TVDE Criminal Record Certificate: How to Request It

Requesting the wrong criminal record is one of the most common — and most frustrating — mistakes for anyone starting out in TVDE. The document comes through, looks valid, but gets rejected at registration because it was issued for the wrong purpose.

The TVDE criminal record certificate is not the generic criminal record you request "for yourself". It must be issued for the correct purpose: exercising a regulated professional activity. This guide shows you how to request it correctly, online or in person, and what the law requires of your record.

What the TVDE criminal record certificate is

The criminal record certificate is the official document, issued by the Directorate-General for the Administration of Justice (through the IRN), that attests to your judicial history. To work in TVDE, it is one of the mandatory driver documents, alongside the CMTVDE and your identification document.

The catch is the purpose ("finalidade"). When you request the certificate, you have to state what you will use it for. The document issued for generic personal use does not serve to validate a regulated professional activity such as TVDE driving — it shows less information and gets rejected by the operator or the IMT.

What Law 45/2018 says about your record

Law 45/2018 requires TVDE drivers to have a clean record regarding certain crimes. Not every prior conviction bars the activity, but convictions for certain crimes — for example, violent crimes or serious driving offences — can block access to the profession.

That is why the purpose matters: the certificate issued for a professional activity reveals precisely the information the law requires to be checked. This is the reason the operator and the IMT need the correct version, not the generic one.

How to request the criminal record online (step by step)

The fastest route is online, on the IRN portal. With a Digital Mobile Key (Chave Móvel Digital) or Citizen Card (and a reader), the request takes just a few minutes.

1. Go to registocriminal.justica.gov.pt.
2. Authenticate with your Chave Móvel Digital or Citizen Card.
3. Start a new criminal record certificate request.
4. Under purpose (finalidade), choose the option tied to exercising a regulated professional activity / TVDE driving — not the generic "for yourself" option.
5. Confirm the details, submit, and download the certificate.

The online request is normally free or low cost. If you don't have digital authentication, you can request it in person at a Loja de Cidadão, an Espaço Registos, or an IRN counter.

Validity: don't request it too early

The certificate has a limited validity period — normally 3 months. If you request the criminal record too far in advance and the activation process drags on, the document may expire before registration, forcing you to repeat the request.

The practical rule: request the certificate once you already have the CMTVDE and a defined operator, so the validity covers the entire activation process. It is one of the documents you gather after the CMTVDE to start working.

Where this document fits in your start

The criminal record is just one of the steps to get your car on the road. If you are starting from scratch, it is worth seeing the full path — from documentation to your first day — in our guide on how to start in TVDE in 2026.

With the right purpose and validity working in your favour, this document stops being an obstacle and becomes just another item ticked off the list.

Don't let one document delay your start

A criminal record requested for the wrong purpose can cost you a week of waiting — money left on the table while you're not working. Done the right way, it is one of the quickest steps in the whole process.

At Arterian we help drivers gather the right documentation, first time, and get on the road without complications. Get in touch and we'll tell you exactly what to request.

Unsure which purpose to choose for the criminal record? Get in touch via WhatsApp or email and we'll help you request the right document.