Exchange a driving licence in Portugal: when the 90 day rule applies

Whether you must exchange a driving licence in Portugal depends on where it was issued: a valid licence from an OECD or CPLP country (such as the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland or Brazil), issued or renewed less than 15 years ago and held by a driver under 60, can keep driving after residency with no exchange at all. Every other foreign licence, and OECD or CPLP licences that fail those conditions, falls under IMT's 90 day and two year windows. Since 21 January 2026 any exchange is filed online only, the fee is 30 EUR, and the provisional document IMT gives you is valid in Portugal alone.

Below: the rules as IMT publishes them in September 2026, the documents, the costs, and the two traps for non-qualifying licences.

When does the 90 day clock start?

For a licence that does not qualify for the OECD and CPLP regime, the clock starts when you establish residence in Portugal, not when you land. IMT frames these rules by residency status, for licences from countries that signed the international road traffic conventions (IMT, "Tenho carta de condução estrangeira", read 26 September 2026):

1. Before residency, as a visitor: you can drive on your foreign licence for up to 185 days after entry.
2. From residency to day 90: you can keep driving on the foreign licence, but you must file the exchange request with IMT.
3. From day 90 to two years: you can still apply for the exchange, but you can no longer drive in Portugal on the foreign licence.
4. After two years: the foreign licence is no longer valid for driving here, and an exchange means a driving exam.

So the real trap is not a test at day 91. It is that from day 91 a non-qualifying licence stops being legal on Portuguese roads until IMT has your application and gives you a provisional document.

Do you have to exchange a US licence in Portugal?

No, not if it qualifies. IMT lists the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland and other OECD countries outside the EU, plus the CPLP countries such as Brazil. Their licences can keep driving in Portugal even after the holder becomes resident, and IMT adds that if you want to exchange, you can, with no exam for any category (IMT, OECD and CPLP page, read 26 September 2026). To drive without exchanging, all of these must hold:

1. The licence is valid, not suspended, revoked or seized.
2. No more than 15 years have passed since it was issued or last renewed.
3. The holder is under 60.
4. The holder meets the Portuguese minimum age for the category.

If one condition fails, for example at 60 or with a licence last renewed 16 years ago, the 90 day and two year windows above apply, so plan the exchange early.

Licences from countries that did not sign the traffic conventions follow a different route: a theory exam and a practical exam for each category, at 30 EUR per exam, according to the IMT page "Tenho carta de condução estrangeira". Heavy categories C, D and E always need a psychological certificate.

How does the online exchange work since January 2026?

Every foreign licence exchange has gone through the IMT online portal since 21 January 2026, with no in person filing (IMT Madeira notice, read 26 September 2026). On the mainland the platform is called A Minha Carta de Condução. IMT then calls you to a counter to collect biometric data. The gov.pt service page gives an average of 60 days to issue the Portuguese card, not counting cases that need a practical exam.

What documents does IMT ask for?

IMT asks for the original licence, identity, residence, a medical evaluation and, for non-EU licences, a certificate of authenticity from the issuing authority. The table gathers the items from the IMT pages with the typical costs published by Jobbatical (updated 1 September 2026).

The medical certificate is a separate appointment with a doctor, and it has to exist before you submit. Book it early. A US couple who exchanged their licences in February 2023 reported paying 35 EUR for an online medical exam and 30 EUR to IMT (Love From Portugal, read 26 September 2026).

Why do US drivers find the exchange slow?

The certificate of authenticity is the long link for Americans. The same couple describe the chain: a driving record from their state, notarised and apostilled by the Secretary of State, then a certificate of authentication of the driving licence from the Portuguese consulate. Each step has its own queue. Start it before you move if your licence does not qualify to keep driving, because doing it from Lisbon means posting documents across an ocean while day 90 approaches.

If you are still collecting your NIF and residence papers, see how to get a NIF in Portugal, and use the Visa Check tool to confirm which residence route you are on.

What about British drivers?

British licences are exchanged under a UK and Portugal mutual recognition agreement signed on 17 October 2023 and published by the UK government as CS Portugal 1.2023. It settles the recognition question and the test exemption. The UK is also on the IMT OECD list, so a qualifying British licence can keep driving after residency without the 90 day window. If you choose to exchange, the medical certificate and the 30 EUR fee still apply.

What changes for EU and EEA licence holders?

EU and EEA licence holders do not need to exchange. IMT asks them to register their licence, free of charge, within 60 days of establishing residence, and they can keep driving on the original. The exchange stays optional and costs 30 EUR when they choose it.

Can you drive abroad with the provisional guia?

No. When IMT accepts your exchange application you receive a provisional guia that lets you drive in Portugal until the Portuguese card arrives. Portuguese road law says replacement guides are valid only within national territory (Código da Estrada, article 121, number 7). Jobbatical reports a validity of six months, renewable.

In practice that means:

1. Do not plan a road trip into Spain while you hold only the guia, since your original licence sits with IMT.
2. Do not count on the guia to rent a car outside Portugal.

A timeline you can copy into a calendar

This timeline applies to non-qualifying licences, the ones that must be exchanged. The safest plan treats the exchange as a first month task, alongside the NIF and the bank account.

1. Day 0: residency starts. Set a reminder at day 60 and a hard stop at day 85.
2. Before the move, or week 1: request the certificate of authenticity. It is the slowest item.
3. Week 2: book the medical certificate and take the earliest slot.
4. Weeks 3 to 6: scan everything, file online with IMT, pay the 30 EUR.
5. Then wait for the biometric appointment and the card, about 60 days on average according to gov.pt.
6. Keep all driving inside Portugal while you hold only the guia.

For the wider first weeks, the how to become a digital nomad guide lays out the order of the paperwork, and the Destination comparison tool puts Portugal next to our other bases.

Updated on 26 September 2026. Rules and prices change: confirm with the official source linked above before you act.