1. How TVDE works
TVDE is app-based passenger transport. The electronic platform, TVDE operator and driver have separate roles. IMT states that the driver needs a written contract or document governing the relationship with a licensed TVDE operator. A private car and platform account are not a complete legal model.
2. Core driver requirements
- More than three years holding a category B licence.
- Valid Grupo 2 endorsement.
- Training through an IMT-recognised provider and final assessment.
- Current criminal-record certificate for the specific TVDE purpose.
- Valid CMTVDE certificate.
- Written relationship with a licensed operator.
3. CMTVDE certification
IMT states that initial training is at least 50 hours and includes theoretical and practical components. Training must be from an IMT-recognised provider. CMTVDE is valid for five years. Renewal requires eight hours of continuous training; an expired certificate cannot simply be renewed.
4. Vehicle conditions
Legal requirements and Uber/Bolt acceptance lists must both be checked. The core framework requires a national-plate passenger vehicle with no more than nine seats and an age below seven years from first registration. TVDE vehicles have their first inspection one year after registration and then annually.
Read our car buying and transfer guide before purchasing.
5. Operator model
IMT states that TVDE operator activity is exercised by legal persons established in Portugal. The company activity must cover passenger transport and include CAE-Rev.4 49330. First licensing lasts up to ten years and renewal up to five; IMT lists €200 for initial licensing/revalidation.
Check the operator licence and make sure the contract states rent/commission, fuel, maintenance, insurance, IPO, platform deductions, payment date and exit terms.
6. Tax, Green Receipts and Social Security
Your model differs if you are an employee, independent provider or company manager. See our Green Receipts guide. Under the standard self-employed regime, 70% of service income is relevant income and the contribution rate is 21.4%; declarations, minimum payments and exemptions depend on your history.
7. Insurance, inspection and accidents
Do not assume a private-use policy is enough. Commercial TVDE use and passenger cover must be explicit in the policy. Obtain written confirmation from the operator/insurer on accident reporting and coverage.
8. Start-up checklist
- Work rights, NIF and NISS confirmed.
- Foreign licence/Grupo 2 clarified with IMT.
- 50-hour training, assessment and CMTVDE completed.
- Operator licence and agreement checked.
- Vehicle age, plate, IPO and TVDE insurance compliant.
- Invoices, bank records and expense recordkeeping ready.
10. Platform, operator and driver: who does what?
The electronic platform matches supply and demand, calculates the trip and manages the app environment. The licensed TVDE operator is the legally recognised transport undertaking responsible for the vehicle and operating relationship. The driver performs the service and must hold the required driver certification. A driver cannot lawfully replace the operator merely by opening a personal app account.
The written agreement should identify the operator, driver, vehicle, payment cycle, platform deductions, fleet rent or commission, fuel and charging, maintenance, tyres, insurance, inspection, accident excess, fines and termination. The label “independent contractor” does not by itself decide employment status: actual control, scheduling, economic dependence and working conditions can be relevant under Portuguese labour law.
11. Foreign driving licence, Grupo 2 and residence status
A foreign licence may be recognised for ordinary private driving without automatically being capable of receiving the professional Grupo 2 endorsement required for TVDE. Turkish licence holders should use IMT’s foreign-licence guidance and obtain a case-specific answer about exchange, medical certificate and psychological assessment before paying for training or a vehicle.
TVDE is paid work. A short-stay or tourist status should never be treated as work authorisation. Residence title, right to work, NIF, NISS, tax address and the operator contract need to be reviewed together. D2, D7, D8 or family residence labels do not safely answer every work-right question on their own.
12. Training, assessment, application and renewal
Initial CMTVDE training has a minimum duration of 50 hours and contains theory and practice. Only an IMT-recognised provider is valid. The application package normally includes a category B licence held for more than three years with Grupo 2, recognised training and final assessment, and a criminal-record certificate requested for the purpose “motorista de TVDE – IMT” with the required reference to regular contact with minors.
The certificate is valid for five years. Renewal is filed exclusively through IMT Online before expiry and requires eight hours of continuous training. Current IMT guidance also describes a final assessment at the first renewal. Once the certificate expires it cannot simply be renewed; the initial course and assessment are required again. Check current fees on IMT at the time of submission.
13. Buying, renting or leasing a TVDE vehicle
| Model | Potential advantage | Main risk |
|---|---|---|
| Rent from an operator | Lower initial capital; insurance or maintenance may be included. | Weekly rent, fleet commission, downtime, excess and kilometre limits can reduce net income. |
| Own vehicle under an operator | Control of the asset and use outside working hours. | The written right of use, TVDE policy, IPO, repairs and seven-year limit remain critical. |
| Leasing/finance | Preserves some cash and spreads the purchase cost. | Credit approval, comprehensive insurance, early termination and an asset that may age out of TVDE. |
| Own company/operator | Can reduce dependence on a third-party fleet. | Company, licensing, accounting, insurance and regulatory responsibility move to you. |
Check both the legal vehicle conditions and the current Uber/Bolt acceptance list. Platform acceptance is not evidence that the vehicle is legally registered, insured and inspected for TVDE. Before buying, read the Portugal car buying, transfer and IPO guide.
14. Starting your own TVDE operator
IMT states that operator activity may be exercised by legal persons established in Portugal. The company registration and corporate object must cover on-demand passenger transport with driver and include CAE-Rev.4 49330. The application uses Modelo 30 and company registration details plus criminal-record access/documents for directors or managers.
