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DRIVING

Can I drive a minicar in Italy without a driver’s licence?

The new Fiat Topolino minicar is being advertised as a vehicle that "doesn't need a licence". Is this true and could it benefit Italy’s international residents who need to retake their test?

Published: 1 December 2023 11:44 CET
Fiat, vintage car
Vintage car restorer Giovanna Parascandolo is pictured at the wheel of an old Fiat 500 in March 2019. Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP

The Fiat Topolino, a fully electric two-seat minicar that’s set to hit the market in January of next year, is currently being advertised by a number of national media outlets and car magazines as a “vehicle that can be driven without a licence”. 

The announcement hasn’t gone unnoticed among some of The Local readers, who have asked us whether there is indeed any truth to the statement. 

Some have also pointed out how much of an advantage a ‘licence-less’ vehicle would be for non-EU residents whose countries of origin (US, Canada, Australia and South Africa, just to name a few) don’t have licence-exchange agreements in place with Italy, meaning that they must retake their driving tests in order to get an Italian licence. 

So, is the upcoming Topolino (literally, ‘little mouse’) really a potential game changer for foreign nationals living in Italy?

Well, not quite, unfortunately. 

Under Italian law, the Topolino is a quadrociclo leggero (‘light four-wheeler’) as it weighs less than 425 kilograms and ‘only’ reaches a maximum speed of 45 kilometres per hour. 

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Who needs to exchange their driving licence for an Italian one?

The same goes for two other compact two-seaters that have already been in the market for a while now, namely the Citroen Ami and the Opel Rocks-E.

This means that while you won’t need a patente B (the licence needed for most types of cars and motorcycles up to 125 cc) to drive these minicars, you’ll still have to hold a valid patente AM (Italy’s licence for light two-, three- and four-wheel vehicles) to get behind the wheel.

If you’re wondering whether getting a patente AM (also known as ‘patentino’) may be significantly easier (or quicker) than getting a patente B, that isn’t really the case as the steps to obtain either licence are mostly the same.

Candidates have two shots to pass a 30-question theory test within a six month timeframe. If they pass it, they then have 12 months to complete the practical test, with a maximum of two failures allowed.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What’s in the Italian driving licence theory test?

The AM licence does however present two non-negligible advantages compared to the patente B.

While you have to be at least 18 years old to apply for a patente B, the patente AM is available to anyone aged 14 or over.

Also, while applying for a patente B through a local driving school generally costs between 800 and 1,200 euros, applying for a patente AM through an autoscuola costs around 400 euros.  

Member comments

  1. There is no way around it. Just do the Patente B theory, then practical and be done with it.

    You’ll be considered to be a new driver for three years and then it’s all behind you.

    I have recently joined a fabulous online class that teaches all the theory in English whilst highlighting every word and phrase needed to pass the 30 questions.

    Anyone interested can Google ‘Ambrish Quick Patente’ for more information.

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For members

DRIVING

Can you only take Italy’s practical driving test if you drive a manual car?

Some of Italy’s international residents need to take an Italian driving test due to the absence of licence exchange agreements – but do you have to be able to drive a manual car to pass the road exam or is there an option for automatic vehicles?

Published: 16 September 2024 10:54 CEST
Can you only take Italy's practical driving test if you drive a manual car?

Driving in Italy is often a necessity as many parts of the country, especially rural areas, lack adequate public transport services.

While EU nationals living in Italy can drive on their EU licence until it expires (after that, they have to convert it to an Italian one via a simple exchange procedure), non-EU nationals have one year from registering as a resident to obtain an Italian driving licence.

Italy has bilateral agreements with a number of non-EU countries (find a full list here), meaning that their nationals can swap their licence for an Italian one without having to take an Italian driving test.  

But if you’re originally from a non-EU country that doesn’t have a bilateral agreement with Italy (for instance, the US and Canada), you’ll need to take a driving test to get an Italian driving licence. 

While the theory quiz is generally regarded as the most daunting part of Italy’s driving test – not least because it requires a significant amount of technical knowledge and cannot be taken in English – the road exam can also pose a series of challenges. 

READ ALSO: The key vocabulary you’ll need for taking your driving test in Italy

Driving a manual car (macchina con cambio manuale), where you have to change gears yourself, after you’ve driven automatic transmission vehicles (macchine con cambio automatico) all your life can be one of them.

But can you only take Italy’s practical driving test if you drive a car with a manual gearbox?

According to Italian licensing laws, candidates are under no obligation to drive a manual vehicle to pass the road exam for Italy’s Patente B, which is the licence for cars and motorbikes up to 125cc.

Circular 28819-2019 states that the exam must be “carried out in a four-wheeled, B category vehicle capable of reaching a speed of at least 100 km/h” but this doesn’t “necessarily have to be equipped with a manual gearbox”.

That said, while it is possible to take the road exam in an automatic vehicle, this comes with a serious drawback.

Candidates that choose to drive automatic during the road test will have number ‘78’ written on the back of their Italian licence (this is in reference to the EU’s licence code 78). 

This will prevent them from driving any manual vehicle, meaning they’ll only be able to drive an automatic car.

READ ALSO: ‘Don’t get angry’: Readers’ tips on coping with Italian driving habits

By contrast, candidates that choose to take the exam in a manual car will be able to use their Italian licence to drive both manual and automatic vehicles.

Holders of a driving licence bearing code ‘78’ can remove the restriction by retaking the road exam in a manual car (meaning they won’t have to resit the theory quiz).

For more information on taking the Italian driving test, see the Automobile Club d’Italia (ACI) website or speak to your local Motorizzazione Civile office. 

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