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Driving a UK registered car

Driving a UK registered car

Old May 24th 2019, 3:33 pm
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Exclamation Re: Driving a UK registered car

Originally Posted by arjacey
Has anyone got any idea how this will be implemented? We are residents with a UK registered car. We have looked at importing but because of the costs, that it will still be a RHD(!), reported difficulties and increased costs of insurance, we had decided to buy an Italian car in the spring of next year and will take our UK back to sell around Easter time.

So, do we need to bring this forward?

The car is fully legal in the UK (road tax, unlimited out of UK Insurance, MOT) and all the papers relate to a UK address. So, how would the Carabinieri know how long the car had been in the country for, or is it how long I have been in country? What if I just show them my passport, say we have a holiday home and not reveal my residency? Would I be given a warning and some time to get the car out of the country? Any ideas?

There are rumours appearing about cars being stopped, fines and confiscations but I think these may be versions of a newspaper article and some ‘personalisation’ of the story.

Grazie



NEW LAW REGARDING DRIVING IN ITALY WITH UK REGISTERED CAR
I've just had my car confiscated by the Polizia locale. I was in my car registered at my home in the UK. I have been in Italy for less than the 60 day limit but because I am a resident here I am not allowed to drive a UK registered car in MY NAME. I had to pay a €530 on the spot fine and told that they then should call a tow truck (€300) to take the car to the car pound with an extra cost for each day the car is remains in the pound. Fortunately, (they tell me) I was allowed to take the car to my home in Italy but I am not allowed to move it from there. I now have to go to the "Motorizzazione" with my number plates which they will send to the DVLA. I phoned the DVLA to ask for an address as to where to send them (Compulsory) the DVLA were unaware of this new law and couldn't help me so suggested I wrote Customer care DVLA as an address. As you can immagine I have now to return several times to the Motorizzazione, 60 miles away, fill in untold forms and pay various "Bolli" just to get the procedure for the release of my car started. I have been informed that a car confiscated in March was released in May. On top of this The car has to have temporary Italian plates.This means insuring the vehicle in Italy for the journey back to the UK. I have 2 other choices: Register the car in Italy/NO or, get the car transported to the nearest border which for me is Chiasso at the Swiss border about 200 Klms from me. I am in the process of getting quotes so will keep you updated. Obviously, if when stopped you show your Passport, V5 and UK driving licence and your not in Italy for more than 60 days you can pass as a tourist.
Footnote: I dread to think how anyone that is not fluent in Italian would cope!!!

Last edited by Gary234; May 24th 2019 at 4:33 pm. Reason: Additional note
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Old May 24th 2019, 5:02 pm
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

It is an easy way for the Comune to make a bit of money without upsetting any locals.
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Old May 25th 2019, 6:50 pm
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The Carabinieri computer systems are quite smart now and may well find your residency from your passport. You’re digging quite a big hole then.
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Old Feb 6th 2020, 1:12 pm
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

Hi - I have a catch 22 situation regarding car insurance and wondered if anyone had suggestions/recommendations:

We moved to Italy in October and once our UK house sale completed, had to cancel our UK car insurance as we no longer had a UK address. We have not been driving the car as we are trying to re-register it as Italian but have been told we need to drive it to the local mororization office for an inspection. We therefore need temporary insurance to get the car there but the UK companies we have tried will only offer cover if we are UK based or the journey starts/ends in the UK and Italian companies won't insure a UK registered car. Starting to pull my hair out so can anyone offer a solution? Thanks in advance
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Old Feb 6th 2020, 1:26 pm
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

My only suggestoins to Lugsbug would be to contact Stuart Collins and see if they can help. We had our car insured through them for the first year in Italy and had to make a claim after a rock threw itself onto the road just in front of us. I found them pretty good and the claim was paid with the minimum of fuss.
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Old Feb 6th 2020, 1:45 pm
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

Originally Posted by Lugsbug
Hi - I have a catch 22 situation regarding car insurance and wondered if anyone had suggestions/recommendations:

We moved to Italy in October and once our UK house sale completed, had to cancel our UK car insurance as we no longer had a UK address. We have not been driving the car as we are trying to re-register it as Italian but have been told we need to drive it to the local mororization office for an inspection. We therefore need temporary insurance to get the car there but the UK companies we have tried will only offer cover if we are UK based or the journey starts/ends in the UK and Italian companies won't insure a UK registered car. Starting to pull my hair out so can anyone offer a solution? Thanks in advance
Hire a trailer and a vehicle to tow it. Don't forget the gear for securing the car on the trailer.
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Old Feb 6th 2020, 2:18 pm
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

Originally Posted by Lugsbug
Hi - I have a catch 22 situation regarding car insurance and wondered if anyone had suggestions/recommendations:

