from U.S.A. to Italy HELP!

[Giada Sun]

Helllooooo, I'm Giada fro Italy!
I have so many questions!

next year i will come to america to be an au pair. In my free time I would like to buy a school bus / skoolie not too big for European streets but not too small to live in and use it as a shop for my clothing collections. An American bus would attract much more attention and already converted cost less than those in Europe. these are the first two points.

now the questions:

1-being in America to be an au pair I will have the opportunity to stay on American soil for at least 1 year, maximum 2. If I buy the bus I know that I shouldn't pay any kind of taxes, I don't know which ones, because staying on American soil for six months , the thing you bought will not be taxed if taken out of america. it's true?

2-having to be an au pair, I will get an international driving license. is it valid so that I can drive the bus to take it to the port where it will be loaded?

3- Do you know a reliable agency that takes care of America-Italy transport and homologation once the bus arrives in Italy?

4-Can the transport procedures also be done alone or only through an agency? if you can do it yourself, what are the documents you need?

5-does the bus have to be put in a container or not?

6-does anyone know what should be changed for homologation in Italy? (I only know that you have to change the color of the lights)

7-since there are no spare parts in Europe I would like to buy and bring spare parts too ... do I put them inside the bus if they fit? do i have to ship them separately?

8-topic of america-europe emissions who can tell me something about it?

9-if someone has made a similar madness let me know news !!!

10-there would be ten thousand more questions

Thanks a lot to everyone, Ciao

[musigenesis]

Originally Posted by Giada Sun

1-being in America to be an au pair I will have the opportunity to stay on American soil for at least 1 year, maximum 2. If I buy the bus I know that I shouldn't pay any kind of taxes, I don't know which ones, because staying on American soil for six months , the thing you bought will not be taxed if taken out of america. it's true?

Not true. If you buy a bus and expect to drive it in the US, you will have to title and register it in your state (or in Vermont) and you will have to pay sales tax (usually about 6%) at that point. The DMV won't care what your future intentions for the vehicle are.

Originally Posted by Giada Sun

2-having to be an au pair, I will get an international driving license. is it valid so that I can drive the bus to take it to the port where it will be loaded?

It will be valid if the bus is registered as a motorhome. If the vehicle in the US requires a CDL (commercial driver's license), you cannot drive it with an international license.

Originally Posted by Giada Sun

5-does the bus have to be put in a container or not?

No, you can ship it on a RORO vessel.

Originally Posted by Giada Sun

7-since there are no spare parts in Europe I would like to buy and bring spare parts too ... do I put them inside the bus if they fit? do i have to ship them separately?

It would make sense to put them in the bus, assuming they don't take it over the weight limit. Like, if you're buying a couple of extra engines and transmissions, that would not work.

Originally Posted by Giada Sun

8-topic of america-europe emissions who can tell me something about it?

A user here from Germany purchased an imported school bus. It was a 1994 model which was necessary because vehicles older than 25 years are considered antiques and exempt from diesel emissions regulations. Serious regulation of diesel engine emissions only started in the US in 2004, and it hasn't been until the last five or ten years that engines built here are clean enough to pass EU (and national) emissions standards. So you would either have to get a very old bus or a very new one.

I believe the user paid something like $18,000 for this 1994 model, a bus that would probably cost $2000 to $3000 here in the US (the import costs, fees and various taxes multiply the final price many times). The cost of a newer bus with proper emissions equipment would be a whole lot more than $18,000.

Sorry OP, but this is a terrible idea unless you have an enormous amount of money to throw away.

[DeMac]

Welcome. I use to live in Aviono, where I drove a Fiat bus. Very narrow compared to US buses (2.4 m).

1st - Send a PM (Personal Message) to CHEESE_WAGON (a member of skoolie.net), ask him to send you the 'Skoolie Primer'. This will help you to buy a good bus. He is also licensed and trained to transport your purchase to the port for a very low fee.

If you choose a petro powered engine, emissions will be less trouble. Are you seeking a van style bus?

There will be few who here have done what you're planning. Military members do this frequently. Should be profitable, if you have the investment money.

In bocca al lupo,

[joeblack5]

Probably best for you clothing shop to get a real eye catcher. For that an older design bus would be better fitted.
To avoid importing nightmares you likely are best of with a bus that is considered antique in Italy..
In the usa that is 25 years or older but in europe probably much older like 40 years.

When I temporarily returned from the usa to the netherlands none of my belongings were taxed as long as you could prove that you had them longer then 1 year and as long as it was only one.

So one airplane. One boat, one vehicle..

Better check the current situation in Italy as returning expat.
The other way around is valid as well, you can take a vehicle tax free from italy to the usa but are not allowed to sell it and for a max duration of a year.

Good luck

Johan