→ Import route
Importing a car from Italy into France
Compare dealer asking prices like for like in both countries, read the registration taxes and steps, and estimate the cost with the free calculator.
In short
On 3 Nov 2026, the comparison Italy → France matched 23 models by registration year, mileage band and fuel. The median model's dealer asking price was 4% lower in Italy than in France, with 74% of models listed lower in the origin country. The calculator estimates the total cost of registering the car in France, including registration tax (CO₂ malus, weight malus and carte grise), VAT where due and fees. Worked example: the landed total is €17,626 – €18,873, against a local median of €17,200 for the same model, year and fuel (€426 – €1,673 above).
Like-for-like asking prices: Italy and France
Each model is compared using only the registration years, mileage bands and fuels listed in both countries, with the same weights on both sides. A negative figure means a lower asking price in the origin country, before transport and import taxes.
Differences compare matched cars. Destination medians include all listed cars of each model.
Models with lower asking prices in Italy
| Model | Matched difference | Destination median |
|---|---|---|
| Volkswagen T-Roc | −20% | €24,800 |
| Nissan Qashqai | −13% | €24,000 |
| Renault Symbioz | −12% | €35,800 |
| Renault Austral | −11% | €39,000 |
| Volkswagen T-Cross | −11% | €20,000 |
| MG ZS | −9% | €20,400 |
| Peugeot 2008 | −8% | €16,000 |
| Dacia Duster | −8% | €20,000 |
| Opel Corsa | −7% | €13,300 |
| Toyota C-HR | −6% | €27,000 |
| Peugeot 208 | −5% | €12,700 |
| Renault Clio | −4% | €16,000 |
Models with higher asking prices in Italy
| Model | Matched difference | Destination median |
|---|---|---|
| Citroën C3 | +8% | €10,000 |
| Toyota Yaris | +7% | €20,400 |
| Toyota Aygo X | +5% | €14,500 |
| Audi A1 | +3% | €23,000 |
| Toyota Yaris Cross | +3% | €23,500 |
| Volkswagen Polo | +1% | €18,100 |
What a typical 2025 Renault Clio costs, bought from Italy and registered in France
| Cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Price paid to the seller | €15,900 |
| CO₂ and weight malusFamilies with three or more children, and disability-card holders, can get relief (refund): not included.Of which CO₂ malus EUR 826 and weight malus EUR 0 (typical case). | €786 – €826 |
| Carte grise: regional taxRegion not chosen: EUR 60 per CV (most regions); the range covers every mainland region on this date (EUR 43–68.95).Fiscal horsepower 7 CV computed from 100 kW (L421-22); the CoC's approved power decides. | €301 – €483 |
| Transport (open truck)No IT→FR lane yet: a generic estimate is used.Transport estimate is low-confidence until dated quotes are collected. | €600 – €1,500 |
| Fixed registration tax (taxe fixe) | €11 |
| Certificate delivery fee | €3 |
| Number plates (pair)No official tariff: a market estimate. Replace it with a quote. | €25 – €60 |
| Roadworthiness test (contrôle technique), only if neededNo official tariff: a market estimate. Replace it with a quote.€0 if the car is under four years old or has a recent valid EU test. | €0 – €90 |
| Total landed cost | €17,626 – €18,873 |
| Median asking price of the same model, year and fuel in France | €17,200 |
| Landed total against that median | €426 – €1,673 above |
The median covers all mileages of that model, year and fuel, across 64 listings in France: a market benchmark, not the price of an identical car.
Assumptions
- Purchase price
- €15,900, the asking-price median of 71 cars in Italy in our data dated 3 Nov 2026.
- First registration
- June 2025 (assumed month)
- Mileage (origin median)
- 27,000 km
- Fuel (most listed for this model and year)
- Petrol
- Engine size and CO₂
- 1,498 cm³ and 135 g/km WLTP. Typical assumptions, not listing data.
- Power (typical assumption)
- 100 kW
- Mass (typical assumption)
- 1,500 kg
- Seller VAT
- Unknown. The calculator shows a range when VAT treatment changes the cost.
- Transport
- Truck, using the calculator's route estimate.
- Planned registration date
- 2026-12-03
- Seller VAT status unknown: the range covers a VAT-deductible and a margin-scheme listing.
Estimate the cost of importing a car from Italy into France
Enter the asking price and the car's details to see the taxes with their legal basis and clearly labelled estimates.
Registration taxes in France
Malus CO₂ and malus au poids; carte grise (taxe régionale)
France charges a used import the CO₂ malus of the year it was first registered (anywhere): the grid of that year, NEDC for cars first registered from 2015 to February 2020, WLTP after; nothing for cars first registered before 2015. The amount is then reduced by the car's age in months (3% in the first months, 43% from the 61st month, 100% from the 181st). Cars first registered from 2022 also pay the weight malus on their mass in running order above that year's threshold, with the same age reduction; together the two cannot exceed that year's maximum malus. Electric cars pay neither.
Then comes the carte grise: the regional tax (fiscal horsepower × the region's rate, €42 to €68.95 per CV in 2026, half rate from ten years), €11 fixed tax and €2.76 delivery. Fiscal horsepower for a car first registered in France is computed from its power in kW.
Official sources
The steps
- Check the listing's asking price against comparable cars, the mileage history and whether the car is sold under the margin scheme or with VAT shown separately.
- Get the registration certificate, including all parts issued by the country, the Certificate of Conformity (CoC), the invoice or contract, and the service records from the seller.
- Arrange a car transporter, or drive the car on temporary or export plates with insurance valid for the trip. The calculator includes a transport estimate you can change.
- Register the car in France: pay any registration tax and fees due, complete any required inspection and get local plates.
Questions about this route
Is it cheaper to buy a used car in Italy than in France?
On 3 Nov 2026, 74% of 23 models compared like for like had lower dealer asking prices in Italy than in France, with the median model listed 4% lower. Transport and registration costs come on top.
What taxes do I pay to register a car from Italy in France?
Registration tax for this destination: CO₂ malus, weight malus and carte grise. France charges a used import the CO₂ malus of the year it was first registered (anywhere): the grid of that year, NEDC for cars first registered from 2015 to February 2020, WLTP after; nothing for cars first registered before 2015. The amount is then reduced by the car's age in months (3% in the first months, 43% from the 61st month, 100% from the 181st). Cars first registered from 2022 also pay the weight malus on their mass in running order above that year's threshold, with the same age reduction; together the two cannot exceed that year's maximum malus. Electric cars pay neither.
Do I pay VAT again when I import a used car from Italy into France?
A car that is used for VAT purposes, bought from a dealer under the margin scheme or from a private seller in another EU country, carries no VAT again in France. If VAT is shown separately, a VAT-registered buyer can buy without the VAT charged in Italy and account for VAT at the destination. For a used car under normal VAT rules, a private buyer collecting it abroad generally pays the seller-country VAT. Seller-arranged delivery can change the VAT treatment; confirm the invoice and delivery arrangements. A car first used six months ago or less, or driven 6,000 km or less, is a new means of transport for VAT and is taxed at 20% in the destination country, whoever buys it.
How do I bring the car from Italy into France?
Use a car transporter, or drive the car on temporary or export plates with insurance valid for the trip. Keep the registration certificate, Certificate of Conformity (CoC) and invoice for registration at the destination.
How much does it cost in total to import a Renault Clio from Italy into France?
In our worked example the total landed cost is €17,626 – €18,873, against a median asking price of €17,200 for the same model, year and fuel in France (€426 – €1,673 above).