Ship Overseas- Your Trusted Partner in International Car Shipping
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Shipping a Car From USA to Italy
Shipping a car from the USA to Italy isn’t as difficult or time-consuming as you may assume – particularly when you partner with Ship Overseas. We want to help you navigate the process in the smoothest way possible. That’s why we are giving you this guide chock full of important information, backed by four decades of experience in this competitive industry.
To obtain your free quote now, we will need the Year/Make/Model of your car, Pickup Zip Code or Departure Port, and Destination Country, in this case, Italy. Ship Overseas offers weekly sailings from seven ports in the USA to one port in Italy.
A free quote online is the best way to kick off the process of shipping a car to Italy from the USA is to obtain a free quote right here on our website. Have information handy regarding the Year/Make/Model of your car, Pickup Zip Code or Departure Port, and Destination Country (in this case Italy) and we will handle everything else.
Departure and Arrival Ports
The departure ports from the USA to Italy include:
i shipped an 89' Land Rover Defender from italy to the US without troubles, they took care of all docs and around 60 days later the car was at the port in VA. i'd definitely use them again in the future.
We recommend Shipoverseas for their top-notch international shipping services. They transported our Mazda 6 from California to Galveston, Texas, and onward to Derince, Turkey. The entire process was smooth, with the car arriving in perfect condition within few months. Jack, Gary, and Miron our contacts at the company, provided prompt communication and timely updates throughout. Their accessibility in addressing any concerns were valuable. With this positive experience, we plan to be regular customers!
We shipped our vehicle from Hawaii to Belgium. We contacted several companies online. Miron from Ship Overseas was the first to get back to us. This was our first time shipping a vehicle internationally and we had no idea what the entire process was going to be like. Some of the reviews we read said the company wasn't very responsive or communicative. We had quite the opposite experience. Miron communicated with us every step of the way. Communication was extremely important to us as this was quite a complicated process. Miron answered all our questions and provided all necessary details of the process. He was also very upfront with the fees and even advised us of what fees to expect here in Belgium. Our car made it to Belgium on schedule without any hassle. Miron's contact here in Belgium was also very thorough. I recommend Miron from Ship Overseas 100%.
Highly recommended. Paul, Miron, and team were very thorough/detail oriented. It was my first time having a car shipped from Europe which I purchased. He made sure I had all the paperwork needed. They also arranged transportation both to and from the ports.
I feel bad as I see a lot of people writing bad comments about this company. I've NEVER had a problem with them. NEVER.(Regarding the negative reviews..)Ship overseas is not an insurance provider, but rather a shipping company -- you must make sure to get insurance when shipping your vehicle so that no damages occur to it. They don't own the ship, nor workers, and of course as a result cannot guarantee the people on the ship won't damage your car.ShipOverseas is my go-to when I have to ship my cars. Which sounds funny to say, but I've actually shipped my car multiple times with them.Jack, one of the agents and owner is always very helpful, and does a great job of putting in trust in clients by making sure you understand the process in detail.I've transported my CLA45 AMG from the US to Belgium, without a problem, and have shipped it back, and am now buying a new car and shipping it back!You could say I'm somewhat of a (very happy) repeat customer – Photos for reference!
We highly recommend Shipoverseas services! Not only are they specialized in shipping gas/diesel motor operated cars but also specialize in shipping EV vehicles as well. We used there International shipping services to ship a 2022 Porsche Taycan to Dubai. The car arrived in less than a month in perfect shape, same as leaving our location. We worked with both Jack and Gary, both were great communicating and providing a timely status update. We will definitely be a regular customer! Thank you Jack and Gary!
Thank you Miron and Ship Overseas Team for helping me ship my car to Finland. I appreciate your response when I needed answers. Also many thanks for helping me find an agent in Kotka, Finland.I will definitely refer your company to my friends and colleagues.
We got a really good services. Jack always answers your so many questions with a short delay , for sure in the day , most of the time in the hour ( and in the minute too ). Really good communication. That's why we choose Ship Over Seas from the other company quotes we received. Good services , good prices , that's the criteria for our choice we don't regret at all. Thanks again.
Shipped my car to Nigeria . It was fast and easy . Best part they handles majority of the work . Very convenient and definitely will go through them again .
