Foreign Plates in Italy: Rules and Obligations 2026

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Summary:

• Italian residents cannot drive a car registered abroad: Article 93 of the Italian Highway Code prohibits the circulation of foreign-registered vehicles when the owner or regular user is an Italian resident.
• Anyone who transfers their residence to Italy has 60 days from the date of registration at their local town hall to re-register the vehicle and obtain Italian plates — exceeding that deadline triggers fines starting at €712 and administrative impoundment.
• EE (Export) plates are the only legal way to drive temporarily in Italy with a car bought abroad — explore cross-border car buying and selling on CarPulse.

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Driving in Italy with foreign licence plates is not inherently illegal — but it quickly becomes so if the rules are not respected. Article 93 of the Italian Highway Code (Codice della Strada), revised and updated several times, clearly defines who can keep foreign plates and for how long. The rules affect anyone who buys a car abroad, anyone moving to Italy from another European country, anyone habitually using a company car registered outside Italy, and anyone who is only in Italy temporarily. The fines are far from symbolic: they start at €712 and can escalate to administrative impoundment of the vehicle. If you are planning to buy a car from another European country and want to understand the full import and registration process, CarPulse lets you compare verified listings from across Europe on a single platform — with AI price valuation and verified sellers.

The Article 93 Ban: What It Actually Says

Article 93 of the Italian Highway Code (Legislative Decree 285/1992) establishes that vehicles circulating in Italy must be registered with the Italian Motorizzazione Civile (DTT) or in another country, but with specific restrictions for Italian residents. The key prohibition applies to two categories:

• Vehicles registered in the name of Italian residents: if you live in Italy and the vehicle is registered in your name (even if purchased abroad), you cannot keep it registered abroad and continue to drive it in Italy.
• Vehicles habitually used by residents: even if registered to a foreign entity (for example, a non-resident family member or a foreign company), if an Italian resident uses it in a stable and continuous manner, the re-registration obligations are triggered.

The rule targets the practice of disguised foreign registration: registering a car in a country with lower taxes or ownership costs (classically Bulgaria or Poland) while effectively living and driving in Italy full-time. The Guardia di Finanza (financial police) and the Polizia Stradale carry out systematic checks specifically for this phenomenon.

Exceptions apply to persons who are fiscally and officially resident abroad but are temporarily in Italy (tourists, business travellers, Erasmus students). In these cases, foreign plates are perfectly legal for the duration of the temporary stay.

The 60-Day Re-Registration Deadline

When a person transfers their residence to Italy bringing a vehicle registered abroad, they have 60 days from the date of registration at the local town hall (comune) to complete re-registration in Italy. The deadline is absolute and runs from the anagrafe registration date, not from the physical date of entry into Italy.

Within these 60 days, the vehicle may legally circulate in Italy with the original foreign plates. Once the deadline passes without initiating the re-registration procedure, the vehicle may no longer circulate on Italian roads, and any police check exposes the driver to immediate fines.

The re-registration process requires:

1. Ownership documentation from the country of origin (vehicle title/registration document) with a certified translation if not in Italian or another recognised language.
2. A COC (Certificate of Conformity) or, in its absence, an individual inspection at the competent DTT office.
3. Payment of IPT (Provincial Transcription Tax) at the local ACI/PRA office.
4. Fees for the Motorizzazione Civile and for the issuance of new Italian plates.
5. A valid Italian RC (third-party liability) insurance policy.

Actual processing times depend on the local Motorizzazione office but typically range from 15 to 45 working days. It is strongly advisable to start the process as soon as you arrive in Italy to avoid missing the 60-day window.

EE Export Plates: The Only Legal Solution During the Wait

EE plates (Esportazione — Export) are temporary Italian plates issued by the Motorizzazione Civile to allow a vehicle purchased abroad (or sold by a foreign seller) to circulate in the period between purchase and final registration. They are marked with the letters EE followed by a sequential number.

