Portugal Car Theory Test Study Guide 2026

How to get a car licence in Portugal

In Portugal the car licence is the category B licence (carta de condução). You must be 18 to hold it. Category B1, which only covers quadricycles, is available from 16; under-18s need written permission from a parent or guardian. Licences are issued by the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT, Instituto da Mobilidade e dos Transportes).

You cannot simply book the tests yourself. You must learn with a driving school (escola de condução). The school gives the lessons, collects your documents and enrols you in the exams.

1. Enrol at a driving school and ask, if you need it, for training and the theory test in English.
2. Get an electronic medical certificate: the doctor who examines you sends it straight to the IMT.
3. Take lessons and pass the theory test (prova teórica, often called the código).
4. Take driving lessons and pass the practical test (prova prática) at an IMT exam centre or a private exam centre.
5. Receive your licence by post. It starts with a 3-year probationary period.

The theory test (prova teórica)

For categories B and B1 it has 30 questions and lasts 30 minutes. You pass with at least 27 correct answers, so you may get no more than 3 wrong.

The IMT publishes its exam questions online, grouped by licence category and topic. Each question shows several possible answers and only one is right. Many questions show a picture of a junction, a sign or a traffic situation.

If you fail

• You may look at the questions you got wrong with the examiner or the person in charge of the exam centre, within four hours of the end of the test.
• To complain about the result, use the official form within two working days. The IMT replies within 15 working days.

Probation and the points licence

Your first licence is on probation (regime probatório) for its first 3 years. Probation ends when the 3 years pass without a conviction for a road crime, a very serious offence or two serious offences. If such a case is still open at the end, probation is extended until the decision is final.

During probation the alcohol limit is 0.2 g/l instead of 0.5 g/l. If you exchange a foreign licence that you have held for more than 3 years, probation does not apply (unless a relevant case is pending).

The points licence (carta por pontos)

Every driver starts with 12 points.

• Offences on the same day cost at most 6 points, except drink- or drug-driving, which always count in full.
• Each 3 years with a clean record adds 3 points, up to 15 (2 years for taxi, heavy vehicle and some other professional drivers).
• A voluntary road safety course adds 1 point once per licence renewal period, up to 16.
• At 5 points or fewer you must attend a road safety course. At 3 points or fewer you must also pass the theory test again.
• At 0 points the licence is cancelled (cassação) and you cannot get a new one for 2 years.

Speed limits

These are the general limits for cars. Signs can set different limits, and you must always drive at a speed that lets you stop within the distance you can see is clear.

• On motorways you may not drive slower than 50 km/h.
• Slow down near pedestrian and cycle crossings, signposted schools and hospitals, in built-up areas, at bends, junctions and roundabouts, and in heavy traffic.
• The lowest fine for a car is €60 to €300, for up to 20 km/h over the limit in towns or up to 30 km/h outside.

Alcohol and phones

The general limit is 0.5 g/l of alcohol in the blood. A limit of 0.2 g/l applies to drivers on probation and to taxi, TVDE (ride-hailing), heavy vehicle, dangerous goods, emergency and school transport drivers.

For drivers with the 0.2 g/l limit, these bands start at 0.2 g/l and 0.5 g/l. Drink-driving also costs 3 or 5 points.

Phones and other devices

• You may not use or handle a phone or similar device while driving. The fine is €250 to €1,250.
• Headphones are not allowed. Only a device with a single earpiece or a loudspeaker system is allowed, as long as you do not handle it all the time.
• Devices that detect or jam speed cameras are banned: €500 to €2,500 and the device is taken away.

Seat belts, children and breakdowns

• The driver and all passengers must use the seat belts fitted in the car. The fine is €120 to €600.
• Children under 12 who are shorter than 135 cm must use an approved child restraint that fits their size and weight.
• These children must sit in the back. A child under 3 may only sit in front in a rear-facing seat with the passenger airbag switched off.
• Children under 3 may not travel in a car without seat belts. The fine is €120 to €600 per child.

After a breakdown

Place the warning triangle at least 30 m behind the car, where drivers can see it from at least 100 m. Anyone who places the triangle, repairs the car or removes it must wear a reflective vest (colete retrorrefletor).

Priority, roundabouts and cyclists

Drive on the right. At junctions without signs, give way to vehicles coming from your right; failing to do so costs €120 to €600. You must also give way when you leave a car park, petrol station or private property, when you join a motorway from its access road, when you enter a roundabout, and to trains at level crossings.

Roundabouts (rotundas)

• Enter only after giving way to vehicles already on the roundabout.
• For the first exit, use the right-hand lane.
• For a later exit you may use an inner lane, but move to the right-hand lane after passing the exit before yours, and signal in good time.
• Cyclists, animal-drawn vehicles and heavy vehicles may stay in the right-hand lane, but must let leaving vehicles out.

Leave at least 1.5 m to the side when you pass or overtake a cyclist. Overtake on the left, and never overtake just before or on pedestrian or cycle crossings, junctions, level crossings, hilltops or bends with poor visibility.

Stopping, lights and motorways

Lights

• Use lights from dusk to dawn, and by day when visibility is poor.
• Dipped headlights are required by day in signposted tunnels and on lanes with reversible direction.
• Do not use main beam when meeting other road users or when following a vehicle within 100 m.

Motorways (autoestradas)

• Pedestrians, animals, cyclists, mopeds and vehicles that cannot exceed 60 km/h may not use motorways.
• Do not stop or park except in places set aside for it, and never reverse or turn round.
• On motorways with three or more lanes each way, vehicles over 7 m long may only use the two right-hand lanes.
• When an emergency vehicle comes in heavy traffic, move as far right as you can, using the hard shoulder (berma) if needed.