Thinc2

Thanks - I may be dealing with this next year, so will reach out then. I brought over a Honda Element to Luxembourg in 2014 and it wasn't a big deal - just had to change the lights and that was all. Just curious if anyone has done this with a Porsche so that there aren't any expensive surprises...

WolfDenShoebox

I've been looking into starting a small import/export business from US to Europe and what I've found is you need to get the cars inspected for the local registration system and they'll tell you what modifications you need to make in order to get it federalized.

It's 100% possible, but may be challenging depending on the model and EVERY car will most likely require special attention. Do not just accept broad statements of certainty from online forums, you need to talk to customs first and then seek the correct inspection depending on the country.

I can mostly speak to Germany, but you would need to pay the 19% VAT, 10% customs fees, plus shipping fees, and then get a TüV inspection done. They'll tell you what you need to change, if anything at all.

Good luck.

theracer21

if you own the car for more than 1 year there are no taxes to pay. I will Import my 991 c2s in Italy in Jan/Feb 2022.

WolfDenShoebox

Is this for Germany specific? There are two sets of rules for EU and non-EU countries. The tax burden is almost non-existent if you're transferring between EU countries, but changes under specific rules.

There's also no tax requirement I believe if you plan on only being here for less than a year.

These rules do not relate to US military...

theracer21

I’m Italian so there is no taxes for me if I’m import the car after being the only owner for at least 1 year . This is not only for Italy , it’s for the entire EU.

WolfDenShoebox

The rules are different for US to Germany is the point I was trying to make.

There are so many factors and facets to importing and exporting and only mentioned to consider that when taking advice from online strangers.

Thinc2

I know that if you are moving to Luxembourg, and if you have owned the car for over one year, you can import one car (only) tax free. The car has to enter at the time of your household goods though - you can't move your stuff and the bring the car over later on. I believe this is consistent across many of the EU countries (but not positive).

It's definitely a risk though if you don't know until after you arrive how much you will have to change in order to be compliant. When the time comes ,I will contact Porsche to see if i can get more info - I suspect the changes will be limited to lights.

SwedeInNY

This mirrors my experience of importing to Sweden as part of household goods. I tried getting some clarity on potential modifications needed from both PCNA as well as the local representative but both sides were seemingly clueless. I received the most valuable input from a representative of one of the companies authorized to perform the registration inspection.

Also, and this may or may not be specific to Sweden, but there are two parts to the import rules. The first relates to the tax/customs situation (as outlined above). The second relates to the technical requirements and will also vary depending on ownership term prior to import. If I remember correctly, if you have owned the car for over 18 months in the US prior to import as household goods, there are virtually no demands on modifications (I think you will even get away with red US rear indicator signals for example). As stated elsewhere though, spend some time doing your own research!

theracer21

In most cases, Italian customs allows a one time duty free import of goods as part of your international move to Italy, as long as you meet the following requirements:

• Items have been owned for at least a year
• You have lived in the country of origin more than 12 months
• The goods are at least 6 months old and have been used by you

this applies for all EU countries.

duxsi

Does anyone know if it's limited to one car per household?
When I last moved back to the UK it was extremely easy to import (1 year of ownership before entry, Cert of conformity, and you couldn't sell it for 1 year).
Was anyone required to change the speedometer face plate? This isn't necessary for the UK (mph to mph), but this time I'm heading from the US to the mainland w/ kph..
Thanks in advance.

Larry Cable

I do not know the definitive answer to this, but I believe if you have a digital display that can also display km/h (in addition to the analog) you are ok...

kermit123

I'm importing my 2013 991 C2S to Italy. I will replace the rear lights with the amber ones, but has anyone had issues with the seat belts? Also any advice on how to fit the European rear license plate? I will be happy to let everyone know how my experience goes...

Pavegeno928

You can order the front plate Euro mount from Suncoast or get it from your dealer. It has guide tabs on the bottom that center it on the front bumper in the area of the third center radiator opening. You drill in the plate mount. Then you insert your Euro front plate into a plate holder, I got mine from the dealer, and you sure that into the euro plate mount. Very easy. I kept mine on when I returned on all of our cars. Looks great and gets lots of interest.

Pavegeno928

If you are moving to a country that has a US government presence, they will likely have the US sized plates for the rear and you won't have to modify bumpers. The front will be a Euro plate mount. I just commented on that.

kermit123

Thanks, I asked and apparently, in Italy they only have two formats for the rear. One long one which is 52 cm × 11 cm; and one square one 29.7 cm × 21.4 cm. The long one is too wide to fit and the square one is very large and unsightly ;(
Did you have any issues with the seat belts?