Documents, insurance and administrative obligations
This domain tests the paperwork side of driving: what must be in the vehicle, who is covered by insurance, what must happen after a collision, and what changes when a vehicle is bought or sold. It is the easiest domain to lose marks in, because the rules are exact and the excuses do not exist.
What you must carry
- A valid driving licence (carta de condução) of the correct category, within its validity, with any required medical certificate current.
- The vehicle registration document (livrete) showing the registered keeper.
- Proof of compulsory third-party liability insurance (seguro obrigatório).
- A current periodic inspection certificate (inspecção periódica) where the vehicle's age requires it.
- Proof of payment of the circulation tax where applicable.
If you cannot produce a document at a checkpoint, you will normally be required to present it at a police station within a set period; that is not the same as not having it at all.
Insurance
Compulsory insurance covers third-party liability: injury and damage you cause to others. It does not repair your own vehicle. Driving uninsured is among the most serious administrative offences, with vehicle seizure and heavy penalties, and it leaves you personally liable for everything you cause.
After a collision
Stop, make the scene safe, give your details and, where there is injury or disagreement, call the police. Inform your insurer within the deadline stated in the policy. Do not admit liability at the roadside; describe facts, not fault.
Buying or selling
Check the registration document, insurance, inspection history and any outstanding tax before paying. Transfer the registration into the new owner's name and take out insurance in that name before driving. Ten minutes of checking prevents years of liability for someone else's vehicle.
Worked example
A driver borrows a friend's insured car. Compulsory insurance attaches to the vehicle, so third-party cover generally applies provided the driver holds the correct licence and is not excluded by the policy. The exam wants that distinction: insurance follows the car for third-party liability, not the driver's own damage.
Traps that cost marks
Assuming 'comprehensive' means everything; letting insurance or inspection lapse between renewals; and driving a newly bought vehicle before the registration transfer and insurance are in place.