5 mistakes to avoid when registering your foreign car in Italy
For most people who choose to move to Italy, registration of their vehicle is often part of the process. Only here, as often during an expatriation, things are not so simple! Indeed, if you have the right to move to Italy in your favorite vehicle, you also have a number of obligations to respect when you register your car. In order to import your vehicle Italy, it is necessary not to make mistakes that can prove fatal. What are the 5 mistakes not to make when registering your car in Italy? What are the pitfalls to avoid when importing a vehicle? Lisbob, the expatriate's assistant in Italy, reveals the 5 mistakes you should not make when registering your vehicle in Italy.
1. Ordering the Certificate of Conformity of the car too late
The registration of his car in Italy starts well before leaving his country. Indeed, one of the first steps when you register your vehicle is to pass the technical control. However, in order to pass it you absolutely need the European Certificate of Conformity COC. Called certificato di conformità in Italian, this document is like the identity card of the vehicle imported into Italy. The mistake many expatriates make is to make the request once they move to Italy. Issued directly by the manufacturer or the dealer depending on your case, this original document is given to any buyer of vehicles in Europe, but the time to receive them are 5 to 6 weeks: as much time lost on the time to register your car.
Don’t forget to ask your COC in advance
If you move without having the certificate of conformity of your vehicle, you will lose valuable time and complicate your installation. The main risk? Exceed the legal deadline for your registration which must be done within 60 days after your arrival. Also, by asking for it before leaving to live in Italy you will save time and thus be able to launch registration procedures more quickly and serenely.
You can order it online, bu clicking here.
2. Forgetting cancelling previous registration
The very first step when registering one's car in Italy is to simply cancel the existing registration in one's home country. This is very important because without it you can not change your plates. To do this, you must contact the competent authorities of the country of origin, and a certificate of cancellation of registration will be given to you to continue the process.
If you forget to ask for this document before going to live in Italy, you will lose valuable time in your efforts and risk exceeding deadlines.
3. Not having your documents translated
In order to register your car in Italy, you will need to request and obtain the certified translation of all the documents that are in English to Italian, and that represents a lot of words to translate! Indeed, the documents that must be translated in a certified way is long: your gray card, the invoice and the technical sheet.
It is mandatory to go through a certified Italian translator so that documents are accepted to register your car. As it takes time, it is advisable to request the certified translation of your documents before leaving to live in Italy.
4. Forgetting about deadlines
Italy imposes deadlines for all foreign nationals who settle there and wish to register their car. Like other European countries, there is a certain time limit to make the change of license plates in the rules and avoid fines. However, Italy is quite strict. Unlike Portugal, which allows a period of 12 months to register its vehicle and be in line, Italy offers a very short period of 60 days.
The administrative sanctions applied in case of failure to register his car in Italy can go up to fines ranging between 712 and 2900 euros. In extreme cases, the authorities may impose an immediate stop of the vehicle. The Italian police do not hesitate to verbalize the offenders who find themselves driving without having started the process to register their car.
Don’t forget about deadlines when registering your foreign in Italy
5. Thinking you can do it all alone
For all these long and complicated administrative procedures, which require a lot of time, legal knowledge and some practice of the Italian administration, Lisbob is simply your best ally! We know it to have lived, an expatriation is not easy, and errors are (very) easy to commit, especially when registering a car in Italy. Thanks to the expertise of Lisbob and its team of shock, you are certain to make complete files, to respect the legal deadlines and to be able to concentrate on the essential aspects of your expatriation. So contact us, Lisbob takes care of everything!