M02E - Car Documents

Documents to keep in the car (always)

1. DUA (Documento Único Automóvel)

      Also known as the Vehicle Registration Certificate.

      Confirms ownership and technical details of the vehicle.

2. Insurance Certificate

   Proof of valid car insurance (minimum: third-party liability).

   Usually comes as a green card or PDF printout from the insurer.

3. IPO Certificate

   Vehicle inspection certificate 

4. Driving Licence

   Must be valid and appropriate for the vehicle category you're driving.

5. Residence card or passport

    

Penalties for Missing Documents

If you're stopped by police and lack any of these required documents (especially DUA and insurance), you may face:

• Fines

• Vehicle impoundment

• Points on your driving record 

You may be allowed to present it later within a few days to avoid a higher penalty.

Below, you will find more detailed information about the documents mentioned earlier.

Cars that were registered or changed ownership before November 2005 will have two documents, Título de Registo de Propriedade (blue) and Livrete (green). After November 2005 a new document “Certificado de Matrícula - Documento Único Automóvel - DUA” was introduced to substitute these too which will be done gradually as the cars are re-registered. The Police may ask for these to be shown at any time. They are also required for the roadworthiness tests, and if you sell the car.

The Motoring Institute of Road Transport (IMT) maintains records of all motor vehicles and issues the vehicle registration number (matrícula do veículo). Your local Civil Registry (Conservatória do Registo Automóvel) maintains registers of ownership. It is the Registry that issues the ownership registration document (Certificado de Matrícula - Documento Único Automóvel - DUA).

MOT car inspection document (IPO - Certificado de inspeção periódica obrigatória), car insurance document and annual car tax (IUC) proof of payment are the complementary documents related to the car that you must carry in the car.

New car registration 
The easiest way of acquiring a car with valid registration documents is to purchase a new vehicle from an authorised agent who will register the vehicle for you. When you receive the car, they will provide temporary documents which are valid until you receive the originals by post. This way of buying a car brings the added advantages of having the manufacturer’s agents close by to provide service and guarantee repairs, gives ready access to spare parts (cars from other countries often have slightly different spare parts), and as the model will be recognised it will have a higher second-hand value. 

Imported cars 
Registering an imported car is more complicated. Import agents or the Automobile Club (ACP - Automóvel Clube de Portugal) can assist with the process of obtaining the first Portuguese registration document. This is described in more detail in Bulletin M/04/E - Car Importation.

Transferring ownership 
To transfer the ownership of a vehicle requires substitution of the ownership registration document. Bulletin M/05/E Buying and Selling Cars gives further details. 

However, your name will remain on the central register of owners until the substitution is complete. You may remain liable for accidents and infringements of the Highway Code unless you can show that transfer of ownership was initiated beforehand. 

Replacing lost documents 
Loss or damage of the ownership registration document can make life very difficult as you will be unable to drive your car legally. Fortunately, replacement is fairly simple, especially if you have kept photocopies in a safe place. 

To obtain a substitute of the ownership registration document you have to go to the local Vehicle Registry office (Conservatória do Registo Automóvel) or in Loja Cidadão. The cost to request a 2nd via of the DUA is 30€. They will need to see your identification and NIF number (tax number) with copies. They will provide a receipt which acts as a substitute, and after a few weeks the new document will arrive by post. 

If you have the document(s) and you only need to replace them because they are damaged, you can do so at your local Conservatória do Registo Automóvel, by bringing the old document with you and filling in a request provided by the Conservatória.