Tavira

I have been informed that once an indivual takes up residency in Portugal, he or she is not allowed to drive a non Portguese registeted car.
Can the well informed forum users advise me the position.
i am aware that under international rules/laws i am allowed to drive a car for upto six months and after that I must register.
Thanks in advance.

RichardHenshall

If I understand the question you're trying to ask, you'll need to begin matriculation of the car to be allowed to drive it once you're resident. There are time limits that apply to the matriculation process if you want to import 'tax-free' as a new resident.

mfesharne

Rules changed in the 2018 budget & are now that a registered resident of Portugal cannot drive a foreign registered car in Portugal unless it has begun the matriculation process AND if he/she is the owner.

To get tax free matriculation the owner has to have owned the car & been a registered resident in the country of registration for 6 months before importing it into Portugal & has 12 months to begin the matriculation process & a foreign registered car can only remain in Portugal for 6 months before beginning the matriculation process or removing it back to the country of registration for a further 6 months.................. & it must be taxed, tested & insured in the country of registration all the time it's in Portugal.

Quite how the 12 months to matriculate & 6 months in the country rules can both apply at the same time is a mystery? lol!

Tavira

Thank you Richard.
I do not wish to register a right hand drive car in Portugal.
I have a left had drive car in Spain with Spanish number plates. At present as a non resident I can drive this car in Portugal for six months at a given time.
My question is that once i become a resident in Portugal will i be allowed to drive this car for the maximum period of six months.
I have been informed that once i become a resident i will not be allowed to drive any car in Portugal if it is not registered in Portugal. ( This seems to be contrary to international rules)
Thanks and regards

RichardHenshall

Yes, of course subject to the rules regarding your own presence in the country and the requirement to register residency after three months.

As a Portuguese resident you are bound by Portuguese rules but similar rules apply throughout Europe. See https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizen...l/index_en.htm, for example.

Loafing Along

The short answer must be "NO" . Once resident you should begin the process of registering the car in Portugal. There is a time limit. A tip on that , as you are coming from Spain make sure you bring with you a "historico de padron" which clearly states the fact - "haciendo constar que se traslado su residencia de forma definitiva a Portugal". you will need for the transfer process.

appman999

I have got my Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia but will only be in Portugal for less than 6 months with the balance in the UK. From what I understand on that basis I can drive my UK registered car in Portugal without needing to matriculate it (Although I now need to register my driving licence)? Any comments?

EMR

If you are Portuguese resident then the rules apply, length of time iin Portugsl s irrelevant...

appman999

Sorry but which rules? Are you referring to the matriculation of the vehicle? From earlier in this thread it appeared that there is a 12 month grace period on the matriculation and the vehicle can remain up to 6 months in before removing it back to the country of registration for a further 6 months to effectively reset the clock?

EMR

So what you are looking for is a loophole to avoid matriculation your car.
Remember to carry details of your entry and exit details if you are lucky enough to be caught in one of the frequent Police checks ...

appman999

Not really, as a visitor who stays more than 3 months I am legally obliged into getting residency and registering my driving licence but don't really want the hassle of matriculation if I don't need to.

In addition if I did matriculate, on my return to the UK for more than 6 months, you'll be surprised to hear they have exactly the same rules, so I'd be forced to reregister my car and get UK plates.

On my return to Portugal ......repeat

I've not come across a better catch 22 for a while, so rather than looking for a loophole I'm looking for a sensible legal approach.

RichardHenshall

In short, the car can be here but you can't drive it, once you registered your Portuguese residency.

BillBullock

Your best solution would be to buy a Portuguese registered car and keep it here in Portugal like a lot of other people I know. Then when you want to come over here, get on an plane and reunite yourself with the car. You did not need to get your Certificado de Registo de Cidadão da União Europeia as you appear to want to be a UK resident.

appman999

I had to get the certificate because I was here longer than 3 months? Another catch 22,, I can drive my car from the UK to Portugal legally but now I've got my certificate of registration I can't drive it any more?

BillBullock

You still appear to be a UK resident by definition as you spend more time in the UK than in Portugal. Even so, why not buy a secondhand Portuguese registered car?