Importing a car into Portugal takes weeks, sometimes months. All that time the car is still on its old plates, and one of the first things clients ask us is whether it’s still insured. This article covers insurance during the import, once the Portuguese plates are on, and the types of cover you can choose here.
Driving on your old plates during the import
Until the Portuguese plates are on, you drive on your old plates, as long as your current insurer still covers you. How long that takes depends on your import type:
- Import with taxes from the EU: often 2 to 3 weeks.
- Tax-free import: usually 6 to 12 weeks.
- From outside the EU: a special approval process comes first, and then customs often takes 2 to 3 months.
The authorities set the pace, so these are the usual times, not a promise. In that period you also drive the car to the inspection. We book it and arrange the documents for it, and you bring the car. Make sure it’s covered on that day too.
Ask your insurer before you move
Your current cover may stop once you officially move away from your previous country. So talk to your insurer before you move, and ask until when your policy covers the car in Portugal.
If it does stop, we may be able to arrange temporary import insurance. Whether and when depends on your situation, so tell us early.
Coming from overseas? International insurance can cover this period.
Moving here and importing tax-free? Then the date you officially moved away matters for more than your insurance. The car must have been yours, in your own name, for at least 6 months before that date, and from that date you have 12 months to start the tax-free import.
When the insurance is about to run out
Importing with taxes from the EU? Our Extra fast service (€150) gets you your Portuguese plate number sooner. That’s what a family moving back from the Netherlands chose in case 32: their Tiguan was already in Portugal, but its Dutch insurance had run out.
Once the Portuguese plates are on
When customs approves the car, you get the vehicle customs declaration (DAV) with your Portuguese plate number. You can then have the plates made, take out regular Portuguese insurance and drive on Portuguese plates.
The registration isn’t finished at that point. IMT still has to register the car, which takes several months, and after that the Portuguese vehicle registration card (DUA) is requested. Until you have that card, you carry the DAV as your temporary registration document.
The date on the DAV is also when taxes start to count, including the annual road tax (IUC) that every car in Portugal pays. Your Portuguese insurance and the IUC aren’t part of our fee.
Types of car insurance in Portugal
Car insurance is mandatory in Portugal. The legal minimum is third-party liability insurance: it covers the damage you cause to other people and their property.
Insurance here follows the vehicle, not the driver. You insure the car itself.
You’ll usually choose between three levels of cover:
- Third party: the legal minimum.
- Third party, fire and theft: also covers the car if it’s stolen or damaged by fire.
- Comprehensive: also covers damage to your own car.
What exactly is included differs per insurer and per policy, so compare what you get, not only the price.
Want to know how long your car will be on its old plates? Our free estimate shows the average costs and the documents for your import type, and within 1 working day your personal quote tells you what to expect. Moving here? Start with the tax-free conditions.