The National Association of Driving Schools (Anieca) announced today that it has submitted “urgent proposals” to the government for inclusion in the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026), including the exemption from the circulation tax for teaching cars.
In a statement sent to the press, Anieca requests the exemption of the IUC (imposto único de circulação) for vehicles marked “adapted for instruction”.
“Currently, unlike other activities that use the vehicle as a basic working tool such as ambulances, taxis, public transport, agricultural or funeral vehicles, driving schools pay IUC on the vehicles they use, in a clear fiscal injustice,” they argue, in one of the points addressed to the Secretary of State for Fiscal Affairs, Cláudia Reis Duarte.
The association also seeks the full deduction of VAT on fuel for road teaching vehicles.
According to the organization, driving schools currently deduct only 50% of the VAT value of diesel and 0% of gasoline used.
“This constitutes a fiscal injustice, when we notice that activities such as taxis, TVDE [passenger transport by applications] and others that use vehicles and fuels as a basic working tool can deduct the total VAT,” they state.
Requesting an “urgent audience,” Anieca also addressed the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, with a proposal to restore the status of public utility to the road teaching sector.
“At a time when Portugal continues with worrying numbers in terms of road accidents, it is necessary to return this status to those responsible for the best way to prevent accidents: through training and prevention. It should be remembered that the sector already had this status until 1998,” they add.
According to the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), since the beginning of the year until Tuesday, 74,766 road accidents have been recorded, 515 more than in the same period of 2024.
Data consulted by Lusa, on the ‘ANSR website, also show that there were 232 deaths, 1,352 serious injuries, and 22,384 minor injuries. In total, so far, there have been 21 fewer deaths, 37 fewer serious injuries, and 387 fewer minor injuries than in the same period last year.
