Driving in ITALY - From parking to drink-driving

Watch out, car! It can get really expensive in Italy - if you don't follow the traffic rules. Here you can find out what you should always bear in mind when driving in Italy - and how high the fines are!

The topics

Basic rules: The ABC of Italian traffic - from parking to drink-drive limits

Attention, ZTL: The traffic-calmed zone - this is how it gets really expensive

Three years of special rules for novice drivers

Fines: Do foreigners also have to pay?

Attention, spoilers: The penalties for not following police instructions and for traffic offences are considerably more expensive in Italy than in many other European countries.

yellow sedan on road while people walking on sidewalk — **Traffic in Italy - Not for the faint-hearted**
*^{_{Photo by Melissa Thomas on Pexels.com}}*

The ABC of Italian transport

Mobile phone driving: driving ban possible

Making a phone call without a hands-free device while driving - that's real trouble in Italy, without exception! The fine is then between 161 and 646 euros.

ethnic man chatting on smartphone in car, driving in Italy — **Telephone calls while driving are only permitted via hands-free equipment**
*^{_{Photo by Tim Samuel on Pexels.com}}*

In addition, the driving licence can be withdrawn for the first offence (duration: 15 days to two months). The driving ban can also be enforced on non-Italians (but is limited to the national territory of Italy).

After an accident, the mobile phone can also be confiscated. In principle, the use of devices that require the hands to be removed from the steering wheel is prohibited while driving.

Drink-driving >>> Penalty for violation: up to € 6,000

Driving drunk in Italy - a really stupid idea!: The legal drink-drive limit is 0.5. Exceptions apply to young drivers and professional drivers. Here the blood alcohol limit is 0. (more on this below).

street car vehicle blur, driving in Italy — **Italy takes very tough action against drink-driving**
*^{_{Photo by SplitShire on Pexels.com}}*

Car gone on drunken drive

The amount of the fine depends on the blood alcohol content. In addition, penalty points on the driving licence, revocation of the driving licence and imprisonment are possible.

In the case of serious alcohol-related driving (1.5 per mille or more), the police may confiscate the vehicle without compensation. In addition, there is the threat of a maximum fine of 6,000 euros, a prison sentence of one year and the suspension of the driving licence for two years.

Parking in Italy: Watch out, look down...

Driving a car in Italy can be really expensive when it comes to parking. You can see whether you are allowed to park in Italy or not by the respective kerb marking:

black-yellow >>> absolutely no parking
blue: time-limited, paid parking spaces (as a rule)
yellowReserved parking spaces for buses, taxis, residents, etc.
white: free parking spaces

Look out for additional signs with parking instructions.

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Permitted driving speed in Italy

Motorway signs in Italy are green, motorway signs are blue. The following speed indications apply to cars, motorbikes and light motorhomes:

inner city 50 km/h
out of town 90 km/h (80 km/h for heavy motorhomes, 70 km/h for caravans)
Expressway 110 km/h (80 km/h for heavy motorhomes, 70 km/h for caravans)
Motorway 130 km/h (100 km/h for heavy motorhomes, 80 km/h for caravans)

Note the special rules for novice drivers and people under 21 (below). On some mountain roads in Trentino, the speed limit is 60 km/h for all vehicles.

timelapse photography of streets, driving in Italy — **Italy can't take a joke when it comes to speeding sins**
*^{_{Photo by Karol D on Pexels.com}}*

Speeding >>> Penalty for violation: from 175 euros

Speeding in the land of the Ferrari - a pretty expensive idea. If you exceed the speed limit by up to 20 km/h out of town, you will have to pay €175. If you exceed 50 km/h, you have to pay more than 545 €. Between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., speeding in Italy becomes a good 30 per cent more expensive.

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Important rules for traffic in Italy

On the motorway, cars must switch on their lights 24/7 (low beam or daytime running lights).
Italian motorways are subject to tolls. Turning, reversing and changing lanes in the toll zone are prohibited.
Two-wheelers must always and everywhere run with lights.
Public buses always have the right of way.
As a rule, the right-hand side of a roundabout has priority over the left-hand side.

