Before you get behind the wheel in Italy, there are some items you'll want to make sure you have with you in order to stay on the right side of the law.
Italian police can (and do) conduct random checks on vehicles and don't need a reason to flag you down, so driving cautiously won't save you from getting caught out if you don't have everything required.
Here are the things you'll want to keep on you at all times as a motorist in Italy.
A valid driver's licence
Let's start with the obvious - you shouldn't be driving on Italy's public roads without a valid driver's licence.
Failure to produce a valid licence can land you with fines of between €42 and €173 if you left it at home and can produce it at a later date, or between €5,000 and €30,000 if you never had a licence in the first place.
Driving on an expired licence - even if it's out of date by just one day - will earn you a fine of between €158 and €638 and a temporary confiscation of the licence pending its renewal.
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The only exception is for learner drivers, who instead must produce a foglio rosa learner's permit (the qualified driver accompanying them must have a valid licence).
Importantly, your licence must correspond to the type of vehicle you're driving.
If, for example, if you have a B Category licence, which qualifies you to drive a car and some types of motorcycles, you obviously can't get behind the wheel of a bus.
But more subtle distinctions also apply under Italian law when it comes to engine power.
Getting caught driving a vehicle you don't have a licence for incurs penalties of between €1,021 and €4,084, plus the confiscation of your licence for between four and eight months.
Driving without a licence was decriminalised in Italy in 2016, though it remains a criminal offence punishable by up to a year in prison if certain offences (namely, driving without a licence or on a licence that has been revoked due not meeting physical or mental requirements) are repeated within a two-year period.
To make sure you never get caught without your licence, you can now upload a digital version to the IO app, which allows you to access services and manage documents from most Italian public administration agencies.
Valid car insurance
It's also a legal requirement to have (at least) valid third-party liability car insurance, known as Responsabilità Civile Auto or RC Auto, when driving in Italy.
Driving without valid insurance is punishable by a fine of between €866 and €3,464 and the confiscation of your vehicle until the insurance policy is renewed.
There is a 15-day grace period during which you can drive on recently expired insurance without incurring any penalties, provided you're on an annual policy (as opposed to one that renews monthly or every six months).
Getting caught driving without valid insurance twice within the space of two years carries a double fine of between €1,732 and €6,928, plus the suspension of your licence for between one and two months.
It's worth bearing in mind that you can get caught driving without valid insurance by road cameras even if you're not physically stopped by police.
Vehicle registration document
The vehicle registration document, known as a carta di circolazione or libretto in Italian, is a document issued by Italy's Department of Motor Vehicles (Ufficio di Motorizzazione Civile) that certifies that your vehicle is safe to be driven on public roads.
It contains information including the car's make, year and model, the name and details of the person to whom its registered, the emission class, and the maximum power.
Failure to produce your libretto during a police stop incurs a fine of between €42 and €173, rising to between €430 and €1,731 if you fail to bring it to a police station within the timeframe set by police.
ID document
While in many other countries your driving licence can be used as ID in its own right, in Italy you're required to carry separate ID in the form of a passport or Italian identity card.
Failing to present one of these to police carries the same penalties as for failing to produce a libretto.
Just like with your licence, you can upload one of these to the IO app and present a digital version.
READ ALSO: Do foreigners in Italy have to carry ID at all times?
In fact, it's wise to keep some form of ID on you at all times in Italy, as Italian law states that police officers have the right to ask for identification at any time, and you can be fined for not producing it.
Safety kit
In addition to the above documents, Italy's Highway Code requires drivers to use certain safety items in case of a breakdown or accident. These include a reflective vest and a warning triangle.
While you aren't legally obliged to keep these items in your car at all times, you are required to use them in certain circumstances and can be fined if you don't, so it's wise to have them at the ready.
Under Article 162 of the Code, drivers of a vehicle that has come to a stop on a road outside of an urban area, including in an emergency lane or lay-by, must signal the vehicle's presence to oncoming traffic through the use of a warning triangle.
If they don't have one of these, the driver "must use another means to effectively warn of the obstacle".
Drivers exiting their vehicle in this situation must wear a reflective vest.
Failing to follow either of these rules carries fines of between €42 and €173.
Between November 15th and April 15th, drivers travelling on certain Italian roads are also required to have snow chains (catene da neve) on board their vehicles, or else switch to winter tyres.
Local authorities, however, have the power to modify this directive, with the result that rules often vary from region to region.
You can see a breakdown of the rules applying to each Italian region here.
Finally, if you're travelling with a child whose height is under 150 centimetres, they must be in a certified car seat appropriate to their size and weight.
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