Latest news and stories about tvde in Portugal for expats and residents.
New legislation governing paid passenger transport in electronically available vehicles, known as the TVDE regime, comes into effect on September 1. The updated law, which amends previous 2018 regulations, also mandates that new taxi fare rules will begin on October 1. The changes follow eight years of regulation for ride-hailing platforms in Portugal.
A new Portuguese ride-hailing platform, VLOZ, has launched in Lisbon, Porto, and Setúbal, offering users the ability to choose their specific driver rather than relying on an algorithm. The service, which is licensed by the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT), also allows passengers to create lists of favorite drivers and filter by language.
The property transfer tax (Imposto Municipal sobre Transmissões Onerosas de Imóveis), commonly called IMT, is a one‑off tax paid when you buy real estate in Portugal and its rate depends on the property’s price and type. The exemption referenced by the finance minister lowers upfront costs for eligible young buyers, making it an important affordability measure for people trying to enter the housing market.
The National Association of United Taxis of Portugal (Associação Nacional Táxis Unidos de Portugal or ANTUP) has expressed strong opposition to the revised ride-hailing law approved by the Assembly of the Republic. The association claims the new rules create a market distortion by forcing taxis to operate under the same regulations as ride-hailing platforms. ANTUP also criticized the government for failing to curb predatory pricing practices by multinational companies.
The Assembly of the Republic (Assembleia da República) is Portugal's unicameral parliament, located in the Palácio de São Bento in Lisbon. It consists of 230 deputies elected by proportional representation for four-year terms.
The Assembly's powers include making and amending laws, approving the state budget, ratifying international treaties, and overseeing the government through debates, hearings, and committees. It can also pass votes of no confidence to bring down a government, as happened in March 2025.
Following the May 2025 elections, the current parliamentary composition is led by the Democratic Alliance (AD) with the largest share of seats, followed by Chega, PS, and smaller parties including the Liberal Initiative, Left Bloc, Livre, and PCP.
The National Association of United Taxis of Portugal (Associação Nacional de Transportadores Rodoviários em Automóveis Ligeiros de Passageiros or ANTUP) is a trade organization representing traditional taxi drivers. It opposes recent legislative changes to the TVDE law (Lei TVDE), which regulates ride-hailing services like Uber and Bolt, arguing that these revisions negatively impact the taxi sector's competitive position.
The expiration of the exceptional validity period for residence permits on April 15, 2026, has left approximately 8,000 immigrant drivers unable to work. Platforms require valid documentation to keep accounts active, and the Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) has failed to meet the 60-day deadline for issuing physical cards. Many affected workers, including a large number of Brazilian nationals, have been waiting months for their definitive permits.
Temporary residence is a limited residence permit that allows non‑EU nationals to live in Portugal for a set period (commonly one year, renewable) for study, work or other reasons. The Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) launching an online form means eligible students who also work can apply or regularise their status more easily through AIMA’s process rather than only via consular services.
Approximately 8,000 drivers for ride-hailing platforms (Transporte Individual e Remunerado de Passageiros em Veículos Descaracterizados a partir de Plataforma Eletrónica or TVDE) have been blocked from working due to pending residency permit renewals. The Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo or AIMA) has clarified that proof of an ongoing renewal process should be sufficient for drivers to continue their operations.
Temporary residence is a limited residence permit that allows non‑EU nationals to live in Portugal for a set period (commonly one year, renewable) for study, work or other reasons. The Agência para a Integração, Migrações e Asilo (AIMA) launching an online form means eligible students who also work can apply or regularise their status more easily through AIMA’s process rather than only via consular services.
