Estimating an electric car import tax.
Feb 28th 2018, 7:26 am
#1
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Estimating an electric car import tax.
Hey guys!
Finally we're moving our home from Cyprus to Portugal. Hurray!
We would love to bring our electric BMW i3 with us and the estimator here aduaneiro.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/jsp/main.jsp?body=/ia/simuladorISV.jsp shows just a 100 EUR tax. Given such a low amount we wouldn't like to bother ourselves with the matriculation at all.
The question is - could it be that cheap for electric cars or are there more of not so obvious taxes?
Finally we're moving our home from Cyprus to Portugal. Hurray!
We would love to bring our electric BMW i3 with us and the estimator here aduaneiro.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt/jsp/main.jsp?body=/ia/simuladorISV.jsp shows just a 100 EUR tax. Given such a low amount we wouldn't like to bother ourselves with the matriculation at all.
The question is - could it be that cheap for electric cars or are there more of not so obvious taxes?
Feb 28th 2018, 8:12 am
#2
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
if your keeping the car in PT for more than 6 months to be legal it must be matriculated and on portuguese plates
Feb 28th 2018, 8:22 am
#3
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
Well, maybe I'm just misusing the term. I thought that matriculation is a process of tax free import for newcomers, while I'm talking about the regular import as if I wasn't a newcomer (i.e. to pay regular import tax of whatever they call it)
Sorry for misunderstanding.
Sorry for misunderstanding.
Feb 28th 2018, 8:44 am
#4
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
ah ok , understood
Last edited by dingg; Feb 28th 2018 at 8:49 am.
Feb 28th 2018, 8:49 am
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Feb 28th 2018, 8:50 am
#6
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
I know I just checked lol , post amended 
Feb 28th 2018, 9:06 am
#7
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
I'm not 100% sure on electric cars but think there's no matriculation tax & little if any road tax........ Charging points might be in short supply though.
Here's the details for ordinary cars though.
Each adult new immigrant is allowed to import one motor vehicle free of import tax IF (note the big IF) the vehicle meets the required criteria which is:
The importer can prove the vehicle has been registered to the him/her for at least 12 months previously (in the country it's coming from) & that he/she has lived in that country for that time period, the importer must provide a Certificate of Conformity or if the vehicle was manufactured pre CoC they will accept a downloaded copy of the original sales brochure that shows the tech spec of the vehicle.
The vehicle must be standard or any (obvious) changes to the vehicle must be listed on a letter from a main dealer or manufacturer listing all changes from standard stating & that all said changes from standard are acceptable replacements.
The matriculation process must be started within 6 months of the applicant getting his/her Residencia. Whilst you can do the matriculation process yourself, it's much easier if you have a local agent do it for you & current (at time of writing (October 2017)) cost is usually about €400 plus the one off matriculation inspection of about €125 + annual road tax.
Road tax is calculated on engine size & emissions and priced as a new car on the date of matriculation not on year of manufacture. If you do go the tax free import route, you are not allowed to sell the car for 5 years unless you repay the tax you've avoided on a pro rata basis ie 20% per year. NOTE: The UK Govt are now (Jan2018) claiming that has dropped to 1 year but I have yet to see positive proof of that from the the Portuguese Govt or Customs.
If you pay the import tax it's calculated on age of vehicle, engine size & emissions NOT on value & is often VERY expensive, especially for cars with large engines/high emissions & some cars can cost tens of thousands of Euros & one day difference in the date of manufacture from one year to the next can sometimes mean a massive increase/decrease in tax payable so do your research on the simulator link below very carefully.
You're allowed to keep a foreign registered car in Portugal for 180 days maximum before you either matriculate it or remove it back to the country it came from for a further 180 days. The only exception to this rule is for some (but not all) students on some (but not all) study permits
If you have a foreign registered car in Portugal, it must be taxed, tested & insured in it’s country of registration all the time it’s in Portugal & if the GNR catch you with an overstaying vehicle or without tax, test or insurance, they can & often do, permanently confiscate the vehicle which they will then sell or destroy. Note that whilst a foreign registered vehicle can be put through a Portuguese IPO/MOT inspection the pass certificate has no legal standing & is not a replacement for the test certificate from the country of origin.