The first licence can be valid for up to ten years and renewal for up to five years. IMT lists €200 for issue/revalidation, while changes and duplicates carry separate fees. Directors’ suitability must be maintained and criminal-record information is supplied to IMT as required. A one-car company is not exempt from operator, vehicle, insurance, accounting or platform obligations.
15. Uber and Bolt onboarding
- Create the profile only through the official Portuguese driver portal.
- Provide the identity/residence evidence requested for your status.
- Upload the valid licence with Grupo 2, CMTVDE and purpose-specific criminal record.
- Link the driver to a licensed operator.
- Provide the vehicle registration, legal right-of-use evidence where applicable, TVDE insurance and IPO documents.
- Check platform approval, operator linkage and vehicle activation before the first trip.
File type, photo quality and current document requirements may change. Follow the live official platform instructions rather than screenshots or old group messages. Never rent another person’s driver account or upload altered documents.
16. Working under an operator: contract and status
Before accepting a fleet offer, ask for the operator's IMT licence details and a written agreement. It should state the vehicle, platform accounts, weekly rent or revenue share, payment cycle, deposits, fuel or charging, cleaning, maintenance, tyres, breakdowns, replacement vehicle, insurance excess, fines, tolls, accident reporting and termination. Do not rely on a WhatsApp promise or an unexplained net-income figure.
Calling the relationship a partnership or independent service does not decide its legal nature. Actual control of hours, instructions, exclusivity and economic dependence can matter under Portuguese labour law.
17. Invoicing, VAT, IRS and Social Security
The tax route differs for an employee, independent provider invoicing an operator, and director/shareholder of an operator company. Confirm the correct activity code, invoice recipient, VAT, withholding and deductible-expense treatment with Finanças or a certified accountant. App turnover is not take-home pay.
For independent activity, Social Security declarations are normally quarterly. The standard calculation uses 70% of service revenue as relevant income and a 21.4% contribution rate, subject to the applicable base, exemptions, minimums and adjustment options. Verify personal rules in Segurança Social Direta.
18. Insurance, IPO, accidents and passenger safety
Ask the insurer to confirm in writing that paid TVDE passenger transport is covered. Check the policyholder, authorised drivers, vehicle, passenger liability, territorial scope, excess, roadside assistance and replacement-vehicle terms. A private-use policy is not sufficient evidence.
TVDE inspection is due one year after first registration and annually thereafter. After an accident, protect passengers, call 112 when needed, follow the insurer/operator reporting procedure, and preserve photographs and trip records.
- Never use or rent another driver's account.
- Do not accept an unregistered substitute vehicle.
- Report safety incidents through operator and platform channels.
- Confirm child-seat, accessibility and luggage needs where applicable.
19. Realistic cost and net-income model
No universal hourly or monthly profit can be promised. City, season, working window, vehicle type, financing, operator contract and empty kilometres change the outcome. Build weak, normal and strong scenarios from written quotations.
| Income/cost line | What to record |
|---|---|
| Gross app fares | Trips, promotions, tips and cancellations by platform. |
| Platform/operator | Actual statement deductions or fixed fleet rent. |
| Vehicle | Rent/finance, depreciation, maintenance, tyres, cleaning and downtime. |
| Road use | Fuel/electricity, tolls, parking and dead kilometres. |
| Compliance | Insurance, IPO, training, accounting and company costs. |
| Public charges | Social Security and tax provision based on advice. |
Net cash before personal tax = collected revenue minus every business cash cost. Also calculate net income per online hour and per kilometre.
20. Special points for people arriving from Turkey
- Separate ordinary use of a Turkish licence from professional Grupo 2 eligibility; ask IMT about exchange, medical and psychological steps.
- Do not start paid trips on visitor status. Confirm residence and work rights for the exact title or application stage.
- Keep NIF, tax address, NISS and bank records consistent.
- Obtain the purpose-specific Portuguese criminal record and check whether an additional foreign record or translation is requested.
- Do not buy a vehicle before IMT, operator, insurer and platform eligibility are checked.
21. Red flags and common mistakes
- Paying for a guaranteed certificate, rented account or altered document.
- Buying a car solely because a seller says it is platform compatible.
- Signing a blank or cancellation-heavy fleet contract.
- Ignoring Grupo 2 because the foreign licence is valid for private driving.
- Using private insurance for paid passenger transport.
- Comparing gross revenue with salary without expenses and taxes.
- Letting CMTVDE, criminal record, IPO or insurance expire.
- Assuming D2, D7 or D8 labels answer every work-right question.
22. End-to-end launch checklist
Before training
- Residence/work right confirmed.
- Licence age and Grupo 2 route confirmed with IMT.
- NIF, tax address and NISS records consistent.
Before signing
- IMT operator licence checked.
- Written cost, payment, insurance, maintenance and exit terms received.
- Vehicle registration, right of use, age, IPO and TVDE policy checked.
Before the first trip
- CMTVDE and purpose-specific criminal record valid.
- Driver, operator and vehicle correctly linked.
- Emergency and accident procedures understood.
- Invoice, expense and tax-reserve system ready.
23. Frequently asked questions
Can I drive only by opening an Uber or Bolt account?
No. Certification, operator linkage, compliant vehicle, insurance, inspection and tax/work status remain necessary.
Can I use a Turkish licence?
Ordinary recognition does not automatically establish Grupo 2 eligibility. Obtain an IMT answer for professional use.
Must I create a company?
Not merely to drive under an operator. A legal person is required if you want to become the licensed operator yourself.
Is buying always better than renting?
No. Compare total costs, kilometre limits, downtime, finance, eligibility horizon and resale risk.
How much can I earn?
There is no reliable universal figure. Calculate from actual statements and every vehicle, compliance, tax and idle-time cost.