We moved to Italy in October and once our UK house sale completed, had to cancel our UK car insurance as we no longer had a UK address. We have not been driving the car as we are trying to re-register it as Italian but have been told we need to drive it to the local mororization office for an inspection. We therefore need temporary insurance to get the car there but the UK companies we have tried will only offer cover if we are UK based or the journey starts/ends in the UK and Italian companies won't insure a UK registered car. Starting to pull my hair out so can anyone offer a solution? Thanks in advance
If I have interpreted your post correctly, the car is now in Italy, but on UK plates - right? And you need to get from your home to motorizzazione (and back)? If this is the case, couldn't you just get a friendly local mechanic to drive it there and back on trade plates? Sounds like the easiest & cheapest way.
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Old Feb 6th 2020, 2:29 pm
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

Hi all and thanks for your suggestions. If I don't receive any favourable replies from the insurance companies I contacted this morning, I will start touring the local garages to see if anyone is prepared to drive our car on trade plates. I'll also investigate the trailer idea. Thanks again!
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Old Feb 6th 2020, 3:27 pm
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The thing about the local garage option is that you get to find out which one is helpful. We used a local garage for our revisione just by chance. We were very lucky as the guy was lovely and unbelievably helpful so many times. Best of luck.
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Old Feb 7th 2020, 7:22 am
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Good grief. Gary 234s post above sounds like a complete horror story.

So how does this work for non residents..? So far I've never been stopped when driving in Italy, but as I'm intending a longer trip this spring and will be there for anything up to 10 weeks to carry out necessary renovation work to the house before I put it up for sale, and after reading all of the above posts and knowing the Italians as I do, it's becoming a bit of a concern for me. What happens if they stop me on the road as a non resident..? Can they simply plug my passport into some kind of checking device like they do at the airport and determine that I'm non resident ? Or is it down to me to prove that I actually live in the UK and am just visiting, and will I have a big hassle on my hands and have to pay them large sums of money for the privilege of proving that I'm nothing more than an innocent tourist and am not actually doing anything wrong?

Honestly, the more I learn about this upside down and crazy country, the less I want to be there.

I'm assuming the 90 day rule still applies for non residents to stay without having to register, but does it still apply for my UK registered vehicle, or will I have to leave after 60 days, or what..?

Do I have anything to worry about or am I winding myself up about nothing..?

Can someone clarify and set my mind at rest please.. Ta.

Last edited by Jake.White; Feb 7th 2020 at 7:50 am.
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Old Feb 7th 2020, 8:29 am
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

As far as I understand it does not apply to none residents. If resident you would be registered at your local comune, simple contact with the local police would likely confirm. I don't know about elsewhere, but we have been pulled over a few times and on most occasions not even asked to show anything, soon as they knew we were English (not hard to tell), they waved us on! The country is different to the UK, and very much what you make it
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Old Feb 7th 2020, 9:22 am
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

Originally Posted by Lugsbug
Hi - I have a catch 22 situation regarding car insurance and wondered if anyone had suggestions/recommendations:

We moved to Italy in October and once our UK house sale completed, had to cancel our UK car insurance as we no longer had a UK address. We have not been driving the car as we are trying to re-register it as Italian but have been told we need to drive it to the local mororization office for an inspection. We therefore need temporary insurance to get the car there but the UK companies we have tried will only offer cover if we are UK based or the journey starts/ends in the UK and Italian companies won't insure a UK registered car. Starting to pull my hair out so can anyone offer a solution? Thanks in advance
So where is your UK car registered? That must be a UK address. We were very circumspect in moving all our details to our Italian address until we were sure that we could get things sorted here. We used a family address for a while, re-registered the car and driving licence there. Now we have an Italian car and driving licence.

Still a few things where we use a UK address. My UK bank will change my address but do not send card renewals abroad. My Barclaycard account does not allow a non-UK address, MBNA does!
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Old Feb 7th 2020, 9:24 am
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

Originally Posted by GeorgeYoung
My only suggestoins to Lugsbug would be to contact Stuart Collins and see if they can help. We had our car insured through them for the first year in Italy and had to make a claim after a rock threw itself onto the road just in front of us. I found them pretty good and the claim was paid with the minimum of fuss.
Stuart Collins and Saga will only insure if you have a UK address...
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Old Feb 7th 2020, 4:16 pm
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

Hello again!

Arjacey - we no longer have a UK address. I bank at Nat West and they were fine with the move to Italy - just needed online banking which I had already.

And the good news: Called into a garage round the corner this morning re using trade plates on our car - what a fantastic chap! He couldn't speak English and my Italian is very minimal but between us we have manged to sort things out. He telephoned the lady in the Autoclub office that we have been dealing with to get the full picture then called another chap who came to the office and picked me up to look at the car. When we got back, the chap said no problem - he would pick the car up on Tuesday for a once over then collect on 17/02 and drive to the inspection office (about 27k). I felt the weight of the world slip off my shoulders!

We then had a couple of beers and the elderly lady owner of a lovely local bar helped me make an appointment for a haircut tomorrow morning - took me round the corner to the shop and made introductions.

All the people we have met and interacted with have been absolutely fabulous - it restores you're faith in humanity

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Old Feb 7th 2020, 5:33 pm
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Default Re: Driving a UK registered car

Seems like you found a very useful garage.
The private garage in my village always gives two quotes for repairs using either Fiat or generic components. When he has done the work he shows me the worn parts. I dont remember any UK garages doing that.
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