Often Dutch people want to after a emigration to Portugal also import their own car. This is often done because people do not want to just buy a new car. After importing the car, you can simply convert your Dutch license plate to a foreign license plate. In this case, a Portuguese license plate.
With the necessary documents this is done in no time and it is permitted for you as a citizen of a country from the European Union, in this case the Netherlands, to import one car per adult tax-free. So actually you do not have to worry about a new car and you can enjoy your old and trusted car in Portugal for a while. You do have to drive with a Dutch license plate for a while, but this is certainly not a problem.
What do you need to arrange in the Netherlands?
The first thing you need to do is go to an inspection station. This can be a station of the RDW, but it can also be the station of a recognized export company near you. This is an export company with an RDW recognition. Once on location you can register yourself at the counter.
What do you need?
Are you the registered owner of the vehicle? Then your proof of identity in combination with your registration card is sufficient. Are you not registered as the owner of the vehicle? Then you are obliged to also hand over your registration card with the registration code or the registration certificate part 1B. Do not forget to bring the transfer certificate with you. Have license plates been issued previously? Then you must also bring these. Do you not have these plates? Then you only have to deregister the car at the counter.
Is the car registered in the name of a company? Then a signed extract from the Chamber of Commerce must be included. This may not be older than 1 year. Are you not the authorized signatory? Then you must also bring an authorization from the authorized signatory. After this, you must pay the costs for this process. This is €10.30.
What papers do you receive?
The RDW or the export company will immediately deregister your vehicle in the vehicle registration register. This means that the car will no longer be registered in the Dutch vehicle registration register from that moment on.
You will receive a certificate of indemnity from the employee at the counter. This is the proof to show that the registration of the car has actually been stopped. You will get your registration card back with a cut-off corner and if you had handed in a registration certificate, you will also get that back. You will also get the paper registration certificate part II back for export. This is the proof of export. You need this proof together with your registration card or your registration certificate to register your car in Portugal.
Portugal import process
Have you arranged everything properly in the Netherlands and will you not encounter any problems in Portugal? After all, having everything arranged properly is your own responsibility. If you are already on Portuguese territory and certain things are not arranged properly or you are missing a document, you are responsible for this yourself. So adhere to the rules in advance so that you do not encounter any surprises in Portugal.
If you want to be exempt from import duties on your vehicle, you must have owned it for at least 6 months. Previously, this was 1 year. Furthermore, you may resell the imported car without penalty after 1 year. Previously, this was 5 years.
Necessary forms
Furthermore, there are of course all kinds of forms needed for the exemption of your vehicle. If you think you need help with entering your vehicle, you can always visit the website of ACP.pt consult. They offer you an import service that you can use and you can also look up how much road tax you will have to pay in Portugal. If you choose their import service, you hardly have to do anything yourself, so it is definitely worth taking a look around their website.
Import your car yourself
We Dutch people have always been real do-it-yourself people. It is a whole new adventure when you arrange the registration in Portugal yourself for the export of your car. You immediately get to know the Portuguese culture and you can actually see it as a first step in your integration process. It is often the case that in the more southern countries everything goes a bit slower.
So also in Portugal. That is why we want to warn you that if you choose to arrange the import yourself, it requires a lot of patience, perseverance and a very good knowledge of the Portuguese language.
the implementation process
After you have arranged everything properly in the Netherlands at the RDW, you must start the procedure at the Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes (IMT), or the Portuguese RDW. You choose an office for this and that is often the closest office. Do not forget your COC at your appointment, this is the official factory document of your vehicle. This is a document with the technical specifications of the car. Do you not have this? Then you can request it from your car dealer.
You must also provide the registration certificate and form model 9 don't forget. You can find it here: Fill in the required fields on the document before your appointment.
The first step is of course to get the car into Portugal properly. Then you can arrange with customs that the car can be imported into Portugal duty-free so that you do not have to pay import tax on it.
The IMT
You would think that importing a car into Europe, where we have free movement of goods, would be a little easier, but unfortunately this is not the case.
At the IMT, after registering for your appointment, you will receive a document explaining the procedure. You can also find this document on the IMT website. When you register, they will check everything thoroughly and then send you directly to the nearest inspection station.
During the inspection process your patience will be tested and you will notice that you really have to learn to live with the quiet and slow way of working of the Portuguese. Getting angry is of no use and calling the director is also of no use, because this gentleman ultimately decides whether your car is allowed on Portuguese territory. Count to 10 then!
Import tax
After the technical approval at the IMT you have to go to customs to arrange that you do not have to pay the import tax. You can search for the nearest office via Google. It is wise to call the office first, because sometimes there are actions that are necessary for a certain type of vehicle that some offices are not allowed to perform. This would mean that you may have to drive to an office that is a bit further away. Also ask immediately what you have to take with you so that you do not have to go back later. Or you can just take everything with you at once. There is also an email that you will be sent. This is a list that you have to check carefully before you take it with you.
Portuguese registration certificate
If all this is approved and arranged, you will receive your new registration certificate in your mailbox after a few days! After this you have to go to the tax office to arrange the road tax and you also have to pay this immediately.
