Converting a foreign driving licence in Italy

Updated 2026-09-16

Data updated 16/09/2026. Source: MIT, Conversione patente estera (page modified 24/08/2026).

Which route applies to my licence?

The route depends on who issued the licence, not on the holder's nationality. A Brazilian citizen with a Portuguese licence follows the EU rules; an Italian citizen with a US licence follows the rules for countries without an agreement.

Which countries have a conversion agreement with Italy?

The list below reproduces the MIT page as updated on 24 August 2026. Two details matter. Some agreements carry an end date: for Albania MIT gives 12 July 2026, with applications accepted until Monday 13 July 2026. For El Salvador and Uruguay the page shows dates already in the past, so it is sensible to ask the Motorizzazione office before booking.

"6 years, then re-test": the agreement sets no limit; after 6 years the application can still be filed, but the Italian licence comes with a re-test order (article 128 of the Highway Code) and is revoked if the test is failed. Canada, Chile, the United States and Zambia have agreements that cover only diplomatic staff or government missions and their families.

How do I apply for conversion, step by step?

1. Check the agreement on the MIT page and the time elapsed since your registry (anagrafe) residence date.
2. Take the medical visit with an authorised doctor: the receipt is valid for 3 months (6 months if issued by a local medical board).
3. Pay fee N003 via pagoPA: 10.20 euro fees and 32 euro stamp duty.
4. Fill in form TT2112, available on the Portale dell'Automobilista or at the counter.
5. Book an appointment at the Motorizzazione Civile office and file the application with the documents.
6. Collect the Italian licence and hand over the foreign one, which is returned to the issuing state.

Can I drive on the foreign licence while I wait?

Yes, but only during the first year of residence. Article 135 of the Highway Code allows driving on a non-EU licence to anyone who has not been resident in Italy for more than one year, provided the licence is accompanied by an International Driving Permit or an official Italian translation. Without either document the fine is 408 to 1,634 euro (article 135, paragraph 8).

The deadline to convert (4 or 6 years) and the deadline to drive (1 year) are separate. Someone resident for two years can still apply for conversion, but cannot drive on the foreign licence meanwhile: paragraph 14 of article 135 applies the fine of article 126, paragraph 11 (158 to 638 euro) and the licence is withdrawn.

What happens in common real cases?

If a nurse in Bergamo with a Moroccan licence, resident for two years, keeps driving on the foreign licence, she is fined 158 to 638 euro, because article 135, paragraph 14, of the Codice della Strada applies the article 126, paragraph 11 fine to anyone driving more than a year after taking residence. She can still convert without an exam: according to the MIT conversion page, the agreement with Morocco runs until 3 June 2030, with a limit of 6 years from residence.

If an engineer in Turin with a Texas licence, in Italy for work and not a diplomat, applies for conversion, the application cannot be accepted: according to the MIT conversion page, the agreement with the United States covers diplomatic and consular staff only. In his first year of residence he drives with an International Driving Permit while applying for the theory and practical exams.

If a student in Bologna with an Albanian licence books the Motorizzazione in September 2026, he can no longer convert without an exam, because the MIT conversion page gives 13 July 2026 as the last valid day. Until the ministry page shows a new agreement, he must sit theory and practical exams.

If a cook in Naples obtained a Tunisian licence during a summer in Tunis, when he was already resident in Italy, he cannot convert it, even though the agreement with Tunisia runs until 20 July 2030: according to the MIT conversion page, the licence must predate residence.

What are the most common mistakes?

• Mixing up the two deadlines: 4 or 6 years to convert, but only 1 year to drive on the foreign licence.
• Turning up with an expired licence: a non-EU licence must still be valid.
• Using an old medical receipt: past 3 months (6 for a local medical board) the application is refused.
• Trusting unofficial lists: many sites still show 2022 lists that omit Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo or the United Kingdom.
• Forgetting the residence permit: it is also needed when collecting the Italian licence.

What are the most common questions on converting a foreign licence?

General information, not legal advice: legal notes.

Sources: MIT, Conversione patente estera; MIT; Highway Code, articles 126, 128 and 135; Directive 2006/126/EC.