Second hand cars

What told for the purchase of new cars  is valid also for the purchase of second hand cars.

Regarding the registration of a second hand car bought abroad, the procedure is almost identical, except for some details which vary according to the country of origin. 

For the registration it will be necessary to provide only with the circulation documents and/or with a certificate of radiation from the registration office of the country of origin. To register the car at thePubblico Registro Automobilistico (PRA) it is necessary to authenticate the sale contract as a document confirming the passage of property. Since 2008 the PRA simplified this procedure and it is enough to provide with the purchase invoice and a form filled and signed by the purchaser, called Istanza dell’acquirente.

VAT

For second hand cars the VAT is already included in the sale price, therefore it is not to be paid again, while new cars are sold without the VAT, which shall be paid in the country of the importer. A car is considered new when it has done less than 6000 km or has been registered from less than 6 months.

Guarantee

With Regulation 1400/2002, the EU has obliged authorized mechanics to repair vehicles bought within the European Economic Space and in Switzerland. They shall apply the conditions offered by the producers in terms or commercial guarantee. No authorized garage can refuse to intervene on a vehicle bought abroad. The Regulation does not concern the rights deriving from the legal guarantee (Directive 44/1999/CE). These rights shall be arisen against the seller, which is abroad in case of imported cars: the application of the legal guarantee can be quite expensive in this case.