Few things feel more like settling in than driving yourself to the beach on a Sunday. But the question of whether your foreign license still counts in Portugal has a surprisingly different answer depending on where it was issued, and the deadlines that matter start from a date most people don't expect: the day your residence permit is issued.
This guide covers how long your foreign driver's license is valid in Portugal, which licenses need to be exchanged, how the exchange works on the IMT portal, and how long it realistically takes.
Quick answer
If your license was issued in the EU/EEA, you can drive on it in Portugal until it expires, but you need to register your residence with IMT within 60 days. If it was issued in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil or another OECD/CPLP country covered by Decree-Law 46/2022, you can generally keep driving on it even as a resident while you meet certain conditions, and exchanging it requires no driving test. Most other countries that signed the international road traffic conventions get 90 days after your residence permit is issued, and the exchange request must be submitted within 2 years to avoid a practical test.
Foreign driver's license in Portugal at a glance
| Where your license was issued | Can you drive on it as a resident? | Exchange needed? | Driving test to exchange? |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU / EEA (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) | Yes, until it expires | Optional; register residence with IMT within 60 days | No |
| OECD and CPLP countries covered by Decree-Law 46/2022 (incl. US, UK, Canada, Australia, Brazil) | Yes, while you meet the conditions (e.g. under 60, license issued or renewed within the last 15 years) | Optional while conditions are met | No |
| Other countries with a bilateral agreement or that signed the 1949/1968 conventions | Only for 90 days after your residence permit is issued | Yes, submit within 2 years | No, if submitted within 2 years; practical test after that |
| Countries not party to the conventions | No | Yes | Yes: theory and practical test |
Who handles this: IMT
Driving licenses in Portugal are managed by the IMT (Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes), the national mobility and transport authority. Exchange requests are submitted online through IMT's A Minha Carta de Condução portal ("My Driving License"). The legal framework is the Road Code (Decree-Law 114/94) and the driving license regulation (Decree-Law 138/2012), plus Decree-Law 46/2022 for OECD and CPLP licenses.
Two terms you'll see everywhere: troca de carta means exchanging your license for a Portuguese one, and autorização de residência is your residence permit, the card you receive from AIMA after your visa. If you're still at the visa stage, our complete D7/D8 visa process guide explains how you get from one to the other.
Can I drive in Portugal with an EU driver's license?
Yes. According to IMT's page for EU/EEA licenses, you can drive in Portugal on an EU or EEA license until the expiry date printed on it.
What you do need to do is register your residence with IMT (registo de residência). IMT states this service is free and should be done within 60 days of taking up residence in Portugal. It's currently done in person at an IMT service desk, with your ID, your municipal residence registration (if you don't have a Portuguese Citizen Card) and your valid license.
If your EU license has no expiry date, IMT asks you to register your residence as well. The government portal gov.pt also indicates that lifetime licenses, or licenses without an expiry date, should be exchanged within 2 years of taking up residence, so it's worth confirming which applies to your specific license.
Exchanging an EU license is optional, but many people do it once their license gets close to expiring, since renewals then happen in Portugal.
Can Americans drive in Portugal with a US license?
Yes, and this is the good news most Americans don't hear. The US is one of the OECD countries covered by Decree-Law 46/2022, in force since August 1, 2022. Under this regime, IMT says licenses from these countries are accepted for driving in Portugal even after you become a resident, as long as all of these conditions are met:
- the license is valid, and not seized, suspended or revoked in Portugal or in the issuing country;
- no more than 15 years have passed since it was issued or last renewed;
- you are under 60;
- you meet Portugal's minimum age for the vehicle categories on your license.
The countries covered are:
- OECD, non-EU, signatories of the 1949 or 1968 conventions: Australia, Canada, Chile, South Korea, United States, Iceland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Switzerland and Turkey.
- CPLP (Portuguese-speaking countries): Brazil and Cape Verde (convention signatories), plus Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe (bilateral agreements).
Two limitations are worth knowing. This permission only applies inside Portugal, since your license isn't actually being exchanged. And you can't add categories or endorsements (for example to drive for a ride-hailing platform) without exchanging it first.
If you do decide to exchange, or once you no longer meet the conditions (turning 60, for example), IMT states that holders of these licenses are exempt from driving tests. You only need the medical assessment and the usual documents.
When is it still worth exchanging a US or UK license?
Keeping your original license is a perfectly reasonable choice while you meet the conditions. Exchanging tends to make sense if:
- your license will reach the 15-year mark or you'll turn 60 in the next few years;
- your home license is hard to renew from abroad (many US states require renewals in person);
- you want to add categories or drive professionally;
- you'd like a license that's also recognized across the EU as a local one.
How long can I drive with a foreign license after getting residency?
This is the rule for licenses from countries with a bilateral agreement or reciprocity with Portugal, or that signed the 1949 Geneva or 1968 Vienna road traffic conventions, and that aren't covered by the EU or OECD/CPLP regimes above. IMT publishes the list of convention countries and the list of bilateral agreements.
Before you're a resident, you can drive for up to 185 days from the day after you enter the country.
