To import a classic car from Italy to the UK, get the original Italian registration papers from the seller (il libretto and il certificato di proprietà, or on a car that has changed hands since October 2021 the Documento Unico) and a bill of sale showing the price. In the UK the car clears customs, is notified to HMRC through NOVA and is registered with the DVLA. A car over 30 years old, in original condition and of a model no longer made pays 0% duty and 5% import VAT. Anything else pays 20% VAT, and 10% duty unless it was built in the EU and origin is claimed.
- Il libretto and il certificato di proprietà, or the Documento Unico. On older cars these are two papers: the libretto (libretto di circolazione, officially the carta di circolazione) describes the car, with the chassis number and date of first registration, and the certificato di proprietà (CdP) from the PRA says who owns it. On older cars the CdP may still be its paper predecessor, the foglio complementare. Since 1 October 2021 every new transaction produces a single Documento Unico (DU) that merges the two. The part the DVLA needs is the libretto or the DU, because that is what shows when the car was made. Make sure you get the original: the DVLA keeps it.
- A bill of sale or invoice showing the price you paid. Keep a plain one even if an Italian deed of sale was also signed. If there is no invoice, an independent valuation is needed instead.
Deregistration in Italy, any export plates and the export paperwork are handled by the seller. If you need it, we arrange the transport to the UK, and we handle the customs declaration, NOVA and the DVLA paperwork.
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Duty and VAT on an Italian car
| Vehicle | Customs duty | Import VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Historic collector's piece: over 30 years, original, model no longer made | 0% | 5% |
| Other car, manufactured in the EU, preferential origin claimed | 0% | 20% |
| Other car, no valid origin claim or built outside the EU | 10% | 20% |
The historic rate comes from commodity code 9705, which covers collectors' motor vehicles in their original state without substantial changes to chassis, body, engine, steering, brakes, transmission or suspension.
Two Italian traps here. First, Italy's own historic status can start at 20 years, so an ASI certificate on a 25-year-old car does not make it a UK collector's piece. Second, for newer cars, duty origin means where the car was manufactured, not where you bought it or what badge it wears: several recent Italian-branded models were built outside the EU. Our guide to working out if a car counts as a classic goes through the test in detail.
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Enter where your car was built, its age, the price and the shipping, and see the duty and VAT in pounds.
Work out my import taxBuying an Italian classic: what to check
Italy is where many buyers go for Alfa Romeo Spiders and Giulias, Lancia Fulvias and Integrales, Fiat 500s and 124 Spiders, and the Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini end of the market. Whatever the car, these checks save trouble later:
- The chassis number on the car must match the libretto or DU exactly. The DVLA and the customs classification both rely on it.
- Ask whether the engine, bodywork or brakes have been changed from the original specification. Period competition upgrades and restomod work can take a car out of the 5% rate.
- If the car has a Certificato di Rilevanza Storica from ASI (Automotoclub Storico Italiano), ask for it. It is supporting evidence, not proof, for the UK test.
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The UK steps
- Customs: we make the import declaration, and the VAT and any duty are paid.
- NOVA: we file the NOVA notification to HMRC within 14 days of the car arriving.
- MOT: the car gets a UK MOT if it needs one, which can be done on its foreign plates. Vehicles built or first registered more than 40 years ago with no substantial changes are exempt (a V112 declaration is used instead), and cars under 3 years old do not need one.
- V55/5: we prepare and pre-fill it; you sign it and post it to the DVLA with the original libretto or DU, the MOT certificate or V112, photo ID, proof of UK address, the £55 first registration fee and road tax.
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