Importing a Car to Italy

Importing Your Car to Italy? Car Shipping from the USA to Italy starts at a cost of $849 USD with an estimated turnaround time of 4-8 weeks, depending on the make and model of the car, the port of origin, and the method of shipment. Below, we explore everything you need to know about importing your car to Italy in our 2024 guide.

Importing a Car to Italy: Checklist

Vehicle Import Approval

Importing a Car to Italy: Costs & Time Frame

Importing a Car to Italy: Options

Additional Services

Ports Served in the US and Italy

Cleaning Your Vehicle of Biosecurity Concerns

Plating Your Vehicle in Italy

Other Italy/US Shipping Options

Here’s a rough breakdown of the EASY process you’ll need to go through to ship your car overseas to Italy.

More information on the process of importing a vehicle to Italy can be found here.

As you engage in the process of car import to Italy, some of the most important questions to consider include:

• Whether you plan to permanently keep the car in Italy or if it’s just a temporary move
• Whether you have been the owner of the car for at least 6 months.
• Whether you’re importing a new or used car.

These questions and more will determine whether your car is eligible for import to Italy. Your actual tax rate is also based on these details.

When importing a car to Italy, you should never assume your international shipping scenario is the same as someone else’s. Importing classic cars or used cars may have eligibility requirements that differ from those for newer vehicles for import into Italy.

Notably, there are some restrictions in place for importing vehicles that have an engine size over 2,000 cc and the import of new vehicles is discouraged.

To obtain an estimate of the cost to ship a car to Italy, fill out our, free quick quote form.

Vehicle Import Approval
Upon arrival of your vehicle shipment to Italy, the vehicle must be declared in Customs.

You’ll need the following documentation:

• Original Car Title Certificate
• Sales Contract / Bill of Sale
• Registration certificate or any equivalent official document
• Invoice, if there has been a sale

Things to Consider

• All vehicles shipped to Italy must comply with all the legal and technical requirements stipulated by the Italian government
• Once your car has met the standards set out by the government, you can obtain a government-issued certificate permitting you to start importing your car to Italy
• Italian law obliges any user of a motor vehicle to take out a third-party liability insurance policy to cover any personal injury and material damage caused by their vehicle. You must produce a certificate of insurance resulting from the obligation of automobile insurance. You must also pay the compulsory Italian road tax (“bollo”)

Taxes & Duties for Italy Car Imports
Prior to car import to Italy from the USA, verify your vehicle’s specifications and compliance with Italian requirements.

If you are importing a car to Italy from the USA, your car will be subject to local customs duties as well as IVA (the Italian equivalent of value-added tax or VAT) of 20% levied by the Italian government.

However, in certain circumstances, you might be able to gain exemption from paying customs duties and taxes.

• Tourists are able to ship their cars over for use with non-Italian license plates on a temporary basis for a maximum of 6 months with no requirement to pay customs duties. Following this period, the car must either be exported out of Italy or registered with the Italian authorities
• Non-Italian citizens who obtain permanent residence in Italy may import a single vehicle duty-free, as part of their personal belongings, provided that they can prove that they have been the car owners for at least 12 months via a Certificate of Origin
• EU citizens can have their car shipped into Italy without paying duty, provided that it is over 6 months old and has a mileage of over 6,000 km
• Returning Italian citizens who have lived away from Italy for over 18 months will also qualify to import their car duty-free

The amount of taxes and import duties payable when importing a car to Italy from the US will vary and depends on the details of your shipment.

To obtain an estimate of the cost to ship a car to Italy, fill out our free quick quote form.

Car Import from USA to Italy can be performed using a shared container, a sole container or a roll-on/roll-off service. It is important to find the best solution to meet your shipping needs.

Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo shipping) – Vehicles are loaded onto a ship that contains a cargo area built like a very big parking garage. International RoRo shipping tends to be cheaper as, other than the shipping charge, you are required to pay only port charges and customs clearance charges.

