Bringing a car to Portugal when you move

According to gov.pt, the Portuguese government's services portal, you may be entitled to the exemption if you:

• are over 18
• have lived abroad for at least 6 months
• bring the car into Portugal — legalising it and getting Portuguese plates — when you transfer your residence
• have owned the car for at least 6 months in the country you're coming from, counted from the date on the registration document
• bought the car in that country (or another where you lived) with all applicable taxes paid, without any tax benefit when you brought it in

Each person can claim the exemption for one vehicle only.

Source: gov.pt — Pedir a isenção do imposto sobre veículos quando se vem morar para Portugal (Decree-Law 114/2007), read 9 October 2026.

The application must be made online, on the Portal das Finanças, within twelve months of transferring your residence to Portugal. It's free.

gov.pt sets out the route: log in with your taxpayer number (NIF) and password, go to Serviços Aduaneiros > IEC / ISV > Declaração Aduaneira de Veículos (DAV), and submit form 1460.1 (requests relating to vehicle tax) together with the DAV, the customs vehicle declaration. Keep the DAV number to track your case. You'll need to be enrolled in the vehicle tax system to access the electronic DAV.

gov.pt lists:

• the DAV and form 1460.1
• the car's registration certificate or title of ownership
• your citizen card, or your passport plus taxpayer card
• an official certificate of residence from the country you're leaving, showing you were registered there and the dates your residence started and ended
• an everyday document proving that residence, such as rent receipts or utility bills

Start gathering these before you leave — the residence certificate from your old country is far easier to get while you're still there. Once the car is legalised, our guides to the IPO inspection and Portugal's tolls cover the next steps.