- Car Shipping Portugal
- Shipping A Car To Portugal
- Typical Shipping Prices – How Much Does It Cost?
- Cost & Time Examples For Shipping A Car To Portugal
- Popular Shipping Destinations
- Tourists
- Importing A Car
- Documents And Registration
- Required Documents For Shipping A Vehicle To Portugal
- Types Of Transport
- Shipping Of Heavy Equipment & Oversized Cargo To Portugal
- The Different Ways We Can Transport Heavy Equipment And Oversized Cargo Overseas
- Other Services
- Related Information & Faqs
Car Shipping Portugal
Shipping A Car To Portugal
Typical Shipping Prices – How Much Does It Cost?
- Most auto shipments to Portugal from the U.S. cost from $2,500 to $4,200.
- Cars shipped from the eastern United States are more affordable to ship because there is significantly less distance, as are those that are transported in a shipping container.
Cost & Time Examples For Shipping a Car to Portugal
| To/From | Ground | Ocean | Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA to (California port) to Lisbon | $200 | $3,000 | 5+26 |
| New York, NY to (New York port) to Lexiones | $275 | $2,500 | 5+25 |
| Boston, MA to (New York port) to Lisbon | $400 | $2,500 | 5+24 |
| Las Vegas, NV to (California port) to Lisbon | $450 | $3,000 | 5+26 |
| Portland, OR to (California port) to Lisbon | $475 | $3,000 | 6+26 |
| Phoenix, AZ to (California port) to Lisbon | $550 | $3,000 | 6+26 |
| Charlotte, NC to (New York port) to Lisbon | $575 | $2,500 | 6+24 |
| Denver, CO to (California port) to Lisbon | $775 | $3,000 | 7+26 |
| Memphis, TN to (New York port) to Lexiones | $800 | $2,500 | 6+25 |
| Houston, TX to (New York port) to Lisbon | $1,075 | $2,500 | 7+24 |
*Prices and times are estimated. They can vary depending on the season and the type of vehicle.
*Save the ground transport cost by delivering the vehicle to the nearest port.
*Allow an additional 10 days to process the documents.
*Prices are for 1 car in a dedicated 20ft container. This is the safest and most reliable way to transport a vehicle internationally. Other items may be included in the container to help save you money when moving.
*Using the RoRo (roll on, roll off) method is less expensive and shipments can be completed in fewer days. Contact us now for a free RoRo quote.
Portugal is the westernmost country on the European mainland. Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and Spain, the tiny country of Portugal once had one of the largest empires in the world. Although it is no longer a colonial powerhouse, Portugal is a popular vacation and retirement destination.
Read more about vehicle registration process in Portugal.
Popular Shipping Destinations
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Tourists
You are allowed to bring a car for personal use into Portugal and drive it for up to 180 days in one calendar year as long as the vehicle is registered in your name and you and your family are the only ones who drive it while in the country. You must also have a valid driver’s license and insurance from your home country.
Importing a Car
If you are moving to Portugal to work or retire, you will need to register your car after 180 days and in order to do this, you will need to apply for a residency permit. The car or motorcycle must also be inspected and be brought into compliance with Portuguese highway standards. This can be done at any authorized inspection center within the country, and the standards vary depending on the make, model, and age of the vehicle. There are somewhat different rules for classic or collectible cars, but any car that conforms to European standards will pass Portuguese inspection.
You will also need to surrender your foreign driver’s license when you apply for a residency permit and apply for a Portuguese driver’s license. Unless you are importing a new car from outside of Portugal, you will not have to pay the Value Added Tax; however, if you sell the car within a year, the tax will come due. One vehicle may be shipped into the country duty-free every five years.
Documents and Registration
Cars in Portugal carry an “All-in-One” Card which serves as vehicle registration, license plate and log book. This card must be kept in the car at all times. When you get your All-in-One card, you will also need a new license plate. You can register your car at any local civil registry office. One snag in the process is that all of the documents you will need to fill out are in Portuguese. Luckily, there is helpful staff in what are called Citizen’s Shops. This is an effort by the Portuguese government to help foreigners open utility accounts, apply for ID cards and navigate the local bureaucracy. It can be tricky to navigate the Portuguese bureaucracy because all of the documents are in Portuguese, so unless you are fluent in the language, it’s a good idea to get some help.
Required Documents For Shipping A Vehicle To Portugal
- Certificate of registration.
- International driver's license.
- Vehicle title.
- Import license.
- Proof of insurance.
- Purchase invoice.
- Passport & visa.
Types of Transport
You can export your vehicle via cargo ship either directly to Portugal or to another European country and drive it there. The most cost effective way to transport your car across the ocean is on a ship either by Roll On/Roll Off (RO/RO) or container shipping. With RO/RO your car is driven onto the ship and secured on the deck. You may not leave anything inside the car when you ship RO/RO. When the ship reaches Portugal, your car is driven off the ship and is waiting for you to collect it.
Shipping your car in a container is a bit more expensive, but you are allowed to pack other items in your vehicle for the crossing. It is more complicated to load and unload a container and this explains some of the expense.
Shipping Of Heavy Equipment & Oversized Cargo To Portugal
Hiring professional overseas transporters to ship your heavy equipment or oversized cargo outside of the United States and all the way to Portugal is the quickest and most efficient way to have your goods delivered. With all that is needed to carry out a successful transport and all the foreign import policies that you must abide by, it’s best to let experienced transport specialists handle the task. Fortunately, it doesn’t cost much to purchase overseas shipping services and it always proves to be worth it.
Here at A1 Auto Transport, we can quickly and safely deliver nearly any type of heavy equipment or oversized cargo because of our access to the best and most current shipping equipment and technology available. The types of cargo we can and have shipped to other nations in the past include farming, mining, agricultural, construction, paving, industrial, and hydraulic equipment.
The Different Ways We Can Transport Heavy Equipment and Oversized Cargo Overseas
The transport methods you are able to take advantage of will depend on what type of cargo you need to ship internationally to Portugal. There are typically four methods of transport offered to our international shipping customers. What we offer includes…
- Flat Rack Shipping- Your equipment is secured to a metal frame before it is then placed atop the ship safely. This is our safest form of open air transport.
- Container Shipping- This is the most secure shipping method as well as our only enclosed option. It is also the most expensive. Your equipment will be safe from possible outside hazards during the whole transport.
- RoRo Shipping- This open air shipping service is the most affordable and commonly chosen amongst are customers. Only those with operable equipment or vehicles can use this service since it must be driven onto and off of the ship with the help of a ramp.
- LoLo Shipping- This method of transport lifts your crated equipment, construction materials or inoperable vehicle onto and off of the ship using a crane.
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