How to Exchange a UK Driving Licence in Portugal

This guide explains the Portugal driving licence exchange for UK licence holders in 2026: who needs it, the documents, the fee and the IMT steps.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

The legal basis for UK licences has not changed since 2022, but almost everything about the procedure was updated in 2026: GOV.UK rewrote its driving advice, the IMT revised its pages and published a new version of its user manual for the online exchange platform. The table lists only changes confirmed on official pages.

Change	Date	What it means for you
GOV.UK “Living in Portugal” updated with new driving and residence card information	10 July 2026	Registered residents can drive on a UK or Gibraltar licence until it expires; to exchange you need a DVLA or DVA check code, and the IMT issues a temporary document (guia).
IMT user manual for the exchange platform, version 6	22 October 2026	Sets out the online steps, the 2 MB limit per PDF, the Multibanco payment reference, the 30-day deadline to answer IMT requests and the 180-day deadline to attend the counter.
IMT pages for OECD, CPLP and EU licences updated	23 October 2026	Confirms the United Kingdom on the OECD list, the 15-year and age-60 conditions, the document list and the 30 euro fee with 10 per cent off online.
Login for holders of AIMA residence documents	Stated in manual version 6	If your residence document was issued by AIMA, you log in to the platform for now with your Portal das Finanças (tax authority) credentials.
FCDO travel advice for Portugal updated	11 August 2026	Confirms you can drive in Portugal on a UK photocard licence and must carry identification when driving.

Do you need to exchange your UK licence at all?

Most UK residents of Portugal do not have to exchange straight away, but you will need to if you are 60 or over, if your licence is more than 15 years old, if you want to add a category or an endorsement, or if you hold a Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence. GOV.UK and the IMT agree that you can drive on a UK licence as a resident; they describe the limit differently.

Your situation	Exchange needed?
Visitor, not resident	No. You can drive on a UK photocard licence.
Resident, under 60, UK photocard issued or renewed within 15 years	Not required by the IMT; GOV.UK says you can drive until the licence expires.
Resident, aged 60 or over	Yes, under the IMT conditions for OECD licences.
Resident, licence issued or last renewed more than 15 years ago	Yes, under the IMT conditions.
You want a new category, a Group II endorsement (ride-hailing or school transport) or a professional driver qualification	Yes; none of these can be added to a foreign licence.
Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence	GOV.UK says you should exchange.
You want to drive in other countries as a Portuguese resident	The IMT says the permission to drive on an OECD licence applies only in Portugal; exchanging gives you an EU licence.

The wider rules on using a foreign licence, speed limits and tolls are in our guide to driving in Portugal as a foreigner.

Who can exchange without a test

If you are resident in Portugal and hold a valid full UK licence, you can exchange it for a Portuguese licence without a theory or practical test. The United Kingdom appears on the IMT’s list of OECD countries whose licences can be exchanged, and the IMT says driving tests are not required for the categories exchanged.

Condition	Requirement
Residence	You must be resident in Portugal; the IMT manual says applicants living abroad cannot use the platform
Licence	A valid UK licence, not seized, suspended, expired beyond the limits below or cancelled, in Portugal or the UK
Age	At least the Portuguese minimum age for each category on the licence
Tests	None for the exchanged categories
Medical	A medical certificate is required for every applicant
Lorry and bus categories (C, D, E)	A psychological assessment certificate as well

Proof of residence is the step that holds people up. If you do not have a Portuguese Citizen Card, the IMT asks for your residence registration with the municipal council (for EU citizens) or your residence authorisation, plus a tax domicile certificate from the Portal das Finanças if your residence document does not show your address. Our guide on how to get residency in Portugal explains those documents, and the guide to taxes for expats living in Portugal covers how your tax address is registered.

Documents you will need

You will upload five to seven documents as separate PDFs of no more than 2 MB each: identification or residence card, passport where needed, your UK licence front and back, the tax domicile certificate where needed, the DVLA check code as proof of authenticity, and a psychological certificate only for lorry or bus categories. The medical certificate reaches the IMT electronically, so you do not upload it.

Document	Who needs it	Notes
Identity document or residence authorisation, front and back	Everyone	A Portuguese residence card or Citizen Card
Passport	If your residence document shows no photograph and signature	Upload the photo page
Tax domicile certificate (certidão de domicílio fiscal)	If the address on your residence document differs or is missing, and you do not have a Citizen Card	Download it from the Portal das Finanças
UK driving licence, front and back	Everyone	Bring the original to the counter later
Certificate of authenticity	Everyone	For a UK licence, GOV.UK says you need a check code from the DVLA (England, Wales, Scotland) or the DVA (Northern Ireland)
Psychological assessment certificate	Holders of C, D or E categories, or anyone requesting the Group II endorsement	From an approved provider
Translation	Not needed for a UK licence	The IMT requires an authenticated translation only for licences not in Portuguese, French, English or Spanish

The DVLA check code. You generate it on GOV.UK’s “View or share your driving licence information” service with your driving licence number, your National Insurance number and the postcode on your licence. The code is valid for 21 days, so create it close to the day you submit. Northern Ireland licence holders use the equivalent DVA service on nidirect.

The medical certificate

Before you open the application, see a doctor for the driving medical assessment: the doctor issues the certificate on the Portuguese health service’s electronic platform (SPMS) and it is sent to the IMT automatically. You do not need to send a copy.

The assessment checks physical, mental and psychological fitness to drive. When you book, ask whether the doctor issues the electronic driving certificate, because not every appointment is set up for it. If you are not yet registered with a family doctor, our guide on how to register for healthcare in Portugal explains how to obtain a user number.

