Lelandy

I agree and the UKs advice is frustrating in its fear mongering. I can't see PT suddenly making large numbers of residents unable to drive legally overnight.

However I also cannot justify driving around on a licence that says I live in a house I sold some time ago, no matter where it's registered. I live here now so it makes more sense to follow the guidance even if it is not entirely necessary.

Red Eric

I'm not trying to persuade you, specifically. You've already made your mind up for whatever reasons (although I disagree with the one given above, but no matter).

I was really just setting the record straight with regard to the actual situation in case any innocent onlooker got the wrong impression and felt obliged to take completely unnecessary action. There's no compunction on anybody to do anything other than register their licence as yet and that won't be changing any time soon. We'll be told if it does by the PT authorities and it'll be posted on this site if it happens.

Lelandy

Don't worry about me, I've made my decision. But I'd rather take the unnecessary action of exchanging my licence than an unnecessary driving test., however 'remote' the possibility.

Red Eric

Now who's fear-mongering?

Lelandy

Fair one 😂

Midgo

I'm in the middle of exchanging mine- decided risk of having to retake test here however small was so bad that worth it
I have been using my UK one for 20 years here on my parents address too,
Anyway - some info:
I did simulator online from IMT and it said I could keep my Cat C/D 's
I needed Dr's electronic cert
and psychologists cert for Cat C/D's
Went to Dr.
He sent me to blood tests and opticians
Got those results and returned to DR - He did cert
Got Psycho cert
All above had to be private as waiting list to see Dr here would mean no hope of finishing before 29th March (or probably 2020 )
So cost about 200 Euro
Went to IMT Sétubal - very quick and nice people, cost 30 Euro
But, online simulator wrong and I can't keep Cat C/D's (something about them being subcategories here and I dont have PT 'root level' cat C/D's)
I decided to just do it anyway
I never got round to registering my UK card - not even sure if that was required 20 years ago, she did ask about that , but so far no fine, fingers crossed
She took my UK card
Got a paper that covers me only for PT whilst getting new paper
Asked how long it took - she said the paper was valid for 6 months - if card not there by this time I had to come back and get new paper
If I wanted to drive abroad in meantime - I have to come back and request temp return of my UK card
Now in waiting phase

Lelandy

Not sure you have the categories right?

A Category B is a quad bike or Car up to 3500kg, BE is for towing, Category A and A1 are motorbikes.

The categories requiring Psychological assessment are CD&E, unless required to drive ambulances etc:

From the IMT site:

Certificate of favorable psychological assessment issued by any psychologist in the exercise of his profession, for Group 2 drivers: category C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E and DE vehicles, as well as categories B, BE which carry out the driving ambulances, fire engines, patient transport, school transport, children's collective transport and passenger car rental.

Midgo

You're dead right - I got them wrong - confused Groups I (cats A & B) and II (cats C & D) with Cats A & B - edited now - hopefully right - sorry & thanks.

Troca de título de condução estrangeiro
Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes, IP

(the IMT homepage seems to be under construction for me, but pages deeper in site are there if accessed via google search - is that the same for you?)
I think I had C1 C1E but no C, (and similar for D) and so the subgroups weren't valid here - completely illogical but is that really a surprise to me? NO.
Seems so since I got my licence in 1984 https://www.gov.uk/old-driving-licence-categories

Loafing Along

Have to change my licence because of age - IMT Beja, very pleasant staff told me Thursday alone 100 Brits queuing-up to swap their british licences - where have they all been ?

Lelandy

IMPORTANT INFORMATION/CHANGES REGARDING UK DRIVING LICENCES RELEASED, FRIDAY 15 MARCH 2019, BY THE PORTUGUESE GOVERNMENT/IMT.

POST BREXIT:

1. British citizens resident in the UK, and holders of UK driving licences, can visit and drive IN PORTUGAL for up to 185 days WITHOUT an International Drivers Permit.

2. British citizens who move to Portugal permanently to become residents will have 90 days, from the day they become resident, to exchange their UK driving licence. Failure to do so will mean taking a driving test.

3. UK driving licences ALREADY registered at IMT will still be considered third country national driving licences and therefore will be subject to third country national rules and need to be exchanged.

4. The British Embassy confirmed this morning, EU (Portuguese) driving licences CAN be driven on in the UK. It is not known, at the moment, how long an EU driving licence can be used for when visiting and being driven on in the UK.

5. An EU (Portuguese) driving licence, can be used to drive in any EU Member State.

http://www.imt-ip.pt/sites/IMTT/Port...ranslation.pdf

http://www.imt-ip.pt/sites/IMTT/Port...s-Brexit-p.pdf

captainflack

I had previously registered my driving license, but exchanged it last week. Currently have a paper until the plastic card arrives.

As lelandy says above, the PT government has now published guidance, and it is clear that if your license is already registered with the IMT, you still need to exchange your license. That registration process is for EU licenses, and the UK license will no longer be an EU license.

This is not scare mongering, it is fact and has been now stated clearly by both the Portuguese and British governments.

It feels like quite a lot of people genuinely believe that brexit will change none of the things they don't want to change because "why would they". Well, this is what the UK voted for. Remember, this is how they treat US citizens coming to Portugal too. It's not punishment, it's simply the way it works if you're from outside the EU.

Mac and Mabel

ouriquejan

The reason the Beja IMT office is rammed, is because most, if not all, the people are from the Algarve.

We were there last week and we were the only one's from the area, apart from the Portuguese who were not happy about having to wait for hours.

Took us 3 hours. Although the actual paperwork etc took 10-15 minutes.

If there are two of you, make sure you take a ticket each.

Mac and Mabel

RichardHenshall

Until the date of Brexit a UK licence is an EU licence, so the existing rules apply.

http://www.imt-ip.pt/sites/IMTT/Port...ranslation.pdf answers your questions about the post-Brexit situation.