Foglio rosa: what it is and how long it lasts
The foglio rosa is the Italian authorisation to practise driving, issued after the theory test. Under article 122 of the Codice della Strada it lasts twelve months and allows three attempts at the practical test, the first no earlier than one month after issue. The accompanying driver must be 65 or under, with a licence held ten years.
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What is the foglio rosa?
It is the driving practice authorisation set out in article 122 of the Codice della Strada, the Italian highway code. It is issued to candidates who have passed the theory test and lets them drive a vehicle of the requested category for practice, with a person beside them acting as instructor. It is not a provisional licence. Outside the stated conditions, driving is not allowed.
How long does the foglio rosa last?
Twelve months from issue. Annual validity applies to authorisations issued from 10 November 2021, according to the Portale dell'Automobilista; before that it was six months. The count starts from the date on the document, not the day the quiz was passed. The compulsory driving school lessons, private practice and every practical attempt must all fit inside those twelve months.
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Validity | 12 months |
| Practical test attempts | 3 |
| Minimum wait before the first attempt | 1 month |
| Minimum wait after a failed attempt | 1 month |
| Maximum age of the accompanying driver | 65 |
| Licence held by the accompanying driver | at least 10 years |
| Plate | Letter P (scuola guida on driving school cars) |
| Driving without an accompanying driver | 430 to 1,731 euros and 3 month impoundment |
| No P plate | 87 to 344 euros |
| Carrying over the theory pass after expiry | Once only, within 2 months |
Read more: foglio rosa validity, expiry dates and edge cases
How many practical test attempts does the foglio rosa allow?
Three. Article 121 of the Codice della Strada sets three rules: the first test no earlier than one month after issue, at least one month between a failed test and the next, and no more than two resits within the validity period. The MIT summarises it as three tests in eleven months, starting from the month after issue. Booking the practical test requires PagoPA tariff N019, 16.00 euros in stamp duty. The process is in the guide on how to book the test.
Who can act as an accompanying driver?
Someone aged 65 or under with a valid licence for the same category held for at least ten years, or a valid licence for a higher category. Paragraph 2 of article 122 requires them to supervise the vehicle and step in promptly when necessary. In practice they sit next to the learner and must be able to do that: sober, attentive, not on the phone. If the person in the passenger seat does not qualify, the learner counts as driving unaccompanied.
If a candidate in Lecce practises with her 70-year-old grandfather, the Codice treats her as driving without a valid accompanying driver: she faces 430 to 1,731 euros and a three month impoundment (article 122, paragraphs 2 and 8, of the Codice della Strada), and her grandfather faces the same sum as an unqualified instructor (paragraph 7).
Which driving school lessons are needed on a foglio rosa?
Paragraph 5-bis of article 122 requires compulsory lessons at a driving school, with a qualified instructor, on motorways or extra urban roads and in night conditions. Since law 177/2024, the same paragraph allows practice with a private accompanying driver only after these lessons. The MIT page on the category B licence asks for a certificate of at least 6 hours when the practical test is booked. Ministerial decree no. 294 of 17 November 2025 raises this to 8 hours in four modules, but it only takes effect once a further implementing decree is in force. Which rules apply to a given application should be confirmed with the driving school. The modules are set out in the checklist before the driving test.
Is the P plate compulsory with the foglio rosa?
Yes. Paragraph 4 of article 122 requires a practice vehicle to display a plate with the letter P. It warns other road users that the driver is learning. Driving school cars show the words scuola guida. Not displaying the plate carries a fine of 87 to 344 euros.
If a candidate in Turin practises in the family car without the P plate and is stopped, he faces a fine of 87 to 344 euros (article 122, paragraph 9, of the Codice della Strada).
Which speed and lane limits apply on a foglio rosa?
The new driver power limits in article 117 (75 kW/t and 105 kW for cars, for three years) run from the date the driving test is passed, so they do not cover practice. Specific road rules do apply. Article 11-bis of decree-law 5/2012 bars category B learners from using any lane other than the two nearest the right edge on motorways with three or more lanes. Ministerial decree no. 294 of 2025 (article 5) adds a duty to respect 100 km/h on motorways and 90 km/h on main extra urban roads, and bans passengers other than the accompanying driver when practising on motorways, main extra urban roads or at night in a car that is not a driving school car. That decree only takes effect once the implementing decree is in force, so it is prudent to follow these precautions already.
