How to buy, deliver and legalise a car from Germany in Portugal?

After immigration to Portugal many people want to buy a car. Someone wants to travel around the country and to the nearest Europe, for someone else it is inconvenient to use public transport together with children or it is difficult to take a surf board to a location which is far from home. After research of the Portuguese car market, it becomes clear that the prices of cars are the highest in Europe (due to the import tax - Imposto Sobre Veículos, we will talk about it later). At the same time the variety and quality of cars is not high, because spare parts are expensive, and there are almost no high-quality car services, finally the Portugueses are not the most neat drivers. And how can you avoid these restrictions and buy a good car? Of course by bringing a car from Germany, the country with the largest market in Europe, where the supply is ten times higher than in Portugal, and prices are 20-30% lower. In addition the quality of cars is significantly higher, in Germany each car is treated as a friend and serviced frequently.
Let's start with a short description for people who do not have the time to read the article in full (but it is quite useful).

Next we want to describe the process of choosing, buying and registering a car, and tell you about the main risks and important things that you need to pay attention to. So, let's figure it out in order.

1. Do I need to buy a car from Germany and take it to Portugal?
We recommend to buy a car in Germany in 2 cases. First of all, if your budget which will include all expenses is above €25,000 (at least from 20,000). With a budget below the costs of registration, delivery and taxes will outweigh the benefits of buying in on a more affordable German market. But there is a second case when buying a car in Germany will make sense, if you have a non-standard request. For example you need a Mercedes convertible with automatic transmission or a rare BMW model with a large engine capacity. In this case it will be difficult to find such a car in Portugal and it is easier to deliver it from Germany. We also want to note once again that the quality of used cars in Germany is significantly higher, due to more regular maintenance and availability of spare parts. And even with a smaller budget or a simpler request you can get a better product in the same budget.

2. How to choose a car in Germany?
We assume that you already know what kind of car you need and advice on the selection is not required. The first thing you need to do is find a car in Germany, for example by using the largest site Mobile.de. If you search independently, we advise you to choose a car from large car dealers and ignore the ads of individuals. In that case the risks will decrease, companies value their reputation and check the car before selling, also the paperwork process will be much easier. When choosing a dealer, focus on the reviews on the Mobile.de website and additionally search the name and reviews of the company in Google. To further reduce the risks, you can find a representative in Germany, but be careful, because they often cooperate with certain motorhomes and may have their own “interest”.

The cost of the tax for a 1-3 year old car with a decent engine volume may surprise and even upset. For example, the tax on 2020 Mercedes-Benz C220 with a 1950 cm3 diesel engine will be about 6,200 euros. And it is not the limit at all. The larger the engine capacity and CO2 emissions, as well as the newer the car, the larger amount of tax. Have a look at hybrid cars in similar configurations, they have tax discounts and as a result a hybrid car can be cheaper even at a higher initial price in Germany.

So, you have decided on the model and configuration, you have specified the necessary parameters in the search, looked through a lot of options, compiled a selection of the most attractive cars and found a broker. Do not shorten the top list before starting negotiations with the owners, some of the cars may already be sold or booked and some of the dealers will not answer your messages. We recommend to start a dialogue on at least 5 ads (preferably more), then the chances of success will be higher. Highlight that the car will be taken out of Germany, the set of documents that the dealer will prepare will depend on it. Do not hesitate to ask for additional photos and videos and to make a video call, request scans of documents and inspection certificates (CoC, TÜV, Dekra, GTU, KUS). In the inspection sheet you can find the VIN number of the car, order a car check using it on an independent resource, for example here. This will help to be sure that the mileage was not twisted and the car did not participate in accidents. The availability of a car service book (Scheckheft) will be an additional plus, because all the technical work carried out is entered into it.

And finally, do not forget to ask the dealer for the necessary documents for the car, without which it will be impossible to legalise the car in Portugal:

• The technical passport (Fahrzeugbrief) - consists of 2 parts: large and small.).
• The Certificate of Conformity (CoC) - it is a standardised document in the EU with a shelf life of 24 months, it has already been mentioned earlier.

