Case Study 6 – An Old Motorhome from Norway

This may have been our longest import journey yet.

Our customer reached out in early 2024 about bringing his 1994 Mercedes-Benz Hymer motorhome from Norway, along with a car. Since Portuguese law allows only one tax-free vehicle per person, he decided to import the motorhome and leave the car behind. Good choice, considering the alternative…

Why Bringing Vehicles from Norway with Taxes Wasn’t an Option

If he’d imported the vehicles with taxes, he’d have been hit with ISV (without an age discount) and 23% IVA based on their market values in Portugal. Both vehicles have hefty engines, which would have made this very expensive. So, tax-free it was!

Collecting Documents

Our customer deserves a gold star for document prep. Every file was perfectly labeled, organized into folders—perfectly done!

Why This Case Was So Complicated

Since the motorhome was older, it didn’t have a Certificate of Conformity (COC)—these weren’t introduced until the late ’90s. That meant we needed to do an individualized homologation. We worked with the brand to get a technical sheet and have it signed off by the brand representative. This sounds simple enough, but getting the brand to issue this document can take weeks (or months).

After that, we waited (and waited) for IMT to process the individualized homologation. We contacted them multiple times but didn’t get much info in return. Then, they requested yet another document—this time one that had to be created in Norway! Once we had everything, the van passed inspection with no issues.

Gas Inspections, Expired Registrations, and Address Proof Drama

Just as we thought the finish line was in sight, the authorities decided the motorhome needed a gas inspection too. Fortunately, the gas inspection company could do the inspection on location, within a few days. Meanwhile, all the waiting had led to the motorhome’s Norwegian registration expiring, so it couldn’t be driven until it was finally approved in Portugal.

On top of all this, providing the right proof of residence turned out to be tricky. Due to a recent breakup and a temporary address, it was challenging to find the exact documents needed.

After weeks of silence from customs, they reached out, asking our customer to come to their office and explain his address situation. We’d never seen this happen before! Fortunately, he clarified everything, and the van was finally approved.

When the license plate was finally assigned, I called the customer to give him the good news. This import took over six months, but we’d made it through the bureaucratic storm, and now he’s happily driving his beloved motorhome all over Portugal!

Key takeaways:

• Proof of Living can be complicated. It’s best to keep things simple. If possible, make sure you have one address with all bills in your own name (not your parents, partner, or housemates).
• Older vehicles can be imported, but Patience is Key. Importing older vehicles can take considerably longer due to the need for individualized homologation. Newer vehicles with a COC or European type approval go much faster.