Moving Fine Art, Antiques, and Valued Collections to Italy

Relocating a significant collection to Italy requires a different kind of preparation. Fine art, antiques, and high-value objects sit at the intersection of several distinct regulatory systems: UK export controls, international wildlife protection law, Italy’s own cultural heritage framework, and, since June 2025, new EU-wide import controls for cultural goods. Each applies independently. Together, they mean that the documentation process for a collection of any complexity needs to begin well before your move date.

The good news is that this is manageable, provided the planning starts early and the right expertise is in place from the outset. This guide explains what you need to know.

For a full overview of relocating to Italy, visit our guide to moving to Italy from the UK.

Italy has some of the world’s most detailed cultural property legislation. The Codice dei Beni Culturali e del Paesaggio (Legislative Decree 42/2004) governs the protection, circulation, and export of items of artistic, historical, and archaeological significance. Italian customs authorities take this framework seriously, and the documentation requirements for goods entering the country from outside the EU have become more complex since Brexit.

There are now four distinct layers of compliance to consider: UK export licensing, CITES documentation, Italy’s own cultural property rules, and the new EU import controls that came into force on 28 June 2025. None of these replace the others. A collection that clears CITES requirements still needs to meet UK export licensing rules, and both need to be in order before the EU import framework is satisfied.

Planning ahead is what removes risk from a move that should, by the time your belongings arrive in Italy, feel entirely seamless.

Arts Council England (ACE) administers the export licensing system on behalf of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. Applications are made online through ACE’s export licensing portal.

The Open General Export Licence (OGEL) covers most antiques and cultural objects over 50 years old where the value per item or matching set falls below the relevant threshold for the category. For most cultural objects, that threshold is £65,000. For oil paintings, it sits at £180,000. Items above these thresholds require an individual export licence from ACE.

These thresholds have remained frozen since 2002, which means objects that previously fell comfortably below the limit may now sit closer to it, particularly if values have risen over time. Manuscripts and UK archaeological finds have no minimum value threshold and require a licence regardless of value. The export licence process is entirely separate from, and in addition to, any CITES requirements that may also apply to your collection.

Once an individual licence is issued, a digital copy is attached to the Export Declaration submitted to HMRC through the Customs Declaration Service. ACE advises applying well in advance of your planned move date.

CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, governs the international movement of items containing materials derived from protected species. For a private collection, this can affect more pieces than many owners expect.
The materials most commonly encountered in antiques and fine art include ivory (piano keys, carved handles, inlay, jewellery), tortoiseshell (boxes, frames, decorative objects), Brazilian rosewood and certain other tropical hardwoods (antique furniture, inlay work), coral, exotic leathers (crocodile, alligator, snake), and certain feathers. Musical instruments frequently contain more than one CITES-listed material.

Since January 2021, when the UK left the EU’s single market, items containing CITES-listed materials require a permit from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to move from Great Britain to any EU member state, including Italy. This is a meaningful post-Brexit change.

A common misconception is that a genuine antique is automatically exempt. Pre-Convention items, those made before the relevant species was listed under CITES, may be exempt from trade restrictions, but they still require documentation to cross borders. The exemption removes a restriction; it does not remove the paperwork. For ivory specifically, there is no antique exemption from the permit requirement.

APHA permits are valid for six months and the agency advises applying at least 30 days before the move. Italy enforces CITES requirements at customs; without the correct documentation, goods can be delayed, held, or refused entry.

Italy’s approach to cultural property is governed by the Codice dei Beni Culturali e del Paesaggio (D.Lgs. 42/2004), one of the most comprehensive cultural heritage frameworks in the world. When items of artistic, historical, or archaeological significance enter Italy from outside the EU, Italian customs and the regional Soprintendenza (heritage office) assess whether those items can circulate freely within the country.

For older items above the applicable threshold, an Italian certificate of free circulation may be required. This involves presenting the item to the relevant export office, providing documentation of its provenance and lawful origin, and obtaining the certificate before the item enters unrestricted circulation.

EU Regulation 2019/880, which came into force across all EU member states on 28 June 2025, introduces new import controls for cultural goods entering the EU from non-EU countries. As the UK is now a third country for EU purposes, this regulation applies to collections moving from the UK to Italy.

