Importing My Personal Belongings Into Italy: Do I Need To Pay Tax At The Border?

You have a visa for Italy and have bought a lovely house that will be your cozy and homely nest for the foreseeable future. You have many personal belongings in your home country that you wish to bring with you—your beloved tea set gifted by your dear old aunt, a cherished piece of furniture that has been in your family home for years, or the ultimate bicycle you simply can’t part with. However, you are concerned that you may need to pay taxes to move your belongings to Italy, and you wonder if this is necessary and how much it could cost.

As a general rule, you are required to pay tax at the border to import your belongings. However, you may be exempt from this tax if:

• The goods are used personal belongings, and you have owned them for at least six months.

• You have lived outside Italy (or outside the EU) for more than 12 months.

• You are now a resident of Italy, meaning you are registered at the anagrafe of your local Comune.

• You import these goods within 12 months of your move.

For more info see the EU Council Regulation https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/1186/oj/eng

This article is not exhaustive and is a guidance only.

If you need assistance with your move, please do get in touch.

Barbara De Benedittis Relocation and Legal in Italy