Many drivers are unaware that the expiration date printed on the driving license does not always correspond to the actual deadline for its revalidation. The “Renew your driving license” service is available on the gov.pt portal, the official website of the Government of Portugal, which explains the criteria and legal deadlines for renewing the document.
There are situations in which the validity indicated on the title itself can lead to mistakes, especially in letters issued more than a decade ago. The official platform warns against the need not to assume that the date visible on the card is always definitive, as the legislation has changed over the years.
When the printed date may not be correct
Anyone who obtained their driving license before January 1, 2008 should be particularly careful. The dates stated on these documents may not reflect the actual period of validity, as the law now requires revalidations at specific ages of the driver.
In 2023, an extraordinary regime was created to clarify these cases and allow regularization without additional penalties, according to the same official source.
The official service also indicates that it is possible to renew the license a few months before the end of the term and, in certain circumstances, even a few months later, without immediate sanctions. However, exceeding long deadlines can lead to the loss of the right to drive.
How revalidation deadlines work
The legislation on the validity of the driving license is set out in the Legal Driving Qualification Regulations. For the most common categories, such as AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B and BE, deadlines vary depending on the date the letter was issued.
For letters issued before January 1, 2013, the law requires renewal before the age of 50, 60, 65 and 70, and every two years thereafter. Letters obtained between January 2, 2013 and July 29, 2016 have the first renewal on the date shown on the document and then intervals of 15 years until age 60, with renewals at age 65 and 70 and then every two years.
Letters issued from July 30, 2016 follow a similar cycle, with renewals every 15 years until age 60 and then age 65 and 70, passing every two years after this age. Those who obtained their license after the age of 58 only have their first revalidation at the age of 65.
Different rules for heavy vehicles
Drivers in categories B and BE who drive heavy vehicles (C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE) have different revalidation deadlines. Letters prior to January 1, 2013 require renewal every five years between the ages of 40 and 65, with renewal also at 68 and every two years thereafter.
For licenses issued between 2013 and 2016, the cycle applies every five years until 70, and then every two years. Letters issued from July 30, 2016 follow the same principle of five in five until age 70 and then every two years. At the age of 67, it is no longer possible to revalidate category D licenses, and the CE category remains valid only up to 20 tonnes.
In these cases, a medical certificate is always mandatory and the Psychological Fitness Certificate must be presented from the age of 50 or when restriction 138 exists, according to the same official source.
Don’t miss deadlines
According to , meeting revalidation deadlines is not just bureaucracy. Driving with a license out of date is considered an administrative offence. Article 130 of the Highway Code provides for a fine of 120 to 600 euros for anyone driving with an expired license.
If the driver drives outside the categories for which he is qualified, other fines apply. Article 123 sets values between 120 and 600 euros for category T cards, between 700 and 3,500 euros for those who only have AM or A1 and travel outside them, and between 500 and 2,500 euros for the remaining cases.
The physical absence of the document at the time of inspection is also sanctioned. Article 85 establishes fines of 60 to 300 euros, unless the driver presents the documents within the legal deadline. In more serious situations, such as driving without any legal license, the penal regime of Decree-Law No. 2/98 applies, which provides for a prison sentence or fine of up to 240 days.
A timely check on the official portal or through the Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes channels helps to ensure that the license is updated and valid. The “Revalidate your driving license” service on gov.pt provides instructions, deadlines and requirements depending on the age and category of the driver, avoiding unpleasant surprises at the wheel.
Also read:
