# How to Import a Car to Portugal: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide > Import a car to Portugal with confidence in 2026 — the DAV customs declaration, ISV tax, IMT registration and the DUA, the transfer-of-residence exemption and deadlines, step by step. - Source: https://www.growinportugal.com/step-by-step-guide-how-to-import-a-car-to-portugal - Publisher: GrowIN Portugal (https://www.growinportugal.com) - Published: 2023-05-10 - Last reviewed: 2026-08-28 - Language: en Importing a car to Portugal is one of the more paperwork-heavy parts of a move, and the part where deadlines actually bite. The tax can be significant, the customs declaration has a tight clock on it, and registration has its own separate deadline after that. None of it is hard once you understand the sequence — but the sequence is unforgiving, so this 2026 guide lays it out in the order the authorities expect, with the real deadlines and the exemption that can save you a lot of money. Two authorities do the heavy lifting: the **Autoridade Tributária / Alfândega** (Tax and Customs Authority, via the [Portal das Finanças](https://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt)) handles the customs declaration and the vehicle tax, and the **IMT** (Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes) handles registration and plates. ## Before You Start: Is Importing Worth It? Portugal charges a one-off vehicle tax on registration, the ***Imposto Sobre Veículos* (ISV)**, built from two parts — a **cilindrada** (engine-displacement) component and a **CO₂ environmental** component (on the WLTP tables), minus a deduction (*parcela a abater*) — with a percentage reduction for the car's age (from around 10% for a vehicle under a year old up to about 80% for one over ten years). For an older or high-emission vehicle, ISV can be large enough that importing costs more than buying an equivalent car locally. So the first move is to estimate ISV before you ship anything — you can get a quick figure with our [free ISV import calculator](/tools/isv-import-calculator/), see how the components and bands work in our [vehicle-tax dataset](/data/vehicle-tax), then confirm it against the Tax Authority's official simulator.

Key figure · ISV age reduction (oldest band)

{{fact:isv-age-11}}

The used-vehicle reduction on the combined ISV total (Código do ISV, Tabela D) for a car more than ten years old — the top of the age-reduction scale, resolved live from our verified vehicle-tax data.

