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I am shipping my car from USA to Portugal and have similar questions. Can one drive a car with plates from states and if so for how long? where does one go to get plates changed to Portugal?

Hi Newsmil,

These answers have already been given here:

Driving a car with foreign number plates in Portugal:
/forum/viewtopic.p … 33#5152215
(Post #6)


How to register your imported vehicle in Portugal and get portuguese registration number plates:
/forum/viewtopic.p … 33#5099337
(Post #8)

I was asking if anyone had actually gone through the procedure since  January ( when things changed for cars from the UK )

Hi AlmiranteReis,
(You have chosen a very Portuguese name  )

Procedures for legalising cars imported from UK may be different to those followed for cars imported from other EU countries.

In your case, I suggest you to hire a car documentation agency or a solicitor in Portugal.

1. Solicitor

Solicitors, Lawyers & Administrative division of Portugal:

/forum/viewtopic.php?id=941009


2. Car documentation agency
It is an entity that deals with all the bureaucratic processes related to cars and other vehicles (motorbikes, etc.). Being specialised in these processes allows some agility and speed in almost all related issues:

- taxes
- legalizations
- imports
- registrations

It is a paid service that allows you to save time and hassles. Cost depends on the type of service you require.

To find a car documentation agency:

2a. Search on Google for "agência de documentação automóvel"  +  municipality (written in portuguese, eg. Lisboa, not Lisbon)

2b. Or you can search this list for the municipality/"Concelho" in which you live in Portugal and choose one of the agencies you will find there. Municipalities are in alphabetical order.



You should copy the name of the agency you have chosen, and then paste it to search on Google to get address, phone numbers, since this list does not provide any contact details.

If through Google you can also get their website, access it to get additional information such as email, and what services that agency offers.

Best Regards

I suggest you use ACP - the Portuguese automobile association.
The procedures for non EU cars exactly the same as for EU source cars under the relocation scheme - but I suggest the vehicle is added to the 'lista de bagagem' (goods manisfest) through your nearest Portuguese consulate

Procedures are not necessarily the same. Cars imported from EU countries have the European Certificate of Conformity (COC). This is one of the requirements to make the vehicle inspection in Portugal.

ACP does not have offices in all portuguese municipalities. Besides that, it is a private entity as any other mentioned here. It is not ACP that legalizes the car. ACP, as any other agency, deals with public entities (except inspection phase) concerning all procedures such as:
- Vehicle's inspection
- Vehicle's homologation (IMT)
- Vehicle Customs Declaration (DAV) and  Vehicle Tax (ISV) (Finanças)
- Vehicle's register to issue the DUA (Single Automobile Document) (Conservatória do Registo Automóvel)

You can go to any agency (or solicitor) and not necessarily to ACP.