What happens if a learner drives alone, waits too long or runs out of attempts?
If a young man in Bari with a foglio rosa drives alone to the supermarket and is stopped at a checkpoint, he faces a fine of 430 to 1,731 euros and a three month impoundment of the car, even though it belongs to his parents (article 122, paragraph 8, of the Codice della Strada).
If a young woman in Verona receives her foglio rosa on 5 February, her first practical test cannot be before 5 March, and if she fails on 20 March the second cannot be set before 20 April (article 121, paragraphs 8 and 10, of the Codice della Strada). Three tests one month apart fit the calendar, unless the office hands out distant dates.
If a candidate in Florence fails his third practical test in November, that foglio rosa allows him no further tests, because article 121, paragraph 11, of the Codice della Strada permits two repeats at most. Once only, at the same Motorizzazione office, he can ask to carry his theory pass over to a new authorisation: form TT 2112 and a new payment, with no resit of the quiz. After the new permit is issued he still waits one month before the next practical test.
A candidate in Cagliari lets her foglio rosa expire without taking the test. She has two months from expiry to ask for the theory carry over. If that deadline also passes, she must file a new application and sit the theory test again.
What happens when the foglio rosa expires?
The authorisation stops having effect: no more practice driving and no practical test on that document. The quickest route is the riporto di teoria, reintroduced by the MIT on 7 March 2016. It can be requested once, by the end of the second month after expiry, or earlier once the practical attempts are used up. The MIT notice dates from when there were two attempts, so confirm the current conditions with the Motorizzazione office. The medical certificate only needs renewing if the one on file is no longer valid. Anyone outside these conditions starts a new application from scratch. How to keep the wait for a test date from using up the foglio rosa is covered in the guide on waiting times for the test.
Which mistakes waste time on a foglio rosa?
- Collecting the foglio rosa and starting driving school lessons months later: the twelve months run regardless.
- Practising with a parent over 65 or a friend who has held a licence for less than ten years.
- Forgetting the P plate on the family car.
- Booking the first practical test close to expiry, leaving no room for two resits.
Theory still matters after the quiz, because the practical test includes questions on the vehicle's controls and equipment. The practice test keeps it fresh, and results by province are on the pass rates page.
What are the most common questions about the foglio rosa?
What is the foglio rosa?
The foglio rosa is the authorisation to practise driving set out in article 122 of the Codice della Strada. It is issued after the theory test is passed and allows practice driving with a qualifying accompanying driver while waiting for the practical test.
How long does the foglio rosa last?
Twelve months from the date of issue, for authorisations issued from 10 November 2021 onwards. Before that, validity was six months.
How many practical test attempts does the foglio rosa allow?
Three attempts within the twelve months. The first no earlier than one month after issue, and at least one month between a failed attempt and the next (article 121 of the Codice della Strada).
Who can act as an accompanying driver?
A person aged 65 or under, holding a valid licence for the same category obtained at least ten years earlier, or a valid licence for a higher category. They must supervise the vehicle and step in when needed.
What is the fine for driving on a foglio rosa without an accompanying driver?
Article 122, paragraph 8, sets a fine of 430 to 1,731 euros and administrative impoundment of the vehicle for three months. Fine amounts are updated periodically.
Is the P plate compulsory with the foglio rosa?
Yes. The practice vehicle must display a plate with the letter P. Not displaying it carries a fine of 87 to 344 euros (article 122, paragraph 9). Driving school cars show the words scuola guida instead.
Can a learner drive on the motorway with a foglio rosa?
Yes, with a qualifying accompanying driver, but on motorways with three or more lanes only in the two right hand lanes (article 11-bis of decree-law 5/2012). Since law 177/2024, practice with a private accompanying driver is allowed only after the driving school lessons on motorways or extra urban roads and at night.
What happens when the foglio rosa expires?
The authorisation stops having effect: no more practice driving and no practical test on that document. Once only, within two months of expiry, the theory pass can be carried over to a new foglio rosa (riporto di teoria) without resitting the quiz. Otherwise a new application is needed.
Fines and tariffs are updated periodically. Legal notes.
Data as of 2026-09-07. Source: articles 117, 121 and 122 of the Codice della Strada, MIT page on obtaining a category B licence and Portale dell'Automobilista.