Moving to Italy by road

Italy is reached through France and the Alpine tunnels, or through Switzerland. One crew loads at your door in Britain and unloads at your door in a Milan apartment, a Tuscan farmhouse or a Puglian masseria.

Last reviewed: October 2026

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The route at a glance

Collected from: Any UK address
Crossing via: Channel, France and the Alpine tunnels
Typical transit: 4–12 days door to door
Departures: Regular, north and centre
Book by: 6–8 weeks before you move

Codice fiscaleThe tax code you need for the customs claim

ZTLRestricted traffic zones in almost every historic centre

Mont BlancOr Fréjus: the tunnels most loads take

One crewThe people who load are the people who deliver

Beautiful places, difficult access

The drive to Italy is straightforward: across France, through an Alpine tunnel, and down the autostrada. The goods stay in one sealed vehicle, and in winter we plan around snow on the passes.

The challenges are at either end of the Italian journey. Customs want your codice fiscale and proof of residence, and the properties people move to, from hill-town apartments to farmhouses at the end of a white road, are often places a full-size lorry cannot reach.

Loaded at your door · Across the Channel · Unloaded at the other

Where we deliver in Italy

Door-to-door transit times from UK collection, with what to expect at the delivery end. Dedicated vehicles are at the quick end; part loads wait for a scheduled departure and share the journey.

Milan, the Lakes & the north

4–5 days dedicated · 6–11 part load

The quickest Italian run. City apartments with courtyard access and lake villas on narrow roads around Como and Garda.

Turin, Liguria & Piedmont

4–5 days dedicated · 6–11 part load

The Riviera’s coastal villages are steep and tight, and some are reached only on foot from the road.

Tuscany & Umbria

4–6 days dedicated · 6–12 part load

Florence, Lucca and the countryside. Gravel strade bianche and stone gateways usually mean a smaller vehicle for the final stretch.

Rome & Lazio

5–6 days dedicated · 7–12 part load

Strict ZTL restrictions in the centre, permits for stopping, and apartment buildings without lifts large enough for furniture.

Le Marche, Abruzzo & Puglia

5–7 days dedicated · 8–14 part load

Long runs down the Adriatic coast to farmhouses, trulli and masserie. Access is checked before the vehicle is chosen.

Sicily & Sardinia

By arrangement

Served by ferry from the mainland. Allow additional time and ask us for a specific quotation.

Door-to-door transit times from the UK to Italy, by region
Region	Dedicated vehicle	Part load
Milan, the Lakes & the north	4–5 days	6–11 days
Turin, Liguria & Piedmont	4–5 days	6–11 days
Tuscany & Umbria	4–6 days	6–12 days
Rome & Lazio	5–6 days	7–12 days
Le Marche, Abruzzo & Puglia	5–7 days	8–14 days
Sicily & Sardinia	By arrangement

Transit times are typical, not guaranteed. Drivers' hours are regulated, so longer runs include mandatory rest, and customs clearance is usually a matter of hours when the paperwork is right.

Dedicated vehicle or part load

Road freight is priced on the space you occupy in a vehicle and the distance it drives. Volume decides which makes sense.

Dedicated vehicle

A full house · your load only

The vehicle carries nothing but your belongings and drives straight to your new address in Italy. Fastest, with fixed dates for loading and delivery. Usually the right answer for a three-bedroom house or larger.

Part load

A flat or part of a house · shared vehicle

You pay for the space you use and share the journey with other consignments heading the same way. Considerably cheaper, with a delivery window of a few days rather than a fixed date.

Small consignments

A few boxes or a single room

Students, second homes, a room of furniture for a relative. We consolidate these onto our scheduled Italian runs.

Storage at either end

When the dates don't line up

Completion dates and visa appointments rarely line up with a UK moving date. We hold goods in containerised storage in the UK and deliver when you are ready.

Customs and documents for Italy

Italy applies the EU transfer of residence relief through the Agenzia delle Dogane. These are the Italian documents that most often take time.

