Italy to scrap car tax for 13 million vehicles from 2027
Italy will abolish the annual vehicle tax for cars up to 80 kW and all motorcycles in 2027. This affects 13 million vehicles, about 70% of the total.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Meloni abolishes vehicle tax for 14.5 million vehicles from 2027
A convertible that spends ten months covered in the garage pays the same in Italy as a utility vehicle that covers 30,000 kilometers a year. This is the anomaly the road tax carries: it is charged for owning the vehicle, not for using it. Giorgia Meloni's government has decided to end it for most of the fleet, announcing it bluntly: "We are eliminating one of the most hated taxes."
What changes in 2027 and how many vehicles are affected
The abolition takes effect in 2027. The chosen threshold, 80 kW —which translates to approximately 108.77 HP—, excludes higher-powered cars: the remaining 30% of the fleet will continue to pay. Motorcycles, however, will all be exempt, regardless of engine size.
The number of beneficiaries varies by source. The official announcement mentions over 13 million vehicles, around 70% of the Italian vehicle fleet. Other circulating versions raise the figure to 14.5 million. The range is significant and should not be considered final until the definitive text of the regulation is published.
The argument few dispute: pay for ownership, not usage
There is broad consensus on this point, even outside Italy. The tax is levied on ownership: it doesn't matter if you drive 1,000 kilometers a year or 30,000. The recurring comparison is striking: no one would accept paying VAT on a €30,000 purchase if they only spent €1,000, but this tax is accepted as normal. Some point to the Property Tax as the most unfair of all and place this one second.
There is no shortage of skeptical interpretations. The logical approach would be taxation based on usage, not ownership, including insurance, instead of a simple abolition. In other words: the problem doesn't disappear, it shifts to another category.
Vannacci, harmonization, and the Spanish example
The political nuances are also discussed. Some analyses interpret the announcement as a response to the rise of Vannacci and summarize it as "it's four years too late." Another current views it in environmental terms: making smaller and electric cars cheaper as a prelude to a fleet of scooters and tuk-tuks. And the unanswered question looms: why is there no European harmonization for this?
Meanwhile, in Spain, owners continue to pay their emissions tax; some have paid €25 for a concept that ceases to exist in Italy. In the margins, the migratory shift also appears: it is argued that fiscal relief is meaningless without border control. No figures from the announcement support this connection.
The 30% who continue to pay
With the exemption capped at 80 kW, higher-powered cars —coincidentally the most expensive ones— remain fully subject to the tax that Meloni has just made a flagship policy. Of this 30% of the fleet, nothing has been said so far.
A convertible that spends ten months covered in the garage pays the same in Italy as a utility vehicle that covers 30,000 kilometers a year. This is the anomaly the road tax carries: it is charged for owning the vehicle, not for using it. Giorgia Meloni's government has decided to end it for most of the fleet, announcing it bluntly: "We are eliminating one of the most hated taxes."
What changes in 2027 and how many vehicles are affected
The abolition takes effect in 2027. The chosen threshold, 80 kW —which translates to approximately 108.77 HP—, excludes higher-powered cars: the remaining 30% of the fleet will continue to pay. Motorcycles, however, will all be exempt, regardless of engine size.
The number of beneficiaries varies by source. The official announcement mentions over 13 million vehicles, around 70% of the Italian vehicle fleet. Other circulating versions raise the figure to 14.5 million. The range is significant and should not be considered final until the definitive text of the regulation is published.
The argument few dispute: pay for ownership, not usage
There is broad consensus on this point, even outside Italy. The tax is levied on ownership: it doesn't matter if you drive 1,000 kilometers a year or 30,000. The recurring comparison is striking: no one would accept paying VAT on a €30,000 purchase if they only spent €1,000, but this tax is accepted as normal. Some point to the Property Tax as the most unfair of all and place this one second.
There is no shortage of skeptical interpretations. The logical approach would be taxation based on usage, not ownership, including insurance, instead of a simple abolition. In other words: the problem doesn't disappear, it shifts to another category.
Vannacci, harmonization, and the Spanish example
The political nuances are also discussed. Some analyses interpret the announcement as a response to the rise of Vannacci and summarize it as "it's four years too late." Another current views it in environmental terms: making smaller and electric cars cheaper as a prelude to a fleet of scooters and tuk-tuks. And the unanswered question looms: why is there no European harmonization for this?
Meanwhile, in Spain, owners continue to pay their emissions tax; some have paid €25 for a concept that ceases to exist in Italy. In the margins, the migratory shift also appears: it is argued that fiscal relief is meaningless without border control. No figures from the announcement support this connection.
The 30% who continue to pay
With the exemption capped at 80 kW, higher-powered cars —coincidentally the most expensive ones— remain fully subject to the tax that Meloni has just made a flagship policy. Of this 30% of the fleet, nothing has been said so far.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (16 replies).
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