Cancel a vehicle registration

You must cancel the vehicle's registration when it is missing, if you want to stop driving with it on the road, if you have sold it abroad, or if a new owner has not yet been registered after the sale.

Service channels

Learn where you may submit your request and what are the advantages of each channel

  • Cancel on the location

    Consult the 'What is the price' field

    You must cancel your registration if you have a missing vehicle or if you want to stop driving on the road

    Search for a point of service near you:

Who can Cancel a vehicle registration?

When can you Cancel a vehicle registration?

Submit on IMT a vehicle registration cancellation request when:

  1. the vehicle has been missing for more than 6 months
  2. you will stop using it on public roads, that is, you will stop driving that vehicle
  3. the ownership of the vehicle changed over a year ago and the new owner has not yet updated the ownership registration
  4. if you sold the vehicle to someone who lives abroad (vehicle sent to an EU country or exported to countries outside of the EU)
  5. the registration is from a public goods transport heavy-duty vehicle that is immobilized due to lack of work or that shall be destroyed.

Where can you Cancel a vehicle registration?

What are the documents and requirements to Cancel a vehicle registration?

  • If the vehicle has been missing

    • a proof document of the police missing report
    • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
    • the identification document of the owner of the vehicle
    • the single automobile document or the vehicle registration certificate or the carnet + property registry title or the past ownership proof document issued by a vehicle registry office
    • a police statement (or a sworn statement of the vehicle’s owner) declaring the vehicle is missing.
  • If the vehicle is unused (End-of-Life Vehicles)

    You shall need to deliver the vehicle on a reception center or on an authorized dismantling operator.

    You may learn more about the reception centers or authorized dismantling operators before:

  • The vehicle shall no longer circulate on public roads

    • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
    • the identification document of the owner of the vehicle
    • the single automobile document or the vehicle registration certificate or the carnet + property registry title (if the vehicle’s owner does not hold these documents, they may submit a past ownership proof issued by a vehicle registry office)
    • a statement which explains what shall happen to the vehicle.
  • The ownership of the vehicle changed over a year ago

    • the vehicle seizure request submitted over 6 months ago
    • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
    • your identification document
    • a document which proves that the vehicle’s ownership changed over a year ago (an ownership proof document issued by a vehicle registry office).
  • If you sold the vehicle to someone who lives abroad

    • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
    • your identification document
    • the single automobile document or the vehicle registration certificate or the carnet + property registry title (if you do not hold these documents, you may submit a document issued by the vehicle registry office proving the vehicle belongs to you and is not subject to any encumbrances).
  • If the vehicle transports goods and is immobilized or shall be destroyed

    You may cancel the registration of a goods transport heavy-duty vehicle that is current on one of the following situations:

    • immobilized due to lack of work
    • to be destroyed, that is, if an incentive to vehicle renovation has been requested and the process is currently under assessment.

    To submit the cancellation request, go to the IMT and bring with you:

    • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
    • your identification document
    • the single automobile document or the vehicle registration certificate or the carnet + property registry title
    • a statement of the vehicle’s owner (or legitim holder) declaring they shall not use it on the road without a vehicle registration.

    If the vehicle is immobilized due to lack of work, the cancellation lasts, at most, 24 months. After that period, you must request the definitive cancellation or reactivate the registration.

What is the Price to Cancel a vehicle registration?

The price varies accordingly to the reason of vehicle registration cancellation.

Reason

Price

The vehicle has been missing

10 €

The vehicle is unused (car wreck) 

Free of charge

The vehicle shall no longer circulate on public roads

10 €

The vehicle has been sold over a year ago and the new owner has not yet updated the registration

10 €

The vehicle was sold abroad

10 €

It is a goods transports heavy-duty vehicle

Free of charge

How can you Cancel a vehicle registration?

