Buying a car in Italy and importing it to Germany: PRA, documents and export

Before buying a car in Italy, first check vehicle identity, authority to sell and register status, then maintenance history and current condition. Before paying, establish which original documents you will receive, who will handle export deregistration and how the car will reach Germany. An unremarkable database report is not enough for this decision.

This guide concerns an ordinary used car already registered in Italy, bought by a private individual resident in Germany for subsequent registration there. The sequence matters: Italian Radiazione per definitiva esportazione must generally take place before actual export. Do not plan to leave Italian deregistration to be completed through German registration. ACI describes the regular export deregistration procedure.

Contents: PRA and encumbrances · Revisione · Vehicle inspection · Export documents · Transport · Checklist · Costs and registration · FAQ

Which encumbrances should you check before paying?

Before paying a deposit, request the registration number, VIN, date of first registration and photographs of the vehicle documents. Later, compare the VIN directly on the car. Establish who is selling under the contract and the basis of their authority to sell. An Italian advertised location does not mean the car was always registered in Italy: explicitly ask about previous countries of registration and the corresponding documents.

A current Visura PRA shows the registered holder and legal encumbrances using the registration number. It is register information, not a certificate of accident-free history or vehicle condition. According to the ACI guidance on Visurenet, foreign prospective buyers without a suitable digital identity can request the information at a PRA office. ACI states that the digital Visura itself is not formal certification.

If entries exist, the specific category matters:

Fermo amministrativo: this administrative restriction must be removed before export deregistration. A payment receipt or a promise to deal with it later does not replace evidence of the register status.

Pignoramento or sequestro: in cases of attachment or seizure, ACI requires proof of consent from the creditor or responsible authority for Radiazione.

Ipoteca: for a registered mortgage that has not yet expired, the creditor's consent is required in the form of a notarised private instrument. The ACI conditions for encumbered vehicles are decisive.

Do not group these cases together as “debts the seller will pay”. Our recommendation: do not pay while an entry, authority to sell or the required release remains unresolved.

What role does the Revisione play?

For export deregistration, the Italian Revisione must be valid on the application date. As an alternative, ACI lists a road-use suitability inspection under Article 75 of the Italian Highway Code carried out in the year the Revisione is due. No individually ordered inspection under Article 80(7) may remain outstanding either. Request the evidence and have special cases resolved before the deregistration appointment; ACI provides details.

This does not confirm an accident-free history, maintenance quality or absence of repair needs. TÜV NORD also distinguishes an HU from a pre-purchase check: the latter additionally examines condition and previous damage. We recommend it as a decision aid, not a general legal obligation when buying.

What should be inspected before you pay?

Bodywork, underbody and powertrain

Arrange underbody access and enough inspection time. Have repair traces, paint transitions, corrosion, suspension, brakes, tyres and fluid leaks examined. An Italian plate does not prove a rust-free underbody. Paint readings must be considered in relation to the panel and visible repair traces; a single threshold does not determine repair quality.

Compare maintenance invoices, odometer readings and repair records chronologically. Missing years remain a gap even if a history report lists no damage. Have unusual findings documented with photographs and in the inspection report. Our inspection scope provides an overview of the vehicle areas examined.

Test drive, diagnostics and remaining limitations

Plan a cold start, diagnostics and a test drive before export deregistration, while valid permission to drive and insurance exist. The drive should assess braking, straight-line tracking, noises, engine, gearbox and clutch, among other things. A fault code is not yet a repair price; an empty fault memory does not prove the absence of defects.

Explicitly document what was not possible, such as an underbody inspection without a lift or a test drive. Our vehicle inspection also depends on access and involves no dismantling. For a serious unresolved finding, we recommend suspending payment and departure until it is clarified.

What does the Documento Unico mean after Radiazione?

Agree with ACI/PRA and any appointed registration agency who will apply and which purchase evidence or powers of attorney are required. For the normal procedure, ACI lists identity evidence, vehicle documents and number plates, among other things. The documents may be the Documento Unico (DU) or older papers such as the Carta di circolazione and Certificato di proprietà. If a purchaser not yet entered in PRA is acting, proof of acquisition in the prescribed form is required.

After completion, you receive a DU recording permanent export. This DU is not valid for road use. Collect the original with the export entry; request copies and evidence of any previous papers retained. ACI explicitly confirms that it does not permit driving.

