Preparing for the registration

Now that you have your car, if you decide to keep it permanently in Italy, you have about six months to drive it (maximum one year if you apply for an extension) before it is time to prepare for the new hurdle of registration, which is going to make all the previous process seem easy and predictable.

You may ask what if I don’t obtain Italian plates after six months and I want to keep the car in Italy? One option is that you can request for a six-month extension – from the custom. Or you can try your luck as it really depends. Many police are not very familiar with the regulation regarding vehicles from outside the European Union and may be lenient or severe depending on the person and his interpretation of the law.

However, there is a possibility (as it has happened) that the police can suspend your vehicle administratively. Meaning you get to keep the vehicle but it cannot be driven on public roads. In worst case, it could be impounded – avoid this from happening by all means! If you are offered an option to have the sequestration administratively or the impoundage, take the first option.

To begin the registration process to nationalize your car, you will need to prepare the following documents:

•  Two copies of your title
•  Two copies of your registration
•  The Apostille documents of the title and registration
•  The certified translation of the title and registration documents if you already don’t have them, make two copies
•  Make two copies of your identification document such as passport, Carta d’Identita
•  Codice Fiscale
•  Four “marca da bollo” or stamp duty tax of €14.62 each (this may increase yearly, so check with the authority for the latest fee), which you can obtain from any tobacco shop. They are the equivalent of application fee to the Italian government, and must be affixed to certain documents requiring them. Keep them handy just in case you need one.
•  Make a copy of the custom importation document Form A22
•  Make a copy of the Caratteristiche Techniche del veicolo (the Technical Characteristics / homologation document from either the manufacturer of your car or C. E. T. O. C. in Italy)

What you don’t give for the registration process, you can keep an extra copy for yourself, and it’s always useful to have a copy.