Documents to Import a EU Car into Italy: Complete Checklist 2026

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Summary:

• To import a car from any EU country into Italy you need at least six key documents: COC, foreign vehicle registration papers, bill of sale, deregistration certificate, identity document and Italian tax code.
• The COC (Certificate of Conformity) is the most critical document: without it, Italian registration requires an individual technical inspection at the DTT, adding weeks of waiting time and hundreds of euros in extra costs.
• On CarPulse, a pan-European marketplace with over 24,000 verified listings, sellers provide complete documentation and you can check the AI-powered market price valuation before even contacting the seller.

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Importing a car from the European Union into Italy is a legal, relatively straightforward and often very cost-effective operation — but only if you have all the right documents from the start. Missing even a single document can stall the registration process for weeks or generate unexpected additional costs. This guide lists precisely every required document, explains what it is for and tells you how to obtain it. Whether you are buying from Germany, France, Poland or any other EU member state, the process is essentially the same. If you are looking for a vehicle with complete documentation already in place, browse verified European listings on CarPulse.it — find cars from vetted sellers across Europe, with vehicle history and price valuation included.

COC — Certificate of Conformity

The Certificate of Conformity (COC) is the EU-wide document issued by the vehicle manufacturer certifying that the car was built in compliance with all relevant EU directives on safety, emissions and type-approval. In Italy, this document allows you to register a foreign vehicle without undergoing an individual technical inspection at the Department of Land Transport (DTT / STA).

The COC is issued by the vehicle manufacturer, not by the registration authority of the selling country. Each brand has its own procedure:

• Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Škoda: request through the official VAG Group portal or at an authorised dealership using the VIN. Approximate cost: €30–80.
• BMW, MINI: requestable online via bmw-freude.de or through the dealer network. Cost: €20–60.
• Mercedes-Benz: via mercedesme.com or dealer. Cost: €30–80.
• Renault, Dacia: via e-COC.renault.com with the VIN. Cost: €20–40.
• Stellantis (Fiat, Peugeot, Citroën, Opel etc.): request via the manufacturer's portal or dealer. Cost: €20–70.

If the seller does not have a COC and cannot obtain one, factor the cost of an individual technical inspection into your final offer: between €150 and €400, plus a waiting period of up to 30–60 days. For most buyers, the presence of a COC is a non-negotiable requirement — and rightly so.

Purpose: replaces individual type-approval, allows registration at the PRA (Italian Vehicle Registry) and issuance of Italian number plates without additional technical tests.

Foreign vehicle registration papers

Every EU country has its own vehicle registration document. In Italy we call it the carta di circolazione; in other countries the name differs but the function is identical: it certifies that the vehicle is registered and compliant with local regulations.

• Germany: Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil I (registration certificate) and Teil II (vehicle ownership document). The Teil II is the most important: it is the certificate of ownership and is required for transfer at the PRA.
• France: Certificat d'Immatriculation (Carte Grise). A single document containing both technical data and owner information.
• Spain: Permiso de Circulación + Ficha Técnica (technical card).
• Poland: Dowód Rejestracyjny (registration document).
• Romania: Certificat de Înmatriculare.
• Netherlands: Kentekencard and Deel II (ownership certificate).

Purpose: the Italian Motorizzazione (STA/DTT) uses this to extract the vehicle's technical data (power output, engine displacement, emission classification, VIN) and cross-check them against the COC. It must be presented in the original.

Translation: for documents in non-Latin-script languages (Polish, Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian etc.) the Motorizzazione may require a certified Italian translation. Average cost: €50–150 from a sworn translator. Verify this requirement with your local STA office in advance.

Bill of sale (purchase contract)

The bill of sale is the contract signed between seller and buyer. It must mandatorily contain:

• Full details of the seller (name/company name, address, any foreign VAT or fiscal number).
• Full details of the buyer (name, address, Italian tax code).
• Vehicle data: make, model, year, VIN/chassis number, colour, mileage at time of sale.
• Agreed purchase price (with currency and indication of any applicable taxes).
• Date and place of the transaction.
• Signatures from both parties.

When buying from a dealer, the contract is typically drafted on official company forms and includes a receipt. When buying privately, you can use a generic template but make sure every field is complete.

Purpose: legal proof of ownership transfer. The Italian Revenue Agency requires it for EU intra-community VAT management; the PRA uses it for the ownership transfer transcription; the Motorizzazione verifies it to confirm the vehicle has been legally transferred to you.

Intra-community VAT: if you buy from a VAT-registered dealer (business-to-consumer intra-community purchase), the dealer does not charge their country's VAT, but you are required to pay Italian VAT (22%) to the Revenue Agency via Form F24 by the 16th of the following month. Keep the seller's invoice with the wording "intra-community supply" or equivalent in the local language. Private-to-private sales carry no VAT obligation.

