Buying a used aerial work platform in Portugal: checklist and mandatory documents

In short: before you go to see the machine, ask for the CE declaration of conformity, the manual in Portuguese, the report of the last periodic verification (Decree-Law 50/2005), the maintenance records and a photo of the ID plate. Without a CE declaration, the machine cannot legally enter service in Portugal. Then read the hours together with the age and the records, check the structure, hydraulics, batteries and safety systems, and run a full function test. At the end of this guide there is a one-page checklist to take with you.

The five documents the seller must hand over

The most important part of the purchase happens before you touch the machine. A serious seller has these five documents and e-mails them without hesitation. If one is missing, the price has to reflect it, or the deal should not go ahead.

1. CE declaration of conformity

Any machine placed on the European market must carry the CE mark and a declaration of conformity issued by the manufacturer under the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC, transposed in Portugal by Decree-Law 103/2008. From 20 January 2027 the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies instead, but machines placed on the market before that date remain legal.

The most common trap in the used market is machines imported from the United States. They are built to the American ANSI A92 standard, carry no CE mark, and the plate reads in pounds and feet. Whoever imports them into the EU legally takes on the role of manufacturer and must complete a full conformity assessment before putting them to work. In practice that rarely happens: the machine works illegally, the insurer may refuse to cover an accident, and the labour authority (ACT) can order it stopped. If the plate has no CE symbol, walk away.

2. Instruction manual in Portuguese

The Machinery Directive requires the manual to accompany the machine in the official language of the country where it is used. The operator’s manual should be on board, in the platform’s manual box, and the service manual is what your mechanic will need. For JLG machines the manuals are available from the manufacturer’s site by serial number; even so, a missing manual on board says something about how the machine was treated.

3. Report of the last periodic verification

Decree-Law 50/2005 requires the user to have the machine checked periodically by a competent person and to record the result in a report identifying the equipment, the type and date of the verification, the defects found and the deadline to fix them (Article 7). The employer must keep the reports of the last two years, and a copy of the latest one travels with the machine whenever it works away from the premises. We explain it all in our guide to mandatory inspections.

For the buyer this report is worth three things: it says what a competent person found less than a year ago, it shows the previous owner complied with the law, and it tells you how long until the next verification is due. A machine without a report is not necessarily a bad machine, but it must be verified before entering service, and that cost is yours.

4. Maintenance records

A notebook, a spreadsheet or the workshop invoices: the format does not matter, the content does. Look for dates, the hour-meter reading at each intervention, the parts replaced (especially batteries, tyres, hoses, cylinders and joysticks) and who did the work. The records must match the hour meter and the wear you will see on the machine. If they say the batteries were replaced six months ago and the terminals are corroded, one of the two is false.

5. ID plate and serial number

Ask for a sharp photo of the plate. It shows the manufacturer, model, serial number, year, capacity, number of people, maximum chassis inclination, maximum wind speed and the CE mark. On JLG scissor lifts the plate is on the chassis, next to the ground controls; on boom lifts it is on the turntable. If the plate is missing or illegible, the serial number is stamped into the chassis. On JLG models the serial number has 10 characters and the first two indicate the factory: 12 for Europe, 02 for the United States, M2 for Mexico, B2 or G2 for China.

With the serial number you can confirm the machine’s real year, order parts without mistakes, check the manufacturer’s safety bulletins and find out whether the machine was ever reported stolen. We run that check on any JLG machine before buying or selling it.

What the plate and EN 280 tell you

Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) are designed to the European standard EN 280, which classifies them into two groups and three types. The classification appears on the plate and in the manual, and it determines which jobs the machine suits and what training the operators need:

• Group A: the platform rises vertically and always stays within the footprint of the chassis. Scissor lifts and vertical masts.
• Group B: the platform reaches outside the footprint of the chassis. Articulating and telescopic booms.
• Type 1: travels only with the platform stowed.
• Type 2: travels elevated, controlled from the chassis.
• Type 3: travels elevated, controlled from the platform. Almost every modern self-propelled machine.

Three values on the plate deserve special attention. The capacity (in kg and number of people) must be enough for the job, tools and material included. The maximum chassis inclination tells you whether the machine suits your floors. And the maximum wind speed: if the plate says 0 m/s, the machine is indoor-only; outdoor machines are normally rated for 12.5 m/s. Buying an indoor scissor lift to work on façades is a mistake we see often.

Hours and age: how to read the hour meter

There is no magic number. Hours only make sense together with the age of the machine, the kind of work it did and the maintenance records. As a reference, for machines on Portuguese construction and industrial sites:

• An electric scissor lift in normal use typically clocks 200 to 400 hours a year. A five-year-old machine with under 1,000 hours had light use; with over 3,000 it probably came from an intensive rental fleet.
• A diesel articulating or telescopic boom works harder: 400 to 800 hours a year is normal. Here the meter counts engine hours, and real wear depends on how much of that time was spent lifting and how much idling.
• On rental-fleet machines the hours are high but maintenance is usually regular and documented. On single-owner machines the hours are low but maintenance may have been forgotten. Neither is better by default.

Be suspicious of hour meters that do not match the rest: a machine with 600 hours does not have joysticks polished by use, tyres at the end of their life, faded decals and worn wear pads. Always compare the meter with the hours recorded on the last maintenance invoice and the last verification report.

Physical inspection: what to check, system by system

Take a torch, a rag, gloves and, if possible, someone who knows the model. Allow an hour for a serious inspection. The order below is the one we use in our own verifications.

