European Digital Driving Licence: What Expats in Italy Need to Know

by Adriana ruiz

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1. What Is the European Digital Driving Licence?

The European digital driving licence is a smartphone-based version of the familiar plastic card, designed to carry the same legal validity across all EU member states. It is one of the flagship credentials of the broader European Digital Identity Wallet — the EU-wide digital ID app that every member state must make available under the eIDAS 2.0 regulation. The European Commission first proposed the modernised driving licence rules on 1 March 2023, as part of its push toward "Vision Zero": the goal of eliminating road fatalities in the EU by 2050.

2. What the New Directive Changes

The digital licence itself. Every member state will have to issue and accept a digital driving licence through its national EUDI Wallet. Crucially, the physical card does not disappear — drivers who prefer plastic can still request it, and both formats will carry identical legal force.

Road safety measures. The directive introduces an EU-wide probationary period of at least two years for novice drivers, an accompanied driving scheme from age 17 for category B vehicles, and more systematic checks of fitness to drive that focus on health conditions rather than age alone.

Harmonised rules for third-country licences. For non-EU expats, the directive foresees a more uniform EU-wide approach to recognising and exchanging licences issued outside the Union — currently one of the most inconsistent areas of Italian bureaucracy, where rules vary sharply depending on which country issued your licence.

Cross-border enforcement. Driving disqualifications imposed in one member state for serious offences — drink-driving, excessive speeding, or causing death by reckless driving — will now be recognised and enforced across the entire EU.

Language support. The modernised rules acknowledge the challenges expats face in theory tests, paving the way for translated materials and language assistance options in member states that choose to offer them.

3. The Utrecht Interoperability Tests

On 26 and 27 February 2025, more than 100 participants — wallet issuers, government ministries, and car rental companies — gathered in Utrecht, Netherlands, for the largest real-world test of the digital driving licence to date. Italy was among the countries present with a working implementation, alongside Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, and others.

The tests ran two scenarios. In proximity presentation, a phone shares licence data over Bluetooth Low Energy to a police officer or rental desk on the spot, following the ISO 18013-5 standard. In remote presentation, following ISO 18013-7, the licence is verified over the internet — the scenario that matters for booking a rental car online before you ever leave home. The event confirmed the technology works across borders and identified the remaining gaps before national rollouts begin.

4. Timeline: What Happens When

1 March 2023 — The European Commission proposes the modernised driving licence directive, including the digital licence.

28 February 2024 — The European Parliament adopts its negotiating position.

26–27 February 2025 — Interoperability tests in Utrecht prove the technology across borders, with Italy participating.

October 2025 — The European Parliament gives final approval to the new directive (Directive (EU) 2025/2205).

25 November 2025 — The directive enters into force.

By the end of 2026 — Every member state must offer at least one EUDI Wallet; early adopters can begin issuing and accepting digital licences from this point.

November 2028 — Deadline for member states to transpose the directive into national law.

26 November 2029 — The new rules become fully applicable across the EU, replacing Directive 2006/126/EC and making the European digital driving licence fully binding in every member state.

5. What It Means for Expats in Italy

If you hold an EU or EEA licence, the digital format will eventually make life noticeably easier: renewing, replacing, or proving your driving rights across borders should become a phone tap rather than a paper chase. For non-EU licence holders, the harmonised third-country exchange rules are the most meaningful change on the horizon — although they will not bite until member states transpose the directive, so the current country-by-country rules still apply for years.

Italy's participation in the Utrecht tests suggests it intends to be an early adopter rather than a laggard, but national rollout dates have not been announced. The prudent approach for now: carry your physical card, keep your licence details current with the Motorizzazione, and treat the European digital driving licence as exactly what it is today — a promise with a timetable, not a document you need.

6. What Does Not Change

Everything that applies to you today still applies — the European digital driving licence changes none of it. Non-EU licence holders still have 12 months from residency to either convert or sit the Italian exam under the existing rules. EU licence holders still drive without conversion deadlines. The 2029 application date is four years away, and Italy must first pass national implementing legislation. For the rules that govern your licence right now — conversion countries, exam costs, the 12-month window, and insurance minimums — see our complete Italian driving licence guide.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to replace my physical licence with a digital one?
No. The directive guarantees both formats. The physical card remains valid indefinitely, and you will be able to request a plastic card even once digital issuance begins.

When will the digital driving licence actually work in Italy?
Not before the end of 2026, when EUDI Wallets must be available EU-wide — and even then, only if Italy completes its technical rollout. The new licence rules only become fully binding in November 2029.

Will the digital licence be accepted when renting a car?
That is the goal — remote verification for online bookings was one of the two scenarios tested in Utrecht. Until rental companies update their systems, carry your physical card as backup for any trip.

Does the directive change how I convert my non-EU licence in Italy?
Not yet. It creates a framework for more uniform third-country exchange rules, but those only take effect once Italy transposes the directive — due by November 2028. The current country-specific rules remain in force until then.

Is the digital licence mandatory for expats?
No. Use of the EUDI Wallet is voluntary and free of charge across the EU, and the directive keeps the physical licence available to anyone who wants it.

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