Legalization timelines: DAV, plates and IMT

The legal deadlines

• DAV within 20 business days: after the car enters Portugal, the Vehicle Customs Declaration must be filed with the Tax Authority within that period.
• 60 days to apply for plates: with the DAV, the car can be driven for 60 consecutive days, and the plate application to the IMT must be made within those 60 days.

How long each stage takes

With ComfyLand, the DAV is issued within one to two days of receiving the complete documents. The whole process — type approval, inspection, plates and registration — takes about three weeks, until it is completed at the IMT. The stages, in the order they happen:

1. Request received and documents checked.
2. Vehicle type approval, with the COC.
3. Form 9 (Modelo 9) and inspection for license plate assignment.
4. Preparation of the DAV and assessment of the ISV.
5. Invoicing and Vehicle Customs Declaration (DAV).
6. Receipt of the original documents.
7. License plate assignment and payment of the fees.
8. First registration at the Vehicle Registry Office and case completed.

After you get plates

The IUC is paid every year in the month of registration, and is calculated from the car's original date of first registration, not the date of the Portuguese registration — see the IUC calculator. Insurance on the foreign plates must be in force from the car's arrival; with Portuguese plates, you take out the permanent policy.

Tracking your case

On the case status page you can see which stage your legalization is at, with the vehicle's name and VIN. For the list of what to send, see the required documents.

Read next

• How to legalize an imported car in Portugal, step by step
• Documents you need to legalize an imported car
• What it costs to legalize an imported car: fixed costs and ISV examples

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