Car transfer between family members in Italy: costs

Handing a car or a motorbike to a parent, a child or a spouse feels like a formality between people who trust each other. For the Italian vehicle registry (PRA), though, it is a change of ownership like any other: same paperwork, same taxes, same deadline. Here is what a family transfer really costs in Italy, when a donation makes sense, and what changes after an owner's death.

Being related earns no discount

First, the key point: kinship does not reduce the cost. The PRA treats a transfer from father to son exactly like one between strangers, and the provincial transcription tax (IPT) depends on the vehicle's power and on the province where the new owner lives, not on who is handing it over [1][2]. Writing a token price, or saying the car is a gift, does not lower the IPT, because it is calculated on kilowatts.

The cost items, one by one

The total has a variable part (the IPT) and a fixed part. According to the sources we checked [2][3], the fixed part includes:

• ACI/PRA fees: €27.00;
• stamp duty on the unified application: €32.00;
• stamp duty for the new Documento Unico: €16.00;
• Transport Department fees: €10.20;
• digital signature authentication at an STA (Automobile Telematic Counter): €16.00.

That makes €101.20 in fixed costs, before the IPT. If you use a car-paperwork agency or a notary, add their fee, which varies.

How the IPT is worked out

For cars the base rate is €150.81 up to 53 kW, plus €3.51 for every kW above 53. Each province may add a surcharge of up to 30% [2], and many go to the maximum. The exact figure should therefore always be checked on the ACI website or with a quote, using the new owner's province of residence.

Two worked examples with the formula above:

• A 40 kW small car (below the threshold): €150.81 IPT plus €101.20 fixed costs, about €252 with no surcharge.
• A 66 kW car: €150.81 + (13 kW × €3.51 = €45.63) = €196.44. With the 30% surcharge, IPT is about €255 and the total about €357; without it the total is about €298 [2].

Cost climbs with kilowatts: a powerful saloon can cost several hundred euro more than a city car.

Sale or donation: which is better

There are two main routes.

A sale with authenticated signature. This is the quickest and cheapest option. The seller signs and the signature is authenticated at an STA, at the town hall or by a notary. Even when no money changes hands, families often use this format because the procedure is identical [2][3].

A donation. This is a free-of-charge act. For a vehicle you can still use an authenticated private deed, with the same procedure and costs as a sale [3]. A notarial donation costs more, but can help avoid disputes among heirs later. Some sources report that certain provinces grant an IPT reduction for donations: that depends on local decisions, so ask before you book.

Step by step

1. Gather the documents: ID and tax code for both parties, plus the Documento Unico (or registration document and ownership certificate).
2. Request a PRA search to rule out administrative holds, mortgages or other encumbrances.
3. Draw up the sale or donation deed.
4. Have the transferor's signature authenticated (STA, town hall or notary).
5. File the transcription request with the PRA and pay IPT, fees, stamps and duties.
6. Collect the updated Documento Unico [2].

The process cannot be completed fully online, since authentication needs an in-person visit.

The 60-day deadline

Registration with the PRA must be requested within 60 days of the signature authentication, even when no money is exchanged [2][3]. Missing it exposes you to an administrative fine and to paying the IPT late with a surcharge; the amounts quoted by different sources do not match, so the safe course is never to get there. If the signature is authenticated directly at an STA, the transcription request is filed at the same time and the issue never arises.

After the transfer, road tax falls on the new owner from the first due date, and the insurance policy must be updated so that cover matches the new registered keeper.

When the owner has died

Inheritance is a different case: technically it is not a transfer but an update of the registration in the heirs' favour [3]. You need the deed of acceptance of the inheritance, as an authenticated private deed, or a certified copy of the will. Authentication adds €16 in stamp duty. Documents include form NP3B with the deceased's details and form TT2119 to update the registration document [1]. The 60-day window applies here too.

With more than one heir the process takes two steps: first the car is registered to all of them, then, if one person wants to keep it, the sale of the other shares is registered, with IPT, stamps and ACI fees applied a second time [1]. In the meantime, a car still registered to a deceased person should not be driven: start the paperwork before putting it back on the road.

The practical takeaway

Before booking your STA appointment, check three things: the kW on the registration document, the province of the person receiving the car, and the current IPT on the ACI site. With those you can estimate the total almost to the cent and know whether a notarial donation is worth it or a simple authenticated sale will do. Selling outside the family follows the same procedure: only the deed differs.

Further reading

1. Passaggio di proprietà auto defunto: iter, documenti e costi, NoiCompriamoAuto.
2. Passaggio di proprietà auto tra parenti 2026, AutoAtto.
3. Passaggio di proprietà tra padre e figlio: come funziona, SicurAuto.it.