EE plates have a maximum validity of 30 days and cannot be renewed. They are granted only if:

• A purchase deed or equivalent document proving vehicle ownership is presented.
• A temporary insurance policy valid on Italian territory is in place.
• The application is submitted at the Motorizzazione Civile or an authorised motor agency.

EE plates do not allow the owner to avoid re-registration: they exist solely to permit the vehicle to be driven while awaiting completion of the registration process. It is not possible to request a second set of EE plates for the same vehicle after the first set expires: if 30 days are not enough, the vehicle must remain stationary until registration is complete.

For buyers purchasing a car from a European seller through CarPulse, coordinating the vehicle's arrival with the EE plate application is essential to avoid being without legal cover during transit.

Fines and Penalties for Non-Compliance

The penalties under Article 93 of the Highway Code (subsections 1-bis and following) for driving in violation of the ban are substantial:

• Monetary fine: from €712 to €2,848 for the first verified violation.
• Administrative impoundment: the vehicle is seized on the spot and cannot be driven until the situation is resolved (re-registration completed) or the fine is paid and appropriate documentation is provided.
• Confiscation: if the violation is repeated within two years of the first penalty, administrative confiscation of the vehicle is applicable.

During a check by the Polizia Stradale or Guardia di Finanza, proof that the owner is genuinely resident abroad (via a foreign identity document or foreign residence certificate) may be sufficient to rule out a violation — but an Italian-resident owner or habitual user has no defence if they cannot demonstrate they are within the 60-day window.

It is worth noting that police have real-time access to town hall registration databases and can verify the date of anagrafe inscription on the spot.

Exceptions and Edge Cases

The regulations provide for several exceptions and edge cases that are important to understand:

• Company cars registered to foreign firms: if a company with its registered office abroad provides a vehicle to an employee resident in Italy, the vehicle may remain registered abroad. However, the employee must be able to demonstrate the employment relationship and the vehicle's registration to the foreign company. The Guardia di Finanza scrutinises these arrangements carefully for sham arrangements.
• Students and temporary workers: anyone in Italy for study or temporary work (under one year without transferring official residence) may drive foreign-registered vehicles without time limit, provided official residence remains abroad.
• Transit vehicles: vehicles belonging to foreign tourists or visitors not making a permanent stay may circulate freely with foreign plates.
• Complex cross-border situations: if your situation involves dual residence, cross-border employment, or an international company vehicle, consulting a specialist motor agency or road traffic law adviser before driving is strongly recommended.

How to Regularise Your Situation: Step-by-Step

If you are already in Italy with a foreign-registered vehicle and are unsure whether you are compliant, here is what to do:

1. Check your town hall registration date: find your residence certificate. The 60-day clock started on that date.
2. Obtain the vehicle's COC: contact the manufacturer or original dealer. The COC is the document certifying EU compliance and is almost always required to re-register in Italy without an individual DTT inspection.
3. Go to the Motorizzazione Civile (DTT) in your province with: ID document, proof of residence, vehicle ownership document (with certified translation if needed), COC, and valid Italian RC insurance.
4. Pay the IPT at ACI/PRA: the tax is calculated on the vehicle's engine output and varies by province — typically between €150 and €500 for an average-powered car.
5. Collect the new Italian plates and hand in the foreign ones. The vehicle is now legally registered in Italy.

If you need to value your vehicle before selling it or compare it with European market offers, use CarPulse's free AI valuation tool — a pan-European tool that analyses 24,000+ verified listings to give you a realistic market estimate.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion: Know the Rules, Avoid the Fines

The rules on foreign plates in Italy are clear but frequently overlooked, with significant financial consequences. If you live in Italy and use a vehicle registered abroad, you have 60 days — not a day more — to comply. EE plates allow you to drive legally during the transition period but are not a permanent solution. If you are looking to import a car from another European country or need to compare offers from the continental market, CarPulse.it is the pan-European marketplace connecting verified sellers from Italy, the Balkans and the wider EU — with free listings under €10,000, AI price valuation and vehicle history.