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Traslochi di Mobili in Italia
Shipping furniture from the UK to Italy is not the same as shipping it to France or Germany, and two things catch people out. The first is the road journey itself: the Alpine crossing and the mountain descent into Italy put more stress on furniture joints and finishes than a flat motorway run, so wrapping and securing matters more here than on most European routes. The second is the Italian apartment. Most pre-war buildings in Italian cities have staircases too narrow for assembled wardrobes, beds and sofas, and lifts that barely accommodate a single box. Furniture that goes in assembled may not come out the same way.
Beyond those two, furniture removals to Italy work in the same way as any household goods move. You choose a part load (sharing lorry space with other Italy shipments), a dedicated vehicle if volume or timing demands it, or groupage for a small consignment on a flexible schedule. The route goes through France and over the Alps via the Mont Blanc or Fréjus Tunnel, then south to your Italian delivery address. Since Brexit, Italian customs rules apply to all UK furniture, and whether you pay 22% Italian VAT depends on how long you have owned the pieces and what you are using them for.
International Removals Companies is a free enquiry matching service operated by DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD (company 07425576). It does not carry out removals, handle furniture or employ drivers. It connects each enquiry with one suitable vetted partner removal company, who contacts you, surveys the furniture and confirms the quote. Free to use, no obligation until you accept.
The right option depends on how much furniture you are sending, how quickly you need it there, and whether you are shipping furniture on its own or alongside household contents.
Your furniture shares lorry space with other Italy consignments. You pay for the cubic metres your pieces take up, not the full vehicle. This is the standard choice for furniture-only shipments: a dining set, two sofas, a wardrobe and a bed frame might occupy 12 to 18 cubic metres. Faster than groupage because the lorry runs on a scheduled Italy service. Transit typically 7 to 14 days to northern Italy.
Best for: furniture-only shipments, flexible timing, single-room to full apartment contents.
Your furniture consolidates in a UK depot with other Italy shipments until the lorry is full. Most economical for small loads, such as a few pieces only. Slower because departure depends on when the vehicle fills. Can take 14 to 28 days or more. A good option if you have no fixed arrival date and cost is the priority.
Best for: small amounts of furniture, very flexible timing, lowest budget.
The lorry is reserved for your furniture alone, collecting from your UK address and driving directly to Italy. Reaches northern Italy in 2 to 3 days, central Italy in 3 to 4 days. More expensive because you cover the full vehicle cost, but you control the schedule and delivery window. Practical for large households, antique or fragile pieces needing careful handling, or time-sensitive moves.
Best for: full household furniture, valuable or fragile pieces, tight deadlines.
The UK to Italy road journey is longer and more varied than most European furniture routes. After the Channel Tunnel, the lorry travels south through France and then ascends to one of the Alpine tunnels, either the Mont Blanc or the Fréjus. The descent on the Italian side and the continuing road south through northern and central Italy puts sustained vibration through the vehicle. That is harder on furniture joints, veneer and glass than a flat motorway run.
The partner removal company wraps furniture in transit blankets and furniture pads before loading. Sofas are covered in protective film or blanket wrap. Wardrobes, dining tables and bed frames are padded individually. Glass-fronted units, mirrors and marble surfaces get foam padding and custom strapping. If you have antique or high-value pieces, ask the partner mover about timber crating, which provides solid protection for the full journey and is standard practice for fragile or irreplaceable items.
Flat-pack furniture travels more safely and occupies less space than assembled pieces. If you bought furniture in flat-pack form and haven't yet assembled it, there is a practical argument for keeping it flat-packed for the journey. Your partner mover can advise on this at the survey stage.
This is the part of furniture removals to Italy that catches the most people off guard. Italian apartment buildings, particularly those built before 1970 and in historic centres, have staircases and lifts designed for a different era. Staircases in period buildings are commonly 80 to 100 centimetres wide. Lifts are often 60 to 80 centimetres deep and 70 to 90 centimetres wide. A standard double wardrobe assembled is around 200 centimetres tall and 100 centimetres wide. A king-size bed frame, a three-seater sofa and a large dining table will all face the same problem.
The solutions are practical and the partner removal company handles them. Large furniture is disassembled at the UK end and reassembled at the Italian address. In some cases, the only route is through a window: a fly lift (a hydraulic platform extending from the vehicle) delivers furniture directly through an upper-floor window or over a balcony. This is a routine service in Italian cities and the partner mover will identify whether it's needed once you provide the staircase and lift dimensions.
Tell the partner mover your floor level, approximate staircase width and lift dimensions when you enquire. Properties inside a ZTL zone also need a permesso di transito booked 48 to 72 hours ahead. If the lorry can't get within range, a shuttle vehicle transfers the furniture for the last stretch.
Since January 2021, all goods arriving in Italy from the UK are treated as imports. Furniture is no different. The default rate is 22% Italian VAT on the declared value of the goods, which on a room full of quality furniture is a significant sum.
If you are moving your main home to Italy and the furniture you are shipping has been owned and used by you personally for at least six months before the move, the franchigia per trasferimento di residenza (transfer of residence exemption) can remove both import duty and the 22% VAT entirely. This is the situation for most people shipping furniture to Italy as part of a relocation. You need a Codice Fiscale (Italian tax number) to apply. Get this in advance from the Agenzia delle Entrate at agenziaentrate.gov.it or at the Italian Consulate General in London. It is free and takes two to four weeks.
If the furniture is new, or was bought less than six months before the move, or is destined for a holiday property rather than your primary Italian residence, the exemption does not apply. The 22% Italian VAT is charged on the declared value. This applies even if you buy the furniture in the UK specifically for the Italian property. It is worth factoring this into the total cost if you are furnishing a new place.