During the Portuguese matriculation/registration process the vehicle has to be submitted for a one off matriculation inspection which is a greatly enhanced safety inspection which includes a rolling road test & if the vehicle comes from a country that drives on the left the headlight units will need to be changed. Beam deflectors are not acceptable.
Once matriculated the vehicle is subject to the ordinary Portuguese IPO annual inspection.
If importing from the UK you will be expected to provide a ‘Car Importation Certificate’ Details of how to obtain that here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-portugal
You can calculate the import tax (if payable) & annual road tax payable here: https://aduaneiro.portaldasfinancas....muladorISV.jsp
Here's the details for ordinary cars though.
Each adult new immigrant is allowed to import one motor vehicle free of import tax IF (note the big IF) the vehicle meets the required criteria which is:
The importer can prove the vehicle has been registered to the him/her for at least 12 months previously (in the country it's coming from) & that he/she has lived in that country for that time period, the importer must provide a Certificate of Conformity or if the vehicle was manufactured pre CoC they will accept a downloaded copy of the original sales brochure that shows the tech spec of the vehicle.
The vehicle must be standard or any (obvious) changes to the vehicle must be listed on a letter from a main dealer or manufacturer listing all changes from standard stating & that all said changes from standard are acceptable replacements.
The matriculation process must be started within 6 months of the applicant getting his/her Residencia. Whilst you can do the matriculation process yourself, it's much easier if you have a local agent do it for you & current (at time of writing (October 2017)) cost is usually about €400 plus the one off matriculation inspection of about €125 + annual road tax.
Road tax is calculated on engine size & emissions and priced as a new car on the date of matriculation not on year of manufacture. If you do go the tax free import route, you are not allowed to sell the car for 5 years unless you repay the tax you've avoided on a pro rata basis ie 20% per year. NOTE: The UK Govt are now (Jan2018) claiming that has dropped to 1 year but I have yet to see positive proof of that from the the Portuguese Govt or Customs.
If you pay the import tax it's calculated on age of vehicle, engine size & emissions NOT on value & is often VERY expensive, especially for cars with large engines/high emissions & some cars can cost tens of thousands of Euros & one day difference in the date of manufacture from one year to the next can sometimes mean a massive increase/decrease in tax payable so do your research on the simulator link below very carefully.
You're allowed to keep a foreign registered car in Portugal for 180 days maximum before you either matriculate it or remove it back to the country it came from for a further 180 days. The only exception to this rule is for some (but not all) students on some (but not all) study permits
If you have a foreign registered car in Portugal, it must be taxed, tested & insured in it’s country of registration all the time it’s in Portugal & if the GNR catch you with an overstaying vehicle or without tax, test or insurance, they can & often do, permanently confiscate the vehicle which they will then sell or destroy. Note that whilst a foreign registered vehicle can be put through a Portuguese IPO/MOT inspection the pass certificate has no legal standing & is not a replacement for the test certificate from the country of origin.
During the Portuguese matriculation/registration process the vehicle has to be submitted for a one off matriculation inspection which is a greatly enhanced safety inspection which includes a rolling road test & if the vehicle comes from a country that drives on the left the headlight units will need to be changed. Beam deflectors are not acceptable.
Once matriculated the vehicle is subject to the ordinary Portuguese IPO annual inspection.
If importing from the UK you will be expected to provide a ‘Car Importation Certificate’ Details of how to obtain that here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-portugal
You can calculate the import tax (if payable) & annual road tax payable here: https://aduaneiro.portaldasfinancas....muladorISV.jsp
Feb 28th 2018, 10:12 am
#8
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
Guys, advise me please how to amend the title of the topic so it would not confuse any of you.
My question is - how to calculate the usual import tax for an electric car, NOT the tax for a "new immigrant".
To put it in another words, how much would a Portugese citizen pay to import an electric car bought in Spain?
My question is - how to calculate the usual import tax for an electric car, NOT the tax for a "new immigrant".
To put it in another words, how much would a Portugese citizen pay to import an electric car bought in Spain?
