Over 20 years ago, I moved from the United States to settle just outside of Rome. While most of the transition was smooth, the process of getting an Italian driver’s licence was a significant challenge.
According to Article 135 of the Italian Highway Code (Codice della Strada), holders of a driver’s licence from a non-EU or non-EEA country can drive in Italy for up to one year using an international driver’s permit. During my first year in Italy, I used this permit. Once it expired, I relied on public transportation and the kindness of family and friends to get around, as I was living in a city center where owning a car wasn’t essential.
However, the United States, like Canada and Australia, does not have a bilateral agreement with Italy for driver’s licence exchange. This meant I had to start the licensing process from scratch, which involved both written and road exams, all conducted in Italian. Despite having driven since I was 16, the thought of navigating this process in a foreign language was daunting.
About 10 years ago, I made my first attempt to get an Italian driver’s licence by going directly through Rome’s local driving authority, the motorizzazione.
Without any guidance, I faced a mountain of bureaucracy and struggled with the Italian-language quizzes. Even though I spoke Italian reasonably well, the technical language of the driver’s manual was overwhelming, and my do-it-yourself study efforts were insufficient.
I spent around €300 on administrative expenses (though these costs can vary widely), but I didn’t even make it to the road exam. There would have been additional expenses for hiring a dual-control vehicle, among other things. After wasting time and money, I ultimately failed the exam.
A few years later, after more failed attempts and with an impending move to the countryside, I realized that getting an Italian driver’s licence was no longer optional but necessary. Public transportation and relying on others were becoming increasingly impractical, and I needed to get back on track quickly.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How can you lose your driving licence in Italy?
In September 2023, I enrolled in a local driving school, or autoscuola, with a Canadian friend. This decision turned out to be invaluable. The school handled all the bureaucratic aspects, from scheduling my medical examination to filing documents with the motorizzazione and I attended the bi-weekly lessons.
By this time, my Italian had significantly improved and my classes were entirely in Italian. However, some concepts were still challenging to grasp, so I took extensive notes, translating key points into English. I also spent a lot of time practicing an inestimable amount of quiz simulations.
In November 2023, on the day of the theory exam, our instructor drove us to the motorizzazione, offered last-minute tips, and provided much-needed encouragement. The computer-based exam, which took about 30 minutes, was nerve-wracking, but I was relieved to pass.
Next up were the mandatory driving lessons. Six hours of certified driving lessons through a driving school are currently required (though there are rumours that this might soon increase to eight or even twelve hours.)
Despite my years of driving experience, I felt like a rookie during my first lesson, having not driven in a while. However, my instructor corrected my habits, and I quickly got back into the swing of things. These lessons were also in Italian, but the concepts were easier to understand since I already knew how to drive a manual vehicle. It was more about refining my technique to pass the exam.
READ ALSO: The key vocabulary you’ll need for taking your driving test in Italy
In January 2024, I took the road exam. Since I had gone through a driving school, I was familiar with the route. With my instructor and the examiner in the car, I answered questions about vehicle functions and road rules and completed the required maneuvers. Finally, I received my Italian driver’s licence!
The entire process cost me about €800, covering fees for the theory and road exams, the vision exam, the driving manual with a quiz app, bi-weekly lessons, and the six mandatory driving lessons. However, costs can vary depending on the driving school and local authorities.
For international residents in Italy, getting an Italian driver’s licence is crucial. Continuing to drive on a foreign licence beyond the allowed period can lead to severe consequences, such as vehicle confiscation, hefty fines, and lack of insurance indemnification in case of an accident.
After my experience, I realised that others might be facing similar challenges, so I created a course titled ‘Getting Your Class B Italian Driver’s Licence: An English-Language Companion Course.’ This resource offers in-depth information for English-speaking learners and includes extensive notes and translations.
Members of The Local can enjoy a limited-time 10 percent discount by using the code THELOCAL10. Find the course here.
Barbara Giuliano Di Fabio is an American national who has lived just outside Rome for over 20 years. She runs GDF Insurance, an agency specialising in English-language intermediation to assist international residents in navigating the Italian insurance market. You can contact her at info@gdfinsurance.com.
Share your own advice, experience or questions on the subject of getting an Italian driver’s licence in the comments section below.
Please whitelist us to continue reading.
The free preview of the course is simply an introduction to the author. No preview of what the lessons look like, etc. I don’t want to purchase something, even with a discount, with no idea what I am purchasing! Would be really nice to actually be able to preview a lesson or part of a lesson.
I paid the piper!
It was a 3-month period in my life that I’ll never forget. You will really feel like you’ve earned an Italian driver license.
I went to driving school, studied all thousands of exam questions (in Italian), and did the simulation test. My score increased steadily. I became confident and passed the theory exam.
I am a proficient driver (including manual), but did learn a bit in the driving lessons.
Your Italian driver’s license comes with limitations for a probation period.
The study guide is available in English! You can buy it at any of the driving schools for 10 or 15 euro. The 350.00€ course looks like a chapter by chapter copy of the official study guide. The most useful thing is to download the quiz apps and keep trying until you pass them. They are called Quiz Patente Ufficiale.
It’s not that hard, get the book, read it in English then familiarize yourself with the vocabulary in Italian. Practice the quizzes and buona fortuna!
Is the ability to drive a stick shift required to pass the road exam?
Hi! Thanks for the message. This was such a good question that we decided to address it in a separate article, which you can find here: https://www.thelocal.it/20240916/can-you-only-take-italys-practical-driving-test-if-you-drive-a-manual-car.
I hope that’s helpful.
All the best,
Giampietro
1. The best bet by far is to go to an autoscuola, take the courses for the quiz, keep taking the practice tests, and listen to the instructor. Y. He or she is there to get you to pass. Pay attention to the instructor in the road part of the course, even if you have been driving for 50 years.. Although expensive, it is money well spent.
2. The processs will take several months. In some places, there can be long waiting lists to take the theory exam (the “quiz”) and to take the road test. I think that the autoscuolas get some priority in scheduling both tests.
If you pass, you will not be able to drive a car with more than 95 hp for a year. I had to sell the SUV that I had purchased when I first got my residence.