Can I drive in Italy as a tourist?

Tourists may also use their valid American driver's license if accompanied by an official translation in Italian. Americans registered as residents with the local Vital Records Bureau (known as Anagrafe) must apply for an Italian license within one year of the date of registration.



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Driving Rules in Italy
  • You must be over 18 to drive.
  • Keep to the right and overtake to the left.
  • Dipped headlights must be used on two-lane motorways.
  • When passing through towns and villages, the horn may only be used for an emergency - keep that road rage in check!
  • Trams and trains have the right of way.


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While renting a car isn't necessary or even advised if you're only visiting major tourists city (you can't even bring your rental car into the old town Florence, and having a car in Rome is a very bad idea not just because of traffic but also because many main attractions are only accessible by foot anyway), if you ...

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Driving on the Autostrada or Toll Road You'll take a ticket as you enter the autostrada and pay a toll when you exit, and credit cards do not always work at the toll booth so have cash with you. Italian drivers tend to drive fast, especially on the autostrada, but are generally not aggressive.

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When you are on the motorways, you will need to look out for signs marked 'Alt Stazione' – this is where you make the payment at the toll booth. All payments are made in Euros at either a manned or electronic booth – however, they do accept debit cards from other countries.

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How to Rent a Car in Italy. It's not hard to rent a car in Italy as long as you book in advance. During high season (summers, Christmas, Easter) all rental cars might be fully booked so make sure you make a reservation online. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with the laws of driving in Italy (read more here).

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You should carry your passport with you while traveling in Italy because it's the law. You may be randomly stopped by officials and asked to show your passport. You shouldn't leave it in your hotel. You should use a travel safe bag to store your passport in and keep it in safe at all times.

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The speed limits in Italy are similar to other countries in Europe. Thus, the speed limits to follow are 50km/h (30 mph) in cities and towns, 90 km/h (55 mph) on single carriageways, 110 km/h (about 68 mph) on dual carriageways and 130 km/h (80 mph) on motorways. Posted signs inform you of the speed limit.

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