What you will need

We prepare the export and import declarations and the valued inventory. Several of the documents below can only be issued to you personally, so start them early.

Codice fiscaleYour Italian tax code, available from the Italian consulate in the UK or the Agenzia delle Entrate in Italy. It is needed for the customs claim and for most contracts.
Residence registrationRegistration at the anagrafe of your comune, or evidence that it is under way. Customs usually want to see a certificate of residence or the application.
Visa or permesso di soggiornoSince Brexit British citizens need a visa to live in Italy, such as an elective residence or work visa, followed by a permesso di soggiorno.
Declaration of transferA signed declaration that the goods are yours, used, and are moving with you to your new residence. We prepare it for you to sign.
A valued inventory in ItalianItemised and priced, prepared by us.
Six months’ ownershipGoods must have been owned and used for at least six months before the move to qualify for relief.

Customs and immigration requirements change. We confirm the current position for Italy at survey and give you a written checklist before anything is packed.

The last hundred metres

In Italy the last hundred metres often decide the shape of the whole move.

ZTL restricted zonesMost historic centres are zone a traffico limitato, with camera enforcement. Entering requires a permit arranged through the comune before the day.
Strade biancheUnmade gravel roads to rural properties can be too narrow, steep or soft for a full-size vehicle. We shuttle the load in smaller vans and price it in advance.
External liftsMany apartment buildings have small lifts and stone staircases. An autoscala furniture lift to the window is common and usually needs a permit.
Alpine weatherWinter tyre or chain rules apply on Alpine routes from November to April, and snow occasionally closes the passes. We build that into the schedule.

SealedYour vehicle is sealed at loading and not opened in transit

Secure parkingOvernight stops at guarded compounds, never a lay-by

Same crewThe people who load in Britain unload at your new home

No portGoods are never containerised, craned or double-handled

What a Halo move to Italy includes

Quoted as one price, delivered as one service. Anything not on this list is named in your quotation rather than discovered later.

Pre-move survey by video call or in person, with a written volume assessment
Export-standard packing and materials, or cartons delivered if you're packing yourself
A numbered, valued inventory in the format Italian customs expect
Collection from any UK address, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
UK export declaration and Italian import declaration, both prepared and filed
Your transfer of residence relief claim, with a checklist of the documents you need
The sea or tunnel crossing and all road tolls, permits and vignettes
A sealed vehicle and secure overnight parking throughout the journey
Access assessment at destination, including parking permits and furniture lifts
Delivery into the rooms you choose, with furniture reassembled
Removal of packing debris on the day
One named consultant, contactable directly, from survey through to final delivery

Moving to Italy: common questions

How long does a move to Italy take?

The north is usually four to five days with a dedicated vehicle, Tuscany and Rome four to six, and the far south up to a week. Part loads add a few days while other consignments are delivered.

Can you reach a farmhouse at the end of a white road?

Usually, yes, but rarely with the main vehicle. We transfer the load to a smaller van at the nearest suitable point. Send us photographs of the approach and we will plan it before quoting.

Can I bring food and alcohol?

Meat and dairy products from the UK cannot enter the EU. Alcohol must be declared and is outside the relief, so duty is payable.

Can you move my car to Italy?

We arrange vehicle transport alongside the move. Registering a UK car in Italy involves an import declaration, a technical inspection and Italian registration, and right-hand drive vehicles can be impractical. Ask before you assume it is worth bringing.

What does a move to Italy cost?

Volume first, then distance, then whether you need a dedicated vehicle or can share one. Use the volume estimator on our home page for a sense of scale, then let us survey and quote in writing. Our prices page explains what goes into the figure.

Get a quotation for Italy

Tell us where you're heading and roughly when. A consultant will come back within one working day to arrange a survey.

European desk: 07749 924755
Email: europe@halointernationalrelocations.com
Not sure of your volume?: Use the move estimator for an indicative figure in about thirty seconds, then send it through with your enquiry.
Elsewhere in Europe?: See our road freight guides to France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands, Germany and the Republic of Ireland, or the overview of European removals.