131-E CAR
DOCUMENTS
Cars that were registered or changed ownership
before November 2005 will have to documents, Titulo de Registo de Propriedade
(blue) and Livrete (green). After November 2005 a new document “Documento
Único” was introduced to substitute these too which will be done gradually as the
cars are re-registered. The Police may ask for these to be shown at any time.
They are also required for taxing your car annually, for the roadworthiness
tests, and when you come to sell.
Different
organisations are responsible for issuing these two documents. The Motoring
Institute of Road Transport (IMTT) maintains records of all motor vehicles and
issues the vehicle registration number (matrícula do veículo). Your local Civil
Registry (Conservatória do Registo Automóvel) maintains registers of ownership.
It is the Registry that issues the ownership registration document (Documento
único).
MOT car inspection
Document, Insurance Green Card (Carta Verde) and Annual car tax proof of
payment are the complementary documents you must carry always in the car.
New car
registration The easiest way of
acquiring a car with valid registration documents is to purchase a new vehicle
from an authorised agent who will register the vehicle for you. When you
receive the car they will provide temporary documents which are valid until you
receive the originals by post. This way of buying a car brings the added
advantages of having the manufacturer’s agents close by to provide service and
guarantee repairs, gives ready access to spare parts (cars from other countries
often have slightly different spare parts), and as the model will be recognised
it will have a higher second-hand value.
Imported cars Registering an imported car is more
complicated. Import agents or the Automobile Club (ACP Automóvel Club de
Portugal) can assist with the process of obtaining the first vehicle
registration document and ownership registration. This is described in more
detail in Bulletin M/04/E Importing a car.
Transferring
ownership To transfer the ownership of a
vehicle requires substitution of both vehicle and ownership registration
documents. Bulletin M/05/E Buying and Selling Cars gives further details. However, your name will remain on the central
register of owners until the substitution is complete. You may remain liable
for accidents and infringements of the Highway Code unless you can show that
transfer of ownership was initiated beforehand.
Replacing lost
documents Loss or damage of either of
these documents can make life very difficult as you will be unable to drive
your car legally. Fortunately replacement is fairly simple, especially if you
have kept photocopies in a safe place. The ACP, driving schools and other
agents can assist but insist that they provide the original receipts from the
IMTT and the Civil Registry as these can be used as substitutes of the original
documents.
To obtain a
substitute of the vehicle registration document you have to go the regional
office of the IMTT. They will need to see your identification and tax card
(cartão de contribuinte) with copies, a self addressed envelope, and form 1406
filled-in and signed. Your photocopy of the original Document will help in
completing this form which is purchased at the IMTT office. They will provide a
receipt which acts as a substitute, and after a few weeks the new document will
arrive by post.
If you have the
document(s) and you only need to replace them because they are damaged, you can
do so at your local Conservatória do Registo Automóvel, by bringing the old
document with you and filling in a request provided by the Conservatória.
131-E INSPECTION (I.M.T.T.)
All vehicles over a
certain age are required to undertake a roadworthiness test, (Inspecção
Periódica Obrigatória, IPO). A valid test certificate must be carried with the
vehicle documents and the sticker that comes with the certificate must be
displayed on the windscreen of cars. The only exception to this rule is for
veteran cars, which instead should carry a certificate, proving it to be a
veteran car. Veteran car certificates, are issued by the Portuguese Veteran Car
Club (Clube Português de Automóveis Antigos).
Wherever we mention Documento Único, it refers to the vehicle documents
whether it is documento unico itself or the older livrete and Registo de
propriedade, depending on how long ago you registered your vehicle.
When to have your
vehicle tested The date of the first
test and the frequency of subsequent tests depend on the type of vehicle you
own. The type of vehicle is specified in the Documento Unico. If it is a light
passenger vehicle, the Documento Unico will show it registered as a viatura
ligeira de passageiros. Cars must be tested once they reach 4years old, again
at 6 and again at 8 after that it must be tested every year. Your inspection
certificate will have written on it the date that the next inspection is due.
This is at the bottom of the certificate in the space for Próxima inspecção.
Please note that this date states the very last day for the inspection to be
done. Other light vehicles such as pickups,
mixed passenger/cargo and special vehicles (ligeiros de mercadorias, ligeiros
mistos, ligeiros especiais) are first tested when they reach 2-years old and
then annually. Heavy vehicles and trailers are tested annually, after eight
years they are tested every sixmonths.
The vehicle can be presented for inspection in the month they were first
registered, up to the actual date of registration, or during the previous three
months to the date, unless the existing certificate specifies the next date of
test. Authorised inspection centres will carry out these tests. Vehicles with only minor deficiencies will be
issued with a red certificate and sticker. These vehicles must be tested again
within the next 30 days. Should a further test be required this must be
undertaken within the next 15 days.
Vehicles with only minor deficiencies (maximum of 7) that need repairs
before the next inspection date will be issued with a certificate but if
stopped by the authorities can be fined, if the repairs are not done. If the car fails the test, the owner will be
issued with a red provisional certificate. There are two degrees of
deficiencies 1) 2nd degree (a maximum of 30 days is given to complete all
necessary repairs, 2) 3rd degree (these vehicles cannot be driven from the
inspection centre, they must be towed to a garage until repairs have been
completed). Should a further test be required this must be undertaken and the
test date will be indicated on the certificate issued.
