If you’re driving to Italy for a holiday or a work trip, there are a number of rules you will need to follow. Our guide is designed to take the stress out of your trip by providing you with everything you need to know.
What driving licence do I need to drive in Italy?
Thankfully if you hold a full UK driving licence you do not need to apply for another type before visiting Italy if you are aged 18 and over.
International driving permits are recognised in Italy, but are not a legal requirement.
Documents needed to drive in Italy
Besides your full UK driving licence, there are a number of other documents that you will need to take with you. This includes:
- Proof of ID such as a passport
- V5 registration document
- Car insurance certificate
These will need to be carried with you when you drive, just in case you are pulled over by Italian police.
Your vehicle is allowed to be temporarily imported into Italy for up to 12 months from the UK without formality.
What do I need to drive in Italy?

Besides the legal documents you need to take whilst driving in Italy, there are other items you should be aware of when crossing the channel, including mandatory ones.
Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC)
Motorists driving in Italy will need to pack a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), which replaces the old European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).
GHIC offers similar protection for travellers as that afforded by EHIC when a UK resident is in the EU on a temporary stay, for business or pleasure. The GHIC does not cover you in Liechtenstein or Switzerland, just in case you’re thinking of driving further into the continent.
GHICs can be obtained through the NHS website and are free of charge. Travellers are advised to apply at least two weeks before their trip.
It must be noted that this should not be seen as a replacement for regular travel insurance, which you should take out for protection in case of emergency illness or injury.
Car insurance
If you’re driving in Italy it’s always best to ensure your car insurance covers you whilst you are abroad, as you may not have overseas cover.
We offer free European cover with our car insurance policies for up to 30, 60 or 90 days depending on your needs.
European breakdown cover

Our European breakdown cover is available from £42 a year and provides you with 60 days’ breakdown cover while driving in Italy, in any one calendar year. Sterling can arrange roadside recovery or a reliable home repair service, whether your car or van breaks down in the UK, Europe or further afield.
Check your satnav
It’s illegal in Italy and several other EU countries to use satnavs or other electronic equipment that alerts you of speed enforcement cameras. If yours provides such alerts, it’s recommended you switch them off before you enter Europe.
Reflective jackets
You could be fined for walking on a road or on a hard shoulder if you are not wearing a reflective jacket should you breakdown. You should therefore consider taking reflective jackets for yourself and any passengers along with you when you travel in Italy.
Warning triangle
A warning triangle is compulsory for every vehicle with four wheels or more.
Headlamp beam deflectors
Deflector stickers are needed to prevent dazzling oncoming drivers. You can buy deflector stickers from most car shops and, more expensively, at ferry ports and the Eurostar terminal. You may also be able to adjust the beam manually.
Bulbs, basic tools and other spares
It’s also advised that you bring replacement bulbs, belts, wiper blades, oil, water and other lubricants, along with the tools to fit replacement parts or top-up lubricant levels with you on your trip.
UK sticker
If your vehicle is registered in the UK you will need a UK sticker on your car. This used to be a GB sticker, but has since changed since September 2021, partly due to Brexit.
This is so Italian law enforcement can identify where the vehicle has come from.
Crash helmets
These are compulsory if you are visiting the country on a moped, motorcycle, trike or quad bike without closed bodywork.
Mopeds and motorcycles on the road must have their lights on at all times.
What can’t I take in my car to Italy?