Shipped my car from NC to Puerto Rico. They took care of the transport of my car from NC to the port in FL, and then on the ship from FL to PR. The staff was very responsive to all communications I sent, especially while my car was in transit. I always knew exactly where my vehicle was. Very kind and helpful staff, especially when I was just calling to inquire in the beginning. Will use them again if I ever need to ship my car back stateside.
Very helpful, quick response to questions. Shipped my car to Costa Rica, no issues what so ever. I had shipped cars previously with other companies but Ship Overseas helped with the best solution which for my needs was RORO. I will definitely ship with them again, thanks again SHIP Overseas..
Shipped my vehicle from Newark, NJ to Southampton, United Kingdom safely and quickly. All the complicated paperwork was laid out clearly for me to figure out the process. I was able to drive my own car in England a few weeks after dropping it off in the US. Would recommend!
We shipped our car to Uganda from California and the services were exceptionally good 👍, regular feedback and updates were excellent and provided a peace of mind.
I used Ship Overseas back in 2019 to ship my 2008 Harley Softtail from Galveston Texas to Belgium. I forget exactly how long it took, perhaps in the two month range. However, the bike did eventually arrive and was completely ready for me at pickup. They even handled all the import paperwork etc. My only complaint would be that somehow the bike had accumulated almost 100 extra miles on it from when I dropped in off, and picking it up. Perhaps they needed to run it around the boat a few 1000 times. Also, there were a couple of parts missing from my saddle bags. Lesson: NEVER leave anything that can't be bolted to the object you are shipping. Otherwise, great service and a very good shipping experience.
ShipOverseas was a great partner in shipping a Chevy Bolt EV to Helsinki Finland. The representatives provided easily understood descriptions of the roll on-roll off process, required paperwork, payments, etc. We drove the car onto the Galveston, TX dock with an accompanying guide. It was 100% smoothly accomplished. The car was transferred in Germany without problems (it is an electric vehicle with some unique starting characteristics) and offloaded near Helsinki, Finland. The photo shows incredibly clean conditions at the destination despite weeks at sea. I can highly recommend ShipOverseas for safe, economical, and successful vehicle shipping.
Our company, Jackson Creek Mfg., Inc. has used Ship Overseas, Inc. numerous times to ship vehicles overseas and have always received excellent service. Great company to work with!
Used to ship from NY to Germany. Process was easy and straightforward. Saved money versus buying a second vehicle overseas. Would use again.Good communication throughout. Thank you.
If you never had your car shipped before, I can tell you that it can be a very fearful, and stressful event, but I can vouch 1st hand that this agency took all the thought fear and stress away! We moved my XT-5 from DFW to overseas (Bahrain). We didn't have any issues, and it was relatively fast considering it's been shipped across the seas. I will 100% recommend this company to anyone and everyone. Hassle-free and delivers what was promised. I'll definitely be using them whenever we decide to return stateside!
I shipped two cars from Savannah to Germany. Super easy process and the rates were better than anyone elses that i was getting for the same route. Would recommend them to anyone for their shipping needs. They helped along the way to get the documents needed and explained the process clearly so i knew exactly what needed to be done to have my cars on the boat that I needed them to be on. Pickup on the other side was easy as well with who shipoverseas was partnered with where my vehicles arrived. They were in contact with me often so i knew that the vehicles were on time and when to have everything ready. I will certainly be in touch again when it's time to return from my oversea travels. Thanks for the smooth process!
My car purchase and shipping to the Middle East was full of challenges and complications, however the one thing that was 100% smooth was the part handled by Miron from Ship Overseas. Great service and communication from beginning to end. Highly recommend.
This company and team were tremendously professional & also the least expensive company I found. I researched quite a few before settling on ShipOverseas. I’m glad I chose them, they were able to deliver my vehicle to my destination port in Korea when others said they could only deliver to one port in Korea and for less money. I will definitely use them again and recommend anyone shipping anyone to consult with ShipOverseas.com. Well done!
Hello Tere! Last summer I sent my car to Estonia. I was scared little bit because it was my first time ( maybe even last!) to do this kind of thing. But it went very smoothly - unexpectedly . Most difficult thing was driving myself to the port, but I did it! I could order somebody from Ship Overseas, but it cost money. And paperwork was pretty normal. The same day, I left to the airport, I got phone call that they sent car title to my old address. Wow! I thought that this title goes directly to the Estonian port, but I was wrong. They sent this very important paper over to my son.It arrived on time when I was ready to show car documents to the toll office. Everything ended very well ! Thanks to Ship Overseas. And , by the way, sending my car to Estonia was much, much cheaper than other companies offered. I am thankful !!!
