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- Vehicles, Live in Portugal
Driving in Portugal: Exchanging Your Foreign Licence
🧭 First: Tourist or Resident?
- Tourists and visitors can generally drive with a valid foreign licence from a country that’s part of the international road traffic conventions for up to 185 days after entering Portugal.
- Residents follow different rules, and the clock usually starts from the date of your residence permit. That’s what the rest of this guide is about.
🇪🇺 Licences From the EU and EEA
If your licence was issued in an EU or EEA country (or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein):
- You can keep driving in Portugal until it expires.
- Once you’re a resident, you should register your licence and address with the IMT within 60 days. It’s free.
- Exchanging it for a Portuguese licence is optional — useful if it’s close to expiry, has no expiry date or you simply want a Portuguese card.
🌎 Licences From OECD and CPLP Countries
This group includes, among others, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola and Mozambique.
As a resident, you can keep driving with your licence — without exchanging it — as long as:
- The licence is valid
- It was issued or last renewed less than 15 years ago
- You’re under 60
- You meet the minimum age for that licence category in Portugal
- The licence hasn’t been suspended or cancelled
This only applies to driving in Portugal and to the categories on your licence. When one of these conditions stops being met — for example, you turn 60, or your licence expires — you’ll need to exchange it.
Brazilian licences (CNH): thanks to the agreement between Portugal and Brazil, residents can usually keep driving with a valid CNH under the conditions above, and the exchange can generally be done without exams. Exchanging is still a good idea if you want to drive in other EU countries, where the CNH isn’t automatically recognised.
📋 Licences From Other Countries
- Countries that signed the international road traffic conventions or have a bilateral agreement with Portugal (for example, Morocco or the United Arab Emirates):
- Up to 90 days after your residence starts: you can drive and must request the exchange.
- From 90 days to 2 years: you can still request the exchange, but you can’t drive with your foreign licence in the meantime.
- After 2 years: you can only exchange it after passing a practical driving exam.
- Countries without any agreement: the licence isn’t valid in Portugal, and you’ll need to take the Portuguese theory and practical exams, as if getting your licence for the first time.
‼️ Don’t wait: the deadlines are strict, and missing them can mean retaking your test.
💻 How to Request the Exchange
Since January 2026, exchange requests are made online, through the IMT services portal (IMTonline).
- Get an electronic medical certificate. Book a medical check-up with a doctor in Portugal (your family doctor or a private clinic). The doctor sends the certificate directly to the IMT online.
- Gather your documents (see below).
- Submit the request on IMTonline, upload the documents and pay the fee.
- Hand in or send your original foreign licence when requested. It’s usually returned to the authority that issued it.
- Receive your provisional document — it lets you keep driving while your Portuguese licence is being issued.
Processing usually takes around two months, and sometimes longer.
📄 Documents You'll Usually Need
- Your valid foreign driving licence (original)
- Your ID or passport and residence permit (or EU registration certificate)
- Your NIF
- The electronic medical certificate
- A psychological assessment, only for heavy vehicle categories (trucks and buses)
- A certified translation, if your licence isn’t in Portuguese, English, French or Spanish
- In some cases, a declaration of authenticity from the authority that issued your licence
💡 Tips for a Smooth Process
- Note the date your residence started and set reminders well before any deadline.
- Book your medical certificate early — it’s often the step that takes longest.
- Keep copies of everything you submit and the proof of your request.
- Always carry your provisional document in the car while you wait for your new licence.
🚀 Final Considerations
The rules for foreign licences in Portugal depend a lot on where yours was issued. EU drivers can relax, OECD and CPLP drivers have more flexibility than before, and everyone else should act quickly. When in doubt, check your situation with the IMT as soon as you become a resident.
📢 Expert Advice: Even if you don’t have to exchange your licence right away, think about doing it before it expires or before you turn 60 — it can save you from losing the right to drive while the request is processed.
Getting settled in Portugal? Step Inside Portugal is here to help with the paperwork of your new life, so you can hit the road with peace of mind.
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This article is for general information and reflects the rules as of October 2026. Rules vary by country and licence category, so confirm your situation with the IMT.
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