Feb 28th 2018, 10:24 am
#9
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
Guys, advise me please how to amend the title of the topic so it would not confuse any of you.
My question is - how to calculate the usual import tax for an electric car, NOT the tax for a "new immigrant".
To put it in another words, how much would a Portugese citizen pay to import an electric car bought in Spain?
My question is - how to calculate the usual import tax for an electric car, NOT the tax for a "new immigrant".
To put it in another words, how much would a Portugese citizen pay to import an electric car bought in Spain?
Matriculation tax is in effect import tax & you can use the link in the last sentence to calculate both matriculation tax & annual road tax (if any) for that particular vehicle.
Last edited by mfesharne; Feb 28th 2018 at 10:27 am.
Feb 28th 2018, 11:12 am
#10
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Posts: 146
Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
I'm not 100% sure on electric cars but think there's no matriculation tax & little if any road tax........ Charging points might be in short supply though.
Here's the details for ordinary cars though.
Each adult new immigrant is allowed to import one motor vehicle free of import tax IF (note the big IF) the vehicle meets the required criteria which is:
The importer can prove the vehicle has been registered to the him/her for at least 12 months previously (in the country it's coming from) & that he/she has lived in that country for that time period, the importer must provide a Certificate of Conformity or if the vehicle was manufactured pre CoC they will accept a downloaded copy of the original sales brochure that shows the tech spec of the vehicle.
The vehicle must be standard or any (obvious) changes to the vehicle must be listed on a letter from a main dealer or manufacturer listing all changes from standard stating & that all said changes from standard are acceptable replacements.
The matriculation process must be started within 6 months of the applicant getting his/her Residencia. Whilst you can do the matriculation process yourself, it's much easier if you have a local agent do it for you & current (at time of writing (October 2017)) cost is usually about €400 plus the one off matriculation inspection of about €125 + annual road tax.
Road tax is calculated on engine size & emissions and priced as a new car on the date of matriculation not on year of manufacture. If you do go the tax free import route, you are not allowed to sell the car for 5 years unless you repay the tax you've avoided on a pro rata basis ie 20% per year. NOTE: The UK Govt are now (Jan2018) claiming that has dropped to 1 year but I have yet to see positive proof of that from the the Portuguese Govt or Customs.
If you pay the import tax it's calculated on age of vehicle, engine size & emissions NOT on value & is often VERY expensive, especially for cars with large engines/high emissions & some cars can cost tens of thousands of Euros & one day difference in the date of manufacture from one year to the next can sometimes mean a massive increase/decrease in tax payable so do your research on the simulator link below very carefully.
You're allowed to keep a foreign registered car in Portugal for 180 days maximum before you either matriculate it or remove it back to the country it came from for a further 180 days. The only exception to this rule is for some (but not all) students on some (but not all) study permits
If you have a foreign registered car in Portugal, it must be taxed, tested & insured in it’s country of registration all the time it’s in Portugal & if the GNR catch you with an overstaying vehicle or without tax, test or insurance, they can & often do, permanently confiscate the vehicle which they will then sell or destroy. Note that whilst a foreign registered vehicle can be put through a Portuguese IPO/MOT inspection the pass certificate has no legal standing & is not a replacement for the test certificate from the country of origin.
During the Portuguese matriculation/registration process the vehicle has to be submitted for a one off matriculation inspection which is a greatly enhanced safety inspection which includes a rolling road test & if the vehicle comes from a country that drives on the left the headlight units will need to be changed. Beam deflectors are not acceptable.
Once matriculated the vehicle is subject to the ordinary Portuguese IPO annual inspection.
If importing from the UK you will be expected to provide a ‘Car Importation Certificate’ Details of how to obtain that here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-portugal
You can calculate the import tax (if payable) & annual road tax payable here: https://aduaneiro.portaldasfinancas....muladorISV.jsp
Here's the details for ordinary cars though.
Each adult new immigrant is allowed to import one motor vehicle free of import tax IF (note the big IF) the vehicle meets the required criteria which is:
The importer can prove the vehicle has been registered to the him/her for at least 12 months previously (in the country it's coming from) & that he/she has lived in that country for that time period, the importer must provide a Certificate of Conformity or if the vehicle was manufactured pre CoC they will accept a downloaded copy of the original sales brochure that shows the tech spec of the vehicle.
