Portuguese number plates and registration numbers
Updated 25 October 2026 · Legaliza na Hora
A Portuguese registration number in the current format is two letters, two numbers and two letters: AA-00-AA. The number is issued once the type B inspection is passed, the DAV is filed and the ISV is paid. Only then can the plates themselves be made. The pair of plates is optional and costs €35, separate from the registration packages; if you order them from us we handle the request and post them to your address. The registration certificate, the DUA or livrete, is a different document and is issued later.
The format
| Element | What it is |
|---|---|
| Number | In the current format, two letters, two numbers, two letters: AA-00-AA |
| Assigned by | The IMT, once the tax position is settled |
| Shown first on | The DAV we send you, which carries the number |
| Confirmed later by | The registration certificate, the DUA or livrete, posted to the owner |
Older Portuguese cars carry earlier formats, and those numbers stay with the car. An imported car entering the register for the first time gets a current-format number. The number is not something you choose.
When the number appears
- Type B inspection passed. The car has been confirmed as matching its documents. See the type B inspection.
- DAV filed and ISV paid. The customs declaration is submitted and the tax settled.
- Number issued. The car receives its Portuguese registration number, and we send you the DAV showing it.
- Plates. If you ordered the optional pair, we request them and post them to you.
- Originals, registration and certificate. The documents go to the IMT, ownership is registered and the certificate is posted to the owner’s address.
Nothing can be engraved before step 3. Without an assigned number there is no number to put on a plate, which is why nobody can send you plates in advance.
Price and ordering
The two plates are optional: €35, separate from the registration packages. You can order them from us, with the fittings and delivery included, or buy them from any supplier. If you order them from us, we make the request and post them to your address. They are not included in the €329.50, €596 or €826 service prices, and we do not add them to an order without being asked.
What to do when they arrive
- Check the number against the registration number on the DAV, character by character.
- Fit them, one at the front and one at the rear.
- Remove the foreign plates. From the moment the Portuguese number exists, the car runs on the Portuguese plates.
- Keep the DAV in the car while you wait for the registration certificate.
- Update your insurance to the Portuguese number.
If a plate does not match the DAV, or arrives damaged, speak to us before fitting it.
What happens to the old foreign plates
The physical plates come off and are yours to dispose of. The administrative side is separate, and it is the part people forget. Once the car is on the Portuguese register, the entry in the country it came from should be closed off according to that country’s own rules: the British DVLA, the German registration office, the French or Dutch authority each have their own procedure and their own paperwork, and in several of them the former owner or the exporter is the one who has to notify them. We register the car in Portugal. We do not act for you before a foreign authority, so check what your country of origin requires and keep the proof. Leaving a foreign registration open can mean road tax or penalty notices continuing to arrive long after the car has Portuguese plates.
The plate is not the paperwork
The plates identify the number that has been issued. They are not the ownership registration and they are not the registration certificate. Both of those are separate steps, included in our registration packages, and the certificate is posted to the owner once issued. Waiting for the certificate does not authorise unlimited use of the car: see driving on foreign plates in Portugal.
Where the plates fit into the cost
| Item | Amount | Included? |
|---|---|---|
| EU registration service with COC | €329.50 | Our service |
| Pair of number plates, with fittings and delivery | €35 | Optional, outside the package |
| Sending the DAV with the number | Included | In the package |
| IMT fee, ownership registration and the certificate posted to you | Included | In the package |
| Insurance and IUC after registration | Varies | Yours |
The full picture is in what it costs to import and register a car in Portugal.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Portuguese registration number look like?
In the current format, two letters, two numbers and two letters: AA-00-AA. Older Portuguese cars carry earlier formats.
Can I choose my number?
No. The number is assigned by the IMT once the tax position is settled.
How much do the plates cost?
€35 for the pair, optional and separate from the registration packages, with the fittings and delivery included when you order them from us.
Can the plates be made in advance?
No. They can only be made once the Portuguese number has been issued, which happens after the inspection, the DAV and the ISV.
Are the plates included in the €329.50?
No. They are optional at €35. The package includes the DAV, the applicable IMT fee, ownership registration and the registration certificate posted to you.
Do I have to tell the authority in the country the car came from?
Usually yes, under that country’s own rules, and often it is the former owner or the exporter who notifies them. We register the car in Portugal and do not act for you before a foreign authority, so check what is required and keep the proof.
Official sources: IMT, IRN, vehicle registry. The €35 price for the pair of plates includes VAT and is the brand’s approved price.
Still waiting for a Portuguese number?
Send us the car’s documents and we will tell you which stages are left before the number can be issued, and what each one costs.