The age of the first driver's license renewal in Portugal is not the same for all drivers. Although 50 years of age has been an important reference for many years, the current rules mean that the date of the first renewal depends, among other factors, on when the driver obtained the title and the categories they are licensed for. For the most common categories — AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B and BE — there are three different regimes depending on the date the license was obtained.
For those who obtained their license by January 1, 2013, renewals occur at 50, 60, 65 and 70 years of age, and then every two years. However, for those who obtained their license between January 2, 2013 and July 29, 2016, the first renewal must be done on the expiry date indicated on the license itself, not at 50. After that renewal, the title is renewed every 15 years until age 60.
For those who obtained their license from July 30, 2016 onwards, the license must be renewed every 15 years until age 60. In practice, a person who obtained their license at 18 may need to renew it at approximately 33 and again at 48 — in other words, twice before reaching 50. There is an exception for those who obtain their license after already turning 58, who only need to make their first renewal at 65.
The Institute of Mobility and Transport indicates that renewal can be requested in the six months prior to expiry, and the request costs 27 euros online or 30 euros in person up to age 70. The IMT warns that driving with an expired license constitutes a traffic offense, and if more than two years have passed since the expiry, practical exams must be taken, while if more than five years have passed, specific training is also required. The recommendation is to always check the expiry date shown on the license itself.
