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Drivers License Exchange

DRIVERS LICENSE EXCHANGE

Swap a non-Portuguese driving license for a Portuguese driving license

Driving licenses from various countries including Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as well as other OECD and CPLP members, permit you to drive in Portugal without the obligation to exchange them for a Portuguese driver's license.

If your driving license originates from a European Union country, you are entitled to drive in Portugal until the document's expiration date.

For those with a driver's license from a country holding a bilateral agreement with Portugal, there is a grace period of up to 2 years to exchange it for a Portuguese license. However, if the license is issued by a country not party to international conventions, immediate exchange is mandatory

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WHO CAN EXCHANGE A FOREIGN DRIVING LICENSE FOR A PORTUGUESE DRIVING LICENSE?

Any person holding a driving license issued by a foreign country can exchange it for a Portuguese driving license.

Cases in which you do not have to exchange your foreign license for a Portuguese one

LICENSES FROM OECD AND CPLP COUNTRIES

You can drive in Portugal if your driver's license was issued by member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).

The countries that are covered by this regime are:

  • Angola, Australia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, Chile, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Mozambique, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Sao Tome and Principe, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Even if you have a residence permit in Portugal, you do not need to exchange your license for a Portuguese license if:

  • you are under 60 years old

  • you have the mandatory minimum age in Portugal to drive the vehicle(s) of the category(ies) on your foreign license ( check the age table for each category ).

  • the foreign driver's license is valid

  • no more than 15 years have passed since the issuance of the foreign license or since the last renewal

  • the country that issued the license is part of the traffic conventions (Geneva, 1949 and/or Vienna, 1968) or has a bilateral agreement with Portugal

  • the foreign driver's license is not seized, suspended, expired or revoked in Portugal or in the country of origin.

If you do not meet these conditions, you will have to exchange your driver's license for a Portuguese one.

Cases in which you have to exchange the foreign license for a Portuguese one

DRIVING LICENSES FROM COUNTRIES WITH A BILATERAL AGREEMENT WITH PORTUGAL

If you have a driving license issued in a country with a bilateral agreement with Portugal, you can drive in Portugal with your foreign driving license for 185 days (about 6 months), provided you are not a resident.

If you live in Portugal, you must exchange your foreign driving license for a Portuguese license within 2 years after taking up residence in Portugal.

NB : For those who have dual nationality, it is mandatory to have residence in Portugal to request the exchange of the license.

See the list of countries with bilateral or reciprocal agreements with Portugal for recognizing and exchanging driving licenses.

See also the list of countries which are parties to international road traffic conventions .

For more information about driving licenses issued by countries with a bilateral agreement with Portugal , please check the IMTonline portal .

DRIVING LICENSES FROM COUNTRIES NOT PARTY TO INTERNATIONAL ROAD TRAFFIC CONVENTIONS

Driving licenses issued by foreign countries which are not party to international road traffic conventions are not valid for driving in Portugal. If you want to drive in Portugal, you must request the exchange of your driving license for a Portuguese license immediately.

You must fill out the online form and wait for IMT's indication to go to an IMT desk. Once in the desk to register your driving test application, your biometric data will also be collected. The exam fee will be paid there. The date and time of the test will be communicated to you later.

NB : You will have to take one driving test for each category of license you hold.

For more information about driving licenses issued by countries that are not signatories to the international traffic conventions , see the IMTonline portal .

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