Foreign driving licence in Italy: when you can drive
Updated 2026-09-16
An EU or EEA licence is valid in Italy with no formalities. A non-EU licence is valid for tourists and for new residents up to one year after taking residence, always with an International Driving Permit or official translation, under article 135 of the Highway Code. After that year, conversion or the Italian exam is needed.
Data updated 16/09/2026. Source: Highway Code, article 135, and MIT, Conversione patente estera.
Which rule applies to me?
Two questions settle it: who issued the licence (an EU or EEA state, or another country) and how long you have been resident in Italy. Nationality does not matter. A tourist who never takes residence always stays in the first or second row of the table.
| Situation | Can you drive? | Documents to carry |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist with an EU or EEA licence | Yes, until the licence expires | Licence |
| Tourist with a non-EU licence | Yes, while not resident | Licence plus International Driving Permit or official translation |
| Resident with an EU or EEA licence | Yes, until expiry; conversion after 2 years if the licence has no expiry or a longer validity | Licence |
| Resident for less than a year with a non-EU licence | Yes | Licence plus International Driving Permit or official translation |
| Resident for more than a year with a non-EU licence | No | An Italian licence is needed, by conversion or by exam |
What does a tourist need to drive in Italy?
With an EU or EEA licence, a valid licence is enough. With a licence from any other country, article 135, paragraph 1, requires an International Driving Permit or an official translation into Italian as well. The rule covers every non-EU licence, including those printed in Latin script such as US, Canadian or Australian licences.
The International Driving Permit does not replace the licence: it goes with it and must always be shown together with the original. It is issued in the country that issued the licence, before departure, because the Italian Motorizzazione issues it to holders of an Italian licence for driving abroad. Its validity depends on the international convention applied by the issuing state and is printed on the document.
Anyone stopped without the permit or translation faces a fine of 408 to 1,634 euro (article 135, paragraph 8, text updated 25/04/2026).
What changes when I take residence?
Registration with a municipal registry office starts a twelve month countdown for non-EU licences. For EU licences, article 118-bis also counts normal residence: the place where someone usually lives for at least 185 days a year.
Licence from an EU or EEA state
EU and EEA licences count as Italian licences. If their expiry follows directive 2006/126/EC they are used until expiry and then converted at the Motorizzazione. Licences with no expiry or a longer validity must be converted two years after taking residence. Residents with an EU licence still follow Italian rules on validity periods and medical checks.
Licence from a non-EU state
- In the first 12 months drive with the licence plus International Driving Permit or translation.
- Check the reciprocity agreement on the MIT page.
- With an agreement: apply for conversion without exam, within 4 or 6 years from residence depending on the country.
- Without an agreement: apply for the Italian licence by exam, theory and practical.
- From the thirteenth month drive only on the Italian licence, even with the application in progress.
Starting early pays off. Motorizzazione bookings and exam waiting times can run past the one year margin, and anyone left without a valid licence has to stop driving.
What fines apply to driving on an invalid foreign licence?
| Offence | Rule | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Non-EU licence without International Driving Permit or translation | Art. 135, paragraph 8 | 408 to 1,634 € |
| Driving on a non-EU licence after one year of residence | Art. 135, paragraph 14, and art. 126, paragraph 11 | 158 to 638 € and licence withdrawn |
| Resident for under a year with an expired foreign licence | Art. 135, paragraph 13, and art. 126, paragraph 11 | 158 to 638 € and licence withdrawn |
Highway Code amounts are updated periodically. The correct figure is the one printed on the fine notice.
What happens in common real cases?
If a tourist from Osaka on holiday in Florence rents a car with her Japanese licence and an International Driving Permit issued in Japan, she may drive without risking the 408 to 1,634 euro fine, because she is not resident and carries the required document (article 135, paragraphs 1 and 8, of the Codice della Strada).
If a tourist from Chicago in Rome drives on his Illinois licence alone, printed in Latin script, he is fined 408 to 1,634 euro at a roadside check (article 135, paragraph 8, of the Codice della Strada): the language of the licence does not exempt him from the permit or translation.
If an Indian software developer resident in Milan for 14 months drives on her Indian licence, she is fined 158 to 638 euro under article 126, paragraph 11, as applied by article 135, paragraph 14, of the Codice della Strada. India is not among the agreement countries on the MIT page, so she must pass the Italian exam to drive again.
A German Erasmus student in Padua drives on a licence issued in Germany. As an EU licence with an expiry date, it stays valid until the date printed on it, even if he registers as resident.
Which mistakes should I avoid?
- Assuming the permit is only for non-Latin alphabets: the law requires it for every non-EU licence.
- Counting the year from the arrival date: what counts is the date residence was acquired.
- Driving on while a conversion is pending: after the year, a filed application does not authorise driving.
- Leaving the permit at home: it must be shown together with the original licence.
What are the most common questions on foreign licences in Italy?
Can a tourist drive in Italy on a home licence?
Yes. An EU or EEA licence is valid with no other document. A licence from a non-EU state is valid for people not resident in Italy, but it must be accompanied by an International Driving Permit or an official Italian translation, as article 135 of the Highway Code requires.
Do I need an International Driving Permit if my licence is in Latin script?
Yes. Article 135, paragraph 1, requires the permit or an official translation for every non-EU licence, whatever the alphabet. Driving without either document carries a fine of 408 to 1,634 euro.
How long after taking residence does a non-EU licence stop being valid?
One year after taking up residence in Italy. From then on, driving on the foreign licence is fined under article 126, paragraph 11 (158 to 638 euro) and the document is withdrawn (article 135, paragraph 14).
Must an EU licence be converted when I become resident in Italy?
No, if its expiry follows EU rules: it is used until it expires. EU licences with no expiry, or with a longer validity, must be converted two years after taking residence, according to the MIT page.
What do I do when the year of permitted driving ends?
If the issuing country has a reciprocity agreement with Italy, apply for conversion without exam, within 4 or 6 years from residence depending on the agreement. Without an agreement, obtain the Italian licence by exam. Either way, after the first year only the Italian licence allows driving.
Where do I get an International Driving Permit?
In the country that issued the licence, from the authority that state designates, before travelling. In Italy the Motorizzazione issues international permits to holders of an Italian licence who drive abroad.
Who counts as resident for licence purposes?
Registration with the registry office (anagrafe) of an Italian municipality. For EU licences, article 118-bis of the Highway Code also counts normal residence: the place where a person usually lives for at least 185 days a year for personal or work reasons.
General information, not legal advice: legal notes.
Sources: Highway Code, articles 135, 126 and 118 bis; MIT, Conversione patente estera; Directive 2006/126/EC.