10218 Buying a car

I agree, it all seems very confusing. This has been covered previously but the old thread may not be up to date with the latest situation.
Our agent told us last year that you have to have Residency, but that may be changing, or may even have changed already.
The Italian dealer told me I needed a permesso di soggiorno - but I understand that EU citizens no longer have to get one of those (though there may now be a carta di soggiorno which replaces it).
To confuse matters further, I tried to order a new Nissan from the main agent in UK but he told me he is not allowed to supply a lefty - even though they are made in Sunderland.
It seems whichever way you turn it's made very difficult - though I understand that's nothing unusual for Italy.
I'm continuing to drive my UK rhd and will do so until I find out what the rules really are. If I run into 6-month-rule problems we will simply bring my wife's car down instead and alternate them.
Terry

So the upshot would be that it would be simpler to buy and register in the UK?

You'd have to take it back to the UK each year to get it MOTd though - that is, if it'd old enough to need an MOT.

The best and cheapest solution is to buy and to register at your name a second hand car .
However, you need to be resident in Italy and, in particular, in the town / city, where you've bought the house.
As a matter of fact, It is quite difficult to obtain the residence in Italy.
I suggest you to go to the "Comune" ( Ufficio Anagrafico ) asking to the clerks the information about the right procedure.
I know that, in order to apply for the residence ( Residenza), you must declare that you station in that place for at least 180 days / year. The local police will carry out controls, but surely they will not mind if you stay in Italy for 150 days / year instead of 180, as required !
You need also to prove that you have your own income and a medical insurance / assistance.

Once you have the residence, you can apply for an italian ID card ( Carta d' Identità ). When you have the Carta d' Identità, you are allowed to ( buy and ) register a car in Italy.

The abowe is afficial message from Ludovico Fè d' Ostiani
ACI San Lorenzo - Roma
Tel : 0039 06 44 69 800

(Or you can bribe the car-dealer and he will circumnavigate the rules and register the car for you in your name. However, if stopped by the police you must give your Italian adress.) My comment, based on personal experience.

[quote=The Smiths in Puglia;95116]You'd have to take it back to the UK each year to get it MOTd though - that is, if it'd old enough to need an MOT.[/quote]

Is there a limit in terms of age re the MOT requirements?

sorry - i'm not from the UK so unfamiliar with the regulations

You need residency to buy a car here. You apply for it at your local commune. You can drive your UK car legally for 6 months. Then you should change to Italian plates. I brought a LHD in from the UK last year but it is an expensive route it cost 1000 euro to change the registration. I suggest you apply for residency next time you are here if you haven't already done it and it should come through within the 6 months you are legal here then you can buy a car. It used to take months because you had to apply through the questura for the carta di soggourno first then go to the commune.

[quote=cdavies;95123]You need residency to buy a car here. You apply for it at your local commune. You can drive your UK car legally for 6 months. Then you should change to Italian plates. I brought a LHD in from the UK last year but it is an expensive route it cost 1000 euro to change the registration. I suggest you apply for residency next time you are here if you haven't already done it and it should come through within the 6 months you are legal here then you can buy a car. It used to take months because you had to apply through the questura for the carta di soggourno first then go to the commune.[/quote]

This subject has a thousand answers, most of which have been written about at length in old threads. You do not have to be resident to buy a car in Italy....but ...Italy can be a complicated place to buy a car. A friend with a holiday house who is not resident bought a brand new Fiat Panda and she left the showroom and was stopped by the Carabinieri who checked all her papers and A OK'd them!!

A firm called ITALSURE get good recommendations for Italian car insurance on this Forum, they are based in the UK and advertise here too, so may be worth ringing them. If you PM me I will send you details of what happened here in Umbria, when a non resident purchased a car. If you intend to become resident then all you will need is a trustworthy garage and some car insurance. Do search the Forum the advice is in there somewhere.

[quote=The Smiths in Puglia;95116]You'd have to take it back to the UK each year to get it MOTd though - that is, if it'd old enough to need an MOT.[/quote]

Why would a UK MOT have any relevance outside UK? Is there an offence of not having a UK MOT on a UK car in Italy?

[quote=cardi;95138]Why would a UK MOT have any relevance outside UK? Is there an offence of not having a UK MOT on a UK car in Italy?[/quote]

I guess because you would be using it as a UK car. Without MoT and insurance you can't get road tax - you may even find that your insurance is not valid anyway.