Is your driving license valid?
You only need a car driving license to ride a 125cc Scooter (Min. 25 years old) - Or Motorcycle license

U.S. Citizens are entitled to drive in Portugal with their U.S. issued driver’s license for a period no to exceed 185 days, provided they are not legal residents.

Foreign driving licenses in Portugal

Driving licenses from countries such as Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, among other OECD and CPLP members, allow you to drive in Portugal without having to exchange them for a Portuguese driver's license.

If your driving licence is from a European Union country, you can drive in Portugal until the document's expiration date.

If your driver's license is from a country with a bilateral agreement with Portugal, you have up to 2 years to exchange it for a Portuguese licence. But if the licence was issued by a country that is not party to international conventions, you must exchange it immediately.

Cases in which you do not have to exchange your foreign license for a Portuguese one

LICENSES FROM OECD AND CPLP COUNTRIES

You can drive in Portugal if your driver's license was issued by member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP).

The countries that are covered by this regime are:

  • Angola, Australia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Canada, Chile, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Mozambique, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Sao Tome and Principe, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States of America.

Driving licenses from countries such as Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, among other OECD and CPLP members, allow you to drive in Portugal without having to exchange them for a Portuguese driver's license.

If your driving licence is from an European Union country, you can drive in Portugal until the document's expiration date.

If your driver's license is from a country with a bilateral agreement with Portugal, you will have up to 2 years to exchange it for a Portuguese licence. But if the licence was issued by a country that is not party to international conventions, you must exchange it immediately.

DRIVING LICENCES FROM EUROPEAN UNION (EU) COUNTRIES AND EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (EEA)

If you have a driving licence from an EU or EEA country (Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein), you can drive in Portugal with this licence until the document expires. However, if you live in Portugal, you must register your address with the Institute of Mobility and Transport (IMT) within 60 days after moving to the country. Registration is free of charge.

NB: For foreigners with residence in Portugal prior to Brexit, the same rules apply as for EU and EEA countries.