Importing an Auto Trail Tracker Motorhome to Italy - Vehicle Details

[APN01]

My understanding is that in Italy the vehicle does not have to go through customs or attract VAT if it was bought and registered in the UK prior to the end of the implementation period - 31/12/2020.

 

When I started this whole process initially I was told that I would have to import through customs but this was clarified by the British Embassy in Rome. At this point the vehicle documentation submitted via Auto Trail has been accepted by the Italian authorities and next is a vehicle test. The issue of VAT has not been raised.

[Brian Kirby]

Well done, and good luck with the test and registration. I imagine (because it is what happens to vehicles imported into the UK) that you will need complete headlamp units (i.e. not beam benders), presumably appropriately adjusted. There must surely be sources for second hand Ducato headlamps in Italy, but you will need to ensure that they are sound and are an exact right dipping equivalent of those already fitted.

 

I assume part of the test will be to verify that the lighting is correct and functioning. If there is only one rear fog lamp it will presumably need to be on the continental offside (I assume if only one reversing light that must be on the nearside) or, if permissible, in either case, possibly in the centre.

 

You may need to check whether the speedometer (which I assume shows MPH as well as (smaller font size) KPH will be accepted. I would expect there to be a requirement for KPH to be the major scale. If so, Lockwood International (here: https://tinyurl.com/4sv94ppw ) supply replacement speedometer cards for many vehicles. They are of excellent quality and are indistinguishable from the originals - even before they are fitted! I fitted one of their cards to a van we imported in 2005 and it is a fiddle, but requires only care, patience, and basic tools. They provided instructions for accessing, and opening, the speedometer so no guesswork was necessary. They also give instructions on their website for identifying which version of the card is required. The usual requirement is presumably for KPH to MPH conversions, but I'd be surprised if they can't also do MPH to KPH.

 

Once the vehicle is "signed off" as legal and safe, I would imagine a registration number will be allocated and the plates fabricated by an approved supplier. Only then, I suspect, will you be able to obtain insurance. Not sure how you get the van to the test centre with no registration plates, though! :-)