It is possible to pay the Motor Vehicle Tax (IUC) through direct debit; however, certain conditions must be met, as advised by the Tax and Customs Authority (AT).
In a social media announcement, the AT highlighted that to utilize this payment method, the following criteria must be satisfied:
- The vehicle(s) must belong to categories A, B, E, or C and D (weight ≤ 12 tons);
- The individual must be the owner of the vehicle(s);
- The vehicle(s) must not be under a rental agreement.
Nonetheless, the tax authorities provided essential “important notes”: “Official IUC assessments cannot be paid via Direct Debit” and “for light vehicles and motorcycles (categories A, B, E), if there are exemptions for persons with disabilities (degree ≥ 60%), payment via Direct Debit is not possible.”
IUC Deadline to Change
If you own a car and typically pay the IUC during the vehicle’s registration month, from next year, the payment schedule for this tax will change, moving to February.
The IUC, commonly known as the ‘car stamp,’ will no longer need to be paid in the month of vehicle registration, instead adopting a single payment date for all owners.
Beatriz Vasconcelos | 08:54 – 12/09/2025
In 2026, the IUC will be due by the end of February for amounts up to 100 euros. For higher amounts, payments can be split into two installments, one in February and another in October, according to DECO PROTeste.
For the remainder of this year, the rule remains that after the first year of registration, the IUC is payable annually by the last day of the vehicle’s registration month.
For instance, for a vehicle registered in January 2007, the IUC must be paid by the end of January each year, as explained by the consumer protection organization.
Schedule Change from 2026
From 2026, it appears that the IUC will be payable by the end of February for all eligible vehicles, provided the amount does not exceed 100 euros.
For IUC amounts exceeding 100 euros, payments may be made in two installments, one by the end of February and another by the end of October, DECO PROTeste reiterates.
This change is part of a broader tax simplification package introduced by the Government in January this year.
As such, the IUC, widely referred to as the ‘car stamp,’ will shift from being due in the registration month to a uniform date for all owners.
The date will change for all vehicle owners from 2026 onwards.
Notícias ao Minuto c/Lusa | 15:08 – 16/01/2025