Medical step	Detail
When	Before you start the online application
Who issues it	A doctor, through the electronic medical certificate platform
How it reaches the IMT	Automatically; no upload or copy needed
Extra assessment	A psychological assessment for categories C, D and E, and for the Group II endorsement

Fees and costs

The IMT fee for exchanging a foreign licence is 30 euros, with a 10 per cent discount when you apply online, which works out at 27 euros. You pay with a Multibanco reference sent to you by email after you register the request.

Item	Cost
IMT exchange fee, online	30 euros less 10 per cent (27 euros)
IMT exchange fee, standard	30 euros
DVLA or DVA check code	Free online service
Medical certificate	Set by the doctor or clinic; ask when booking
Psychological assessment (C, D, E or Group II only)	Set by the provider
Translation of the licence	Not needed for a UK licence

The fee is not refunded if the IMT closes your request because you did not answer a request for documents within 30 days or did not attend the counter within 180 days, so keep an eye on your email and the platform’s notifications.

Step by step: the IMT online exchange

The whole exchange runs through the IMT’s “A Minha Carta de Condução” platform, followed by one visit to an IMT counter. The steps below follow version 6 of the IMT user manual, dated 22 October 2026.

1. Get your medical certificate. Book the driving medical first; the doctor sends the certificate electronically.
2. Generate your DVLA or DVA check code. It is valid for 21 days.
3. Log in to the platform. Use your Citizen Card, the Chave Móvel Digital (the Portuguese digital key) or your Portal das Finanças tax number and password. Holders of AIMA residence documents currently use the tax authority credentials, and must authorise the IMT to receive their name and tax number.
4. Register and verify your email. Confirm your details, then send and open the verification email from your profile. All notifications go to this address and to your personal area.
5. Open a request. In the “Pedidos” tab, choose “Troca de Título de Condução Estrangeiro”. The form can be completed in Portuguese or English.
6. Enter each category separately, with its issue and expiry dates as shown on your UK licence. Use the address on your identity document, or attach the tax domicile certificate.
7. Upload the documents, each once, as a PDF of up to 2 MB. The platform detects duplicates even under different file names.
8. Pay the Multibanco reference. It arrives by email after registration and becomes payable 24 hours after it is issued.
9. Wait for the technical review. Requests are reviewed in order of receipt. Answer any request for further documents through the platform.
10. Book and attend the counter. Once approved, you choose an IMT counter, bring your original UK licence and give your photograph and signature. Your Portuguese licence is then issued.

GOV.UK says the IMT issues a temporary document called a “guia” and that you give your biometric data at your nominated IMT office. If your guia expires before the new licence arrives, GOV.UK says you can email aminhacarta@imt-ip.pt to have it renewed.

Deadlines inside the process

Two IMT deadlines matter once you have applied: you have 30 days to answer any request for documents and 180 days to attend the counter after approval. Missing either closes the request without a refund, although you may apply again.

Stage	Deadline	What happens if you miss it
DVLA check code	Valid for 21 days	Generate a new code
Multibanco reference	Payable 24 hours after issue	Check the “Notificações” menu if the email does not arrive
IMT request for further information	Reply within 30 days	Request closed automatically; fee not refunded
Counter attendance after approval	Within 180 days	Process closed for abandonment; fee not refunded
Guia (temporary document)	As stated on the document	Email aminhacarta@imt-ip.pt to renew it

If you are juggling the licence exchange with a residence renewal, a house move and a new job, our checklist for moving to Portugal from the UK puts each task in order.

Lost, stolen and expired UK licences

GOV.UK says you can exchange a lost or stolen UK licence with a police report, and an expired one for up to 2 years after it expired. Outside those cases, plan for the IMT route that applies to a licence you no longer hold.

Situation	What GOV.UK says
Licence lost or stolen	You can exchange it with a police report
Licence expired	You can exchange it up to 2 years after expiry
Test normally needed?	No
Jersey, Guernsey or Isle of Man licence	You should exchange it

For a lost licence, report the loss to the PSP or GNR, keep the police report, and generate a DVLA check code as proof of your entitlement. Ask the IMT through its contact form or at aminhacarta@imt-ip.pt how to submit the file, because the manual’s detailed instructions for lost licences are written for EU licences.

Common mistakes to avoid

Most rejected or stalled exchanges come down to an address mismatch, an expired check code or a missed notification, not to the licence itself.

Mistake	How to avoid it
Starting before the medical certificate is issued	See the doctor first; the IMT receives it electronically
Using a check code more than 21 days old	Generate it on the day you upload your documents
Address on the form differs from the residence document	Use the same address or attach a tax domicile certificate
Uploading large scans or the same file twice	One PDF per document, 2 MB maximum, each uploaded once
Ticking the convention-country option	A UK licence follows the OECD route; the convention option leads to a driving test
Missing the IMT’s emails	Verify your email, check spam and the platform’s notifications, and answer within 30 days
Forgetting the original licence at the counter	Bring the original UK licence; you hand it over when the Portuguese licence is issued
Exchanging before your residence is in place	The platform is for residents only; settle your residence document first

If your residence status itself is in doubt, for example because your AIMA appointment or renewal is delayed, resolve that before you apply. Our guide on how to find an immigration lawyer in Portugal explains how to choose one, and the complete guide to moving to Portugal shows where the licence fits in the wider move. Local providers are listed on the Portugal country hub.

Frequently asked questions