New driving licence rules to be applied in Portugal
An analytical overview of the updated driving licence regulations in Portugal, focusing on the implications for expatriates and the legal framework governing road rights.

Latest news and stories about road safety in europe in Portugal for expats and residents.
An analytical overview of the updated driving licence regulations in Portugal, focusing on the implications for expatriates and the legal framework governing road rights.

Portugal is set to implement updated vehicle inspection regulations in alignment with EU road safety standards, aiming to enhance overall transport security.


The European Commission today opened an infringement procedure against Portugal, Belgium, and France for failing to carry out road safety assessments on their main national roads, giving them two months to complete them.

The European Commission has initiated legal action against Portugal for failing to comply with EU directives regarding road infrastructure safety evaluations.

The European Commission has initiated legal action against Portugal due to the lack of mandatory safety evaluations for its primary road network.

France and Portugal did not send the reports regarding their networks, as required by the directive, while Belgium only sent partial results, the executive indicates.

Belgium and France are also in breach, as they, like Portugal, were required to carry out road safety assessments of the entire network by 2024 and submit reports to the Commission by 31 October 2025 regarding the safety classification of their road networks.

Portugal maintains a high rate of road accidents compared to the rest of the European Union.

The number of road deaths in the European Union decreased by 3% in 2025.
The number of road accident fatalities in the European Union fell by 3% in 2025 compared to the previous year, totalling 19,400, with 580 fewer people dying on the roads, the European Commission reported. The EU average is 45 road deaths per million inhabitants. Estonia (-38%), Greece (-22%), and Slovakia (-13%) were the member states that recorded the largest decreases last year compared to the previous year. Conversely, the main increases were observed in Malta (75%), Slovenia (37%), Austria, and the Netherlands (13% each). In Portugal, the number of road deaths fell by 5% last year compared to 2024, from 58 to 55 fatalities per million inhabitants. In 2018, the EU set a target to reduce the number of road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030, while simultaneously aiming to reach zero road deaths by 2050.

Estonia, Greece, and Slovakia were the countries that saw the largest decreases. Meanwhile, those with the largest increases are Malta (75%), Slovenia (37%), Austria, and the Netherlands (13% each).

On average, there are 45 road accident deaths per million inhabitants.

In Portugal, the number of road deaths fell by 5% in 2025 compared to 2024

Home News Driving rules to change in Portugal Driving rules to change in Portugal Drivers who buy a new car in Portugal or in any other country of the European Union (EU) will notice different features. By Bruno G.
