International Driving Permit Italy

Non-EU/EEA visitors need an International Driving Permit alongside their valid original licence to drive legally in Italy, while EU/EEA (and UK) licence holders don't need one at all.

• EU and EEA driving licences are valid in Italy with no IDP required, and UK photocard licences are also accepted without one.
• Visitors on other non-EU/EEA licences need an International Driving Permit, or an official sworn translation of their licence, alongside their original document.
• An IDP is the simpler, more consistently recognized option — rental counters and officials are set up to expect one, unlike a certified translation.Commonly reported
• An IDP is valid in Italy for stays of up to 12 months alongside your original licence — longer stays require a local Italian licence.
• Italy drives on the right, with the driver's seat on the left side of the vehicle.

Italy's historic city centres enforce camera-monitored ZTL restricted zones, its motorways charge tolls, and both speed limits and drink-driving limits are strictly enforced.

• In the absence of specific signage, drivers entering a roundabout give way to traffic coming from the right — many roundabouts post their own priority signs instead.Commonly reported
• Historic centres — including Rome, Florence, Milan, and Bologna — enforce camera-monitored ZTL (Zona a Traffico Limitato) zones; entering without authorization results in a fine forwarded to your rental company, then to you.Commonly reported
• Most autostrade charge tolls, payable by cash or card at booths — rental cars don't typically come fitted with a Telepass electronic tag.Commonly reported
• Speed limits are 130 km/h on motorways, 110 km/h on main roads, 90 km/h on secondary roads, and 50 km/h in built-up areas, with lower limits for licences held under three years.
• The blood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/L for most drivers.Commonly reported
• Drivers under 21, or anyone who's held a licence for less than three years, face a zero-tolerance limit.

Self-drive car rental is available across mainland Italy, Sicily, and Sardinia, with most providers setting age and licence-history requirements above the legal minimum.

• The legal minimum driving age is 18, but most rental companies require drivers to be at least 21, with a young-driver surcharge common for renters under 25.
• Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa airports both have rental counters from major providers reachable from the arrivals area.Commonly reported
• Rental agreements commonly restrict taking a car by ferry between Sicily and Sardinia, so most travelers arrange a separate rental on each island instead.Commonly reported
• On the Amalfi Coast, a smaller, compact car is strongly recommended given the narrow, winding coastal road and limited parking in towns like Positano and Amalfi.Commonly reported
• Typical documents requested at pickup include your original licence, an IDP if applicable, your passport, and a credit card for the deposit.Commonly reported

Keep your original driving licence and your International Driving Permit, if you need one, together as your standard document set any time you're driving in Italy.

• Your original licence, and your IDP if your licence needs one, should be kept together and accessible at all times.
• The Polizia Stradale (highway police) and Carabinieri conduct roadside checkpoints, especially on weekends at the entrances and exits of cities.Commonly reported
• Emergency services across Italy can be reached on 112.Commonly reported