Shipping Vehicles from Italy to the USA

Shipping a vehicle from Italy to the USA involves its own documentation and compliance process, separate from your household goods shipment. As a FMC-licensed door-to-door moving company, SDC ships vehicles as part of your full household move.

Required Documentation

• Proof of ownership: your title or registration; if you’re leasing or financing, a notarized letter of permission from the lienholder.
• Bill of sale: for recently purchased vehicles, verifying the transaction, make, model, and VIN.
• Export declaration: required by Italian authorities before the vehicle can leave the country.
• CBP Form 7501: declares the vehicle as an imported good and lists its value for duty calculation.
• EPA compliance: confirms your vehicle meets US emissions standards, or documents the exemption process if it doesn’t.
• DOT compliance: certifies the vehicle meets US safety standards for seatbelts, lighting, and airbags.

Keep multiple copies of each document; customs officials may ask for additional verification beyond what you initially submit.

Containerized Shipping vs. RoRo

Containerized shipping places your vehicle inside a sealed container. It offers real advantages: protection from weather, theft, and handling damage; the option to ship household items in the same container to save on separate shipments; and it’s the better choice for a high-value or classic vehicle. The tradeoff is cost and prep time, since the vehicle needs to be properly secured inside.

RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) means your vehicle is driven onto a cargo ship and secured on an open deck. It’s generally cheaper and faster to load and unload, but the vehicle is exposed to weather and sea air during transit, and no personal items can be shipped inside it. SDC ships vehicles exclusively inside containers alongside household goods; we don’t offer standalone RoRo service.

Shipping a Classic or Vintage Vehicle

Italy’s classic car market, vintage Fiats, Alfa Romeos, Lancias, sends a steady stream of vehicles to American collectors, and the import rules for older cars are genuinely different from a standard modern import. Two separate exemptions apply, and they’re often conflated even in industry guides, so it’s worth being precise: DOT’s 25-year rule (49 USC 30112(b)(9)) exempts a vehicle from Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards once it’s at least 25 years old from its month and year of manufacture, no crash testing or safety retrofits required. EPA’s exemption is separate and applies at 21 years, but only if the engine is identical to, or equivalent to, the originally installed engine; an engine swap, even a period-correct one, can void this exemption and trigger a full EPA compliance review. A vehicle 25 years or older with its original engine configuration typically clears both.

The paperwork changes too: DOT Form HS-7 gets marked under the 25-year exemption box, and EPA Form 3520-1 is coded for the age exemption rather than standard compliance. You’ll still need proof of the manufacture date, whether from a manufacturer’s plate, original invoice, or a dating certificate from a recognized club if documentation is incomplete. Vehicles under 25 years that weren’t originally built for the US market still need modification through a Registered Importer, a process that can take weeks and add significant cost, so a car in the 21-to-25-year range is worth flagging to your coordinator early to confirm which path applies.

Preparing Your Vehicle

Wash the exterior and clean the undercarriage thoroughly; leftover dirt or plant matter can trigger a quarantine hold. Photograph the vehicle from multiple angles, including existing scratches or dents, before it’s loaded. Top off fluids other than fuel and fix any leaks. Leave no more than a quarter tank of fuel, since excess fuel is a fire hazard. Remove all personal items from the interior and trunk; US customs doesn’t allow personal belongings shipped inside a vehicle. Disable the alarm system so it doesn’t trigger during transport.

Clearing US Customs

CBP reviews your documentation, including Form 7501, your EPA and DOT compliance letters, and proof of ownership, then physically inspects the vehicle to confirm it matches what was declared. Duties and taxes are calculated based on the vehicle’s declared value: most passenger vehicles pay a base duty of 2.5%, whether or not they qualify for a safety or emissions exemption. Accurate, complete paperwork submitted in advance is what keeps this step fast rather than becoming a multi-day hold.

Deregistering Your Vehicle in Italy Before It Ships

Before your car can legally leave Italy, it has to come off the Italian vehicle registry. This means filing a radiazione per esportazione (export deregistration) with ACI, the Automobile Club d’Italia, through the PRA (Pubblico Registro Automobilistico), and returning your Italian plates and registration certificate. Once that’s processed, ACI issues temporary export plates and a Foglio di Via, a transit permit that’s the only way you can legally drive the now-deregistered car to the port for loading. Skipping this step doesn’t just risk a fine; a car without valid plates or a Foglio di Via generally can’t be driven on Italian roads at all, which means it can’t reach the port under its own power. Your export customs declaration, filed with the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli, Italy’s customs authority, is separate from this deregistration and happens closer to your ship date.

Container Sizing and Insurance

A 20-foot container typically fits one vehicle plus a modest household shipment; a 40-foot container suits a larger household or an additional vehicle. Your coordinator confirms sizing during your pre-move survey. Because a vehicle is a high-value asset and ocean transport carries inherent risk even with careful bracing, marine insurance covering both your car and household goods under one policy is worth considering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I ship personal items inside my car along with the vehicle?

No. US customs doesn’t allow personal belongings shipped inside a vehicle, whether it travels by container or RoRo. Pack those items separately as part of your household goods inventory.

Does my vehicle need to meet US emissions and safety standards before I ship it?

Yes. You’ll need EPA and DOT compliance documentation, or you may need to modify the vehicle or apply for a one-time exemption if it doesn’t already meet US standards. Confirm this before shipping, not after your vehicle arrives at a US port.

My car is a vintage Fiat from the 1990s. Does it still need to meet modern EPA and DOT standards?

It depends on the exact age and whether the engine is original. At 25 years or older with its original engine, it’s exempt from both DOT safety standards and EPA emissions requirements. Between 21 and 25 years, it may qualify for the EPA exemption alone but still need DOT-compliant modifications through a Registered Importer. Confirm the exact cutoff dates and your vehicle’s engine history with your coordinator before you commit to shipping it.

Shipping a Vehicle from Italy?

We’ll confirm your documentation before your vehicle ships and coordinate it alongside your household goods under one file. See our international car shipping page for how this works across our corridors, or request a quote to get started.