Driving licence renewal in Italy
Renewing an Italian driving licence generally involves undergoing a medical examination to confirm fitness to drive and then submitting the application, typically through an ACI office, driving school, or directly with the Motorizzazione Civile. The new licence is usually sent to the applicant's address.
It is advisable to initiate the renewal process a few months before the expiry date, especially to allow time for scheduling the mandatory medical examination and to account for any processing delays by the authorities. Some sources suggest starting the process up to four months prior to expiry.
Start 60 days ahead
This lead time is suggested to allow for booking and attending the required medical examination, and for the administrative processing and delivery of the new licence.
The process
- 1Undergo a medical examination by an authorised doctor (e.g., ASL doctor, military doctor, ACI doctor) to assess fitness to drive.
- 2The doctor typically transmits the medical certificate and the applicant's photo and signature directly to the Motorizzazione Civile.
- 3Pay the required fees, usually consisting of a fee for the medical certificate and stamp duties (imposte di bollo) and rights for the Motorizzazione Civile.
- 4The new driving licence is generally sent to the applicant's home address by registered mail. A temporary permit might be issued in some cases.
- 5Upon receiving the new licence, destroy the old one.
What to bring
- Valid identity document (e.g., Carta d'Identità or passport)
- Existing driving licence to be renewed
- Tax code (Codice Fiscale)
- One recent passport-sized photograph (some procedures require two)
- Receipts for paid fees (bollettini postali)
Who handles it
Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti (Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport), through the Dipartimento per i Trasporti, la Navigazione, gli Affari Generali ed il Personale (Department for Transport, Navigation, General Affairs and Personnel)
The cost typically includes a fee for the medical examination (which can vary) and two payments made via postal bulletins (bollettini postali): one for Imposta di Bollo (stamp duty), currently around €16.00, and another for Diritti DTT (Motorizzazione Civil rights), currently around €10.20. These figures should be confirmed with the authority or the chosen service provider (e.g., ACI, driving school) as they are subject to change.
What commonly goes wrong
- The validity period of the driving licence decreases with age: for categories A and B, it's 10 years until age 50, then 5 years until age 70, 3 years until age 80, and 2 years after age 80.
- Ensure the medical examination is performed by an authorised doctor; otherwise, the certificate may not be valid.
- If the new licence is not delivered, it is important to contact the Numero Verde (toll-free number) indicated on the temporary permit, if one was issued, or the Motorizzazione Civile.
- Payment methods for the postal bulletins might require specific forms available at post offices or through online services; confirm the correct procedure for payment.
Sources
Other documents in Italy
Driving licence renewal in other countries
Often renewed together
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