If you live in Portugal and have a car that is no longer worth repairing, scrapping it is a formal legal process — not just a matter of finding someone to take it away. Done properly, you get paid, the registration is cancelled, and your IUC road tax obligation ends. Done badly, the car disappears and you keep paying for it.
This guide is written for foreign residents in the Lisbon area, where the paperwork usually causes more trouble than the car itself.
What is your car worth?
Tell us the make, model, year and where the car is. We will give you a figure the same day, and collection across Greater Lisbon is free.
The one document that matters
Portuguese law treats a car you want to scrap as an end-of-life vehicle — veículo em fim de vida, or VFV. It must be handed over to a licensed treatment facility, which then issues a certificado de destruição (certificate of destruction).
That certificate is what allows the registration to be cancelled at the IMT, the Portuguese vehicle authority. Without it, the car is legally still yours — still taxed, still your responsibility, even if it physically no longer exists.
Only a licensed facility can issue it. A general scrapyard cannot.
What you need
| Document | Portuguese name |
|---|---|
| Vehicle registration document | Certificado de matrícula (or livrete + título de registo de propriedade) |
| Photo ID of the registered owner | Cartão de cidadão, residence card or passport |
| Portuguese tax number | NIF |
| IMT transfer form, signed on collection | Modelo 9 do IMT |
The car must be registered in Portugal. A vehicle still on foreign plates follows a different route and cannot be scrapped through the Portuguese VFV system until it is either imported and registered here or exported.
What you get paid
| Vehicle type | Typical figure |
|---|---|
| Small hatchback, complete | €100 – €180 |
| Saloon or estate | €150 – €280 |
| SUV, MPV or van | €220 – €400 |
| Light commercial vehicle | €250 – €450 |
Figures assume a complete vehicle. The catalytic converter alone can account for a large share of the value on an older small car, so removing parts before collection usually costs you more than it earns.
The process, start to finish
- Valuation. Send the make, model, year and condition by phone or WhatsApp. You get a figure the same day.
- Booking. We agree a time and the exact address.
- Collection. Free, by tow truck, anywhere in Greater Lisbon. The car does not need to run or have a valid inspection.
- Payment on the spot, against the documents and the signed Modelo 9.
- Delivery to a licensed facility, which issues the certificate of destruction and notifies the IMT that the registration is cancelled.
Stop paying IUC and insurance
IUC is charged annually based on the registration month, for as long as the vehicle is registered. Cancelling the registration is what ends it — parking the car and doing nothing does not. A car sitting unused typically costs €180 to €450 a year in tax and insurance alone.
Cancel the insurance only after the registration has been cancelled, not before. A registered vehicle without insurance is an offence in Portugal, even if it never moves.
Where we collect
Lisbon, Oeiras, Cascais, Sintra, Amadora, Loures, Odivelas, Almada, Seixal and the rest of Greater Lisbon — the areas where most English-speaking residents live. Collection is free and usually happens within 24 to 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions
Can I scrap a car in Portugal if I am not a Portuguese citizen?
Yes. What matters is that you are the registered owner and that the car is registered in Portugal. A residence card or passport plus your NIF is enough for identification.
How do I stop paying IUC on a car I no longer use?
The registration has to be cancelled at the IMT, and that only happens once a licensed facility issues the certificate of destruction. Simply parking the car does not end the tax.
Do you collect if the car does not run?
Yes. Collection is by tow truck and is free across Greater Lisbon, including cars that have not moved for years.
Can I scrap a car still on foreign plates?
Not through the Portuguese end-of-life vehicle system. The vehicle must first be registered in Portugal, or exported.
How long does the whole process take?
Usually 24 to 48 hours from valuation to collection and payment. The registration cancellation is processed by the licensed facility afterwards.
Get a valuation for your car
Same-day reply, no obligation. Free collection across Greater Lisbon, even if the car does not run.