The holders of a driving licence issued by a State not belonging to the European Union may drive in Italy vehicles for which their licence is valid, but up to one year from the acquisition of residence. To drive in Italy, furthermore, it is necessary to having an international driving Permit or a sworn translation of the licence.
At the conclusion of the first year it is mandatory to seek conversion of the licence, which is possible only if there are reciprocity ties between the State issuing the driving licence and Italy. It is possible to consult the list of these States on this page.
Conversion and recognition
If the licence can be converted according to the above-mentioned agreements, the conversion and recognition procedure is the same as that for EU licences. For the conversion of a licence issued by a non-EU state it is important:
- that the licence was issued before acquiring residence in Italy
- to present a sworn translation of the contents of the foreign licence (from the court or Consulates or Embassies of one’s own country in Italy), the conformity of which must be certified by the foreign State issuing the licence and subsequently validated by the Italian Prefecture.