Ship Overseas is a 6 star organization. They have answered all my shipping questions and provided rapid thorough service each and every time. Look no further, Your overseas shipper search is over.
Very trustworthy company, they were always available to resolve issues with the correspondant at destination, no surprises, my Boat arrived as promised
Shipped several cars with this company to Nigeria.Exceptional service. Drawback is the vehicle hauling that wasn't reliable. Granted no fault of ship overseas.Ship Overseas is my go to shipper.
I have worked with this company for many years. We started shipping cars overseas in 2004. They are the BEST! They take a serious interest in making sure your car gets where it needs to go and will walk you through all the steps to make it a smooth move! We have shipped many cars to the UK and Germany as well as several to Bahrain, I cannot imagine using anyone else. Jack, Paul, Miron and April all made my job a lot easier for over 18 years
Om my GOSH! Words can't express how grateful I am for the experience I had with Ship Overseas. Living and working overseas can be a challenge but when I called they knew exactly what to do. Other shipping companies gave a long list of the things I needed, the paperwork, questions, and the costs. Overseas got me situated in one phone call. It was fabulous!!
Ship Overseas has great rates and staff! After using them to ship my car to Germany I knew I would use them when returning to the US as well. I did get quotes both times from numerous companies but no one could beat Ship Overseas. Shipping is a breeze with them and their staff are great at getting back to you in a timely manner!
They handled my car's transport 100% positive. It was not their fault that my radio was stolen somewhere along the path, port houston, Sirius leader, or port Limon, God only knows.
The base price to ship a car from the West Coast USA to Livorno is $1,970; from the East Coast USA to Livorno is $1,475.
There are a few factors that can change your final price tag. For example, you may pay more if:
You’re shipping out of the West Coast vs. the East Coast.
You live too far from the nearest port and choose to pay our truck drivers to transport your car from your home to the port. Some people want to save money and take their own car to the departure port if they live close enough.
You’re shipping a truck or SUV vs. a smaller compact car.
How Long Does it Take?
It takes between five and six weeks for your car to get from the USA to Italy.
Additional Information
Italian Citizens must own the vehicle for one year to avoid Import taxes Customs Duty(11% of the vehicle value), as well as VAT 20%(IVA)
Returning Italian Citizens must have lived away from Italy for more than 18 months in order to qualify to import a vehicle duty free.
There are restrictions for importing vehicles that are over 2000cc in engine size.
New Vehicles are discouraged.
Non-Italians may import one auto duty-free, provided that proof of ownership and use for at least one year is obtained by means of Certificate of Origin.
A clear Title of Ownership with no Liens on the Title.
If you bought a car new, then your name must be listed on the front of the Title as the registered owner.
If the vehicle has been sold, then both the Seller and Buyer have to sign the back of the Title in the spaces as detailed on the back of the Title.
For safety reasons, the vehicle cannot have more than a ¼ tank of gas.
Documents Required to Ship a Car to Italy
You will need these documents to ship a car to Italy:
Original Title
ID
Do Returning Citizens Have to Pay Import Fees?
If you are an EU citizen and have lived outside the EU for 12 months, you can bring your car back without having to pay import fees.
Salvage Titles
Yes, Italy accepts salvage titles.
Vehicle Import Tax
Please contact us so we can give you the contact information to our Clearing Agent’s information. Overall, there is a 20% Import Tax and 9% VAT (Value Added Tax).
Destination Handling Charge
The destination handling charge for shipping a car to Italy is approximately $200.
Shipping Cars for Military
We are happy to serve the Active Military by shipping cars, SUVs, RVs, motorhomes, heavy machinery, boats, yachts, and motorcycles to anywhere in Europe, including Italy.
When shipping your car to Italy while active in the military, ask us about factors that can affect your price, such as modifications, weight, time limits, and licensing.
Do You Need Marine Insurance?
Recommended but not required, you would get 1.75% of the value of the vehicle for FULL coverage of theft, vandalism, damage, and total loss with a $500 deductible. Coverage starts once your car has been loaded onto the ship and lasts until the time it is collected and signed for at the arrival port. Total Loss is a 1.25% charge for the value of the vehicle.