The vehicle must be standard or any (obvious) changes to the vehicle must be listed on a letter from a main dealer or manufacturer listing all changes from standard stating & that all said changes from standard are acceptable replacements.
The matriculation process must be started within 6 months of the applicant getting his/her Residencia. Whilst you can do the matriculation process yourself, it's much easier if you have a local agent do it for you & current (at time of writing (October 2017)) cost is usually about €400 plus the one off matriculation inspection of about €125 + annual road tax.
Road tax is calculated on engine size & emissions and priced as a new car on the date of matriculation not on year of manufacture. If you do go the tax free import route, you are not allowed to sell the car for 5 years unless you repay the tax you've avoided on a pro rata basis ie 20% per year. NOTE: The UK Govt are now (Jan2018) claiming that has dropped to 1 year but I have yet to see positive proof of that from the the Portuguese Govt or Customs.
If you pay the import tax it's calculated on age of vehicle, engine size & emissions NOT on value & is often VERY expensive, especially for cars with large engines/high emissions & some cars can cost tens of thousands of Euros & one day difference in the date of manufacture from one year to the next can sometimes mean a massive increase/decrease in tax payable so do your research on the simulator link below very carefully.
You're allowed to keep a foreign registered car in Portugal for 180 days maximum before you either matriculate it or remove it back to the country it came from for a further 180 days. The only exception to this rule is for some (but not all) students on some (but not all) study permits
If you have a foreign registered car in Portugal, it must be taxed, tested & insured in it’s country of registration all the time it’s in Portugal & if the GNR catch you with an overstaying vehicle or without tax, test or insurance, they can & often do, permanently confiscate the vehicle which they will then sell or destroy. Note that whilst a foreign registered vehicle can be put through a Portuguese IPO/MOT inspection the pass certificate has no legal standing & is not a replacement for the test certificate from the country of origin.
During the Portuguese matriculation/registration process the vehicle has to be submitted for a one off matriculation inspection which is a greatly enhanced safety inspection which includes a rolling road test & if the vehicle comes from a country that drives on the left the headlight units will need to be changed. Beam deflectors are not acceptable.
Once matriculated the vehicle is subject to the ordinary Portuguese IPO annual inspection.
If importing from the UK you will be expected to provide a ‘Car Importation Certificate’ Details of how to obtain that here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notarial-and-documentary-services-guide-for-portugal
You can calculate the import tax (if payable) & annual road tax payable here: https://aduaneiro.portaldasfinancas....muladorISV.jsp
Feb 28th 2018, 11:44 am
#11
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Feb 28th 2018, 12:12 pm
#12
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
I'd guess there would however be the standard matriculation IPO test fee to pay as well but why not check with one of the matriculation agents to have that confirmed?
BTW, the link in your first post doesn't show as a link on my screen....... no idea why.
Feb 28th 2018, 12:21 pm
#13
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
As for the link - I had less than 5 messages back then and couldn't post anything with "http" at the time. Still, for me it does look like a link except the http thing
Sep 2nd 2020, 10:44 pm
#14
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
Hey Andy - did you ever find out if this was an extremely cheap import? I'm considering it with my car from the USA right now, fully electric and the government simulator doesn't give you the option for 100% electric you see!
I'd love your follow up and feedback on it!
I'd love your follow up and feedback on it!
Sep 3rd 2020, 6:01 am
#15
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Re: Estimating an electric car import tax.
No, we've concluded that it is much easier for our family to get back home to Scotland than getting plate numbers in the South (we've been to Italy as well)
Anyway, I don't think Imposto Sobre Veículos is gonna be a problem here, it can't be more than a hundred for a pure electric, most likely it is zero. The possible problems are your charging port (you haven't mentioned your vehicle, if you have Type 2 charging port - it is quite different here than in the US) and the EU Certificate of Conformity. Your car is a U.S. model that had not been tested according to EU standards, so you would have to perform those tests to get that certificate and I haven't even started researching that area as I have a EU car.
Cheers, Andy
