Importing a car into Portugal

A question I am often asked is about the permanent registration of cars in Portugal. As you may know, new cars are very expensive there – ridiculously so many people think - so the idea of taking yours with you may be tempting if you are moving there permanently. What you do need to bear in mind is that there is a fair amount of hassle and paperwork to get through - I thought I would let you have some of the details about this over the next few weeks. Let’s start at the very beginning…

Temporary Admission of Motor Vehicles

An EU-registered motor vehicle (including light goods vehicles, trailers, caravans, motorised homes and motorcycles) may be kept in Portugal for 183 days, consecutive or otherwise, in any one period of 12 months, provided all of the following conditions are met:

• The vehicle has been registered in another EU member country
• The vehicle is registered in the name of a person who is not resident, employed or carrying out any type of paid activity in Portugal
• The vehicle is brought into Portugal by its registered owner

If you travel in and out then it is advisable to get proof of each entry/exit. If you have a holiday home in Portugal and only use your car for 2 weeks of the year but keep it in Portugal, then the car is classed as being used here and the rules apply. The 183 days do not need to be consecutive, if the authorities can show that you have had the car inside Portugal for this time then they will apply the law.

Vehicles brought into Portugal temporarily may only be driven by their owners, their owner’s spouse or common-law spouse, their owner’s parents or children or their registered keeper provided none of these individuals are resident, employed or carrying out paid activity in Portugal.

Under the temporary admission regime, foreign residents in Portugal may only use a foreign-registered vehicle if so authorised by the Customs authority. For the purpose of the legislation on the temporary admission of motor vehicles into Portugal, a resident is defined as spending a period of at least 183 days or more, consecutively or otherwise, in any one calendar year, in Portugal, or whose source of income from paid employment is inPortugal, or whose headquarters or established business activity is in Portugal.

If you are here on a specific term, temporary work contract or as a student or any other reason and you plan to take it back to your home country (even if longer than 183 days) you can avoid importing it. In this case you need to contact your local customs office as soon as you arrive in Portugal to register this intent.

If you fail to comply with the Portuguese law on foreign car use regulations and you are caught, then the Portuguese Customs Office has the power to impound your car. If this happens you will be directed not to use your car other than when you present yourself at your nearest customs office. You may be fined up to €15,000.00 and they will give you the following three options;

• You can start the registration process by paying the ISV
• You agree to a date when you will drive the car out of Portugal, they will give you written permission to drive it on that date only
• You give them the keys and they keep the car and destroy it – horrors!

Right, next week I am going to go ahead and describe the whys and wherefores of the permanent export procedures in more detail. In the meanwhile, have fun! Weather permitting I am off on an Art Deco walk tomorrow. The last walk – to the iconic Hammersmith Bridge – was cancelled due to rain so I hope the same thing doesn’t happen – cross fingers for me!

Smiles and waves,

Carol.
http://www.portugalbuyingguide.com/