No, a vehicle registered in UK cannot be insured in Portugal. We recommend you quickly switch registration as your English insurance is valid for travel abroad only up to 60 days (90 days with certain companies). In any case, INOV EXPAT can help you find temporary insurance (up to 3 months) for a vehicle with English plates in Portugal as long as the owner can provide proof of initiating the registration switch process with documents from the Portuguese administration (IMMT).

It’s a rather long process as various administrative authorities intervene (vehicle inspection, IMTT, customs...): private service providers can manage all these procedures for you at a cost of around €500 After gathering all the documents proving legal purchase of the vehicle in UK (invoice, declaration of purchase, EU conformity certificate issued by the manufacturer or dealership, grey card...), you must complete and submit the IMTT (Portuguese Institute for Mobility and Ground Transport) Form 9 at an office or online. Then, your vehicle must pass a technical inspection at an official inspection centre (CITV) to receive form 112 (which indicates the carbon dioxide emissions rate that will determine the tax rate). Within 20 days after moving to Portugal, you must declare your car with the Portuguese customs authorities (Alfândega) to receive a DAV (Declaração Aduaneira do Veiculo) declaration certificate which is necessary for the registration application. That is when you can pay the tax on vehicles (ISV) through customs. It must be paid every year. With the DAV, the original documents authenticated by the Portuguese customs authorities and forms 9 and 112, you can then apply for registration through the IMTT and then register your vehicle with the Conservatoria do Registo Automovel.

If you’re involved in an accident in Portugal, the procedures are basically the same as in UK. The most important thing is to put on the yellow reflective jacket if you get out of the vehicle, set up the warning triangle and, of course, have your insurance up to date. First of all, you must call the police using one of the emergency call boxes or by calling 112 (European emergency number) which is accessible by all GSM irrespective of the operator. In fact, in Portugal, no vehicle involved in an accident may be moved before the police arrive on the scene. Then, depending on the time of day, you may either contact us or the insurance company directly. Everything will be done to send you a loaner vehicle or taxi as quickly as possible... Don’t forget to complete the “Declaração Amigável de Acidente Automóvel” (DAAA) which is the amicable record of an accident which must be completed and detailed with the identities of the drivers involved in the accident, insurance details and any witnesses. You must send us this declaration as quickly as possible to begin the handling and indemnity process.

To file a claim following an accident, call us during business hours or the number for your insurance company as found on your policy. You may call that number 24 hours a day.