Structure

• Cracks and deformation in the scissor stack, boom, jib and chassis, especially around pivot points and welds.
• Non-original welds: a poor repair weld in a structural area disqualifies the machine. Look for irregular beads, different paint or touched-up areas.
• Play in pins and bushings: with the platform raised, rock it. A little play is normal; a click or visible movement is not.
• On telescopics, the boom wear pads and the condition of the extension chain or cables. On booms, the bolts and play of the turntable slew bearing.

Hydraulics

• Leaks at cylinders, hoses, fittings and valves. A sweating hose is acceptable short term; a scored or corroded cylinder rod means new seals soon and, at worst, a new cylinder.
• Drift test: raise the platform to mid height, switch off and wait 15 minutes. If it has visibly dropped, a holding valve or a seal is giving way.
• Level, colour and smell of the hydraulic oil. Milky oil has water in it; dark oil that smells burnt has not been changed for a long time.
• Speed and smoothness of movements. Slow or jerky movements with the oil at working temperature point to the pump or the valves.

Batteries and electrical system

On electric machines the batteries are the most expensive component you will find in poor condition. A new set of lead-acid traction batteries for a small scissor lift costs a significant share of the machine’s used value, and their life ranges from one year when mistreated to three or more with the right care.

• Ask the age and brand of the batteries and confirm with the manufacturing date stamped on them.
• Corroded terminals, swollen or cracked cases and electrolyte below the plates are signs of neglect.
• Run a real test: with the batteries charged, raise the loaded platform several times and watch the charge indicator. If it plummets, the batteries are sulphated.
• Check the charger (fault light, cable, plug) and the wiring in general: harnesses repaired with insulating tape and oxidised connectors are a source of intermittent faults.

Safety systems

This is where you decide whether the machine can work legally. Test every one of them:

• Emergency stop at the ground and platform controls.
• Manual emergency lowering, with the machine raised.
• Tilt alarm and cut-out: put one wheel on a block and try to raise.
• Load limiter (on machines that have one): the platform must refuse to lift with an overload.
• Pothole protection on scissor lifts: the bars must drop when raising, and the machine must not travel elevated if they do not.
• Limit switches, horn, motion alarm, lights and beacon.
• Enable (dead-man) switch on the joysticks and automatic return to neutral.

Chassis, tyres and brakes

• Tyres: on site machines, foam-filled or solid tyres are the norm; on indoor machines, non-marking tyres. Look for cuts, uneven wear and bent rims. A new set of tyres is not cheap.
• Parking brake: the machine must not creep on a ramp.
• Steering, oscillating axle and, where fitted, outriggers and auto-levelling.

Platform

• Straight, firmly fixed guardrails, a self-closing sprung gate, a non-slip deck without holes, identified harness anchor points.
• Deck extension that slides and locks without effort.

Engine, on diesel machines

• Cold start, smoke (blue is oil, white is water or unburnt fuel), oil and diesel leaks, condition of filters, belts and alternator.
• Engine hours consistent with the general condition.

Decals and manual on board

It looks like a detail, but it is one of the most common reasons for failing a verification: illegible capacity and safety decals and a missing manual. Cheap to fix, but budget for it.

The function test: 20 minutes that avoid surprises

1. Operate every function from the ground controls and then from the platform.
2. Raise to full height with a load close to rated capacity and travel elevated (on Type 3 machines).
3. Listen: hydraulic groaning, clicks in the structure, abnormal noise from the engine or wheels.
4. Repeat the movements several times to bring the oil to working temperature and see whether anything changes.
5. On electric machines, finish the test with the charge indicator in view: how much did 20 minutes of work consume?

What drives the price

• Age, hours and consistency between the two.
• Condition of batteries and tyres: the two most expensive consumables.
• Brand and model: for a JLG, Genie or Haulotte you will find parts and technicians in Portugal; for an unknown brand you may find neither.
• CE declaration, manual and a current verification report.
• Complete maintenance history.
• Warranty, and what the seller does if something fails in the first week.
• Transport: a small scissor lift goes on a van with a ramp; a 26-metre telescopic needs a low-loader. Get the price before closing.

Warning signs

• Plate without a CE mark, or with units in pounds and feet.
• Seller who does not have, or will not send, the documents.
• Hour meter that does not match the wear.
• Repair welds in structural areas.
• Scored cylinders or a platform that drifts down on its own.
• Tilt alarm or load limiter disconnected or bridged.
• Fresh paint covering everything, hoses and decals included.
• A price far below the market with no explanation.

After the purchase

• Verification before entering service. A machine that changes owner and location warrants a verification under Article 6 of Decree-Law 50/2005, by a competent person, with a report. If you bought without a valid report, this is the moment to get one.
• Operator training. Only qualified workers may operate self-propelled equipment (Article 32). If the machine is of a type new to your team, arrange training before delivery.
• Insurance. Tell your insurer about the new machine and confirm the policy covers its use.
• Maintenance plan. Schedule the frequent checks and the annual inspection from day one. We explain the calendar and the most common faults in the guide to preventive maintenance of aerial work platforms.

Printable checklist

Everything in this guide on one page, to take with you when you go to see the machine: download the used aerial platform buying checklist (PDF).

How it works with us

At Trapézio de Prismas we sell inspected used machines from several brands, with a known history and the paperwork in order. Before sale, every machine goes through a full verification and is delivered with a report.

If you are thinking of buying a machine from a third party, we offer a pre-purchase inspection: we go and see the machine with you or on your behalf, anywhere in Portugal, and deliver a written report with its real condition, the list of repairs needed and an estimate of their cost. It is often the argument you were missing to negotiate the price.

Request a pre-purchase inspection or see the used machines available.