Italy is a member of the European Union trade group that permits the free movement between Italy and other member States, paving the way for international shipping to Italy. International shipments from the United States and States that are not members of the European Union must clear Italian customs.

There are tree entry types for international shipping to Italy: standard clearance procedure (PN); simplified clearance procedure (PS); and simplified declaration procedure (ES). PN and PS procedures apply to all shipments without regard to the value of the goods. ES applies to shipments of commercial samples with small values below €45.

A customs account for entry and payment processing of duties and taxes on international shipping to Italy can be created at any customs office by the person exporting goods bound for Italy. The importer of record or a customs broker may account for goods that arrive in Italy. For PS procedure accounting for the goods to be imported to Italy requires (1) completing release documents and (2) completing entry documents with the customs department. PN is a one step process where the release and customs filing is combined. Both PN and PS release require the following:

Bill of lading or manifest

Commercial invoice

Packing lists

Certificates of origin

ES release requires a bill of lading, manifest or air waybill. Import entries must be claimed immediately for PN but PS shipments may be accounted for within 3 days of release of the shipment on international shipping to Italy. It is the importer’s responsibility to maintain customs records of transactions for 5 years. All goods imported to Italy are subject to customs assessment unless exempt. Duties are usually a percentage of the value of the goods which is applied to the value based on the cost of the goods, insurance, and shipping charges. Other goods are subject to duty per piece, or by weight for example.

Personal goods may be imported duty free by non-Italians under certain conditions. If you are moving to Italy and wish to ship your personal belongings, documentation must be presented to clear customs and avoid duty and taxes. A photocopy of the passport of the importer with a valid Visa as well as an original residency certificate or application receipt must be presented. The importer must have an Italian Fiscal Code (similar to a United States Social Security Number). Auto-certification may be completed by the importer after arrival in Italy. There must be a packing list, an original bill of lading, and import license for electronics. If shipping a personal car or motorcycle, the date on the title must be one year from the date the shipment and the importer arrival in the country, otherwise the duty and taxes may be as much as 58%.