What is
inspected? The tests carried out during
the inspection assess the security of the vehicle to ensure that it is in a
good enough condition to circulate on the public highway. The inspection starts by confirming the
vehicle identity* (model, registration number, motor and chassis numbers, and
tyre sizes). There is then a series of tests that include:
• level of noise,
exhaust emissions, and oil leakage; •
lights (intensity and orientation); •
body work and interior (corrosion and other damage); • visibility (mirrors, windows and
wipers); • equipment (seat belts,
warning triangle, horn, speedometer); •
brakes and braking power; • steering and
alignment; • excessive play in the
suspension, steering and axles; • wheels
and tyres. Some other aspects of the
vehicle, regarding safety, may also be inspected. The inspection centre will
check the several details that may affect the driver’s and passenger’s
safety
Where to carry out
the test Officially, approved
independent testing centres carry out the roadworthiness inspections. You can
use any test centre. They are indicated by road signs marked "Centro de
Inspecções Obrigatórias - IPO" and are listed in the yellow pages under
"Automóveis - Inspecção" and on the IMTT website
http://www.IMTT.pt/veiculos/ipo. Tests usually need to be booked in advance,
but some centres will accept casual callers.
Preparing for the
inspection The test centre will need to
see the vehicle documents, and will need your tax registration number (número
de contribuinte). The charge is approximately €30. If the vehicle is in good condition, the only
preparation needed may be a good clean to make the inspection easier to do and
to allow the inspectors to confirm the identification numbers easily. Older
vehicles may need more preparation. Many
garages will prepare vehicles for the inspection and even deliver and collect
them from the test centre. This can be a convenient time for the annual
service.
Results of the
inspection When a vehicle passes the
inspection, the test centre will issue a green certificate (ficha de inspecção)
and a green sticker (vinheta). The sticker is for fixing to the windscreen on
the right hand side and the certificate should be carried with the other
documents of the vehicle. Vehicles with
only minor deficiencies (maximum of 7) that need repairs before the next
inspection date will be issued with a certificate but if stopped by the
authorities can be fined. If the car
fails the test the owner will be issued with a red provisional certificate.
There are two degrees of deficiencies 1) 2nd degree (a maximum of 30 days is
given to complete all necessary repairs, 2) 3rd degree (these vehicles can not
be driven from the inspection centre, they must be towed to a garage until
repairs have been completed). Should a further test be required this must be
undertaken and the test date will be indicated on the certificate issued.
Should you lose the
test certificate or sticker then the test centre, which carried out the last
test, will issue a substitute on receipt of a written request.
131-E CAR TAX
This tax is payable
each year on each motor vehicle which you own.
Starting in 2008 the tax will be paid on the anniversary of the vehicle
or the Portuguese licence plate date when the car is imported. You will need both your Car documents (See
Bulletin M/06/E) and your fiscal number and Identification (See bulletin
P/01/E). At the Treasury in your local Finanças you will provide these
documents and may pay your tax and receive your receipt, the stamp to put in
your car window will no longer be provided and only a proof of payment is
necessary. The amount of tax varies
according to the cubic capacity of the engine and for cars registered after 1st
July 2007 the CO2 emission will also taken into account. New cars purchased in
Portugal will have the CO2 emission stated in their specifications and imported
cars will be subject to a technical inspection which will determine the CO2
emission. The payment of this tax can be done via internet at
http://www.portaldasfinancas.gov.pt in
order to do this, you will need to request a password (pedir senha) on the same
site. Only after you have this password you will be able to enter your private
file and pay your tax. In all cases you must carry the payment receipted.
Please find below information on how to pay this tax online
The following
tables give you the rates for the current year. Note that diesel vehicles will
have an addition to the tax (see below).
Table of Tax for
vehicles matriculated before the 1st July 2007
Diesel additional
tax for vehicles registered before 1 July 2007
Engine Power (cm3)
Matriculated after 1995
Matriculated 1990 to 1995
Matriculated 1981 to 1990
Fuel Type Year of Matriculation
Petrol cm3
Others cm3
Electrici ty Wats
After 1995
19901995
19771989
A
<1000 <1500
Up to 100 €17.87
€11.27 €07.91
B
=1001 <1300
=1501 <2000 Over
100 €35.87 €20.16 €11.27
C
=1301 <1750
=2001 <3000 -
€56.03 €31.32 €15.71
D
=1751 <2600
>3000 - €142.17 €74.99 €32.41
E
=2601 <3500 - -
€258.17 €140.59 €71.59 F >3500 - - €459.98 €236.29 €108.57
Vehicles matriculated after the 1st July
2007
Engine power (in
Cm3)
Tax (in euros)
CO2 emission
brackets (in grams by Km)
Tax (in euros)
Registration 2017 (new tax) Up to 1250 28.52 Up to 120
58.51 1250 to 1750 57.23 120 to 180
87.68 1750 to 2500 114.36 180 to 250
190.41 38.08 Over 2500 391.38 More than 250 326.19 65.24
Vehicles
matriculated in Portugal after the 1st July 2007, will have a CO2 component on
their annual tax, to find out what your tax is from the table above you must
add the tax relating to the engine power to the tax related to the CO2
component. As an example we took a 2.000cc, registered in Portugal on 21st July
2010, with a CO2 emission of 140. For 2009 there is an addition to this tax, a
coefficient according to the year of matriculation in Portugal: Cars from 2007 - Coefficient of 1.00 Cars
from 2008 – Coefficient of 1.05 Cars from 2009 – Coefficient of 1.10 Cars from
2010 onwards – Coefficient of 1.15
Example: CC tax
€114.36 + CO2 tax €87.68 = €202.04 x 1.05 = IUC €212.14 this year
Diesel additional
tax for vehicles registered after 1 July 2007 (this should be added to the
total of the tables above)
Engine power (in
Cm3)
Tax (in euros)
Up to 1250 5.02
1250 to 1750 10.07 1750 to 2500 20.12 Over 2500 68.85
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With the courtesy of
AFPOP
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