Importing a car from the USA: what you need to know in Italy

Customs duty, VAT, national approval and registration. And why in Italy the hardest part is the technical paperwork.

Anna

Vehicle history research

A car from a US auction often looks like a bargain. But the auction price is only the start. Before the Italian plates come transport, customs duty, VAT, technical papers, the inspection at the Motorizzazione and taxes. And sometimes a history nobody tells you about.

This guide shows what an import really costs in 2026, the steps in the right order and what to check before you bid.

What did it go through in the US?

Once a car is registered here, its US past is easy to hide. The VIN still shows it: auction photos, damage records and title brands.

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Customs duty, VAT and Italian taxes

Everything starts from the customs value: the purchase price plus transport and insurance to the EU border. The normal duty on passenger cars is 10%. VAT of 22% is charged on the value plus the duty, paid directly at customs.

New since 1 July 2026: EU Regulation 2026/1455 cuts the duty on goods of US origin to 0%, for now until the end of 2029. Passenger cars are included, but what counts is where the car was built, not where you bought it. A Japanese, Korean or German car bought in Florida still pays 10%. In July 2026 the Customs Agency clarified that you do not need a certificate from the US authorities: origin is proved with commercial documents. A "Made in USA" label or a line on the invoice is not enough, though, and for a used auction car the proof stays difficult. Plan with 10% and treat 0% as a possible bonus.

At registration you also pay:

• IPT: 150.81 euros up to 53 kW, then 3.5119 euros per kW, with a provincial increase of up to 30%. Aosta, Trento and Bolzano do not apply it.
• Ecotassa: the law extends it to cars already registered abroad, from 1,100 to 2,500 euros above 190 g/km of CO2. Sources disagree on whether it is still applied in 2026, so check with an agency.
• Superbollo: 20 euros a year for each kW above 185, reduced after 5, 10 and 15 years and zero after 20.

Cost example: a 2018 saloon

You buy a 2018 saloon with a 2.0 petrol engine for USD 12,000 and pay USD 1,800 for shipping to Genoa or La Spezia. At 0.86 euros per dollar, with 140 kW and residence in a province with the 30% increase, the numbers are these:

Customs uses its own official exchange rate. Not included: auction fees, transport inside the USA, customs agent, technical papers, conversion work, inspection and test, any ecotassa and insurance. The IPT calculation on the full power should be checked with the ACI calculator for your province.

Port and customs

Container ships from the East Coast serve Genoa, La Spezia and Livorno, taking about 18 to 28 days from port to port. Many auction cars instead arrive in Bremerhaven or Antwerp and continue by truck. In practice a customs agent files the declaration. For national approval you will need the customs bill or customs certificate, with duty and VAT paid.

National approval: where Italy is strict

A passenger car coming from a non-EU country can be registered only if it meets all the harmonised European rules. There are no exemptions for American cars: they apply only to Switzerland, San Marino, the Vatican and people returning to Italy. The car always goes through an inspection and test at the Motorizzazione Civile.

The hard part is the technical documentation. You need a declaration that the car meets EU rules on emissions, noise, fuel tank, steering, brakes, seats, seat belts and crash protection, or a data sheet from a Centro Prova Autoveicoli (vehicle test centre). The US title and registration card must carry an apostille, and every document not in Italian needs a sworn translation.

Salvage, rebuilt, flood: the damaged cars

Many cheap American cars have a salvage, rebuilt or flood title: an insurer has already declared them a total loss, or they stood in water. In many US states a car becomes salvage when the repair costs more than about 75% of its value. No Italian rule mentions these American brands, but the Motorizzazione asks for the final foreign registration as the document of origin, and a salvage certificate often is not one.

The inspection and test checks the state of the car on that day, not the quality of the repair. Once the car is registered in Italy, the libretto di circolazione (registration document) does not show the American past.

The Italian libretto di circolazione will not tell you that a car was a total loss in the USA.

That is why step 2 matters so much: check the US history before the bid, not after. A title brand can also disappear after a new registration in another US state.

Our guide to checking the history of an imported car shows what else can get lost when a car crosses a border.

Step by step: from the listing to your driveway

This is how an import works in practice. The timings are typical, not official deadlines. With national approval, allow two or three months in all.

1. Set a budget and choose the car

   before buying

   To the auction price add transport, duty, VAT, technical papers, IPT and, if it applies, ecotassa. Above 185 kW also budget for the superbollo every year.

2. Check the VIN

   before you bid

   Ask for the VIN and check the US history before you bid:

   • salvage, rebuilt or flood titles,
   • auction photos and damage claims,
   • mileage over the years,
   • country of manufacture. A VIN starting with 1, 4 or 5 usually means a car built in the USA.

3. Check the technical documentation

   before you bid

   Ask the manufacturer or a specialist whether an EU declaration of conformity exists for this model and this VIN. Without one, you need a test centre. This step decides whether the car can be registered.

4. Bid and buy

   auction day

   Set your maximum bid including all fees. Pay only if you receive the original Certificate of Title and the registration card, and keep the invoice and proof of payment.

5. Transport and shipping

   3 to 8 weeks

   A forwarder collects the car, takes it to the US port and handles the export. Choose the port: Genoa, La Spezia or Livorno, or Bremerhaven or Antwerp with a truck to Italy.

6. Customs clearance

   on arrival

   The customs agent files the declaration and you pay duty and VAT. You receive the customs bill. For 0%, prepare proof of US origin and of direct transport.

7. Apostilles and sworn translations

   1 or 2 weeks

   Have the US title and registration card apostilled and have every document not in Italian translated by a sworn translator.

8. Conversion work

   usually 1 or 2 weeks

   You will usually need:

   • amber rear indicators instead of red ones,
   • a rear fog lamp,
   • E-marked approved headlamps,
   • a speedometer in km/h.

9. Technical approval at the Motorizzazione

   depends on the office

   You submit the technical documentation and the request for a preliminary check, with a self-declaration on VAT, purchase and mileage. Each Motorizzazione office has its own forms.

10. Inspection and test

    1 appointment

    The Motorizzazione checks the chassis number and the engine and tests the car. If everything complies, the car can be registered.

11. Registration and PRA

    1 appointment or an agency

    Pay the fees (10.20 euros), the stamp duty (32 euros) and the plates (41.78 euros), then IPT and ACI fees (27 euros). You receive the plates and the Documento Unico. If due, the ecotassa is paid with form F24.

12. Insure the car and drive off

    done

    Take out RCA (third party liability insurance) before you drive. After that, the bollo and any superbollo arrive every year. Keep all the American documents: for whoever buys the car from you, a documented history makes the difference.

Not sure yet? See what a full report looks like first

Good to know

• Province: the IPT depends on the province of residence. Aosta, Trento and Bolzano do not apply the increase.
• Euro class: an American car with little emissions paperwork risks a low class, with a higher bollo and access limits in some cities.
• Classic cars: vehicles over 30 years old follow a separate procedure with ASI or FMI certification.
• Buying in the EU instead? A car bought inside the EU pays no customs duty and no import VAT at the border. National taxes and registration costs still apply. Our guide to buying a car on mobile.de and bringing it to Italy explains that route.