Importing a car from Italy: registration, COC and paperwork

The documents to gather

From the seller, you should leave with the Documento Unico di Circolazione e di Proprietà, which replaced the former pairing of carta di circolazione and certificato di proprietà, together with a sales contract or invoice quoting the chassis number.

For the registration file itself, three items come up every time: the registration document of the country of origin, the certificate of conformity and the tax clearance. A roadworthiness test is added depending on the age of the vehicle and the rules of your country of registration.

The exact list depends on the authority that will process your file.

The certificate of conformity: why it is often missing

The Italian used market has two features that weigh on our files. First the age of the fleet: there are many vehicles over ten years old in excellent condition, often Fiat 500s, Pandas and Alfa Romeos. Yet Article 36 of the European regulation only requires the manufacturer to supply a duplicate for ten years after manufacture. Beyond that, the answer depends on their goodwill.

Then bodywork. Italy is the home of the Ducato, the base of most European motorhomes, and of the Iveco Daily, heavily converted. On those vehicles the manufacturer only documents the base chassis: the conversion is covered by a separate certificate from the body builder, whose plate is fixed in the cab.

The Documento Unico does not replace the certificate of conformity: it is an Italian registration and title document.

Step by step

1. 1

   The purchase

   Collect the complete Italian documents and note the chassis number, 17 characters.

2. 2

   The certificate of conformity

   Start the request at signing: it is the longest step, because it depends on the manufacturer.

3. 3

   Tax clearance

   Handled in parallel with the tax authority of your country of registration.

4. 4

   Roadworthiness test

   Required depending on the age of the vehicle and the rules that apply where you register it.

5. 5

   The registration application

   It brings all the documents together. A single missing item blocks the file.

The only turnaround we state is the manufacturer’s, brand by brand: the administrative steps depend on the authority concerned.

The cost of the COC by brand

The brands most represented among imports from Italy:

Indicative prices including VAT, confirmed once the chassis number has been checked. Full list: price by brand. Turnarounds: turnaround guide. What the eCOC changes in 2026: our eCOC guide.