Some examples of documents are presented below: the technical passport, two pages of the certificate of conformity and the first page of the report of an independent technical expert.

Your broker can also help with the final verification of documents. Be sure to discuss with him whether he has seen all the necessary documents or whether you need to request something else from the dealer.

And don't forget to ask for a discount from the dealer! Usually they are not willing to do it, but it is not hard to try. Do not expect a huge sale from the owner, but 500-1000 euros can be the case, especially if you promise to transfer the payment promptly and quickly pick up the car.

Ask if the motorhome can help to organise a car transport to your place. You can find a transport company by yourself, but without a representative in Germany or our support it will be difficult to do. It is better to try to negotiate this service with the current owner. Most of the motorhomes will refuse to assist in the delivery, in which case you will have to look for a transport company yourself. Some brokers also can support with delivery, do not hesitate to ask. And of course you can go or fly to Germany and pick up the car yourself, but this option does not significantly save money and takes a lot of time (do not forget about tickets, the cost of a hotel in Germany and on the way back, road fees, and fuel costs).

3. How to pay for a car and deliver it to Portugal?

The owner will issue an offer invoice, when paying by this method there is no need to sign a purchase agreement. This is an important stage, together with the broker check the account numbers and the text of the offer, this document will be required by the transport company to deliver the car to you and for further legalisation in Portugal. The transport company will also issue an invoice for payment, make sure that the car is insured and the company takes responsibility for its safety.

Finally, the broker has checked all the documents and is ready to help with the legalisation of the car in Portugal, the transport company has taken the car from the dealer and it is on the way to Portugal. This stage is completed and you just need to wait for the delivery of the car.

4. How to register a car in Portugal?

After the car arrived in Portugal, you need to pass a technical inspection (inspeção para atribuição de nova matrícula). To pass the inspection, provide a technical passport, a certificate of conformity and a completed form No. 9 from IMP. The car will be checked completely including measurements of the level of CO2 emissions. This indicator may differ slightly from the one stated in the documents from the dealer, which will adjust the estimated amount of tax.
The next step will be to file a customs declaration. You can do this remotely via the website or in person at the representative offices of the customs service. On the website you need to specify in detail information about the car and the date of entry into the territory of Portugal.

After filling out the customs declaration the amount of ISV tax will be calculated, which must be paid within 10 working days. After that the car will be assigned a licence plate. At this stage you can print an updated customs declaration (DAV) and fully use the car, although no more than 60 days after assigning the number without receiving the next part of documents.

Next, you order and install car licence plates (Placas de matrícula), this can be done in household homes or car shops (here, here or here). And after you need to get insurance, you can do it here or with any agent. And of course, ask the broker to assist, he will tell you where it is easier to make plates and cheaper to get insurance.

Next, you need to provide the originals of all documents to the IMP (traffic police). You can request an appoitment online through the website of with a service Siga, choose any convenient branch and time. The registration fee amounts to 45 euros, and upon approval by IMP, you can expect an email notification within a few days or weeks. Subsequently, the technical passport will be dispatched to you by mail. The following step involves initiating the car ownership registration process, which can be completed at the Conservatória do Registro Automóvel. These offices are commonly situated in Loja de Cidadão, but online registration is also an option. The associated fee for this procedure is 65 euros. Once the ownership rights are granted, it is essential to settle the annual IUC tax within 90 days. The specific amount depends on the car's technical specifications, and you can estimate it in advance using an online calculator.

At this stage, the legalization of the car is considered completed. The annual IUC tax is paid every year until the car is sold or taken out of Portugal.

We hope that the article was helpful and informative for you! If you have any questions or need help with finding, delivering and legalising a car in Portugal, contact us! Car Port has several years of experience in buying cars in Germany and more than 100 happy customers. We know all the risks of the process. We will be happy to advise, choose the best car in the budget and solve all the issues of delivery and registration of the car.