Car Shipping to Italy
from the United Kingdom
Italy is a popular destination for British vehicle exports, particularly for classic cars and luxury vehicles. The Ship Cars offers services to Livorno, Genoa, and other Italian ports. View our shipping services or request a quote.
Quick answer: car shipping to Italy from the UK
Shipping a car from the UK to Italy costs from £650 port-to-port for a standard saloon (4x4/SUV from £730). 6–10 days to Livorno/Genoa from Southampton. Both RORO and container shipping are available, with vehicles arriving at Livorno, Genoa, Naples and 1 more port. The Ship Cars, the vehicle shipping agent of Ascope Shipping Services LTD, handles UK collection, export paperwork and customs documentation end to end.
Shipping to Italy: cars, trucks, machinery and import rules
Information reviewed September 2026. Always confirm final rules with the official authority before shipping.
Car shipping from the UK to Italy
Quick answer: Cars ship from UK ports to Livorno, Genoa, Naples, Civitavecchia in about 6–10 days to Livorno/Genoa from Southampton. RORO: £650. Container: Enquire (20ft container).
Choose RORO shipping for the lowest price on running vehicles, or container shipping for extra protection and personal effects. Specialist options include classic car shipping and electric vehicle shipping.
Estimate your price with the cost calculator or check upcoming departures on the RORO sailing schedule.
Truck and commercial vehicle shipping to Italy
Quick answer: Trucks, lorries, vans and pickups usually ship by RORO to Livorno, Genoa, Naples, Civitavecchia, priced by length, height and weight (per cubic metre). Transit is about 6–10 days to Livorno/Genoa from Southampton.
- Exact length, width, height and gross weight required for a quote
- Running and non-running trucks accepted (towing / crane loading arranged)
- Tanks drained, loose items removed, V5C and export declaration needed
- Check Italy age and emissions limits for commercial vehicles before buying
Read more: truck shipping service, commercial vehicle shipping and our guide to shipping a truck from the UK.
Machinery and plant shipping to Italy
Quick answer: Excavators, tractors, forklifts and agricultural equipment ship as RORO or break-bulk cargo to Livorno, Genoa, Naples, Civitavecchia. Machinery must be clean and free of soil — most countries, including Italy, inspect for biosecurity.
- Tracked machines loaded on MAFI trailers or flat-racks
- Professional washing and fumigation certificates where required
- Dimensions and weight drive the price — oversize cargo quoted individually
- Commercial invoice and proof of ownership needed for customs
See our heavy machinery shipping service and customs clearance support.
Italy vehicle import rules (September 2026)
- EU import regulations apply.
- Import duty 10% plus 22% IVA (Italian VAT).
- Vehicles require MCTC homologation for road registration.
- Italian plates must be obtained through the local Motorizzazione office.
Documents required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of Conformity
- Insurance certificate
UK side: notify the DVLA with the V5C export notification, and see documents required and vehicle age restrictions by country.
Official Italy & UK government resources
Always confirm current customs, duty and vehicle registration rules with the official authorities before you ship.
Shipping a vehicle to Italy?
Tell us your vehicle and collection address and we'll send a fixed all-in price for Italy, usually within one working day.
- No obligation
- UK-wide collection
- RORO & container options
Methods
RORO & Container
Transit Time
6–10 days to Livorno/Genoa
Ports
Livorno, Genoa +2
Starting From
£650
Overview
Italy is a popular destination for British vehicle exports, particularly for classic cars and luxury vehicles. The Ship Cars offers services to Livorno, Genoa, and other Italian ports.
Shipping Methods
RORO and container shipping available. RORO to Mediterranean ports is cost-effective and frequent.
Transit Time
6–10 days to Livorno/Genoa from Southampton.
Import Regulations
EU import regulations apply. Import duty 10% plus 22% IVA (Italian VAT). Vehicles require MCTC homologation for road registration. Italian plates must be obtained through the local Motorizzazione office.
Documents Required
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of Conformity
- Insurance certificate
Costs & Fees
| Saloon vehicle — RORO | £650 |
| 4x4 / SUV — RORO | £730 |
| Container | Enquire (20ft container) |
| 2 cars (saloon / 4x4) — 40ft container | Enquire |
Port-to-port only. UK collection, destination charges and import duty are quoted separately.
RORO shipping to Italy (Savona) is £650 port-to-port for a saloon and £730 for a 4x4 / SUV. Import duty 10%. IVA 22%.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I register a UK car in Italy?
How long does it take to ship a car from the UK to Italy?
Which UK ports do you ship from to Italy?
What documents do I need to ship a car to Italy?
What shipping methods are available from the UK to Italy?
How much does it cost to ship a car from the UK to Italy?
