How to convert your Foreign Driving License in Italy

by Adriana ruiz

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Foreign driving licenses remain valid for driving across Italy.

If you are a resident of Italy, you must convert your driving license (whether European or non-European) within one year of becoming a resident. Failure to do so may result in administrative penalties in case of investigation. To avoid this, it’s advisable to adhere to the time limits stipulated by law for converting your driving license.

Driving license conversions are facilitated through agreements established between different countries. While the regulations remain consistent for countries within the European Community, non-EU countries might have variations, making it essential to verify these details each time.

 

Europe – European Economic Area

Driving licenses issued by the following countries can be converted into Italian driving licenses with ease:

– AUSTRIA

– BELGIUM

– BULGARIA

– CYPRUS

– CROATIA

– DENMARK

– ESTONIA

– FINLAND

– FRANCE

– GERMANY

– GREECE

– IRELAND

– ICELAND

– LATVIA

– LIECHTENSTEIN

– LITHUANIA

– LUXEMBOURG

– MALTA

– NORWAY

– NETHERLANDS

– POLAND

– PORTUGAL

– CZECH REPUBLIC

– SLOVAK REPUBLIC

– ROMANIA

– SLOVENIA

– SPAIN

– SWEDEN

– HUNGARY

Non-EU States Driving

Licenses from the following non-EU states can be converted, subject to certain citizen categories:

– ALBANIA (valid until 12/07/2026)

– ALGERIA

– ARGENTINA

– PHILIPPINES

– JAPAN

– LEBANON

– MACEDONIA

– MOROCCO

– MOLDOVA

– PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO

– REPUBLIC OF KOREA

– SWITZERLAND (valid until 12/06/2026)

– TAIWAN

– TUNISIA

– TURKEY

 

For certain countries, conversions are applicable to specific citizen categories:

– CANADA: diplomatic and consular staff

– CHILE: diplomats and their family members

– UNITED STATES: diplomatic and consular staff and their families

– ZAMBIA: nationals on government missions and members of their families

Required Documents

International driving licenses must be obtained in your home country. To obtain one, you must present a valid national driving license to the appropriate authority, who will then convert it into an international driving license.

The documents required to apply for the license conversion are:

– Driving license

– Identity document

– Tax code

– 3 ID card/passport photos

The original driving license must be submitted to a car practice center to obtain the new one. In the meantime, a provisional one is issued that allows driving. The time needed to obtain a new license is approximately 2 months.

How to Apply for an International Driving License in Italy

If the license cannot be converted, you must retake the theoretical and practical examination. The cost in Italy is approximately €500, plus the cost of driving lessons, which is around €30 per lesson, with each lesson typically lasting one hour. The driving lessons are designed to focus on learning how to drive the car and are specifically tailored to pass the practical test. During the practical test, apart from having good control and confidence while driving, you need to possess other essential skills to pass the exam. These skills range from knowing how to hold the steering wheel properly to handling driving in traffic, where you must navigate safely and swiftly within the rules of the road.

Below, you can learn more about obtaining a driving license in Italy.

The international driving license permits you to drive on Italian territory for a limited time period.

Each country has its own regulations; thus, the validity of an international driving license in Italy can vary from one year to three years. Once the validity period of the international driving license has expired, you are no longer allowed to drive in Italy until the license has been either converted (if bilateral agreements between the countries allow it) or an Italian driving license has been obtained.

 

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