Case Study 53 – Mercedes AMG G63 from Italy

The client contacted us because he was looking to purchase a Mercedes AMG G63 from Italy. The car was in great condition and would be driven to Portugal by the new owner.

He managed to obtain French export plates for this Italian car, as this turned out to be the easier option.

IMT Approval

The initial approval for this car was very straightforward because it came with a COC. No extra steps were required, and the car was able to go for inspection immediately after arriving in Portugal.

ISV Tax

The ISV tax for this car was extremely high (tens of thousands of euros) due to its engine size, age, and CO₂ emissions. However, this had all been taken into account before the client decided to purchase the vehicle.

Usually, when paying a high amount of tax, customs approves the car quickly and is very cooperative. One would almost think someone enjoys receiving this exuberant amount of money.

Approval

The car was processed using our extra-fast service, and it received its Portuguese plates approximately one week after the inspection. The client was very pleased with how quickly everything moved forward.

Driving Outside Portugal

When importing a car, it is only possible to drive outside Portugal with Portuguese plates once the DUA (vehicle registration card) has been delivered to your address. This can take quite a while—often between 3 and 6 months.

In this case, the client was able to keep the French export plates for a little longer and drive the car to Spain for a week or two, even before the registration process was completed. Once those plates expired, he had to wait until receiving the DUA before he could legally drive the car outside Portugal again.

Key Takeaways

• When importing a car with taxes, Portuguese plates can often be obtained within 1–2 weeks after the inspection. Our extra-fast service helps ensure everything is completed as quickly as possible.
• Taxes can be VERY high if you choose a car like this and are unable to import it tax-free.
• You can only drive outside Portugal with your new Portuguese plates once you have received your Portuguese DUA (vehicle registration card).