Think Marine Insurance is too expensive to cover your car 100%? Opt for partial coverage of 50% to 75% of the value. However, you would have to pay out of pocket for any damage that exceeds your covered amount.
Didn’t we say shipping a car to Italy was easy? If you have any additional questions, call us toll-free at 888-805-4994 or 858-547-0840.
Vehicle Import Duty For Italy
If you are in USA, contact the Italian Embassy by phone.
Italy Embassy 3000 Whitehaven St NW Washington, DC 20008 (202) 612-4400
All tax & fees are to be paid by at the arrival port by you or the designated person.
If you are shipping a car to Italy and your final destination is another country, you will be charged 30% tax on the value of the vehicle. This is refundable once you register your car in the destination country. If you are a Italian citizen, you will pay 11% customs taxes + 20% VAT. This will not apply if you can show residence out of Italy for more than one year.
If you are a tourist staying for a while, your 30% tax will be refunded once the car is shipped back to the country of origin; in this case, USA.
Offering weekly sailings from ports in the USA to Italy
Our shipping vessels depart on a weekly basis from U.S. seaports to the ports of Civitavechhia, Livorno, Monfalcone, Naples, Palermo, Salerno, and Savona. The way in which your car arrives at its destination will depend on your preferences, type of car, budget and more.
Rest assured, we bring more than 35 years of experience to the table as a go-to freight forwarder. Ship Overseas ships to the above port on a regular basis, using one of these two methods:
RoRo Shipping – RoRo ships, meant for transporting wheeled cargo such as cars and motorcycles, entails vehicles being driven onto the ship of their own power (picture it like a big parking garage ramp).
Container Shipping – Your car will be shipped inside a container, along with other cars, if you select shared shipping, or it can make the trip all by itself if you go exclusive.
Keep browsing…more information to follow!
Ship Your Car to Savona
Savona, a seaport located in the western part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, sits on the Mediterranean Sea. It is situated next to the historic center of Savona, an important port for the economy of the regional capital. It’s a major terminal for ferries and cruise lines, and is a hub of shipping container activity.
Civitavecchia is a bustling sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, located nearly 40 miles from the center of Rome. The harbor, formed by two piers and a breakwater, features a lighthouse and is home to 52,000. We ship cars frequently to this port, which is essentially a modern city built over a pre-existing Etruscan settlement.
A port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of Tuscany, Italy, Livorno is the capital of the Province of Livorno. Home to 158,000, Livorno features one of the largest seaports in Italy and indeed the Mediterranean. It has an annual traffic capacity of 30 million tons of cargo, making it an important employer in the area. In fact, more than 15,000 employees provide services to more than 7,000 ships annually. The Port of Livorno is located along the Tyrrhenian Sea Corridor, handing all sorts of vessels, from RoRo to cruise ships.
Monfalcone, a town in the province of Gorizia in Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northern Italy, sits on the Gulf of Trieste. It translates to “Mount of Falcon” in Italian and is a major industrial center for manufacturing ships, airplanes, textiles, chemicals and refined oil. As the fifth most populous town in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Monfalcone lies between the Carso hills and the Adriatic coast, and as such is the northernmost port of the Mediterranean Sea. We know this port well!
Naples, the regional capital of Campania, is the third-largest municipality in Italy after Rome and Milan. One of the most densely populated cities in Europe, Naples is home to nearly a million people. It’s one of the largest seaports in Italy and indeed the Mediterranean Sea basin, bringing an annual traffic capacity of 25 million tons of cargo. The port employs more than 4,800 employees providing services to more than 64,000 ships annually.
Palermo, a city of Southern Italy, is well known for its history, culture, architecture and food. Located in the northwest of the island of Sicily on the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea, the port of Palermo is one of the most important ports for passenger traffic in the Mediterranean Sea. It stretches away from Francesco Crispi, near the ancient port of Cala, comprising areas such as Arenella and Acqua Santa.
Salerno, the capital of the province of the same name, sits on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. As one of the most important and strategic ports on the Mediterranean sea, it primarily serves southwestern Italy. It’s considered one of the major domestic ports, playing an important role in the industrial and commercial systems of this area of the country. We know the ins and outs of shipping cars here, so don’t hesitate to ask us.
