If you own a vehicle and are used to paying the Single Circulation Tax (IUC) during your car’s registration month, be aware that starting next year, the payment schedule for this tax will change to February.
“In 2026, the IUC will be payable by the end of February if the amount is up to 100 euros. For amounts exceeding this, payment could be split into two installments, one in February and another in October,” noted DECO PROTeste on Thursday.
Until the end of this year, “the rule remains that after the first year of registration, the IUC must be paid annually by the last day of the vehicle’s registration month”.
“For example, if you have a car registered in January 2007, you must pay the IUC by the end of January each year,” explains the consumer protection organization.
Calendar changes from 2026
However, “from 2026, all indications are that the IUC will be payable by the end of February for all vehicles covered, as long as the amount does not exceed 100 euros”.
“For IUC above 100 euros, the payment may be split into two installments, one by the end of February and another by the end of October,” DECO PROTeste further notes.
This change is part of a measure introduced by the Government in January of this year, under a broad fiscal simplification package.
The date will change for all vehicle owners from 2026.
Notícias ao Minuto c/Lusa | 15:08 – 16/01/2025
Accordingly, the IUC, popularly known as the ‘car seal’, will no longer be required to be paid in the vehicle’s registration month and will have a single date for all owners.
What is the IUC?
DECO PROTeste explains that the “IUC is a mandatory annual tax that must be paid by everyone with registered motor vehicles in their name, as long as they are eligible”.
“Internal combustion vehicles, motorcycles registered since 1992, and most motorized recreational boats are just a few examples. There are various factors that may lead to exemption,” it adds.
Moreover: “In the first year of registration, the IUC must be paid up to 30 days after the legal deadline for the vehicle’s registration. This tax covers new cars, second-hand purchases, and imported vehicles. If you buy a new car from a dealer, the IUC payment is made at the time of purchase”.
The IUC should be paid by the person registered as the owner, with ownership changes only finalized after two points are verified, clarifies the Tax Authority.
Notícias ao Minuto | 10:42 – 25/06/2025
