In Portugal, two drivers of the same age with driving licences of the same category may have to carry out renewal at different times. This happens because the rules for renewing a driving licence depend on the date the licence was obtained, with different regimes applying depending on the year of obtaining.
The most important date is 2 January 2013. Group 1 drivers, which includes categories such as AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B and BE, who obtained their licence before this date, must make their first renewal at 50, regardless of what is indicated on the document. The procedure must be completed by the last day the driver is 49.
For those who obtained their licence between 2 January 2013 and 29 July 2016, the first renewal is made on the date indicated on the licence itself, followed by renewals every 15 years until age 60. From 30 July 2016, the general rule is renewal every 15 years after the licence is obtained until age 60.
After age 60, the rules change again, with renewals at 60, 65 and 70, and then every two years from age 70 onwards. At these ages, a medical certificate must also be presented. Not renewing on time can have serious consequences: after two years without renewal, a practical test may be required; between five and ten years, training is required; and after ten years, it is necessary to obtain a driving licence again.