If you're relocating permanently, you may qualify for a **transfer-of-residence exemption** from ISV — but the conditions are strict (see below). Fold the car decision into your wider [relocation plan](/relocation/) rather than treating it as an afterthought. ## The Transfer-of-Residence (ISV) Exemption This is the big lever, so understand it early. To claim exemption from ISV when moving your residence to Portugal, you generally must: - Have **lived abroad for at least the previous 12 months** (some cases 6 months). - Have **owned and used the vehicle for at least 6 months** before the transfer of residence. - Bring the car within a set period of establishing residence (typically within **12 months** of the move). - Have paid the tax normally due in the country of origin (i.e. it wasn't itself tax-exempt there). The exemption removes ISV, not every obligation — you still register the car and pay the annual road tax. Because the criteria are checked strictly and the paperwork must line up, confirm your eligibility with Customs *before* shipping, not after. ## Step 1 — Check Eligibility and Standards The car must meet EU safety and environmental standards to be registered in Portugal. A vehicle already registered in another EU/EEA country is usually straightforward. Models from outside the EU may need a **Certificate of Conformity (COC)** or an individual approval (*homologação*) arranged through the IMT. Check this first for a non-EU car — a vehicle that can't be homologated can't be registered. ## Step 2 — Gather Your Documents Prepare these in advance: - Original **vehicle registration** and proof of ownership. - **Certificate of Conformity (COC)** where available. - Proof of **when the car entered Portugal** (transport or ferry documents) — this starts your deadline clock. - Valid **insurance** and identification. - Proof of Portuguese **residence** and your **NIF**. - Evidence for the exemption, if claiming (proof of prior residence abroad and 6-month ownership). - A **power of attorney** if you use a *despachante* (customs agent). You'll need a NIF for almost every step — if you don't have one, see our [tax and NIF guide](/tax-and-nif/). ## Step 3 — Transport the Vehicle Drive it yourself if it's already in Europe, or ship it for longer distances (compare roll-on/roll-off and containerised options, and get several quotes). Keep every transport and customs document — the entry date drives the deadlines that follow. ## Step 4 — Submit the DAV (Customs Declaration) This is the deadline that catches people out. Within **20 working days** of the vehicle entering Portugal, you must submit the **DAV** (*Declaração Aduaneira de Veículos*) — the customs vehicle declaration — through the Portal das Finanças. For a non-EU car, customs clearance (and any import duty or VAT) is handled here too. Once the ISV is assessed, it's generally payable within about **10 business days**. If you're claiming the transfer-of-residence exemption, you lodge that claim as part of this process. Miss the DAV window and you can face penalties, so treat the entry date as the start of a countdown. ## Step 5 — Register with the IMT and Get Your DUA After the DAV and ISV are settled, you register the vehicle with the **IMT within 60 days** to obtain the Portuguese registration, number plates and the **DUA** (*Documento Único Automóvel*) — the single vehicle document that combines ownership and registration details. Only once the DUA is issued is the car legally a Portuguese vehicle. ## Step 6 — Inspection (IPO), Road Tax and Insurance Most imported vehicles need a technical inspection, the **IPO** (*Inspeção Periódica Obrigatória*), to confirm they meet Portuguese standards — often required as part of registration. From then on you pay the annual road tax, the **IUC** (*Imposto Único de Circulação*), each year — for a post-July-2007 car it combines an engine-displacement band with a CO₂ band, adjusted by a year-of-registration coefficient. You can estimate that yearly figure with our [IUC calculator](/tools/iuc-calculator/) or check the bands in our [vehicle-tax dataset](/data/vehicle-tax). (A 2026 reform, DL 161/2026, changes how IUC is *billed* from 2027, with no change to the 2026 rates.) Arrange **Portuguese car insurance** before you drive, and keep your DUA and inspection documents accessible. ## The Deadlines at a Glance - **DAV:** within **20 working days** of the car entering Portugal. - **ISV payment:** generally within ~**10 business days** of assessment. - **IMT registration → DUA:** within **60 days**. - **IUC:** annually, for as long as you own the car. - **Exemption window:** typically within **12 months** of transferring residence, with **6 months'** prior ownership. ## Common Mistakes to Avoid - **Missing the 20-working-day DAV deadline.** The clock starts when the car arrives, not when you get around to the paperwork. - **Assuming the exemption is automatic.** It has to be claimed, evidenced and approved — and the 6-month ownership rule is checked. - **Shipping a non-EU car that can't be homologated.** Confirm the COC or approval route first. - **Underestimating ISV.** Run the official simulator before committing; for old or high-emission cars, buying locally can be cheaper. - **Driving before the DUA and insurance are in place.** Get the vehicle legal before it's on the road. Rules, ISV tables and deadlines change from year to year, and every vehicle is assessed on its own details — we've avoided quoting ISV figures because yours depends on your exact car. For a precise estimate, use the Tax Authority's official simulator on the [Portal das Finanças](https://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt), and confirm registration requirements with the [IMT](https://www.imt-ip.pt). Many people use a licensed *despachante* to manage the DAV and deadlines. Getting your [NIF](/tax-and-nif/) and residency in place first makes everything smoother, and it pairs naturally with the rest of settling into [life in Portugal](/living-in-portugal/) — including [exchanging your driving licence](/a-step-by-step-guide-to-changing-your-drivers-license-in-portugal/). > Want the paperwork handled for you? Our team can guide you through car imports, ISV, IMT registration, tax and residency end to end. [See our services](/services/car-import/) or [get in touch](/contact/). Think your vehicle might be exempt? Check first with an [ISV exemption assessment](/services/isv-exemption-assessment/). --- © GrowIN Portugal. Cite as: GrowIN Portugal, "How to Import a Car to Portugal: 2026 Step-by-Step Guide", https://www.growinportugal.com/step-by-step-guide-how-to-import-a-car-to-portugal