Possible to Change Auto Registration from Commerical to Private??

01/07/2010 - 14:03

I've been without hauling capability since I moved to Italy from the US for two years.  I have FINALLY found a vehicle that is perfect, at an excellent price.  Unfortunately, it is registered as a commercial vehicle.  Our insurance agent pointed out that I cannot legally drive this vehicle since I am a private individual.  The problem would arise if stopped by the carbinieri, not unlikely since my husband and I have been stopped five times since moving here.  I have yet to find out EXACTLY what the issue would be, as is typical when trying to determine anything legal.  At any rate, I have been trying to find out if it possible to change the registration from commerical to private.  To date, despite lots of questions to an attorney, various insurance representative, and auto scoulas, the answers range from impossible to possible, but expensive and will take lots of time, the expense and time as yet not noted by any party.  Anybody have any experience with this type of thing?  Any suggestions??

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I have registered several cars here but never swapped one from commercial to private. The insurance agent is quite correct that you cannot put it in your private name and would need a partita d'IVA to "own" a commercial vehicle. Can't the dealer help? He wants to sell it presumably. The local driving school would be the people to answer that for you. I wouldn't bother with anyone else - they won't know. If you have the patience and the Italian you could go to the office of Motorizzazione to get a definitive answer, otherwise you'll need to take what the autoscuole tell you (assuming they all tell you the same thing!). In my experience registering cars, getting the driving licence recognised etc is expensive. Just to register a car costs approx 500-600 euro and I don't honestly expect it to cost less to do what you are suggesting. That might make it uneconomic to buy. I know an American couple who had a slightly different problem here. He was pulled over by the Carabinieri and had his driving licence confiscated. It hadn't occured to him that his licence wasn't valid in Italy (he'd een here several years by this stage). He had to take an Italian driving test. Happily, he passed!

In reply to by Penny

  Hi Penny!  Thanks for your response. I am willing to pay some amount for changing the title, as the price being quoted on the vehicle is well below book value, mostly because the vehicle is involved in an estate for a  deceased UK citizen who had residence here in Italy.  His family just want to sell the vehicle and all reside in the UK.  I haven't been able to get anyone, including auto scolas, to answer how long and how much.  Everyone says they will research it and call me back.  Of course, I never hear from them again.  Anyway, may have to give it up.  The vehicle is a lovely Nissan Cabstar, 3.5t dumper.  As I am doing lots of landscaping, the ability to haul stone and other landscaping materials is a major plus for this vehicle. Also, I do woodworking and would like to be able to haul larger dimension wood.  Our Renault Clio just doesn't do the trick.  I will pursue this a bit longer and then will probably need to look for a smaller truck, which will, alas, be very limited on amounts of stone I can haul.   Regarding the driver's license, my husband and I both have our Italian patente and passed the exam on 1st go. 

 I have faced the same issues. I'm restoring a Landrover bought from my neighbour when it's timing belt broke- the car not the neighbour - ... anyway the silly regulations have this registered as a truck so I can't use the back seats, however I think I'm allowed to drive it as my UK driving licence has a C category on it. I must say this is an example of why the economy here will never take off. You can't do anything without filling in a form and paying up. I can't even put a tow ball on the back let alone fit a roll cage.

  I don't know if this could be any help, but I noticed our local (in Italy) Land Rover agent offering new vehicles either as cars or as autocarri, at the choice of the purchaser.   Reading between the lines, it sounds like it is a choice available at first immatriculation, and therefore should not be impossible to change. (I think the IVA might be confusing the issue: clearly if you are buying a commercial vehicle as a non-registered person you won't be able to claim the IVA back. I agree with your finding from the insurers - they all want an IVA number to insure a commercial, but I cannot see any good reason why they should insist, if pressed, and you talk to somebody high up in the insurance copany).   It just might be worth your while talking to your Land-Rover agent - you never know, they might be helpful if this 'offer' is a national promotion by the company.