Registering your car when you decide to move to Italy can sometimes turn into a waste of time and a headache if you are not sufficiently prepared. In order to import and register your vehicle in Italy, you will have to follow certain procedures and provide a list of documents and forms, pay fees and taxes and above all respect the deadlines. In fact, you have 6 months once installed in Italy to proceed to the change of plates of your foreign car. The subject comes up regularly on forums and help sites and the answers are sometimes unclear and often different on how and why to register your car in Italy. Is it compulsory to change your plates for Italian ones? What is the risk of not registering your vehicle on the roads of Italy? How much does it cost to import a car? How to register your car in Italy? I’m going to explain everything about this registration process that can sometimes turn into a real administrative labyrinth.
How and why register a foreign car in Italy ?
1. Cancel the registration in the country of origin
The first step in registering your car in Italy is to simply cancel the existing registration in your country of origin. To do this, you must contact the relevant traffic authorities and you will be given a certificate of cancellation of registration in order to continue the process.
You have to cancel your registration in previous country first
2. Obtain a certified translation of documents into Italian
In order to register your car in Italy, you will first need to request and obtain a certified translation of all the documents that are in French into Italian. Your grey card, the purchase invoice and the technical data sheet. It is mandatory to go through a certified Italian translator in order for the documents to be accepted to register your car.
3. Obtain the European Certificate of Conformity (C.O.C.)
Called certificato di conformità in Italian, this document is like the identity card of the vehicle imported in Italy. It is essential to pass the technical inspection and must be requested directly from the manufacturer or the dealer of the vehicle. Do not hesitate to ask for this document long before your move to Italy: it can sometimes take several months to be issued and sent. Keep this document carefully in order to continue the procedures for registering your car in Italy. If you wish, Lisbob can order it directly from you: just go to our website or our application.
Example of a Certificate of Conformity:
This is the famous C.O.C. Lisbob can send it directly to you
My advice is to order it online as soon as you are sure to move abroad. You can click on the banner below to order your COC directlly on my website by clicking here.
4. Pass the technical inspection
Once you have received the European Certificate of Conformity C.O.C., you can now take the technical inspection (controllo tecnico) of your vehicle. This car inspection is different from the usual control, and it is necessary to specify when you arrive that it is about the import and registration of a foreign car from another country of the EU. In Italy, technical inspection centers are called centro d’ispezione.
5. Go to a Motorizzazione Civile (UMC) or ACI Automobile Club d’Italia office.
The registration of a foreign car in Italy must be done with the competent authorities. It is important to prepare your file well and to gather all the necessary documents to change your license plates.
It is possible to get more information from the Motorizzazione Civile of your place of residence. You can consult the complete list of the offices of the ‘Motorizzazione Civile’ on their website by clicking here.
City of Rome:
• via Salaria, 1045 - Tel: +39 06.81.691 send an email
• via Fosso Acqua Acetosa Ostiense, 9 - Tel: +39 06.50.28.81 - send an e-mail
• via delle Cince, 28 - Tel: +39 06.23.18.02.10
City of Milan
• via Cilea, 119 - Tel: +39 02.35.3790.01 send an email
City of Naples
• via Argine, 422 - Tel: +39 081 591 1111
Here are the documents and forms to be provided:
Certificate of cancellation of registration of the country of origin;
Technical specification form signed and stamped by the manufacturer or an accredited distributor;
Application for registration (domanda di immatricolazione) form TT2119
Vehicle registration document and its certified translation into Italian; a permanent export certificate may be sufficient;
Technical control certificate signed and stamped by the manufacturer or an accredited distributor, with a certified translation into Italian.
The TT2119 form, which is essential for registering your car, is available on the Motorizzazione Civile website clicking here.
You will have to go to Motorizzazione Civile in order too import your car in Italy
6. Change your license plates
With your precious Italian car registration certificate, you can now go to a garage to change your foreign license plates to Italian ones.
When you will have Italian license plates, you will have almost finish the registration of your foreign car in Italy
7. Insuring your vehicle
The last step in order to drive safely and legally in Italy is, of course, to insure your vehicle. With your Italian grey card and your identity card, you can go to your insurer to subscribe to the car insurance that suits you best.
Is it mandatory to register your car in Italy?
All European and non-European citizens who decide to live and settle in Italy (domanda di residenza) have a period of 60 days to proceed with the registration of the vehicle in Italy, change of license plates and car registration. The administrative penalties for failure to register a car in Italy can range from a fine of 712 to 2900 euros. In extreme cases, the authorities can impose an immediate stop of the vehicle. I advise you to start the process as soon as possible or to let professionals take care of it.