Submit on IMT (Institute for Mobility and Transport) a vehicle registration cancellation request if:

  1. the vehicle has been missing
  2. the vehicle is unused (End-of-Life Vehicles)
  3. you will stop using it in public roads, that is, you will stop driving that vehicle
  4. the ownership of the vehicle changed over a year ago and the new owner has not yet updated the ownership registration
  5. you sold the vehicle to someone who lives abroad (someone who exported the vehicle)
  6. the registration is from a public goods transport heavy-duty vehicle that is immobilized due to lack of work or that shall be destroyed.

1. If the vehicle has been missing

If the vehicle is missing for more than 6 months, you can cancel the registration, as long as you submit:

  • a proof document of the police missing report
  • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
  • the identification document of the owner of the vehicle
  • the single automobile document or the vehicle registration certificate or the carnet + property registry title (if you do not hold these documents, you may submit a statement that explains what happened to them)
  • a police statement (or a sworn statement of the vehicle’s owner) declaring that the vehicle is missing.

2. If the vehicle is unused (End-of-Life Vehicles)

If the vehicle suffers damages that definitely unable its circulation, its registration may be cancelled on the same conditions of a car wreck.

A vehicle is considered unused when it has suffered damages which:

  • prevent its definite circulation
  • severely affect its safety conditions

In these cases, to cancel the vehicle registration, you only need to deliver the vehicle on a reception center or on an authorized dismantling operator. These entities then forward the vehicle registration cancellation request to the IMT.

You may learn more about the reception centers or authorized dismantling operators before:

3. If the vehicle will no longer circulate (in public roads)

If the vehicle shall only be used on sporting competitions or private places, where no other cars circulate, you may request the temporary vehicle registration cancellation. To cancel the vehicle registration, you shall need to submit:

  • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
  • the identification document of the owner of the vehicle
  • the single automobile document or the vehicle registration certificate or the carnet + property registry title (if the vehicle’s owner does not hold these documents, they may submit a past ownership proof issued by a vehicle registry office)
  • a statement which explains what shall happen to the vehicle.

This cancellation lasts for, at most, 5 years. Before the deadline expires, you must request the reactivation of the vehicle registration or its definitive cancellation. Otherwise, the owner of the vehicle may be fined.

4. The ownership of the vehicle changed over a year ago

If the vehicle has been sold over a year ago and if the new owner has not yet update the ownership registration, you may request the vehicle registration cancellation, as long as you have made a vehicle seizure request over 6 months ago and you submit:

  • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
  • your identification document
  • a document that proves that the vehicle was sold over a year ago.

The vehicle seizure request serves to remove from circulation the vehicles without an updated ownership registration. You may submit this request on the IMT reception desk of your area of residence, bring with you:

The IMT shall forward the request to the authorities that may seize the vehicle. If, 6 months later, the vehicle has not yet been seized (and if it has already been sold for more than a year), you may request the vehicle registration cancellation.

5. If you sold the vehicle to someone who lives abroad

You must cancel a vehicle registration when you sell it:

  • to a European Union country that doesn’t automatically report the new registration to the IMT
  • to a country outside of the European Union.

To do so, go to the IMT and bring with you:

  • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
  • your identification document
  • the single automobile document or the vehicle registration certificate or the carnet + property registry title (if you do not hold these documents, you may submit a document issued by the vehicle registry office proving the vehicle belongs to you and is not subject to any encumbrances).

NB: If you emigrate to a European Union country and change the registration of your Portuguese vehicle, the European Union country communicates the act to Portugal, but the person who owns the vehicle can also cancel the registration.

6. If the vehicle transports goods and is immobilized or shall be destroyed

You may cancel the registration of a goods transport heavy-duty vehicle that is current on one of the following situations:

  • immobilized due to lack of work
  • to be destroyed, that is, if an incentive to vehicle renovation has been requested and the process is currently under assessment.

To submit the cancellation request, go to the IMT and bring with you:

  • the IMT Model 9 filled and signed form
  • your identification document
  • the single automobile document or the vehicle registration certificate or the carnet + property registry title
  • a statement of the vehicle’s owner (or legitim holder) declaring they shall not use it on the road without a vehicle registration.

If the vehicle is immobilized due to lack of work, the cancellation lasts, at most, 24 months. After that period, you must request the definitive cancellation or reactivate the registration.