Advertisement

How UK drivers in Italy face new problems after passing Italian driving test

The Local Italy
The Local Italy - [email protected]
How UK drivers in Italy face new problems after passing Italian driving test
British driving license holders in Italy face increased restrictions if they pass the Italian test. Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP.

If an exchange deal cannot be reached, UK licence holders who sit their driving exams again in Italy will face higher insurance costs and may be unable to drive their own car. Here's a look at the rules.

Advertisement

With less than three months to go until the end of the year, the UK and Italy have yet to reach a reciprocal agreement on driving licences - meaning British licence holders could find themselves barred from driving in Italy from January.

When Britain left the EU, there was no reciprocal agreement in place, but UK licence holders living in Italy were granted a one-year grace period in which they could continue to drive on their British licences. This period was later extended to the current deadline of December 31st, 2022.

READ ALSO: Driving licences: Are the UK and Italy any closer to reaching an agreement?

Advertisement

With negotiations reportedly ongoing, British ambassador Ed Llewellyn has advised Brits living in Italy to take an Italian driving test to ensure they can continue to drive beyond the end of the calendar year.

But besides the cost and time commitment of taking a test in Italy - not to mention the fact that the exam must be completed in Italian, requiring a very strong grasp of the language - those who do manage to pass the test face the additional hurdle of being considered a 'new driver' (neopatentato/a) in Italy.

Drivers in Italy are considered neopatentati for three years after passing the exam, and face a range of driving restrictions in that time.

READ ALSO:

Limitations for novice drivers include tighter speed limits on motorways and main roads, harsher driving penalty points and limits on car engine capacity and power.

This might mean that if you already own a high-powered vehicle, you can no longer drive it once you’ve obtained your new permit.

Advertisement

As well as carrying restrictions on the maximum engine size of the car the holder may drive, newly issued licences come with tighter speed limits on the motorway and extra penalty points for breaking them.

Some of the rules for neopatentati include:

  • A speed limit of 100km/hr on motorways and 90km/hr on major roads outside of cities (for those on normal licences, the limits are 130km/hr on motorways and 110km/hr on major roads).
  • Being limited to an engine power of 55 kW/ton or a maximum of 70kw (90 HP) for the first year after passing the exam.
  • A doubling of any penalty points for infractions of the Highway Code for the first three years after passing the test.
  • A blood alcohol content tolerance of zero for the first three years (after which this rises to 0.5 grams per litre of blood).

Aside from the Highway Code, there's the issue of insurance premiums, which in Italy - as in most countries - are far higher for 'novice' licence holders than they are for experienced drivers.

And many companies won't rent or lease cars to new drivers, meaning some resident who've recently passed their Italian test could be unable to drive altogether for lack of an available vehicle.

One frustrated Brit in Puglia told The Local earlier this year that he was "honestly dis-incentivised to get the Italian licence unless there seriously is a real ‘no deal’ scenario on the table."

READ ALSO: Frustration grows as UK driving licence holders in Italy wait in limbo

“Because if I get an Italian licence now – and of course I could choose now to invest a lot of time and money to get it – and then an agreement is reached to exchange licenses, then I might find myself in a worse position than if I just waited to do an exchange.”

Some residents have urged the British embassy to confirm that the option of switching to a normal licence will be included in any eventual agreement for those who do follow its advice and take the Italian test.

"We need to know that if we pass our test now and get a neopatentati licence that we can then swap for a normal licence if there is a deal," says reader Graeme.

"Without answering this question most people will wait until the 31st of December."

Have you got any further questions on the UK-Italy driving licence agreement? Let us know in the comments below or contact us with your questions.

Find our latest Brexit-related news updates for UK nationals in Italy here.

Find more information on the UK government website’s Living in Italy section.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also