Before paying, record the price, known defects, documents to be handed over, allocation of costs and handover arrangements in writing. Establish whether your contractual partner is a dealer or private individual and which law applies. Living in Germany does not automatically apply German warranty conditions to an Italian contract. The ADAC guidance on buying abroad explains these contractual questions. Agree on payment against a fully prepared handover, not a promise of documents later.

How does the deregistered car reach Germany?

For driving the vehicle, ACI refers to a Foglio di via and temporary plates, obtainable through the Motorizzazione or a corresponding vehicle registration office. Before deregistration, establish issue, validity dates, permitted route and suitable third-party liability insurance.

Have usability of the documents and insurance cover confirmed for Germany and all transit countries, such as Austria. After Radiazione, you cannot continue driving on the previous plates or automatically rely on the seller's policy. Do not leave transport arrangements until you are standing in the seller's yard.

Alternatively, a suitable trailer or car transporter can carry the car entirely as a load. The transported vehicle then does not need its own road registration; Italian export formalities still apply. The ADAC guide discusses this transport alternative.

Your checklist before purchase and collection

Use these six questions for your records. “Evidence reviewed” means only that you have seen something, not that it is valid or the car is technically sound. Resolve outstanding points before payment or departure.

How do you prepare for costs and registration in Germany?

Which taxes apply when buying a used car in the EU?

For VAT purposes, the car is used only if it has travelled more than 6,000 km and is supplied more than six months after first registration. Exactly 6,000 km or delivery within no more than six months falls under the new-car rules. The EU criteria are decisive, not the description in the advert.

An ordinary EU used-car purchase incurs no customs duty, and as a private buyer you do not pay German VAT again simply because the car is moved to Germany. A dealer's invoice follows the VAT procedure applied, possibly margin taxation. A net-price purchase is therefore not automatically available. These statements do not apply to special tax territories; Your Europe explains the differences.

For a vehicle that is new for tax purposes, the intra-Community acquisition is instead taxable in Germany. This includes a separate tax declaration and payment on time. Clarify both with your tax office before buying rather than waiting for the registration appointment: section 1b UStG and section 18(5a) UStG.

What does the German registration authority need?

Before buying, have your responsible registration authority check whether the planned export papers are sufficient. As a specific local example, Berlin lists original foreign papers, a purchase contract or invoice, proof of identity, eVB, a SEPA mandate and technical data. A COC or manufacturer data confirmation provides this for a type-approved vehicle.

The required evidence of a valid HU inspection is also needed; it may be waived for a sufficiently young vehicle. Establish whether the Italian inspection report suffices for the specific car. A missing COC does not automatically require an expert report under section 21 StVZO; Berlin requires this for vehicles without type approval. Registration there also does not trigger automatic deregistration in Italy. The prepared Italian Radiazione remains decisive. Documents and guidance from the Berlin registration authority.

How do you budget for transport and the total cost?

Add to the documented purchase price the vehicle inspection, Italian documents and deregistration processing, transport or transit plates with insurance, any technical inspections, German registration and plates, and specifically identified repairs. Budget separately for ongoing vehicle tax and insurance. Service Berlin describes required registration documents and case-dependent fees.

Obtain quotations for unresolved items. An unknown transport or repair amount is not zero. Only the total comparison shows whether this particular car makes financial sense for you.

Frequently asked questions about importing a car from Italy

May I drive using the Documento Unico issued after export deregistration?

No. The DU issued after Radiazione confirms export deregistration but does not permit driving. The separate transfer requirements must be met. ACI.

Can a Fermo amministrativo prevent export deregistration?

Yes. It must be removed before applying for export deregistration. A seller's promise is insufficient evidence. ACI.

What is the alternative to driving the car home?

Carrying it entirely as a load on a suitable trailer or car transporter. This removes the need for the transported car's own road registration, not export deregistration. ADAC and ACI.

Have the condition checked before buying

With CarAudit, you can enquire about a vehicle inspection in Italy. Agree on availability for the specific location and access to the car with us in advance. The inspection scope depends, among other things, on lift and test-drive access; it involves no dismantling and is not a guarantee within the meaning of the law.

View inspection scope and availability · What is inspected on the vehicle?