VerifiedGet matched with vetted international mover We match you with only accredited partner for your route: fewer calls, less stress, and a clearer quote.
Traslochi Internazionali in Italia
Italy is one of the most common European destinations for UK removals, but it brings three logistics challenges that most other European moves don't share. Every lorry entering Italy by road pays a heavy-vehicle toll through the Mont Blanc or Fréjus Alpine tunnel. Most Italian city centre deliveries need a ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) access permit booked 48 to 72 hours ahead, and some addresses need a shuttle vehicle or fly lift to reach the door. And since Brexit, UK household goods entering Italy are imports subject to Italian customs, with 22% VAT potentially applying unless you qualify for the transfer of residence exemption. Get these three right and the move runs smoothly. Miss any one of them and it won't.
Italy also stretches over a thousand kilometres from the Alpine border to the Strait of Messina, and the cost and time of a removal increase significantly the further south you go. Sicily and Sardinia add island ferry logistics on top. This page covers the route, the service options, the customs picture and links to every destination and service page in the Italy cluster.
International Removals Companies is a free enquiry matching service operated by DATACONTEXT (UK) LTD (company 07425576). It does not carry out removals, set prices or employ drivers. It connects each enquiry with one suitable vetted partner removal company, who contacts you, surveys the move and confirms the quote. Free to use, no obligation until you accept.
Road freight from the UK to Italy travels south through France after the Channel Tunnel crossing from Folkestone to Calais. The lorry then heads for the Alps, crossing into Italy via one of two main tunnels. The Mont Blanc Tunnel connects Chamonix in France with Courmayeur in the Aosta Valley. The Fréjus Road Tunnel connects Modane in France with Bardonecchia in Piedmont. Both charge heavy-vehicle tolls, which is one of the structural reasons UK to Italy removals cost more than an equivalent move to Belgium or Germany.
After the crossing, the lorry heads south on the Italian autostrada network. Northern Italy destinations (Milan, Turin, Venice, Bologna) are reached within hours of the Alpine crossing. Central Italy (Florence, Rome) adds several more hours. Southern Italy (Naples, Bari, Calabria) is a full extra day's drive. Sicilian deliveries continue to Calabria and then cross the Strait of Messina by roll-on roll-off ferry. Sardinian deliveries head to a mainland port (Livorno, Civitavecchia or Genoa) for an overnight ferry crossing.
The total journey from the UK border to delivery in northern Italy is typically 3 to 5 working days by dedicated vehicle. Southern Italy is 7 to 10 days. Part load services add further time because goods run on a scheduled weekly or fortnightly departure from the UK depot rather than driving directly.
Almost every Italian city of any historic significance operates a Zona a Traffico Limitato zone. Cameras enforce access around the clock and driving into a ZTL without an active permit triggers an automatic fine. This applies to removal lorries exactly as it does to private cars.
The partner removal company applies to the local Comune for a temporary access permit (a permesso di transito) 48 to 72 hours before the delivery date. The permit is time-limited, usually a two to four-hour window on the agreed delivery day. Some Comuni charge a fee for commercial access permits.
If the lorry cannot get physically close enough to the building entrance even with a permit, a smaller shuttle vehicle transfers goods for the last stretch. This is common in narrow medieval streets, around historic piazze, and in hill towns where the road width itself limits vehicle size. Cities with particularly complex ZTL zones include Rome, Florence, Bologna, Siena, Lucca and Ravenna.
Many Italian apartment buildings, particularly those built before 1970, have staircases and lifts that were not designed with furniture removal in mind. Staircases in period buildings are commonly 80 to 100 centimetres wide. Lifts are often 60 to 80 centimetres deep. An assembled double wardrobe, a king-size bed frame, a three-seater sofa and a large dining table will all face problems getting through.
The partner removal company handles this by disassembling large furniture at the UK end and reassembling at the Italian address. In some cases, a fly lift is required: a hydraulic platform attached to the vehicle delivers items directly through an upper-floor window or over a balcony. This is routine in Italian cities and is identified from the access information you provide at the survey stage.
Give the partner mover your floor number, approximate staircase width and lift internal dimensions when you submit the enquiry. This lets them plan the right equipment and vehicles before the lorry leaves the UK.