Transits tend to be faster than with the shared container service, as the vessels depart on a weekly basis.

Shared container service – This method for car import to Italy requires multiple vehicles to be loaded into one shipping container. While there are more fees involved to ship a car from the USA to Italy with shared container service than with the roll-on/roll-off shipping method, due to the fact that the container must be processed, these charges are shared between the various clients who are using the container. Such fees include a trucking charge, terminal handling charge, customs clearance, and charge for unloading the vehicles at a bonded warehouse.

One disadvantage is that you might face a longer wait before your vehicle departs, as the container must have a full load before import to Italy.

Full container load – You have the added benefit of a fully enclosed container, just like our shared container service, but the 20 ft container is dedicated solely to your vehicle. Since there’s no wait for other cars to be loaded, you’ll enjoy a shorter wait before departure. However, additional terminal handling fees and other charges won’t be shared with other vehicle owners.

Our most selective customers prefer the high level of safety and expediency offered when importing cars with dedicated container shipping. When your vehicle is received, we’ll photograph and document the vehicle’s condition as well as the loading process. Your vehicle will be loaded using our modern steel loading system, which is not only environmentally friendly, but doesn’t rely on outdated wood ramps and nails that other shipping companies use, which can damage your vehicle.

After your car is loaded onto your own private container, it is locked and secured. This will ensure no one gains access to your car before reaching its final destination. Since the vehicle is fully enclosed in a secure container, we invite our clients to pack and transport other items inside the vehicle. However, everything must be loaded securely, as we won’t be responsible for loss or damage of any kind.

Once your vehicle reaches its destination in Italy, our agent will unlock the container, document the vehicle’s condition, and photograph the entire unloading process. Every step of the import process is not only handled carefully but documented for your peace of mind.

Compared to our roll-on/roll-off shipping option, enclosed container shipping is not only more secure when importing to Italy, but much faster due to frequent departures each week.

Sourcing vehicles – Overseas clients who wish to buy a vehicle can turn to our long list of car buyers developed in our nearly thirty years in the auto industry, who can find and purchase vehicles for an additional fee or commission.

Other services – Some of the auto transport services we offer in overseas territories include domestic pickup, vehicle import assistance, tracking of your shipment, customs clearance in the USA and a full vehicle inspection report.

Departure Ports – United States

The location your vehicle will depart from depends on the method of car import to Italy, where your vehicle is located, your budget, and which services the nearest port offers. We have multiple departure locations from which we can ship cars from the USA, including Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Miami, Savannah, and more.

Destination Ports – Italy

Here are the entry ports in Italy that we can ship a car to.

Before import to Italy, the undercarriage of your car must be cleaned and free of foreign soil to prevent the introduction of invasive plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. This can be accomplished through steam cleaning or other thorough cleaning methods.

CFR Classic can assist with finding an appropriate cleaner to help ensure you comply with this requirement before car import to Italy. We do not recommend washing the interior of the vehicle as it can cause mold during transport. Vacuuming the interior is usually more than sufficient prior to car transport.

All cars shipped to Italy from the U.S must be registered. Once your car has been cleared through customs, you will receive a customs declaration.

In order to register your car with the Italian authorities, you will require:

Once your car arrives in Italy and, upon registration with the Pubblico Registro Automobilistico (Public Vehicle Registry, PRA), you will be issued Italian license plates, which will incur a fee.

Imported cars must be registered within 30 days. After this, you will have 60 days to register your car in the public register and obtain a registration certification and Italian number plates. More information about the registration process can be found here on the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) website.

Importing a Car from the US to Italy
Importing a Car from Italy to the US
Car Shipping from USA to Italy
Car Shipping from Italy to USA
Cargo Shipping from the US to Italy
Car Shipping from Italy to USA
Moving Household Goods from the US to Italy
Moving Household Goods from Italy to the US

This information was updated in January 2024. All information, time frames, pricing, and regulations are subject to change. Please contact a sales representative for the most current rates and information.

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