Deregistration certificate (cancellation from the foreign registry)

The deregistration certificate (or cancellation from the vehicle registration registry) certifies that the vehicle has been permanently removed from the selling country's public registry. This is a mandatory step because a car cannot legally be registered in two countries simultaneously.

How it works in the main countries:

• Germany: the seller must visit the Zulassungsstelle (registration office) and apply for Abmeldung (deregistration). They receive an Abmeldebescheinigung (deregistration receipt). This usually happens at the time of purchase or immediately before.
• France: the seller completes the cession du véhicule online via the ANTS portal (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés) and receives a cession certificate and a certificat de situation administrative (free-of-lien). The buyer gets a Certificat Provisoire d'Immatriculation valid for 30 days.
• Spain: the radiación from the DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) registry must be applied for by the seller before the international sale. The buyer receives a Certificado de Baja Definitiva.
• Poland: the seller notifies wyrejestrowanie pojazdu to the Starostwo Powiatowe office; the buyer receives written confirmation.

Purpose: the Italian Motorizzazione will not proceed with registration without proof that the vehicle has been cancelled from the foreign registry. Some procedures retrieve this data directly via the European vehicle information system EUCARIS, but it is always prudent to have the physical document.

Warning: some private sellers try to sell without having already completed deregistration, promising to do it afterwards. Do not accept this arrangement: you risk ending up with a vehicle still registered in someone else's name in a foreign country.

Identity document of seller and buyer

Both seller and buyer must be able to produce a valid identity document at all stages of the transaction.

For the Italian buyer:

• National ID card (in date) or passport.
• A photocopy is generally sufficient for administrative procedures, but vehicle registration agencies may require authentication in some cases.

For the foreign seller:

• Identity document from their country of residence (EU national ID card or passport).
• In the case of a dealer: company documents (Chamber of Commerce extract or equivalent, European VAT registration number).

Purpose: identity documents are used to authenticate the purchase contract, for the PRA (Italian Vehicle Registry) procedure, for any intra-community VAT declaration and for any identity check by customs authorities in transit.

Italian tax code (codice fiscale)

The Italian tax code (codice fiscale) is mandatory for all documents and administrative procedures related to vehicle registration in Italy. It is specifically required for:

• Registration at the PRA (Pubblico Registro Automobilistico): the vehicle is registered in your name and tax code.
• Payment of the IPT (Provincial Transcription Tax) and ACI administrative fees.
• The Revenue Agency declaration for intra-community VAT, where applicable.
• Taking out the mandatory third-party liability (RCA) insurance policy.

If you are an Italian citizen, you already have one. If you are a foreign national resident in Italy purchasing an EU vehicle to register here, you can obtain a tax code at any Revenue Agency office (Agenzia delle Entrate) by presenting your passport and residence permit.

Purpose: without a tax code, PRA registration is impossible and you cannot register a vehicle in Italy. It is the first document to sort out, even before you start searching for a car.

Additional useful documents (not always mandatory)

Beyond the six core documents, certain situations call for additional paperwork:

• Vehicle history report (Fahrzeughistorie, AutoCheck, Carfax Europe etc.): not legally required, but strongly recommended. Request it using the VIN on specialist portals such as InfoCar, DEKRA or TÜV. Cost: €10–30. It tells you whether the vehicle has had declared accidents, write-offs or has been reported stolen.
• Most recent periodic inspection certificate (TÜV, CT, ITV, MOT etc.): not required by the Italian Motorizzazione, but a strong indicator of seller reliability.
• Service history booklet (Serviceheft, Carnet d'entretien): not required for registration, but essential for assessing the vehicle's real condition and for future resale. A car without documented service history loses significant value on the used car market.
• Temporary insurance or transit number plates: if you drive the vehicle from the country of purchase to Italy, you need valid insurance coverage for the entire journey. Options include temporary plates (German Kurzzeitkennzeichen, Italian EE plates or equivalent) or a transit insurance policy from an Italian insurer, which some companies offer for vehicles not yet registered here.

Before buying any vehicle from a European seller, use CarPulse's AI price valuation tool to verify whether the asking price is in line with the European market. If you want to sell your car with pan-European reach, list it for free on CarPulse — listings under €10,000 are completely free of charge.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions on Importing EU Cars to Italy

Conclusion: documentation makes all the difference

Importing a car from the European Union can save you thousands of euros compared to Italian market prices — but only if the transaction is correctly documented from start to finish. The six core documents (COC, foreign registration papers, bill of sale, deregistration certificate, identity document and tax code) are not optional: they are the minimum path without which the registration process simply cannot begin. Always start by verifying that the seller can provide all of them before making any payment.

To find already-verified European sellers with complete documentation, explore CarPulse.it — the pan-European used car marketplace connecting Italian buyers with verified sellers across Europe, with AI price valuation across 24,000+ listings.