Around the Italian streets, it often happens to meet cars with a foreign license plate. In fact, it is said that being a resident of Italy and owning a car with a license plate from a foreign country can have incredible benefits.
You certainly save in terms of fines, taxes and stamp duty. But be careful because starting from March 21, 2022, many things have changed.
Changes have been made to the highway code, according to which all those who own a vehicle registered with a foreign license platemust register in a register in order to be in good standing and not risk the withdrawal of the vehicle or a fine.
Car with foreign license plate, what the law stipulates
Nobody forbids buying cars in other countries or to move to Italy bringing with you a car purchased elsewhere, it is certain, however, that once you arrive in Italy, you must comply with all applicable laws. For example, that of December 23, 2021, states that all Italian citizens resident or born in Italy, are forced to register their vehicle registered abroad, in our country within a maximum of 3 months from the change of residence.
If the car arrives in Italy but the owner of the vehicle is not the one who usually drives it, the registration document must be accompanied with a document in which it appears that the holder and the driver are not the same person. In this case, anyone can drive the car with a foreign license plate, as long as the sheet indicates how long the person concerned will drive the vehicle in Italy. This declaration must be kept in the car and presented at law enforcement in case of control.
Registration in the public register of foreign vehicles
All the vehicles with foreign plates must be registered in the public vehicle register foreigners, which allows you to obtain an Italian registration in order to be in good standing. Who uses for more than 30 days in a year, therefore not 30 consecutive days, a car with a foreign license plate must register with the Reve.
The same thing happens to cross-border commuters or those who carry out a job in a country bordering Italy e therefore they travel for this reason every day of the year. For example, those who live in Como or Varese, but work in Switzerland and have a foreign license plate, must register in the public register of foreign vehicles within 60 days of purchasing the vehicle.
This recording it can be done in the offices of the Automobile Registry or online through the driver’s desk. At the end of the procedure, the driver will receive a certificate with an identification code to be shown in case of checks on the road by the police.