In the mountains, the person going up usually has the right of way.
Smoking ban in the car if pregnant women or minors are travelling with you
Children (smaller than 150 cm or younger than 12 years) need a restraint system that is adapted to their figure.
In Italian registered cars you need a child seat with an alarm signal (this does not apply to foreign cars).

Obligation to wear high-visibility waistcoats >>> Penalty for violation: from € 42

Outside of towns, drivers must wear a high-visibility waistcoat when they leave their vehicle and are on the road. Failure to do so may result in a fine, starting at 42 euros. P.S. This requirement does not apply to motorbikes.

Warning sign on the luggage carrier >>> Penalty for violation: from 80 euros

Any load that is longer than the vehicle must be provided with a warning plate. Important: This also applies if it is a luggage carrier with number plates and lights. The warning sign should be made of metal, be at least 50 x 50 centimetres in size and have red and white stripes (with at least five red stripes.

Beware of the traffic-calmed zone

Beware of the "Zona ZTL" >>> Fine from €80

Attention! As a rule, you have no business driving your car in the "zona traffico limitato" (ZTL). The ZTL is a restricted traffic zone where only vehicles with a special permit are allowed (usually residents, taxis, trade).

You can find a traffic-calmed zone in every major city (from Milan to Pisa). The ZTL mostly affects the old town. Be sure to look out for the signs in the centres. Some traffic bans only apply at certain times of the day. Possible exceptions are also indicated.

genoa — **Attention, from here on it could get expensive in Genoa...**
*^{_{Photo: Alain Rouiller/CC BY-SA 2.0}}*

Automatic capture via camera

The check: In larger cities, car licence plates are usually automatically recorded and checked by traffic cameras. You will be caught in any case. In smaller towns there are usually traffic controls.

Even if you turn directly behind the sign in the ZTL, you will be recorded and have to pay the fine.. ^{*Thanks for the tip to our reader Jörg}

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Practical tips for your journey:

Find out in advance if your accommodation is in the ZTL and if you can get a temporary exemption.
In most cities, mopeds and motorbikes are not affected by the transit ban.
People with physical disabilities receive an exemption in many cities.
If necessary, your (local) car rental provider has an exemption permit

Even if you are driving a rental car, you will not escape the fine. The penalty notice is first sent to the car rental company, which then sends it to you (usually with a hefty surcharge).
If you enter a ZTL without a permit and park there, you pay two fines: one for the prohibited entry and one for the prohibited parking.
If you drive in and out of a ZTL several times a day, you will be fined each time.
See below to find out if and how you have to pay a fine.

Special rules for novice drivers

Special regulations for novice drivers

After passing the driving test, you are still considered a novice driver in Italy for three years. The following rules apply to this group:

Speed limit: 100 km/h on the motorway, 90 km/h on the country road
In the first year after the driving licence, the vehicle power must not exceed 55 kW/t.
0 alcohol limit.
A blood alcohol level of 0.5 or less is punishable by a fine of up to 659 euros. If you cause an accident, the fine is doubled. If a young person under the age of 18 is caught with a maximum blood alcohol level of 0.5 per mille, he or she may obtain a driving licence at the age of 19 at the earliest. If the blood alcohol level is higher, the earliest you can get a driving licence is 21.

Fines: Discounts and payment morale

Fine discount: 30 percent

If you pay your fine within five days of receiving the notice, there is a 30 percent discount on the statutory minimum fine. There is no discount if car confiscation or driving ban are foreseen.

After 60 days, the fine doubles.

**For an unadulterated Italian feeling on the road - follow the traffic instructions...**
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Payment of Italian fines

The penalty notice must be sent within 360 days of the incident, otherwise the penalty is time-barred.
Unpaid fines of €70 or more are claimed within the EU (via administrative assistance via the respective local authorities). Administrative and reminder fees may be added to this. People outside the EU cannot be reminded.
But: Unpaid fines can be claimed in Italy for five years. If you have not paid and you are checked again four years later, the fine can double. In Italy, enforcement can also occur during a traffic control.
For the EU: If you live outside Italy, the penalty notice must be written in your national language. If the decision is written in Italian, it will not be enforced in your home country. However, as soon as you are inspected again in Italy, you will have to pay the fine.

P.S. This article has been carefully researched, but it is not and does not replace legally binding advice.

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