Available Ports
Why ship a car to Italy from the UK
The Ship Cars is a specialist UK vehicle export company moving cars, SUVs, classics, motorbikes and light commercials to Italy every month. European trade lanes from the UK are dominated by short-sea RORO and weekly groupage container departures. Cross-Channel and North Sea sailings out of Immingham, Tilbury and Killingholme feed Iberian, Atlantic and Mediterranean discharge ports. Typical clients on this lane include EU-resident expats, alongside private owners relocating to Italy and returning residents importing a personal vehicle. Our UK-to-Italy corridor is engineered around predictable transit, transparent pricing and full compliance with Italy customs.
Vehicles depart from Tilbury, Immingham, Liverpool and arrive at Livorno, Genoa, Naples and 1 more port via short-sea Channel and North Sea routings. Typical door-to-port turnaround is 6–10 days to livorno/genoa from southampton, supported by marine all-risks insurance, GPS-tracked UK collection and bonded warehousing where required. For an instant indication of cost, use our car shipping cost calculator or request a tailored quote on our quote page.
How UK to Italy car shipping works
Every shipment to Italy follows the same six-step pipeline: free quotation, UK collection or self-drop at Tilbury, bonded UK warehousing and pre-shipment photos, HMRC NOVA / C88 export clearance handled by our UK customs clearance team, ocean transit to Livorno (and onward feeder to Genoa where required), and destination customs handover. You choose the shipping mode that best matches the vehicle profile and budget — see the full breakdown on our car shipping costs page or compare live RORO sailing dates to Italy.
RORO to Italy
Roll-on/Roll-off is the lowest-cost method for running, road-legal vehicles bound for Italy. Drive-on at the UK port, drive-off at Livorno. RORO shipping to Italy — check the weekly RORO schedule.
Container to Italy
20ft sole-use or 40ft dedicated containers give classic, high-value, modified or non-running vehicles fully enclosed protection on the route to Genoa. Dedicated container shipping to Italy.
Italy ports, routing and transit
Vehicles bound for Italy are typically routed through Livorno as the lead discharge port, with Genoa, Naples, Civitavecchia available as alternatives depending on sailing schedule and onward inland transport. We schedule loads to match weekly RORO sailing schedules to Italy and book 20ft and 40ft container slots on the same rotation.
- Port of Livorno
- Port of Genoa
- Port of Naples
- Port of Civitavecchia
- UK departure: Southampton
- UK departure: Tilbury
- UK departure: Bristol (Portbury)
Italy import duty, VAT and customs in 2026
Importing a vehicle into Italy is regulated and document-driven. The headline framework is summarised below; our team verifies every figure against the latest Italy customs schedule before quoting.
- EU type approval and Certificate of Conformity (CoC)
- Post-Brexit 10% import duty and country-specific VAT (TVA, IVA, MwSt, BTW)
- National roadworthiness inspections (ITV, contrôle technique, TÜV, APK, IPO)
- Re-registration with local plates and CO2-based road tax
Document checklist for Italy
- V5C registration
- Passport
- Commercial invoice
- Bill of Lading
- Certificate of Conformity
- Insurance certificate
For full country-specific customs rules, see our Italy import guides and articles, our UK and Italy customs clearance service, or use the duty-inclusive cost calculator for a landed estimate to Livorno.
Who ships to Italy
- • Returning Italy residents and dual nationals
- • UK expats relocating to Italy
- • Europe car dealers and Italy re-exporters
- • Private collectors and classic-car enthusiasts
- • Diplomatic missions and corporate fleets
- • Online auction buyers (Copart, BCA, Manheim)
Vehicles we ship to Italy
- • Saloons, hatchbacks and family cars
- • SUVs, 4x4s and pickups (Land Rover, Range Rover, Toyota, Nissan)
- • Luxury and executive vehicles (Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi)
- • Performance and supercars (McLaren, Aston Martin, Porsche, Ferrari)
- • Classic and historic vehicles (pre-1990 with HMRC NOVA exemption)
- • Motorbikes, scooters and quad bikes
- • Vans, light commercials and motorhomes
- • Electric and hybrid vehicles (EV battery documentation supported)
Why exporters choose The Ship Cars for Italy
• Specialist UK-to-Italy corridor with weekly capacity
• Marine all-risks insurance and bonded UK warehousing
• HMRC NOVA, C88, EORI and DVLA V5C export handled in-house
• Transparent UK to Italy pricing with no hidden destination fees
• Direct relationships with Livorno agents
• Dedicated account manager from booking to delivery
Related services and tools for shipping to Italy
Shipping methods
Pricing & schedules
Guides & comparisons
Other Europe destinations from the UK
We ship to 8+ other Europe countries from the UK on the same trade lanes as Italy. Many customers shipping to Italy also enquire about Spain, France, Greece because routing, customs documentation and transit windows overlap.
Get an instant quote for car shipping to Italy
Use our online quote form for Italy sailing dates, indicative landed cost and document checks. Quotes are typically answered the same working day.