UK Car use in Portugal?

Hi Alan,

Of course, as long as you pay the car insurance and the annual circulation tax (IUC) for your Portuguese registered car. If this is a 2nd hand car with more than 4 years old, you should also do the periodic vehicle inspection (*).

The only problem I see here is that your car will be idle here for several months, a problem that will be similar to what already happens with your own car in the UK...

(*) Periodic vehicle inspection: Four years after the first registration date and every two years after that, until reach eight years. And after that every year.

Thanks. This is helpful. I'm thinking of bringing a scooter over and will probably register it in Portugal before the end of the 183 day period.

Up to that point is the IUC irrelevant, or will I have to cancel UK tax payments and start IUC? Hope that's clear. Nick

IUC is a tax always paid in the vehicle's registration month in Portugal. For example, if you register it in September, you will always pay it in September.

Further info:
https://impostosobreveiculos.info/iuc/q … gar-o-iuc/

Hi Johnny .

Thanks once more for your reply.
I have, however, managed to mess up the description of my question, sorry.

I have a car that I own in UK.
I don't wish to "import" it into Portugal, I simply wish to drive it here and back from UK and use it when I live in Portugal (I rent here 6 months of the year - minimum of 184 days).

Should I bring my vehicle with me, I can use it for 183 days if the minimum 184 days I need to remain here under NHR rules, would this be correct?

I can then use my car for most of full year rather than rent a hire car in Portugal during my annual 6 month stay.
If my vehicle insurance (from UK) covers this, then is there any other obstacles I need to consider in bringing and using my UK registered vehicle in Portugal for 183 days maximum each year?

Thanks ..and sorry 🥺

PS. I've already registered my UK Driving license at IMT. In my case (I still have the original Green non photo UK driving license, plus an International Permit which probably is of no use), IMT took the details of my UK licence then returned it to me together with a Portuguese Certificate.

Maybe someone on the forum can help you with that...

But from what I've been searching on internet:

https://impostosobreveiculos.info/isv/c … -portugal/

As a general rule, you can drive a car (or other vehicle) with foreign number plates in Portugal if you meet all of the following conditions:

- you are a non-resident in Portugal

- you are the owner (or legitimate holder - leasing, for example) or a member of the owner's family (spouses, co-habiting partners, ascendants and descendants in first degree)

- the vehicle does not stay in the country for more than 6 months in any 12 month period

- the vehicle has a number plate from an EU country


As a general rule, it is forbidden:

- a resident in Portugal to drive a car with foreign number plates

- to leave the car in Portugal for more than 6 months every 12 months

____

In your case, you are a resident (although not habitual) in Portugal, and your car has non-EU plates .... so this does not apply to you...

You should check this with ACP (Automóvel Clube de Portugal):

https://www.acp.pt/institucional/contactos
(Choose PESQUISAR DELEGAÇÃO ACP = Faro)

Forum Algarve, shop 0.31
EN 125 Km 103
8000-020 Faro

Ph. 289 898 950

Thanks again, Johnny.
I will check but any one of those two dependencies suggest it isn't an option!
Oh well....

You can also try to ask it at the local police: PSP or GNR.
If you know the answers, please let us know, so that others interested in this subject can find answers here