When does my Portuguese driving licence expire?

The rules, by group

Group 1: motorcycles, mopeds, cars and agricultural vehicles

Licence obtained before 2 January 2013. The law says this expressly for A1, A, B1, B and BE licences whose written validity was “until age 65”: you have to renew at 50 and 60 (DL 138/2012, art. 9.º, n.º 2, alínea a)) and, after 60, the deadlines of art. 16.º follow (DL 138/2012, art. 9.º, n.º 3). The IMT applies this schedule (50, 60, 65, 70 and then every 2 years) to all Group 1 drivers with a licence issued before 2013. It is the schedule that DL 45/2005 had already set, from 1 January 2008, for all drivers in these categories (DL 63/2023, preamble).

Other old licences are valid for the period written on the document itself and are only renewed at the end of that period (DL 138/2012, art. 9.º, n.º 1).

If your licence said “65 years” and you did not renew at 50 or 60 (dates in force since 1 January 2008), the licence may already have lapsed by law, even if the date written on the document has not yet arrived. The extraordinary regime of DL 63/2023, which allowed licences issued before 1 January 2008 to be renewed without a test, was only in force for one year from 1 August 2023 and has ended (DL 63/2023, arts. 2.º, 5.º and 6.º).

Licence obtained between 2 January 2013 and 29 July 2016. The first renewal is on the date written on the licence (DL 40/2016, art. 7.º, n.º 1). In the original version of the RHLC, that date was the day you would turn 30, 40, 50, 60, 65 or 70, the first one after issue (art. 16.º, n.º 2, alínea a), 2012 wording).

After that date, you renew every 15 years until you turn 60. From 60, the current deadlines of art. 16.º apply: 60, 65, 70 and then every 2 years (DL 40/2016, art. 7.º, n.ºs 1 and 2).

Example: you got your B licence in 2014, aged 18. The licence says 30, so you renew at 30, then at 45, then at 60.

Licence obtained from 30 July 2016. You renew every 15 years counted from the date you got your licence, without a medical certificate, but the licence always expires on the day you turn 60, even if 15 years have not yet passed (art. 16.º, n.º 2, alínea a)).

If you got your licence aged 58 or over, you do not renew at 60. The first renewal is at 65 (art. 17.º, n.º 2; IMT table for Group 1).

If you got your licence after turning 60, the law says the validity is 5 years (or 2 years after 70) counted from the date you obtained the category (art. 16.º, n.º 2). In this case the date may not coincide with 65 or 70. Check the date written on the licence or in the IMT's “A Minha Carta de Condução” (My Driving Licence) area.

Group 2: heavy vehicles and professional driving of cars

Licence obtained before 2 January 2013. The law sets this schedule (40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65 and 68, and then every 2 years) for the B and BE licences of people who drive ambulances, fire service vehicles, patient transport, school transport or taxis (DL 138/2012, art. 9.º, n.º 2, alínea b)). The IMT applies the same table to all of Group 2 with a licence issued before 2013.

On old C and D licences the period written on the licence applies (DL 138/2012, art. 9.º, n.º 1). In any case, categories D1, D1E, D and DE expire at 67 (art. 16.º, n.º 5).

Licence obtained between 2 January 2013 and 29 July 2016. The first renewal is on the date written on the licence. For anyone who got their licence in this period, that date was the day you would turn 25, 30, 35, … or 70, the first one after issue (art. 16.º, n.º 2, alíneas b) and c), 2012 wording). After that you renew every 5 years until 70 and then every 2 years (IMT table for Group 2).

If you obtained C1, C1E, C or CE before turning 20 (with a driver qualification card), the licence expired on the day you turned 20 (art. 16.º, n.º 3, 2012 wording).

On D1, D1E, D and DE licences from this period, the written validity ended on the eve of your 65th birthday (art. 16.º, n.º 7, 2012 wording). Since DL 40/2016, these categories can be renewed up to 67 (art. 16.º, n.º 5).

Unlike Group 1 (DL 40/2016, art. 7.º), there is no specific transitional rule for Group 2 in this period. The schedule after the date written on the licence follows the IMT table and the current art. 16.º, n.º 4.

Today categories D1, D1E, D and DE expire at 67 and cannot be renewed after that (art. 16.º, n.º 5).

Licence obtained (or Group 2 endorsement added) from 30 July 2016. You renew every 5 years counted from the date you obtained the category or the Group 2 endorsement was added (code 997), until you turn 70. From 70, you renew every 2 years (art. 16.º, n.º 4).

For D1, D1E, D and DE, the limit is 67 and there is no renewal after that (art. 16.º, n.º 5).

Bus licences (D1, D1E, D, DE) are valid for 5 years at a time and expire on the day you turn 67. After that they can no longer be renewed. (art. 16.º, n.º 5).

From 67 you can no longer drive CE combinations of more than 20,000 kg. This is a driving rule and not an expiry date: the rest of category CE continues to be renewed normally. (art. 20.º, n.º 5; 16.º, n.º 4).

You can renew in the six months before your licence expires. (art. 17.º, n.º 6).

If your licence has already expired

• You renew without a test, with the normal documents (medical certificate and psychological assessment, when required).
• Special driving test (exame especial de condução), made up of the practical test.
• A specific training course, successfully completed at an authorised body, followed by the special test (practical test). There is no exception for people under 50.
• The licence can no longer be renewed. To drive again you have to get a new licence, and you are placed on the probationary regime (regime probatório).

Código da Estrada, art. 130.º, n.ºs 1, alínea a), 2, alínea a), 3, alíneas c) e d), 4, alínea b), 5 e 7; RHLC, arts. 34.º e 37.º, n.º 1, alíneas a) e c).