You may compare different driving licenses against each other for visual clarity:
Suggested languages
EN
English
AF
Afrikaans
AM
Amharic
AZ
Azerbaijani
BE
Belarusian
BG
Bulgarian
BN
Bengali
BS
Bosnian
CS
Czech
DA
Danish
DE
German
EL
Greek
ES
Spanish
ET
Estonian
FI
Finnish
FIL
Filipino
FR
French
GA
Irish
HI
Hindi
HR
Croatian
HU
Hungarian
ID
Indonesian
IT
Italian
JA
Japanese
KA
Georgian
KK
Kazakh
KM
Khmer
KO
Korean
KY
Kyrgyz
LO
Lao
LT
Lithuanian
LV
Latvian
MK
Macedonian
MN
Mongolian
MS
Malay
MY
Burmese
NE
Nepali
NL
Dutch
NO
Norwegian
PL
Polish
PT
Portuguese
RO
Romanian
RU
Russian
SI
Sinhala
SK
Slovak
SL
Slovenian
SQ
Albanian
SR
Serbian
SW
Swahili
TA
Tamil
TG
Tajik
TH
Thai
TK
Turkmen
TR
Turkish
UK
Ukrainian
VI
Vietnamese
ZH
Chinese
Blog languages
Apply for an International Driver License for Slovenian-speaking countries.
Compare licenses in
English
with licenses in
English-speaking countries
Curacao
American Samoa
Antigua and Barbuda
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
Bermuda
Botswana
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Burundi
Cameroon
Canada
Caribbean Netherlands
Cayman Islands
China
Cook Islands
Cyprus
Dominica
Eswatini
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Fiji
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Gambia
Ghana
Gibraltar
Greenland
Grenada
Guam
Guernsey
Guyana
Honduras
Hong Kong
India
Ireland
Israel
Jamaica
Jersey
Kenya
Kiribati
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Malawi
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Micronesia
Montserrat
Namibia
Nauru
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Niue
Northern Cyprus
Northern Mariana Islands
Pakistan
Palau
Palestine Autonomous
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Rwanda
Saint Martin
Samoa
San Marino
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Sint Maarten
Solomon Islands
Somaliland
South Africa
South Sudan
St Kitts and Nevis
St Lucia
St Vincent
Sudan
Tanzania
Tokelau Islands
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands
Tuvalu
US Virgin Islands
Uganda
United Kingdom
United States of America
Vanuatu
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Slovenian-speaking countries
Austria
Croatia
Hungary
Italy
The research was last conducted in October 2025, and the information is subject to change over time. You may copy this information only if you provide a link back to this page.
1. Participation in the 1949 and/or 1968 United Nations Conventions on Road Traffic
Italy is a Contracting Party to both the Geneva, 19 September 1949 and Vienna, 8 November 1968 United Nations Conventions on Road Traffic.
- 1949 Geneva Convention: Italy signed the Convention on 19 September 1949 and ratified it on 15 December 1952. [1]
- 1968 Vienna Convention: Italy signed the Convention on 8 November 1968 and ratified it on 2 October 1996. [2]
2. Recognition of the International Driving Permit (IDP)
Italy recognizes International Driving Permits (IDPs) issued under both the 1949 Geneva Convention (valid for up to 1 year) and the 1968 Vienna Convention (valid for up to 3 years). [1] [2]
Visitors to Italy may drive with their valid foreign license. If the license is not in Italian or does not follow the EU format, an IDP or official translation is required. [3]
3. Duration of driving with a foreign license (+ IDP) if resident or non-resident
- Non-residents (Tourists & Temporary Visitors): Visitors may drive in Italy using their valid foreign driving license (with an IDP if required) for up to 12 months from the date of arrival. [3] [4]
Americans visiting Italy as tourists and intending to drive should obtain an International Driving Permit before leaving the U.S. [5] - Residents: Foreigners establishing residency in Italy must convert or exchange their foreign license within one year to continue driving legally. Certain countries have bilateral agreements allowing direct exchange, while others may require a driving test. [3] [4]
Source links:
- treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsV.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-1&chapter=11
- treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsII.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11
- https://www.thenestmilan.com/theunderground/drivinginitialy
- https://www.aci.it/il-club/soci-in-viaggio/services-for-eu-and-non-eu-citizens/services-for-eu-and-non-eu-citizens/exchanging-your-foreign-driving-licence.html
- https://it.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/transportation-driving/
Insurance in Italy is important. Stay always insured abroad.
- We use SafetyWing for all our trips.
Flights to Italy
- We always check Aviasales first.
- And then we check TripCom to compare prices.
- Compensair helps to get compensation in case of cancellations and delays.
Train and bus tickets in Italy
- TripCom is an obvious choice.
eSIM to always stay connected in Italy
- Yesim is a reliable Swiss made service, which works all across the globe. Tested.
Transfers and airport pickups in Italy
- GetTransfer offers the cheapest and most variable options.
Car rentals in Italy
- We love LocalRent, it offers cars from small local car rental companies with a human face.
- Rentalcars is a #1 service aggregator in car rentals.
Moto rentals in Italy
- Want a 2-wheeler? Check BikesBooking.
Accomodation in Italy
- BookingCom is number 1.
Tours in Italy
- Viator is a service from Tripadvisor, the world's largest experiences marketplace.
Excursions in Italy
- Tiqets has brought millions of people to museums.
Yacht rentals in Italy
- Want a sea ride, check SeaRadar.
Luggage storage in Italy
- We use RadicalStorage if we need to park our luggage.
Driving tips for Italy:
- Driving in Italy is on the right side of the road.
- Seat belt is a must.
- The minimum age to drive in Italy is 18. The minimum age to rent a car is 21.
- Hands-free is a must. Otherwise, you will be fined on site.
- The maximum permitted drink drive limit is 50 mg per 100 ml of blood.
- The maximum allowed speed limit is 50 km/h on urban roads, 90 km/h on rural roads and 130 km/h on highways.
- Safety camera warning devices are prohibited.
- Keep in mind that your car must conform to the corresponding principles of the country of origin. Thus, do not bring your own child seat.
- You must carry a warning road triangle and a reflective vest.
- In case of emergency, switch on your hazard warning lights.
- Keep in mind that traffic police enforcers can impound your vehicle in case you have violated several traffic regulations or declined to pay a fine on site.
Check the video of driving in Italy
Read more
Serbia
Slovenia