Once you're a resident, IMT sets these deadlines, counted from the date your residence permit is issued:
| Time since residence permit was issued | Can you drive on your foreign license? | Can you exchange it? |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 90 days | Yes | Yes, and you should submit the request in this window |
| 90 days to 2 years | No | Yes, without a driving test |
| After 2 years | No | Only after passing a practical driving test |
In practice, the smoothest path is to submit your exchange request as soon as your residence permit arrives. If your request is accepted, IMT can issue a guia de substituição, a temporary document that lets you keep driving in Portugal while the exchange is processed, in the cases where it applies.
What if my license is from a country that isn't party to the conventions?
According to IMT, licenses from countries that haven't signed the conventions aren't valid for driving in Portugal. You can still request an exchange, but you'll need to pass a multimedia theory test and a practical driving test for each category you hold. IMT charges an additional €30 per test, under Portaria 1165/2010.
How to exchange a foreign driver's license in Portugal
The process is the same for every license type. Only the documents and tests change.
- Get your medical certificate. A doctor issues the atestado médico and uploads it to the electronic medical certificate platform. You don't need to send a copy: IMT receives it automatically.
- Submit the request online. Log in to A Minha Carta de Condução, fill in the exchange form and attach your documents.
- Pay the fee. The fee is €30, with a 10% discount when the request is made online.
- Wait for IMT to contact you. You'll get an email asking you to go to an IMT service desk.
- Hand in your license and give your biometrics. At the desk you hand over your original foreign license and they take your photo and signature.
- Receive your Portuguese license. It's mailed to your address, or to an alternative address you choose, or you can collect it at an IMT desk.
If you live in Madeira, the process runs through the regional IMT instead. IMT Madeira states that since January 21, 2026, all exchange requests there are online only.
Documents you'll need
IMT lists these for exchange requests. Not all of them apply to everyone:
- an ID document;
- your municipal residence registration (comunicação de residência), if you don't have a Portuguese Citizen Card;
- a tax address certificate from Portal das Finanças, if your residence document doesn't show your address. This is one more reason to sort out your NIF early and keep your address up to date;
- your passport, if your residence document doesn't include a photo and signature;
- your valid foreign driver's license;
- a psychological assessment certificate, only for heavy vehicle categories (C, D, E);
- for licenses from outside the EU: a certificate of authenticity of your license, issued by the authority that issued it or by its consulate, listing which categories were obtained by exam and which by equivalence.
That last one is the document that most often takes time, because it comes from your home country. It's worth requesting it before you move.
How long does the license exchange take in Portugal?
IMT doesn't publish an official processing time. In IMT's own replies to public complaints, it acknowledges that the high number of exchange requests has led to longer waiting times than desirable. Applicants commonly report waits ranging from a few weeks to several months. These reports are examples of what people have experienced, not a guide to what you should expect, and individual cases vary a lot.
Three practical implications:
- Don't leave it to the end of the 90-day window if you depend on the 90-day rule.
- Watch your license's expiry date. The exchange requires a valid license, so if it's close to expiring, submit well ahead.
- Traveling abroad mid-process? The guia de substituição only covers driving in Portugal. IMT has indicated in complaint replies that you can ask to have your foreign license returned for driving abroad, with the process left pending until you hand it back.
How much does it cost to exchange a driver's license in Portugal?
These are the fees published by IMT at the time of writing. Other costs vary by country and by provider:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Exchange fee (IMT) | €30, with a 10% discount online |
| Theory or practical test (non-convention countries only) | €30 per test |
| Residence registration with IMT (EU/EEA licenses) | Free |
| Medical certificate | Varies by doctor or clinic |
| Certificate of authenticity (non-EU licenses) | Varies by issuing country or consulate |
These are illustrative figures based on IMT's published fees observed in 2026, not quotes. Actual total costs vary with your country of issue, the categories on your license and where you get your medical certificate. Fees can change, so always confirm current costs with IMT before applying.
FAQ
Do I need an International Driving Permit in Portugal?
It depends on your license and your situation. An International Driving Permit is a translation that accompanies your license; it doesn't replace it and doesn't change the residency deadlines above. IMT has a dedicated page on the international driving license, and car rental companies often have their own requirements, so it's worth checking both.
Can I drive in Portugal on a UK license after Brexit?
Yes. The UK is one of the OECD countries covered by Decree-Law 46/2022, so the same rules as US licenses apply: you can keep driving on it as a resident while you meet the conditions, and exchanging it requires no driving test.
Can I drive in Portugal with a Brazilian license?
Yes. Brazil is a CPLP country covered by Decree-Law 46/2022, so the same conditions apply, and an exchange doesn't require driving tests.
What happens if I miss the 2-year deadline?
For licenses under the 90-day/2-year rule, IMT states that after 2 years you can no longer drive on the foreign license, and exchanging it requires passing a practical driving test.
Can I exchange an expired foreign license?
The exchange requires a valid license, so an expired license can't follow the standard exchange process. If yours has expired or is about to, contact IMT or renew it in the issuing country before applying.
What if my foreign license was lost or stolen in Portugal?
According to gov.pt, you can still exchange it. You'll need to ask the issuing authority in your home country for a certificate confirming the license (certidão de título extraviado) and submit it in place of the original.
Driving license rules, fees and procedures reflect IMT's official published information at the time of writing and can change. Deadlines here carry real consequences: driving without a valid license can lead to fines and other penalties under the Road Code. Before relying on any deadline in this article, confirm it for your specific license directly with IMT or a qualified professional, especially if your residence permit was issued under a special regime or if your situation falls between two of the categories above.
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