Import car from Italy: buying Italian used cars for export
How to import a car from Italy: export deregistration at the PRA, Italian documents, VAT status, history and inspection checks and transport home.
· 7 min read
To import a car from Italy, the owner first deregisters it for export (radiazione per esportazione) at the PRA register, which requires the registration document, a valid Italian roadworthiness test and the plates. You collect the deregistration document, CoC and an invoice with the right VAT wording, then move the car by truck. Italy is most interesting for premium SUVs.
Which used cars are worth buying in Italy?
Italy is a large market with its own price pattern: premium SUVs are often cheaper than in Germany, while volume hatchbacks are not. According to listings tracked by MyCarDealer in October 2026:
| Model | Italy | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW X3 (2019–2021) | €25,950 (235 listings) | €27,700 (173) | €33,000 (188) |
| BMW X5 (2019–2022) | €40,900 (151) | €46,999 (130) | €52,950 (303) |
| Jeep Renegade (2019–2022) | €15,200 (866) | €16,990 (131) | €17,945 (147) |
| VW Golf (2019–2021) | €18,800 (317) | €16,900 (1,107) | €21,450 (173) |
The X3 comparison is close to like-for-like: the Italian and German samples both had a median of about 108,000–110,000 km, and the Italian cars were €1,750 cheaper. Italian X5s had more kilometres (about 105,000 against 90,000), which explains part of their €6,000 discount, but not all of it. Italian-built models such as the Jeep Renegade come in large numbers, which helps buyers who need several cars at once. For a Golf, Germany remains the better source.
Italy has two further advantages: many cars from the south have seen little road salt, and Italian dealers and leasing companies sell through trade auctions open to foreign buyers; see car auctions in Italy.
How an Italian car is deregistered for export
An Italian-registered car must be deregistered for export (radiazione per esportazione) at the PRA, the public vehicle register run by the Italian automobile club ACI, before it can be registered in another country. The registered owner, or another entitled person such as a buyer who is not yet recorded in the PRA, files the request, usually through a vehicle paperwork agency.
What the request needs, according to ACI:
- the registration number and the standard application form;
- ID of the applicant;
- the registration and ownership document (DU, or the older certificate of ownership);
- a valid Italian roadworthiness test (revisione);
- the plates, or a police report if they were lost or stolen;
- purchase documents if the applicant is not yet the registered owner.
The fees are €13.50 to ACI, €10.20 to the Motorizzazione and €32 stamp duty, plus the agency's charge. The deregistration is processed in real time, and the owner receives the DU marked as no longer valid for driving, which certifies the deregistration.
Two blockers matter in practice:
- A lien (ipoteca) registered on the car requires the creditor's notarised consent before deregistration.
- An administrative seizure (fermo amministrativo), typically for unpaid fines or taxes, must be paid off first.
Agree in the contract who deregisters the car, when, and that you receive the document before final payment.
For car dealers
Know your margin before you buy
MyCarDealer compares any car from an auction or listing with the market in your country and shows the net margin after VAT, transport and costs – and the maximum bid.
Request accessWhich Italian documents must come with the car
Since the introduction of the single vehicle document (Documento Unico di Circolazione e di Proprietà, DU) under Legislative Decree 98/2017, Italy combines registration and ownership in one document; older cars may still have a separate registration card and certificate of ownership. Collect:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| DU marked as deregistered for export (or the older registration card and ownership certificate with the deregistration record) | Proves deregistration and ownership |
| Certificate of conformity (CoC) | Registration in your country |
| Invoice with VAT wording | VAT status and proof of acquisition |
| Last revisione report | Roadworthiness; required for deregistration |
| Service book (libretto di manutenzione) and keys | Value and history |
Getting the car out of Italy
After deregistration the car has no Italian plates, so most dealers send a transporter. To drive it out, a temporary transit document (foglio di via) with provisional plates can be obtained from the provincial Motorizzazione office or a paperwork agency. Check that your insurance covers the whole route.
Transport from Italy is a real cost because of distance: from northern Italy to the Netherlands or Poland it is a long truck route. Get a quote before bidding; typical prices by route are in car transport costs in Europe.
How can I check the history of an Italian car?
Use three sources: the PRA register for ownership and encumbrances, the official inspection record, and the car's own service history.
- PRA extract (visura PRA). Available from ACI online; it shows the registered owner and whether liens or administrative seizures are recorded.
- Inspection record. The Italian transport ministry's portal (Il Portale dell'Automobilista) has a service to check roadworthiness tests carried out since 1 June 2018. Compare the test dates and readings with the service book.
- Service history. Brand dealer records are the most reliable; ask the seller to obtain a printout.
Mileage manipulation exists in Italy as anywhere else, and cars imported into Italy earlier may have history abroad too. Our car history check for imports explains which European databases cover theft, damage and finance.
VAT status of Italian cars
Italian cars are sold to foreign dealers either under the margin scheme or as VAT-qualifying intra-Community supplies. The Italian standard VAT rate is 22%.
- Margin car. An Italian dealer that bought the car from a private person or another margin dealer invoices under the Italian margin scheme for used goods (originally Article 36 of Decree-Law 41/1995, now part of Italy's new consolidated VAT code). No VAT is shown, and you resell under your own margin scheme.
- VAT-qualifying car. Ex-lease and ex-fleet cars are usually invoiced net to your VAT number as an intra-Community supply. You account for VAT at home and deduct it. The Italian seller will ask for proof that the car left Italy.
- New means of transport. A car under six months old or with no more than 6,000 km is always taxed in your country.
Make sure the invoice wording matches the deal before you pay. The rules are explained in VAT margin scheme EU rules for cross-border purchases.
Landed cost: when it pays to import a car from Italy
For a German or Dutch buyer, an Italian BMW X3 is a good example:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase price in Italy (VAT-qualifying, net) | €22,000 |
| Deregistration fees and agency | about €150 |
| Transport by truck to the Netherlands (assumed quote) | €900 |
| Registration at home (excluding registration tax) | about €150 |
| Preparation | €500 |
| Landed cost before registration tax | €23,700 |
Against a German median of €27,700 that leaves room for a margin; against the Dutch €33,000 the room is bigger, but rest-BPM still has to be paid. MyCarDealer finds cars in Italy and other EU countries and shows each car's margin after VAT and transport in your own market, so you can see this before bidding. One car can be valued for free.
Frequently asked questions
How is an Italian car deregistered for export?
The owner requests radiazione per esportazione at the PRA, usually through an agency, with the DU, ID, a valid revisione and the plates. Fees are €13.50 to ACI, €10.20 to the Motorizzazione and €32 stamp duty, and the document is issued in real time.
Which Italian documents must come with the car?
The DU marked as deregistered for export (or the older registration card and certificate of ownership), the certificate of conformity, an invoice with correct VAT wording, the last revisione report and the service book.
How can I check the history of an Italian car?
Get a PRA extract from ACI to see the owner, liens and seizures, check past roadworthiness tests on the transport ministry's portal, and compare them with the dealer service records.
Which used cars are typically worth buying in Italy?
Premium SUVs such as the BMW X3 and X5 were cheaper in Italy than in Germany in October 2026, and Italian-built models such as the Jeep Renegade are plentiful. Volume hatchbacks such as the Golf are usually cheaper in Germany.
Can I drive an Italian car home after buying it?
Only with a temporary transit document (foglio di via) and provisional plates from the Motorizzazione or an agency, plus valid insurance. Most dealers use a transporter instead.