Since January 2021, the UK is outside the EU and household goods moving from the UK to Italy are treated as imports. Italian customs checks apply, and 22% Italian VAT can be charged on the declared value of your goods if you do not qualify for the exemption.
The exemption is the franchigia per trasferimento di residenza (transfer of residence relief). It can remove both import duty and the full 22% VAT on household goods you have personally owned and used for at least six months before the move, provided you are transferring your primary Italian residence and not furnishing a holiday property. The exemption does not apply to new goods bought specifically for the Italian property.
To apply for the exemption you need a Codice Fiscale, the Italian tax identification number equivalent to a National Insurance number. Apply free of charge through the Agenzia delle Entrate at agenziaentrate.gov.it or in person at the Italian Consulate General in London. Allow two to four weeks. 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 complete current rules visit dogane.gov.it and gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy.
Four main service options cover most UK to Italy moves. The right choice depends on volume, budget and how flexible your move date is.
Your goods wait at a UK depot until a lorry is full of Italy-bound freight, then depart. Most economical for small loads under 10 cubic metres. Departure date is not fixed. Best for flexible timelines and very small volumes.
From ~£650
Your goods share lorry space on a scheduled weekly or fortnightly Italy service. You pay per cubic metre. Faster than groupage because the departure date is fixed. Suits 10 to 40 cubic metres.
From ~£900 north
A lorry reserved for your move alone. Collects from your UK address and drives directly to Italy. Most flexible on delivery date and window. Suits large households, fragile items and time-sensitive moves.
From ~£2,800 north
Sending furniture without full household contents. A part load is standard. Requires advance planning for Italian apartment access: staircase width, lift dimensions and whether a fly lift is needed.
From ~£700 north
Use the links below to find the page for your specific Italian destination or service type. Each page covers the route, access, costs and customs for that location or service in full.
Answers shown in full below.
International Removals Companies matches your Italy removal enquiry free with one vetted partner removal company that covers your route. The partner collects from your UK address, wraps your goods and loads them for a road journey through France via the Channel Tunnel. The lorry crosses the Alps via the Mont Blanc or Fréjus Tunnel and travels south to your Italian delivery address. If the address is inside a ZTL zone, the partner mover applies for an access permit from the local Comune 48 to 72 hours ahead.
A dedicated vehicle from the UK to northern Italy typically takes 3 to 5 working days. Central Italy including Rome and Florence takes 5 to 7 days. Southern Italy and Puglia take 7 to 10 days. Sicily and Sardinia take longer due to ferry or strait crossing scheduling. A part load service takes 10 to 21 days from collection, depending on the departure schedule and Italian delivery region.
As a planning guide: groupage for a small load from around £650. Part load to northern Italy from around £900 for a studio or one-bedroom. Dedicated vehicle from around £2,800 to northern Italy. These are guides only. The partner removal company confirms the actual price after checking your volume, addresses, access and move date. Full pricing by region and home size is on the Italy removals costs page.
Since Brexit, UK goods entering Italy are treated as imports. The franchigia per trasferimento di residenza (transfer of residence exemption) can remove import duty and 22% Italian VAT on household goods owned and used for at least six months, provided you are moving your main home to Italy. You need a Codice Fiscale (Italian tax number) to apply. The partner removal company prepares the commercial documentation. Check dogane.gov.it for current rules.
Yes. A part load service lets you send furniture, boxes or partial household contents without filling an entire lorry. You pay per cubic metre. Groupage consolidates very small consignments until the lorry is full and is cheaper for very small volumes. Both are practical for single-room to two-bedroom volumes. For furniture-only moves, see the furniture removals to Italy page.
ZTL stands for Zona a Traffico Limitato, meaning restricted traffic zone. Most Italian historic city centres operate ZTL zones with cameras enforcing access 24 hours a day. Removal lorries cannot drive into a ZTL zone without a temporary access permit (permesso di transito) issued by the local Comune. The partner removal company applies for this permit 48 to 72 hours before delivery. Some addresses also need a smaller shuttle vehicle for the final carry to the building entrance.
Tell us your UK collection address, your Italian delivery address including city and floor level, and a rough inventory. We match you free with one vetted partner removal company that covers your Italy route. They contact you directly, survey your move and give you the confirmed quote covering packing, transport, customs documentation, insurance and delivery.
Get your free Italy removals 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.