Car registration in Italy

10/01/2019 1 comment
As previously advised (see our related post from 2014), whereas in all EU Member States visitors are free to circulate with foreign registered plates (subject to certain time limits), residents are generally obliged to drive cars registered in that MS. Indeed the Italian 'Codice della Strada' (Art. 132) in vigour since 1992 specifies that vehicles registered in another state that are brought to Italy have to be registered with Italian number plates within 12 months. 
The Your Europe pages for EU citizens make it clear that you may be fined:
• if you have to register your car but you fail to do so on time
• if you don't pay the relevant taxes
• if you drive with a number plate from another EU country without a proof of residency and a valid road-worthiness test.
Note that it is also specified that if you haven't registered your car in your new country, you may not lend or rent it to a resident of that country if you aren't in the car with him/her.

 Additionally, the recently approved (December 2018) so-called 'decreto sicurezza', has added a further provision that anyone resident for 60 days in Italy may only drive an Italian registered car. Failing to comply with this law will likely entail very large fines (of over €700) and also possible seizure of the foreign-registered vehicle.  This recent legislation will probably mean an increased vigilance on this matter by law enforcement personnel, and it also has an immediate impact on enforcement – whereas it was not straightforward for an officer to ascertain that a foreign registered vehicle had been in Italy for 12 months it is much more straightforward to ascertain residency. We are aware of a case of at least one large fine and vehicle confiscation already having taken place in the province based on this new provision (see the JRC Ispra Welcome Desk post on @Connected about Registration of cars in Italy, which provides the official guidance from our employer on this matter).

R&D would welcome better harmonisation of EU legislation which currently constrains freedom of movement around the EU. Indeed the Commission is fully aware that the obligation to register a motor vehicle in another country when it is already registered in the country of origin has been a source of complaints all over Europe for many years and has attempted to address the issue. R&D is also concerned about the excessively short 60 day residency period in the new Italian regulation and are seeking advice as to whether it is compatible with EU free movement rules. We are also entering discussions with the JRC regarding the full implications.

Nevertheless, it remains the case that working at JRC Ispra implies being resident (see our FAQs related to residency requirements), and therefore meeting the legal obligation to drive a locally registered car (as indeed is the case for EC staff in Belgium and Luxembourg). Beyond the registration issues, we would remind colleagues that a foreign-based car insurance may not be valid when a vehicle is used mainly in Italy. 

R&D offers the following services in order to help colleagues with foreign registered cars and who wish to continue to use them and/or import them into Italy:
•             Multilingual support in launching the importation procedure of a vehicle
•             Recommendation of a professional, reliable and competent agency which will take care of the importation procedure
•             Ditto also for the conversion of foreign driving licences
•             A discount on agency fees (discount on government taxes is obviously not possible)*
•             Explanation on how to pay Italian car tax (bollo)

 We are also currently in discussions with a local insurance company to obtain recognition of the accident free years of driving from a foreign vehicle insurance (bonus-malus).

 Finally, we remind colleagues returning home for a visit to e.g. France, Germany or Austria with their Italian registered car to always bring proof of Italian residency with them!

 *Details of Studio Zeta convention for R&D members
REGISTRATION IN ITALY OF FOREIGN REGISTERED VEHICLE
Cost: €70 Agency fees (instead of €85)+ Variable costs/Government taxes*. 
*The Variable Costs/Government taxes cost depends on a number of factors and could be on average around €500.
Individual quotations will be provided on request directly by Studiozeta.
Documentation needed: identity card, Codice Fiscale, current vehicle registration, vehicle technical documentation

CONVERSION OF DRIVING LICENCES (A/B type)
Cost: €100 Agency fees (instead of €115) + €25 for medical visit*.
*The medical visit is compulsory. 
Documentation needed: "old" driving licence, identity card, Codice Fiscale, 3 passport photos.
Appointments are available on Mondays and Fridays every week.


Please contact the R&D secretariat for further details.

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