When visiting Italy, you are not permitted to take any meat or products containing meat, milk or dairy products.
On top of this, you are not allowed to take vegetables, plants or fresh fruit (apart from pineapples, bananas, dates, coconuts and durians), unless you are willing to pay for them to be inspected upon entry to the country.
Are driving rules different in Italy?
Like most countries, driving rules have slight variants in Italy. For a start they drive on the opposite (wrong) side of the road to us in the UK.
Below are some of the other differences you will encounter:
Overtaking
As a general rule of thumb, you will need to drive on the right and overtake on the left of a vehicle on roads that permit overtaking.
Overtaking is forbidden when on and approaching level crossings, bends, intersections, when visibility is limited and on the brow of a hill. It’s also prohibited to overtake a vehicle that’s slowed to allow pedestrians to use a crossing.
You are allowed to overtake trams if there is enough space on the right to do so. If you are on a one-way street you must do this procedure on the left if there is room. However, you can not do this if the tram is picking up passengers where there is no island.
Using a horn
Horns can only be used if it is absolutely necessary, such as to warn other drivers of danger. When in rural areas using a horn is compulsory if circumstances require its use.
In urban areas, using your horn is not allowed at any time, apart from in an emergency. If you need to give a warning, flash your lights instead.
Seatbelts and car seats
Just like the UK, seatbelts, if fitted to your car, must be used by everyone in the vehicle. If you have a passenger who is under 18, it is the driver’s responsibility to ensure they are wearing one. Failing to do so will result in a fine between €80 – €123.
Traffic light system
Italy still uses the three-coloured traffic light system we use in the UK, however they have one noticeable difference.
A flashing red light is used to indicate for road users to stop near level crossings, mobile bridges and ferry boarding points.
Who has priority when driving?
The priority rules for driving in Italy are also slightly different from those in the UK. As a general rule though you must give priority to vehicles coming from the right or on rails unless signs dictate differently.
And, similar to the UK, pedestrians on crossings and cyclists also have priority.
It’s also worth noting that roundabouts work the same way in Italy as they do in the UK in terms of giving way to traffic already circling. However, keep in mind that you will travel anti-clockwise, due to the nature of driving on the opposite side of the road.
On some mountain roads where two vehicles are unable to pass each other, the descending vehicle must reverse to a passing point. If two vehicles cannot pass on a road, priority should be given to the heavier vehicle.
Towing a camper or caravan in Italy
Your campervan or a car with a caravan, must not exceed more than 12 metres in length, two and a half metres in width and four metres in height.
Parking
Parking is slightly different in Italy, with drivers only being able to park on the right-hand side of the carriageway, unless you’re on a one-way street, when parking is allowed on either side, like in the UK.
Parking is prohibited on pavements or near a bend, intersection, brow of a hill and in areas reserved for buses, trams and loading zones.
Blue road signs indicate the areas where parking is restricted and must be paid for, either at parking meters or automatic machines which issue tickets indicating the length of parking time that has been paid for.
Some of these zones can be free of charge for some hours of the day and on Sundays, so check local signage for details.
If you are travelling to Rome, it is worth noting that parking in the historic centre on working days between the hours of 7am and 8pm is strictly for residents with permits.
What happens if I get fined whilst driving in Italy?

Thanks to an EU cross border directive in May 2017, drivers who commit traffic offences whilst in EU countries can be tracked down and fined.
Meaning if you commit a driving offence abroad, you will be prosecuted once you get back home.
What to do in an emergency in Italy when driving
Emergency telephones are linked to an SOS line, similar to the UK, and are installed every two kilometres along the motorways.
There are two types of emergency phones on Italian roads. One will connect you to the emergency call centre to speak to an operator, whilst the other will allow you to call for mechanical assistance after pressing the ‘spanner’ button. The ‘red cross’ button is for medical aid. After pressing this, a red light will let you know your request has been sent.
You can also dial 112 from anywhere in Europe and an operator will connect you to an emergency service in the country you’re visiting. Operators can answer your call in English.
Speed limits in Italy
Unlike in the UK, Italy’s speed limit signs are marked in kilometres per hour instead of miles per hour. This means if you see a sign for 80km/h this doesn’t mean the same as 80mph.
Speed limits are also lowered when it’s raining and other adverse weather conditions, while special restrictions apply for certain classes of vehicle, including coaches, motorhomes, mopeds and cars with trailers.
Italy, like most countries in Europe, uses the metric system for all of their road signs, meaning speeds will be measured in km/h instead of mph like in the UK. General speed limits in Italy are:
- Built-up areas between 50km/h (30mph) and 70km/h (43mph) – local signs will indicate the precise speed
- Outside built-up areas between 90km/h (55mph) and 110km/h (68mph)
- Motorways 130km/h (80mph) – in some circumstances it may be increased to 150km/h (93mph) if stated
Speeding fines in Italy
A standard fine for breaking the speed limit can range from €41 to €4,382, depending on the speed at which drivers are caught and the road they’re driving on. Points will be added to your licence based on how far over the limit you have driven.
Italian police are authorised to give fines on the spot for violating traffic laws in their country, even if you are a driver of a foreign registered vehicle, and can collect a quarter of the fee charged on the spot. You will be provided a receipt.
Who can hire a car in Italy?
In order to hire a car in Italy you must be at least 21 years old, own a full UK driving licence and provide a secondary method of ID such as a passport. It’s also worth noting that most rentals will not lend you a vehicle unless you have been driving for at least a year, and may ask you for a credit card to make the deposit.
How long does it take to drive to Italy from the UK?
Depending on which part of the UK you are travelling from, it usually takes around 12 hours from Folkestone, Kent before you reach northern Italy.
The best route to take is catching a ferry from Folkestone to Calais and driving through north-eastern France towards Reims. From this city you can head south to Troyes, Dijon and Lyon before entering via Turin. Or if you wish you can travel from Lyon to Geneva to take in the Swiss Alps.
European car insurance and breakdown cover
If you’re planning on driving in France you will need to ensure you have the right European car insurance to give you peace of mind should the worst happen.
No matter the vehicle, make sure to take our breakdown insurance with you. It costs from as little as £46.80 a year. Read this blog to discover the true cost of not having breakdown cover.
Sterling also has a range of car insurance policies for every sort of car, van and campervan, with prices starting from £125 a year and EU cover available. Call us on 0344 381 9990 for a quote or request a callback at a time better suited to you.