The partner removal company prepares the goods inventory (distinta degli effetti personali) in Italian and English for submission to the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli. For the full current rules visit dogane.gov.it and check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy before any furniture leaves the UK.
1. Measure your Italian staircase and lift. This is the single most useful thing you can do. If you know that your staircase is 90cm wide and your lift is 70cm deep, the partner mover can plan disassembly at the UK end and reassembly in Italy before the lorry leaves. Finding out at the door in Rome costs time and money.
2. Decide what to disassemble before collection. Large wardrobes, bed frames, dining tables and bookshelves all travel more safely disassembled and take up less space in the vehicle. Confirm with the partner mover what they will disassemble and reassemble as part of the service, and what you should deal with beforehand.
3. Sort new from used. Keep receipts for anything bought in the last six months. This determines what the VAT exemption covers and what it doesn't. The partner mover needs this information for the goods inventory.
4. Flag antique, fragile and high-value pieces. Glass-topped tables, antique chests, marble surfaces and items of significant financial value need timber crating or specialist wrapping. Tell the partner mover at the survey stage so they bring the right materials.
5. Confirm your ZTL status. If your Italian delivery address is inside a restricted zone, give the partner mover the exact address as early as possible so the permesso di transito application can be submitted 48 to 72 hours before delivery. Late applications can mean a rescheduled delivery date.
International Removals Companies connects each Italy enquiry, free, with one suitable vetted partner removal company. The partner surveys your furniture, checks access at both addresses, and gives you the confirmed price directly.
No obligation until you accept. The service costs nothing to use.
Company 07425576. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010. Partner movers hold FIDI FAIM accreditation, audited by Ernst and Young, and many are BAR Overseas members.
Answers shown in full below.
A part load carrying furniture-only to northern Italy starts from around £700 for a small consignment and around £1,500 for a larger load such as a dining set, sofas and bedroom furniture. Central Italy from around £900, southern Italy from around £1,200, Sicily and Sardinia from around £1,500 with the island crossing adding to the total. A dedicated vehicle for a full furniture shipment starts from around £2,800 to the north. All are planning guides only. The partner removal company confirms the actual price after checking your inventory, volume in cubic metres, and access at both addresses.
Yes. A part load service lets you ship furniture-only to Italy without filling an entire vehicle. Your furniture shares lorry space with other consignments heading to Italy, so you pay only for the cubic metres you use. This is the standard option when you are furnishing an Italian property from the UK or sending specific pieces ahead of a later full move. Groupage is similar but slower.
The partner removal company wraps furniture in transit blankets and furniture pads before loading. Large pieces such as wardrobes, dining tables and sofas are wrapped individually to prevent contact damage during the road journey through France and over the Alpine passes. Fragile items including glass-fronted cabinets, mirrors and marble tops are padded with foam and secured with strapping. Antique or high-value pieces can be custom-crated in timber for full road protection.
Furniture counts as household goods for Italian customs purposes. Since Brexit, UK furniture entering Italy is treated as an import. The transfer of residence exemption (franchigia per trasferimento di residenza) can remove import duty and 22% Italian VAT on furniture you have owned and used for at least six months, provided you are moving your main home to Italy. New furniture bought for the Italian property does not qualify and attracts 22% VAT. You need a Codice Fiscale to apply for the exemption. Check dogane.gov.it for current rules.
A part load furniture service to northern Italy typically takes 7 to 14 days from collection. Central Italy takes 10 to 14 days. Southern Italy takes 14 to 21 days. Sicily and Sardinia take longer due to the island crossing and scheduling. A dedicated vehicle is faster: 2 to 3 days to northern Italy, 3 to 4 days to central Italy, 4 to 5 days to the south. Transit times depend on the departure schedule and the distance to the Italian delivery address.
Italian apartment buildings, particularly in historic centres, have narrow staircases and small lifts. Many staircases are 80 to 100cm wide. Lifts in period buildings are often only 60 to 80cm deep. Assembled double wardrobes, king-size bed frames, large sofas and dining tables frequently cannot pass through a stairwell or fit in a lift without disassembly. Tell the partner mover your floor level, staircase width and lift dimensions before the move, so they can plan disassembly, reassembly and whether a fly lift or window delivery is needed. ZTL zones also apply, and delivery inside a restricted zone needs a permit booked 48 to 72 hours ahead.
The full guide to moving from the UK to Italy: routes, customs, ZTL access and how the free matching service works.
Planning-guide prices for all service types by region and home size, plus what affects the final quote.
Italy's closest city to the UK. About 870 miles via the Channel Tunnel and Mont Blanc. ZTL covers central Milan.
Tell us what furniture you are shipping, where from in the UK, and your Italian delivery address including the floor level and any access details you know. We match you free with one vetted partner removal company that covers your Italy route. They contact you, survey the furniture, check both addresses and confirm the price covering wrapping, transport, customs documentation, insurance and delivery.
Get your free furniture removal quoteDATACONTEXT (UK) LTD, company 07425576, ICO ZB022743. Norman House, Saint Saviours Estate, Abbey Street, London, SE1 3DH. Founded November 2010. Working Member of AGM Group since 2010.
International Removals Companies is a free enquiry matching service. It does not carry out removals. It connects each enquiry with one suitable vetted partner removal company. Partner movers hold FIDI FAIM accreditation, audited by Ernst and Young, and many are BAR Overseas members.
Prices, timing, insurance, accreditation and customs requirements must be confirmed by the partner removal company before booking. Planning-guide figures are indicative only.