The regulation applies in two tiers. Category B covers items over 250 years old, regardless of their value. This includes archaeological objects, antiquities, and items from prehistoric periods. Before these goods can enter Italy, an import licence must be obtained through the EU’s Import of Cultural Goods (ICG) digital system. Category C covers items over 200 years old valued at €18,000 or more. These require an importer statement rather than a full licence, but the statement must still be submitted through the ICG system before import.

Importantly, these requirements apply to all imports, including those made as part of a private relocation. There is no general personal-use exemption.

Proving lawful export from the item’s country of origin is central to the application. Auction catalogues, historic export licences, purchase invoices, and insurance records all help. For older collections, some of this documentation may need to be reconstructed. This is one of the reasons starting the documentation review early makes such a practical difference.

Wine is explicitly excluded from Transfer of Residence (Trasferimento di Residenza) relief under Italian customs rules. Unlike furniture, art, and personal effects, which may qualify for duty-free import under the relief if they have been owned and used for at least six months, wine and alcohol cannot be imported duty-free as part of a household move regardless of how long the collection has been held.

Moving a significant wine collection to Italy requires temperature-controlled transit throughout, appropriate insurance that reflects the collection’s value, and a separate customs assessment on arrival. The administrative and logistical requirements are distinct from those for the rest of the household.

Your move coordinator can manage the wine collection as part of the broader relocation plan, ensuring that transit conditions and documentation are handled alongside everything else.

The physical care of a collection during transit is inseparable from the documentation process. Both need to be planned together, and both require specialist knowledge.

Our in-house crating workshop builds to the exact dimensions and structural requirements of each piece. Crates are not standardised. A framed oil painting, a marble bust, a cabinet of lacquerwork, and a set of ceremonial silver all require different approaches to internal bracing, material choice, and climate management. Standard household removals packing is not designed for pieces where any environmental variation or structural stress represents an irreplaceable loss.

At the in-home survey, your coordinator assesses the condition, dimensions, and specific packing requirements of every item in your collection. They also review the documentation status of each piece: which items may need export licences, which contain CITES-listed materials, and which fall within the scope of the new EU import controls. This means the logistics and the compliance work are managed as a single process rather than two separate ones.

Climate-controlled vehicles are used throughout transit. Your dedicated coordinator manages the full pipeline from survey to delivery, including liaison with Arts Council England, APHA, and Italian customs where required. You have one point of contact for everything.

Does My Collection Need an Export Licence to Leave the UK?

It depends on the category and value of each item. Most antiques over 50 years old and valued below the relevant threshold for their category are covered by the Open General Export Licence and do not require an individual application. Items above the threshold require an individual licence from Arts Council England. Oil paintings valued above £180,000 and most other cultural objects above £65,000 fall into this category. Your coordinator can help identify which items in your collection need a separate application before the move.

What Is a CITES Permit and Does My Antique Furniture Need One?

CITES governs the international movement of items containing materials from protected species. If your furniture contains rosewood, ivory, tortoiseshell, or certain other exotic materials, it will need an APHA permit to leave Great Britain and enter Italy, even if the piece is a genuine antique. The rules changed after Brexit, and items that previously moved between the UK and Italy without individual CITES documentation may now require permits. The antique status of a piece does not automatically remove the paperwork requirement.

Can I Include Wine in My Household Move to Italy?

Wine is excluded from Transfer of Residence relief under Italian customs rules and cannot be imported duty-free as part of a household move. Collections require a separate arrangement, including temperature-controlled transit and a customs assessment on arrival. We can advise on how to manage this as part of your overall relocation plan.

What Is the Attestato di Libera Circolazione?

It is an Italian certificate of free circulation for cultural objects, issued by the relevant regional authority. Italian customs may require evidence of an item’s lawful origin and provenance when it enters Italy from outside the EU, and older items above the applicable threshold may need to be presented to the relevant Soprintendenza as part of that process. The Attestato is also relevant if you later decide to sell or move the item again. Your coordinator will advise which pieces in your collection are likely to require this assessment on arrival.

How Far in Advance Should I Start Planning the Documentation?

For a collection of any size or complexity, we recommend beginning the documentation review at least three months before your planned move date. APHA permit applications typically require at least 30 days to process. EU import licence applications under Regulation 2019/880 add further lead time. Some of this work, particularly reconstructing provenance documentation for older pieces, can take longer than expected. Starting early is the single most effective thing you can do to keep the move on schedule.