Shipping a Car to Italy

As you engage in the process of car shipping 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 shipping to Italy. Your actual tax rate is also based on these details.

When shipping 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 shipping 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.

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”)

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”)

Prior to car shipping to Italy from the USA, verify your vehicle’s specifications and compliance with Italian requirements.

If you are shipping 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 shipping 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.

The location your vehicle will depart from depends on the method of car shipping 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.

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

Before shipping 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 shipping 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:

• Ownership certificate/Original title
  • If the car import applicant is the car owner, as shown in the foreign registration certificate, a declaration of ownership with an authenticated signature should be presented
  • If the applicant is not stated as the car owner in the foreign registration certificate, then a certified sales declaration should be provided
• Personal identity documentation (this must include an Italian translation if written in a foreign language) – this document must be certified as being an accurate translation of the original document by an official translator, competent diplomatic or consular representative
• Applicant’s residence certificate (unless this is stated in the personal identity documentation)
• Your passport and driver’s license
• NP2D form to confirm registration with the Public Register of Motor Vehicles (PRA), which should indicate the purchaser’s tax code
• Photocopy of the registration certificate issued in Italy
• Certificate confirming the cancellation of registration in the country of origin
• If your car is used, you must obtain a technical inspection certificate to confirm that the car is road-worthy (this should be translated into Italian). After receiving this certificate, the relevant authorities will issue a “certificato di conformità” – a certificate of conformity. The car must be certified to meet the appropriate EU environmental standards
• If the buyer is a legal entity (a business, company, association, etc.) the registered office of the legal entity should be confirmed via a certificate of the Chamber of Commerce with revenue stamps or a declaration made by the legal representative
• If the buyer is a non-EU citizen currently residing in Italy, documents needed include:
  • A copy of a valid residence permit
  • Or a copy of an expired residence permit, complete with a copy of the receipt for permit renewal
  • Or a copy of the personal identity document, complete with a copy of the receipt certifying the application’s presentation for first release
  • Or a copy of the EC residence permits for long-term residents
• If the buyer is a non-EU citizen relative of an EU citizen currently residing in Italy, they will require: a copy of the “residence permit for relatives of a European Union citizen” or a copy of the “permanent residence permit for relatives of European citizens”

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.