Send a Parcel to Italy

The speed of your parcel delivery to Italy will depend on a few factors, such as the size of your load and the type of delivery service you choose. We offer different speeds of service with different price points, with speedier options at a higher price point. We’ve detailed the average UK to Italy delivery times below as a guide. Contact our team for more information on shipping times and prices.

Part load (shared / groupage) shipping takes longer than shipping a dedicated or full container load, as different customers’ shipments need to be consolidated to fill one container or lorry.

PSS aims to get your parcel delivered on time, every time, no matter what size your load is. However, it pays to be aware of Italy’s public holidays when planning your move. You can take a look at upcoming public holidays on the Italian government website. You should also be aware of any extreme weather conditions that might affect the timing of your parcel delivery.

If you have a large number of items to send to Italy, such as loads of more than ten boxes that our usual parcel service doesn’t cover, our removals to Italy service should meet your needs.

If you’re sending to Italy, you’ll usually need to include the following:

• Name of addressee
• Street Name, House Number
• Postcode Town/City (Province Code)
• ITALY

However, PSS’s parcel shipping service will take care of making sure your items get to the right place and will discuss any requirements with you ahead of time.

Some common items that are prohibited from being sent to Italy include:

• Animal Skins and Fur
• Swords
• hunting knives
• weapons or parts of weapons
• Any hazardous material
• Ivory (if a piano with ivory keys is included, a CITES permit will need to be obtained)
• Weapon, firearms and ammunition (cannot be imported as household goods and need a special permit and arrangements for their importation)
• Narcotics and Illegal Drugs
• pornographic materials
• Tobacco in any form, spirits, wine, or food (cannot be included in the shipment with household goods)

Some common items that are restricted from being sent to Italy include:

• Electric bicycles or scooters (they need to comply with EU regulations and have the “CE” logo)
• Stuffed animals/Animal Trophies (requires permit)
• live plants

For a full list of restricted or prohibited items, please see the official Italian customs website

A summary of tax relief qualifications is below. 

To qualify for tax relief on household goods and vehicles when moving to Italy, you must:

• Have owned and used the items for at least 6 months before moving.

• Have lived abroad for at least 12 months before relocating to Italy.

• Register as a resident at your local Italian city hall before the shipment arrives.

• Import the items within 12 months of your residence registration.

If residence registration isn’t completed before your shipment arrives, you can use a special customs procedure (“Importazione con garanzia”), which requires a deposit of duties/taxes and additional paperwork (Form Mod.F01B). The deposit is refundable once you provide proof of residence within 6 months.

Non-EU citizens must have a permesso di soggiorno before they can register as residents.

Some customs offices may also request a freight invoice, which can affect duties if applicable.

For more details, visit the Italian customs guide.

All goods that arrive in Italy are subject to customs clearance. We will submit all the relevant paperwork required to obtain the release of your goods, this can sometimes take up to 7 days. This may take longer in busier months but you don’t need to be present or in the country for clearance.

Once your goods have been released by Italian customs we will contact you to arrange a suitable delivery day.

Once we’ve received clearance of your goods we will either deliver your sea freight container directly to your new home or it will be delivered in a separate vehicle. This all depends on the type of shipment you are sending. Our unloading crew will place your items in the rooms of your choice and unwrap and remove the packing material from any furniture.

It is highly advisable to take out shipment protection cover before sending items to Italy. Although problems are unlikely, it is still wise to have cover when sending goods overseas, especially for items of significant financial value.

PSS International offers very flexible Shipment Protection Plans. You can cover your whole shipment or choose the individual items you wish to cover. Your PSS Move Manager can explain the different options available and guide you through completing the Shipment Protection Valuation form.