If you decide to live in Portugal, you may also decide to take (or re-take) your driver's license there. Less expensive and less complicated than in other countries, the Portuguese driving license is recognized throughout Europe. However, the language barrier can sometimes be an obstacle to taking the plunge and learning to drive. Indeed, even if the highway code is more or less the same as in other European countries, it is necessary to learn to drive like a Portuguese. The locals say "Who knows how to drive in Lisbon knows how to drive anywhere in the world". How much does a driver's license cost in Portugal? What are the steps to take to register for it? How do I pass the Portuguese driving test? How does the practical driving test work in Portugal? I am Lisbob, the expatriate assistant, and I tell you everything about how to pass the driving test in Portugal.
How to pass the driving license in Portugal will have no secrets for you
HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE DRIVER'S LICENCE EXAMINATION IN PORTUGAL?
You have decided to take the driving test in Portugal? Great challenge! It may seem difficult or even impossible when you think you don't understand the language (and even less know how to drive), but it is easier to get it in Portugal than in France. The first thing to do is to choose your driving school. If you live in Lisbon, the best known group is Segurança Maxima with schools in every neighborhood and especially special offers. In Portugal, for an all-inclusive package, you should count 300 - 350 € maximum. Yes, it is cheaper than in France and you will see that it is also easier. Beware of hidden costs, but first Lisbob will answer a question that comes up regularly.
Is it possible to pass your driver's license in English in Portugal?
Some schools offer to take classes with an instructor who speaks English for a higher fee. However it is not possible to have theoretical and practical courses in English in Portugal. In addition, the driving test and the practical test must be taken in Portuguese.
If you wish, you can also take the entire course in Portuguese: in no time you will have improved your level of Portuguese and learned to drive. Two birds with one stone! However, be careful not to waste too much time understanding the words and not the heart of the course: the Portuguese Highway Code.
Once your driving school has been chosen, you will need to provide the following documents :
Certificado de registro de cidadão de União Europeia or Residency permit ;
ID Photo ;
Valid identity card or passport ;
Medical Certificate (Atestado médico) ;
Contribuinte Number (NIF) ;
The form that you can fill out with the receptionist.
Regarding the medical certificate, some driving schools will do it in their school's premises for 15€. This certificate must be in Portuguese. This cost is added to the price of the license package. In concrete terms, the typical package includes:
28 theoretical lessons
30 practical lessons (including 6 in a simulator)
Registration for the driving test (one test)
Registration for the practical test ( one test )
THE HIGHWAY CODE EXAM IN PORTUGAL
For the driving test, you should attend all the lessons in order to be able to cover all the topics of the Portuguese driving test. The average age in the classrooms is young because in Portugal it is traditional to take the test as soon as possible. The traffic code is more or less the same as the one you can find in other countries.
As soon as you feel ready you can ask to take the road code exam. In Lisbon, the center is located at the Chelas Metro station. You will be summoned to take your test in a room that includes desks and computer stations as shown in the photo below.
This is how looks like the exam room
The questions are distributed randomly. There are 30 questions and you can make up to 3 mistakes. Beyond that you will have to retake your driving test. The questions have been the same for at least 20 years, so there are free sites like Bomcudutor or Testes de codigo that offer the same questions as those asked on the test.
You can answer in the order you want, change the answer to a question. At the end of the 30 minutes the system stops and the examiner calls you one by one to tell you the number of errors. Out of the 30 questions, there are 25 common sense and logical questions (always take the most "safe" answer and the one with the least risk), and 5 questions where you have to know the answer (or take your chances ;) ). Did you pass the exam? Congratulations! I will now explain how to drive.
Then all you need to do is translate the few important words of the driving vocabulary and the highway code and you will be ready to learn to drive.
LEARNING TO DRIVE IN PORTUGAL
Learning to drive in Portugal requires that you spend the first 6 lessons in a simulator. You will be able to familiarize yourself with the interior of a car and its components. Unfortunately, this is nothing like Gran Turismo in virtual reality. These lessons will give you the opportunity to try to stall as little as possible. Living in Portugal also means getting used to the peculiarities of the Portuguese road code.
Then you can take your first real driving lessons. I remind you that the quality of the learning process depends greatly on the complicity between the instructor and the student. So don't hesitate to ask for another instructor if your instructor doesn't make you feel comfortable. Concerning the language level, you will have to learn these few essential words:
Esquerda ( Left )
Direita ( Right )
Em fremte ( Straight ahead )
Marcha atras ( Backwards )
Estacionar ( Park )
By mastering these few words you will understand 90% of what the instructor will tell you to do. And for the remaining 10% it will give you an additional opportunity to improve your Portuguese. You will be able to choose the date of the exam once all the lessons are completed.
The practical exam takes place in the same place as the theoretical one. You will already know the place and feel confident! There are about 100 different routes for the practical exam: a draw chooses one for you and your partner. In Portugal, there are four of you in the car on the day of the test. The examiner, the instructor, you and another person who takes the test at the same time. The test lasts 25 minutes: 20 minutes to drive from point A to point B, and 5 minutes of maneuvers (reversing, parking). The other person then drives from point B to point A, also doing maneuvers. You get the answer from the examiner right after you return to the test center.
Is that all? Yes: no trick questions about speed limits while driving, no test to see if you know how to change a tire or check the oil level. As I told you, it's easier to pass your driving test in Portugal than in other countries.
If you pass the test, congratulations! You win the right to immediately pay a 30 € fee for the issuance of your license that you will receive at your address within 2 months. Otherwise, nothing is lost: you will have to take 8 driving lessons again (charged at 35 € each) and register again for the exam (90 €). So the price can go up quickly if you don't get it right the first time.
