Portugal PT
EU baseline plus Portuguese extras: mandatory civil liability insurance above 900 g, and the free 'Voa na Boa' ANAC app/map for checking flight zones by location.
Your plan
Choose your home country (top right) to see steps tailored to you.
1 thing to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in Portugal
Free registration via the ANAC electronic platform. Required from 250 g, or below 250 g if the drone has a camera/microphone/other personal-data sensor, or can deliver more than 80 J of kinetic energy on impact. Free. Allow about 1 day before your trip.
Open official page - Remote ID may apply
Registration is also required for sub-250 g drones capable of delivering more than 80 J of impact kinetic energy, even without a camera — a national addition to the EASA camera/weight triggers.
- Bringing your drone in
Personal luggage from outside the EU: goods up to €430 (air/sea travel) or €300 (land travel) are duty- and VAT-free. Above that, customs duty (tariff-code dependent) and 23% VAT apply. Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100–160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares).
- Before each flight
Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight · Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people · Check the free 'Voa na Boa' ANAC app/map before flying: it shows free-flight, conditioned, authorisation-required, military and prohibited zones by location, including beach-by-beach rules
Open official page
Flying
- Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight
- Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people
- Check the free 'Voa na Boa' ANAC app/map before flying: it shows free-flight, conditioned, authorisation-required, military and prohibited zones by location, including beach-by-beach rules
- Civil liability insurance is mandatory once a drone's maximum operational mass exceeds 900 g, and always for professional/commercial use regardless of weight
- Class-marked (C1/C2/C3) drones need a flashing green light at night
Commercial use: The Open category covers most low-risk commercial work. Riskier flights need an operational authorisation or a standard-scenario declaration in the Specific category.
Official airspace mapRegistration & classes
| Registration | Yes (from 250 g or camera) Free registration via the ANAC electronic platform. Required from 250 g, or below 250 g if the drone has a camera/microphone/other personal-data sensor, or can deliver more than 80 J of kinetic energy on impact. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Yes (online, from 250 g) EU A1/A3 online certificate. Free EU A1/A3 online exam, as in the EASA baseline. |
| Remote ID | Some classes Registration is also required for sub-250 g drones capable of delivering more than 80 J of impact kinetic energy, even without a camera — a national addition to the EASA camera/weight triggers. |
| Insurance | Depends Mandatory once maximum operational mass exceeds 900 g (Decreto-Lei 58/2018), and always mandatory for professional/commercial use regardless of weight. Minimum cover amount is set by Portaria 2/2021 but the exact euro figure could not be confirmed from available sources — check with an insurer or ANAC before flying a 900 g+ drone uninsured. Optional below 900 g for recreational use. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Depends EASA registrations and certificates are valid in every EASA state. Residents of non-EASA countries register in the first EASA state where they plan to fly. |
Weight classes
| Class | Weight | Rules |
|---|---|---|
| C0 | < 250 g | Subcategory A1: may overfly uninvolved people (never crowds). No test; register if it has a camera. |
| C1 | < 900 g | A1: avoid overflying people. A1/A3 certificate and Remote ID required. |
| C2 | < 4 kg | A2: 30 m from people (5 m in low-speed mode) with the A2 certificate; otherwise A3. |
| C3 / C4 | < 25 kg | A3 only: far from people and 150 m from residential, commercial and industrial areas. |
| No class mark | any | Under 250 g → A1. 250 g and more → A3 only (legacy transition ended 1 Jan 2024). |
Import & export
- Personal luggage from outside the EU: goods up to €430 (air/sea travel) or €300 (land travel) are duty- and VAT-free. Above that, customs duty (tariff-code dependent) and 23% VAT apply.
- CE marking is required for sale in Portugal/EU; personal imports of non-CE radio equipment can be seized at customs.
- Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100–160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares).
- No customs within the EU. The duty rate on drones from outside the EU depends on the tariff (HS) code.
Export
- EU dual-use regulation applies to professional drones with long range or high payload.
Costs
| Operator registration | Free Validity: 3 years, then revalidation required |
|---|---|
| EU A1/A3 online certificate | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 23 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Start flying in Portugal Residents
- Register as an operator with ANAC
Free registration on the ANAC electronic platform; revalidate every 3 years. Open
- Pass the A1/A3 test
Free online training and exam, valid across the EU for 5 years.
- Get insurance if 900 g or more
Mandatory civil liability insurance above 900 g, or for any professional use.
- Download 'Voa na Boa'
ANAC's free app shows exactly where you can fly at your current location. Open
- Label your drone
Put your operator registration number on the drone.
Sources
- EASA – Civil drones (Open category) · accessed 23 Sept 2026
- ANAC – Registo de Operador de Aeronaves Não Tripuladas (UAS) · accessed 24 Sept 2026
- ANAC – FAQ Drones · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (online)−10
- Remote ID−4
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Visitors must register locally−5
- Duty + VAT ≈ 28 %−17
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works