The National Association of Driving Schools (Anieca) announced today that it has submitted “urgent proposals” to the government to be included in the State Budget for 2026 (OE2026), such as the exemption of road tax for teaching vehicles.
In a statement to the press, Anieca requests the exemption of the IUC (single circulation tax) for vehicles marked “adapted for instruction.”
“Currently, unlike other activities that use vehicles as a basic work tool such as ambulances, taxis, public transport, agricultural or funeral vehicles, driving schools pay the IUC on the vehicles they use, a clear fiscal injustice,” it states, in a document 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 diesel VAT and 0% of the gasoline used.
“This constitutes fiscal injustice when we find that activities such as taxis, app-based passenger transport (TVDE), and others using vehicles and fuel as a basic work tool can deduct the entire VAT,” it argues.
Requesting an “urgent meeting,” Anieca also addressed the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro, with a proposal to return the public utility status to the road teaching sector.
“At a time when Portugal continues with alarming numbers in terms of road accidents, it is crucial to restore this status to those responsible for the best ways to prevent accidents: through education and prevention. It should be noted that the sector had this status until 1998,” it adds.
According to the National Road Safety Authority (ANSR), since the beginning of the year and until Tuesday, there have been 74,766 road accidents, 515 more than in the same period in 2024.
Data accessed by Lusa on the ‘site’ of ANSR also show 232 deaths, 1,352 serious injuries, and 22,384 minor injuries. In total, to date, there have been 21 fewer deaths, 37 fewer serious injuries, and 387 fewer minor injuries than in the same period last year.
