Not sure where this belongs but we are thinking of shipping our car over and wondered if in doing so we could avoid all of the "have to be a resident to get insurance" hassle. If we own the car can we just get insurance regardless of our residency status or are there other restrictions?
thanks

You'll need to register the car in Italy in order to drive it legally. The car will need to meet CE specifications to be registered, which could entail some costly conversions. So getting the car through that process will likely exceed the time it takes to get residenza. But you will indeed need residenza to register the car in Italy after CE conversion.

Personally, it's cheaper and less hassle to buy a car over here. The cars here generally get better mileage, so you're likely to save money on $9 per gallon gasoline as well.

Thanks Bill,
I am just desperately looking for alternatives...I will have 3 small kids to drive to school everyday (international school in treviso) and am overwhelmed at the thought of renting a car for a year. It sounds like shipping ours will not provide much help...

If your husband will have a pds per lavoro subordinato, he will be able to get residenza with just the postal receipt. He should be able to get residenza fairly quickly and then purchase a new or used car, register and insure it.

Bill,
What if he gets a pds per lavoro indipendente? Will he be able to get residenza with just the postal receipt as well?

The rule says only lavoro subordinato (see http://www.meltingpot.org/articolo10168.html ). However your husband can ask the comune if they will give him residenza with a postal receipt for a pds per lavoro autonomo. Not a sure thing, but can't hurt to ask.