Car ownership transfer in Italy: procedure and costs
Updated 2026-09-16
A car ownership transfer must be registered within 60 days of the signature being authenticated, at the buyer's request (art. 94 of the Highway Code). On top of the provincial registration tax, the buyer pays 27 euro in ACI fees, 48 euro stamp duty and 10.20 euro Motorizzazione fees, according to ACI. Skipping it risks up to 3,629 euro.
Data updated 16/09/2026. Source: Highway Code, art. 94 (text as of 25/04/2026), and ACI, ownership transfer costs.
How is the transfer done, step by step?
- Check the vehicle: a PRA search (visura) shows the registered owner, any administrative seizure (fermo) and liens.
- Authenticate the seller's signature on the sale deed, at a notary, a Sportello Telematico dell'Automobilista, the PRA or the town hall where available.
- Insure the car: the buyer takes out RCA insurance in their own name before driving.
- File the registration request within 60 days of authentication, paying IPT, fees, stamp duty and rights.
- Collect the new Documento Unico in the buyer's name.
At a Sportello Telematico dell'Automobilista (STA), meaning ACI offices and connected vehicle paperwork agencies, authentication and registration can be done in the same appointment. It is the most common route because it lowers the risk of a transfer left half done.
Which documents are needed?
| Document | Who brings it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Documento Unico (registration and ownership) | Seller | For vehicles with older papers: registration card and certificate of ownership |
| ID document and tax code | Seller and buyer | Valid |
| Sale deed with authenticated signature | Both | To be filed within 60 days of authentication |
| Residence permit | Non-EU buyer | If the office asks for it |
| RCA insurance policy | Buyer | Needed to drive, not for registration |
How much does the transfer cost?
The largest item is the provincial registration tax (IPT). Base rates under Ministerial Decree 435/1998 are 150.81 euro for cars up to 53 kW and 3.5119 euro per kW above that threshold; each province can raise them by its own resolution, so the same car costs different amounts in Milan and in Potenza. IPT follows the buyer's province of residence. The other items in the table are those published by ACI; authentication and agency or notary services are freely priced.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| IPT, car up to 53 kW | €150.81 (base rate) |
| IPT, car above 53 kW | €3.5119 per kW (base rate) |
| ACI fees (emolumenti) | €27.00 |
| Stamp duty on the application | €32.00 |
| Stamp duty for the Documento Unico | €16.00 |
| Stamp duty on the sale deed (digital at an STA; revenue stamp at the town hall or notary) | €16.00 |
| Motorizzazione fees | €10.20 |
| Authentication and agency or notary service | Variable |
Example at the base rate: for a 100 kW car the IPT is 351.19 euro (100 × 3.5119). Adding fees, the three stamp duties and rights brings it to 452.39 euro, before any provincial surcharge and the agency or notary fee. For your province's exact figure, use the IPT calculator on the ACI site.
What happens to bollo, insurance and merit class?
- Bollo: not split pro rata. Whoever is registered at the PRA when the payment period ends pays it.
- Insurance: the seller's policy does not automatically cover the buyer. Driving without valid RCA is fined 866 to 3,464 euro (art. 193 Highway Code).
- Merit class: stays with the seller, who according to IVASS keeps it for the validity period of the risk certificate, 5 years. In transfers between spouses, civil partners or cohabiting partners the buyer receives the class built up on the vehicle.
- Inspection: the revisione due date follows the vehicle, not the owner. Check it before buying.
What does someone risk by not registering within 60 days?
Article 94, paragraph 3, of the Highway Code fines failure to complete the formalities with 727 to 3,629 euro (text updated 25/04/2026). Paragraph 4 separately fines anyone driving a vehicle whose update was not requested in time: 363 to 1,813 euro. Paragraph 5 provides for immediate withdrawal of the registration document, returned after regularisation. Until the PRA is updated, the seller also remains the registered owner: bollo demands and fine notices go to the seller, who must prove the sale with the authenticated deed.
What happens in common real cases?
If a retired man in Cagliari sells his car to an acquaintance, authenticates the signature at an agency and the buyer does not request registration within 60 days, the buyer risks 727 to 3,629 euro for the missed formalities and, if stopped while driving, a further 363 to 1,813 euro with immediate withdrawal of the registration document (article 94, paragraphs 3, 4 and 5, of the Codice della Strada). Meanwhile fines may reach the seller, who contests them by showing the authenticated deed.
If a student in Trento buys a 51 kW city car and handles the transfer at the STA, she pays the base IPT of 150.81 euro under D.M. 435/1998 plus 27 euro fees, 64 in stamp duties and 10.20 rights according to the ACI cost table (252.01 euro in all), on top of the agency fee, and leaves with the transfer completed the same day.
If a married couple in Lecce moves the car from husband to wife, the wife receives the merit class built up on the vehicle, because the IVASS rules on transfers make this exception for spouses, civil partners and cohabiting partners, and the husband can keep his own.
Which mistakes should I avoid?
- Handing over the keys before authentication: without an authenticated deed the seller has no proof of the sale date.
- Leaving registration to the buyer unchecked: ask for a copy of the receipt or do everything at the same office.
- Skipping the PRA search: an administrative seizure can block the transfer.
- Driving straight away on the seller's policy without a transfer accepted by the insurer.
What are the most common questions on ownership transfer?
How long do I have to register the ownership transfer?
60 days from the date the signature on the sale deed was authenticated. The request is the buyer's responsibility (article 94 of the Highway Code).
How much does a car ownership transfer cost?
The fixed items are the provincial registration tax (IPT), 27 euro in ACI fees, 32 euro stamp duty on the application plus 16 euro for the Documento Unico, and 10.20 euro Motorizzazione fees. At an STA a further 16 euro stamp duty applies to the digital deed.
Show the rest of the answer
IPT starts at 150.81 euro up to 53 kW and rises to 3.5119 euro per kW above that threshold, with possible increases set by the province. Agency or notary fees come on top and are freely set.
Who pays for the transfer?
The law puts the request on the buyer, who usually pays the costs too. Seller and buyer can agree otherwise, ideally in writing.
Where is the seller's signature authenticated?
At a notary, at a Sportello Telematico dell'Automobilista (ACI offices and vehicle paperwork agencies), at PRA offices or, where the service exists, at the town hall. The cost of authentication depends on who does it.
Which documents are needed?
The vehicle's registration document (Documento Unico, or registration card and certificate of ownership for vehicles with older papers), ID documents and tax codes of seller and buyer, and the sale deed with authenticated signature.
What if the transfer is not registered within 60 days?
A fine of 727 to 3,629 euro for failing the formalities and withdrawal of the registration document (art. 94, paragraphs 3 and 5). Driving a vehicle whose update was not requested in time costs 363 to 1,813 euro (paragraph 4).
Does the no-claims merit class go with the car?
No, as a rule it stays with the seller. According to IVASS the seller keeps the class for the validity period of the risk certificate (5 years) and can use it on a new vehicle. The buyer insures the car with their own class; transfers between spouses, civil partners or cohabiting partners are the exception.
Does the seller's insurance cover the buyer?
Not automatically. The buyer needs valid RCA insurance before driving, unless the insurer accepts a transfer of the contract. Driving uninsured costs 866 to 3,464 euro (art. 193 Highway Code).
Indicative amounts, to be checked at the office: legal notes.
Sources: Highway Code, articles 94 and 193; ACI, Costi del passaggio di proprietà; Ministerial Decree 435/1998; IVASS; Legislative Decree 98/2017.