Getting a car to Portugal is the easy part; registering it is where the money and the paperwork are. Inside Europe a car travels on a road transporter in a few days; from the UK or the USA it comes by sea, usually to the port of Setúbal. Once it arrives, a new resident has 20 working days to declare it to customs, and vehicle tax (ISV) is due unless you qualify for the transfer-of-residence exemption. This guide explains the transport options, what published prices look like, and the registration steps with the official 2026 fees we could confirm.
The usual choice from France, Spain, Germany or the Benelux: the car travels on an open or enclosed car transporter, door to door. Open transport is cheaper; enclosed transport, larger vehicles and cars that do not run cost more. There is no public tariff – prices depend on route, season and how full the truck is, so ask for several quotes. As one published reference, the Dutch carrier Portex quotes about €950 for the Netherlands–Portugal route.
On a roll-on/roll-off ship the car is driven on board and parked on a vehicle deck. Portugal’s main car port is Setúbal, south of Lisbon, which handles about 90% of the new vehicles moved by sea in the country; Leixões, near Porto, is the northern alternative. The UK shipper ShipCars.co.uk advertises RoRo from £863 for a standard car, port to port, with three to six days at sea and two to three weeks in total including collection and customs.
From North America cars normally travel in a shared or dedicated container. The US shipper CFR Classic publishes $2,100 (shared) to $2,500 (full container) from the East Coast and $3,500 to $3,800 from the West Coast, with four to eight weeks at sea. Portuguese taxes and port handling are not included in such prices.
From most of western Europe driving is realistic: Paris to Lisbon is about 1,735 km, or 16 to 17 hours at the wheel – in practice two days. Add fuel, motorway tolls in France, Spain and Portugal and a night’s accommodation when comparing with a transporter quote.
Whatever the transport method, a car that will stay in Portugal must be declared and taxed. Vehicle tax (Imposto sobre Veículos, ISV) is charged on every car registered in Portugal, calculated from engine capacity and CO2 emissions. It is not automatically zero for older cars:
| Situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| Used car with a registration from another EU country | ISV is due, with a reduction that grows with the age of the car (the code’s table runs from 10% in the first year to 80% for cars over ten years old). No customs duty; no Portuguese VAT unless the car counts as “new” (less than 6 months old or under 6,000 km). |
| Car from outside the EU (including the UK since Brexit, and the USA) | Treated as an import: customs duty (the standard EU rate for passenger cars is 10%) and 23% VAT, calculated on the value of the car plus insurance and freight, and ISV on top. A customs agent (despachante) is needed for the declaration. |
| You are moving your home to Portugal | You can apply for the ISV exemption for transfer of residence – see the conditions below. For moves from outside the EU, relief from duty and VAT may also apply; confirm this with a customs agent before shipping. |
| Visiting with a foreign-registered EU car | A non-resident may use a car registered in another EU country in Portugal for up to 183 days in any 12 months without registering it. |
The ISV code (articles 58 to 60) exempts one car belonging to a person who moves their residence to Portugal. According to the tax authority’s customs FAQ and UK government guidance, the main conditions are:
| Step | What to do | Deadline / cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tax number | Get a Portuguese NIF if you do not have one; it is needed for every later step. | Before the car arrives |
| 2. Type approval and inspection | Take the certificate of conformity (COC) to an inspection centre for a type-B inspection (inspection for the attribution of a registration); it issues the form Modelo 112. Cars without a COC first need approval from IMT. | €93.52 including VAT in 2026 |
| 3. Customs declaration (DAV) | File the vehicle customs declaration with the tax and customs authority (online through Portal das Finanças or at the customs office), with or without the exemption request. | Within 20 working days of the car entering Portugal |
| 4. Pay ISV | If no exemption applies, customs issues the assessment. | Within 10 working days of the assessment |
| 5. Portuguese number plate | With the tax settled, IMT assigns the registration number (form Modelo 9). | IMT fee payable |
| 6. Ownership registration | Register the car in your name at the vehicle registry (IRN) and receive the Documento Único Automóvel. | Registry fee payable |
| 7. Insurance and annual tax | Insure the car in Portugal and pay the annual circulation tax (IUC), due every year in the month of registration. | Every year |
We list amounts only where we could confirm the official 2026 figure. The IMT and registry fees are shown on gov.pt when you start the request.
On an international road transporter the carrier’s liability is governed by the CMR Convention, which caps compensation at 8.33 SDR per kilogram – in the region of €15,000 for a 1,500 kg car, whatever it is worth. For a valuable car ask the carrier about additional cover. For sea transport, shippers sell marine insurance as a percentage of the declared value: published rates run from about 1.25–1.5% for total-loss cover to 1.75–2% for all-risk cover, which is the one that pays for dents and scratches.
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There is no fixed tariff. As published reference prices: about €950 by road transporter from the Netherlands, from £863 by RoRo ship from the UK to Setúbal, and $2,100 to $3,800 by container from the USA. Portuguese taxes and registration costs come on top.
Yes, unless an exemption applies. ISV is calculated from engine capacity and CO2 emissions; used cars registered in another EU country get an age-related reduction. People moving their residence to Portugal can apply for an exemption for one car.
In short: you lived abroad for at least six months, owned the car for at least six months before moving, apply within 12 months of arriving and do not sell or lend the car for 12 months afterwards.
A new resident must file the vehicle customs declaration (DAV) within 20 working days of the car entering Portugal. Non-residents may drive a car registered in another EU country for up to 183 days in any 12 months.
Yes, but it is now a non-EU import: customs duty and 23% VAT apply as well as ISV, unless you qualify for relief as someone transferring residence. A customs agent is required for the declaration.
Setúbal, south of Lisbon, is the main roll-on/roll-off port for cars. Leixões near Porto is the northern alternative. Containers also arrive at Lisbon, Leixões and Sines.