If you are an active military member and you need to ship a car to Italy, we can help. In fact, we also ship SUVs, RVs, motorhomes, heavy machinery, boats, yachts and motorcycles to the Italy port.We also import cars internationally into the USA from Italy.
Serving the Active Military community with attention to detail and quality services, we happen to be a trusted provider of international car shipping services.We can help you view many factors that will determine your final price tag. These range from modifications and weight to time limits and licensing.
Shipping Method for Shipping a Car to Italy
Our shipping vessels depart on a weekly basis from all seven U.S. seaports listed above to all six ports in Italy. But we only offer RoRo shipping from the U.S. to Italy, not container shipping.
RoRo Shipping (Roll-On/Roll-Off)
If your car can make it up the ramp and onto the ship on its own power, RoRo is a great option for you. This is our most popular, cost-effective, and efficient method of shipping cars from the USA to Italy. Featuring reliable departure and arrival dates, it also gives you protection for your vehicle from the elements – all cars are tied to the deck with no exposure to the ocean water, and air.
This option is meant to transport wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles, cars, motorhomes, campers, trailers, buses, construction vehicles, and boats.
All vehicles are protected against external elements, tied to the deck with little exposure to the ocean.
This option is meant to transport wheeled vehicles such as motorcycles, cars, motorhomes, campers, trailers, buses, construction vehicles, and boats.
Ship Overseas will assign a broker for you. It will be listed on the Doc Receipt.
Container Shipping
If you prefer container shipping, there are two ways you can do this: shared or exclusive container shipping. The one that fits your needs best will depend on many things.
Shared Container Shipping
This is when your car shares a container with other vehicles and each container holds four vehicles. The drawback here is that you have to wait until the whole container is filled with vehicles before it can be loaded onto the container ship and set sail for the destination. Thus, you won’t really be advised of a fixed departure date in advance like you would with the RoRo method. What does this mean? You could find yourself waiting on standby an extra week until the container becomes filled.
That all being said, you are able to ship additional items in the trunk or the backseat of your vehicle, which you can’t do with RoRo. You are also able to ship vehicles that do not work.
If you have two or more vehicles to ship to Italy, or if you’re not in any rush to get there, this method is fine.
With this option, it’s just your car in the container, perfect for transporting exotic, expensive or rare vehicles like Bentleys, Ferraris, Aston Martins, etc.your car will be the only one in the container, you can ship vehicles that do not work, and you can include personal belongings along with your car.
With added protection and attention to detail, you will get more peace of mind BUT you will spend more money for the privilege — more than RoRo and Shared Container shipping.
We will transport your vehicle to the port for you. We do this via open or enclosed auto shipping, if you are unable to drive your car to the port yourself. Our drivers conveniently pick up the car from your location and deliver it to the port for shipping to Italy.
Open Auto Shipping – Our most common type of car shipping method for vehicles such as compact cars, sedans and minivans, this will cost you the least amount yet it is cost effective and safe. You pay less because the cost is split among all cars, lowering the overall shipping costs. Our transport trucks are able to hold nine to 10 cars and as few as five cars at one time. The transport truck driver loads and unloads vehicles while making their way across the country. These transport trucks are filled to full capacity.
Enclosed Auto Shipping – Need to transport luxury, exotic, specialty, or vintage cars to Italy? Choose this. Yes, the price is higher but the risk to the vehicle is lower. Your car is not in contact with the elements and treated to a higher level of protection. If your budget allows, this is a good option for you, as it will be shipped along with two other vehicles, driven onto the truck on a special ramp or lift-gate.
You can never go wrong with added protection for your investment, which is why we strongly recommend you purchase the optional marine insurance. We offer FULL COVERAGE Marine Insurance against Loss or Damage from the time your car is loaded onto the ship. The cost is 1.75% of the value you wish to insure the car for.
The chance of damage or loss is very slim. The only time this may present a problem would be during hurricane season, lasting from June till November, when the seas are rougher Think of it this way: would you be able to afford to pay for repairs, damage or loss on your own? If the answer is no, buy the insurance. Learn more about Marine Insurance by clicking on the link below.
We hope you feel more confident about shipping cars to Italy from the U.S. after reading this guide. More questions?Give us a call toll free at 888-805-4994 or 858-547-0840.
