Registering a UK car in Portugal after Brexit
Updated 25 October 2026 · Legaliza na Hora
A car coming from the United Kingdom is a non-EU import, so our registration service costs €826 including VAT. That covers the customs declaration (DAV), the national approval request, the applicable IMT fee, initial ownership registration and sending the registration certificate to your address. On top of it you pay customs duty and import VAT on the value of the car, ISV (Portugal’s one-off vehicle tax) and the type B inspection at €93.52. Number plates are optional at €35 for the pair. If you are moving your normal residence to Portugal, a different route applies: the service with an ISV exemption application costs €596 including VAT.
Why a British car is now treated as an import from outside the EU
Before Brexit, bringing a car from Britain to Portugal was an intra-EU movement: no customs entry, no import VAT, only ISV. Since the United Kingdom left the European Union it is a third country for customs purposes. That changes three things, and all three cost money.
- The car passes through customs. It needs a customs entry and a vehicle customs declaration, the Declaração Aduaneira de Veículo or DAV.
- Customs duty and import VAT apply on the value of the car, unless an exemption is recognised. This is separate from ISV and separate from our fee.
- There is no ISV age reduction. A used car with a previous registration in another EU country gets an ISV reduction of up to 80% once it is more than ten years old. Cars from outside the EU do not get that reduction. For an older British car this is often the single biggest difference against the same car bought in Spain, France or Germany.
Right-hand drive is legal in Portugal. Depending on the car, the headlights may need to be adjusted or replaced so they are aimed for driving on the right, and that is checked at the inspection. Resale is harder, which is worth factoring into the decision.
What a UK car costs to register
| Item | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Our non-EU registration service, final price with VAT, customs clearance included | €826 | Legaliza na Hora |
| Customs duty and import VAT | on the value of the car | Autoridade Tributária |
| ISV, the one-off vehicle tax | depends on the car, no age reduction for non-EU | Autoridade Tributária |
| Type B inspection | €93.52 | the inspection centre |
| Pair of number plates, optional | €35 | Legaliza na Hora |
| Certificate of conformity, if missing | depends on the make | Legaliza na Hora |
| Transport or ferry, insurance, and IUC after registration | varies | third parties |
The €826 is the price of our service, not the total cost of bringing a car into the country. Taxes, the inspection, transport and a missing certificate of conformity are outside it. See the full breakdown in what it costs to import and register a car in Portugal.
Documents to bring from the United Kingdom
- V5C, the logbook. The British registration certificate, complete. Ask the seller for it before you pay. Keep the section you are given on sale.
- The purchase invoice or sale document in your name.
- The export declaration and the customs paperwork for the movement.
- The certificate of conformity (COC) or the available approval documents. If the car was built for the UK market and the COC is missing, see COC options and prices by make.
- Your identity document and a Portuguese tax number (NIF).
- The transport document: the CMR if the car came by truck, or the bill of lading if it came by sea. It proves the date the car entered Portugal, which is the date the DAV deadline runs from.
We prepare the Modelo 9 and the powers of attorney within the service. See also the document checklist in English.
Your MOT does not replace the Portuguese inspection
A valid MOT is not accepted in place of the Portuguese inspeção tipo B. The type B inspection is an identity and characteristics check carried out before a Portuguese registration number is issued: the centre confirms that the car in front of it is the car in the documents and in the approval. It is not the periodic roadworthiness test. It costs €93.52, is paid at the centre, and can be done at any authorised centre in the country. Read how the type B inspection works.
The steps, in order
- Send us photographs of the V5C, the invoice and the COC. We check them and tell you what is missing and what your case will cost.
- Bring the car in, driven or on a truck, with the customs paperwork. Keep the transport document.
- Approval at the IMT, with the COC or through individual approval.
- Type B inspection at a centre near you.
- Customs clearance, DAV and ISV, filed through our professional access as a customs declarant. You never give us your Portal das Finanças password.
- Portuguese registration number issued. We send you the DAV with the number, and the optional plates if you ordered them.
- Originals to the IMT, ownership registration, and the registration certificate posted to your address.
Everything except the inspection is done remotely, anywhere in Portugal. Only the car has to be somewhere: at an inspection centre of your choosing.
Two deadlines worth writing down
Under the general rules a private individual must present the DAV within 20 working days of the car entering Portugal. The ISV payment deadline is a different one: 10 working days from the notification of the assessment. Neither of these is a promise that the registration will be finished by a given date. Driving a foreign-plated car while you wait has its own rules: read driving on foreign plates in Portugal.
Moving to Portugal? Ask about the exemption first
If you are transferring your normal residence to Portugal and bringing your own car, you may be able to apply for an ISV exemption. The common rules require, among other conditions, at least six months of residence abroad and at least six months of ownership of the car before the move, and the application must be made within 12 months of the transfer. The decision belongs to the Tax Authority, not to us. Our package with the exemption application costs €596 including VAT. Note that a conclusion about ISV is not automatically a conclusion about customs duty and import VAT on a non-EU car: both have to be assessed. Read the transfer of residence guide before ordering the ordinary package.
What is not included in the €826
- ISV, customs duty and import VAT. These are state charges, paid to the Tax Authority.
- The type B inspection, €93.52, paid at the centre.
- Transport, ferry or shipping, and insurance.
- A missing certificate of conformity, priced by make.
- The pair of number plates, optional at €35.
- Requesting the vehicle document at an IMT office more than 100 km from Lisbon, optional at €61.50.
Who handles your file
Legaliza na Hora is a Portuguese brand, founded in 2015, with more than 10,000 vehicles registered, 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 237 reviews and the Quality Award 2026 from Consumer Choice. The founder, Edmundo Caetano, is a customs declarant holding cédula no. 0121O8, issued by the Alfândega do Jardim do Tabaco, with a €50,000 guarantee lodged for the activity. The office is at Rua das Galés, 13B, Parque das Nações, 1990-612 Lisbon. We are independent of the IMT, the Tax Authority and the registry; the decisions belong to them.
Frequently asked questions
Is right-hand drive legal in Portugal?
Yes. Depending on the car, the headlights may have to be adjusted or replaced so they are aimed for driving on the right. That is checked at the type B inspection.
Is the €826 the total cost of bringing my car from the UK?
No. It is our service price including VAT, with customs clearance. Customs duty, import VAT, ISV, the €93.52 inspection, transport and a missing certificate of conformity are separate. Optional plates are €35.
Does my UK car get the ISV reduction for age?
No. The reduction of up to 80% applies to used cars with a previous registration in another EU country. Cars from outside the EU do not get it.
Will my MOT be accepted instead of the Portuguese inspection?
No. The car has to pass the Portuguese type B inspection before a registration number is issued. It costs €93.52 and is paid at the inspection centre.
How long does it take?
It depends on the documents, the approval route, the inspection and the authorities. We confirm an estimate for your case before you commit. We do not promise a guaranteed date or a guaranteed approval.
Do I need to come to Lisbon?
No. The service is handled remotely anywhere in Portugal. Only the inspection is in person, at a centre you choose near you.
Official sources: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, customs information, IMT inspection centre directory. Prices shown include VAT and are the brand’s approved prices.
Bringing a car over from Britain?
Send us the car’s details and the V5C. We will tell you what is missing, what it costs in total and what the next step is. Writing to us in English is fine.