council
• Certificate of non debt from tax authority and social security
• obtain homologation of vehicle from vehicle authority and get vehicle tested
• Complete customs declaration document

Some observations: addresses should be consistent, check dates

riv

But, at present, Iam not intending to acquire residence in Portugal.

The pros and cons relate to the possibility ( if it is possible ) of re plating the car in Portugal, given that it is, at this writing, physically in Portugal.
If I do not register it in Portugal I do have an unavoidable bill of around a grand to get it back to the UK, and then another bill ( this is what it would be helpful to have advice in relation to ) to purchase an equivalent reliable car with low mileage.

Fredbargate

I'm not sure if there are any restrictions to the time a car can stay in Portugal, but there are restrictions to the time the owner can stay ( that needs to be checked )
However it needs to be legal in the country of it's registration which includes MOT, therefore you could use it for trips to Portugal and plan it's return to UK for MOT testing around your schedule and mabe using it again for your return to Portugal and so on.
The above was true for Spain and is very nice for countries that have longer testing periods.

TonyJ1

Residents are not allowed to drive foreign plated cars except in exceptional circumstances eg vehicle in the process of legalisation

Loafing Along

You can browse a typical site for what is available :
https://www.olx.pt/carros-motos-e-ba...e%3Ato%5D=5000

I know several people who have bought "Runabouts" for a few thousands and are quite satisfied with the result - all private purchases . Given the average age of the Portuguese vehicle parc and the relatively low cost of workshop maintenance not really a problem. One common comment, owners selling older cars seem to make zero effort to make the car presentable for sale so you have see through accumulated rubbish and dirt to check what you are buying .
Purchase procedure everyone managed through the local Loja de Cidadao to check validity of sale .

Bomber Harris

There is, it's 185 days, and the same rule applies in Spain and every other EU member state. But that 185 days only applies if the owner isn't a resident of Portugal.

liveaboard

Riv just wrote he does NOT intend to become a Portuguese resident; nor has he suggested any desire to keep the car with a UK plate in Portugal, which would be a losing propisition.

The question is whether to import it or to take it back to the UK.

Riv, if you do want to register it as Portuguese, you'd better do it before the end of the year.
After that, you'll have to pay import duty as well, which for sure will make it too expensive to be worthwhile.

Fredbargate

Riv is not a resident.

Fredbargate

I have in the past left a boat in Spain whilst I was away in another country and as far as customs were concerned it was the the length of time that I a non resident was in Spain that determined the tax liability.
Also I have known car owners that were treated the same.
But as I said in my earlier post the situation needs to be checked, preferably with the tax authority.

riv

I've already been quoted over four and a half thousand for whatever charges and taxes are involved.

Are you saying there will be an additional tax on top of that after December ? One wonders how there are any foreign cars at all on the roads.

Bomber Harris

How any law is applied is always down to the individual applying it at the time. I was just informing that there is a time limit as you said you weren't sure.

Red Eric

Those taxes are whatever applies to any car being put on the road for the first time in Portugal, barring personal imports as part of relocation.
For cars coming from the UK, which will be treated as from any other third country as of then.
Not many manufactured outside the EU, no.

Red Eric

Also (just sprang to mind), the annual IUC would be very inflated for a pre 2007 vehicle imported after Dec 31st, since recent changes due to EU procedures against PT don't apply to imports from outside the EU.