Third-country licence — the exchange clock once resident
Verified
FACT ID · driving-exchange-clock
Canonical value
From establishing residence: within 90 days you may still drive while lodging the exchange request; from 90 days to 2 years you may still exchange but may no longer drive on the foreign licence; after 2 years the direct exchange closes and a practical driving exam is required.●Verified ·
Issuing authority
Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (IMT) — Troca de Título de Condução Estrangeiro
Legal instrument
DL n.º 138/2012 — Regulamento da Habilitação Legal para Conduzir
Last verified
Review cadence
quarterly
Notes
The clock starts when residence is fixed, not on entry. Lodging the exchange within the first 90 days is what preserves the right to keep driving in the meantime.
Change history
Initial captureFrom establishing residence: within 90 days you may still drive while lodging the exchange request; from 90 days to 2 years you may still exchange but may no longer drive on the foreign licence; after 2 years the direct exchange closes and a practical driving exam is required.
No further changes recorded yet — unchanged since it was first captured.
