Yes. If your driver’s license was issued outside the European Union, Italian law requires you to carry an International Driving Permit (IDP) or a translation together with your license whenever you drive in Italy. That covers visitors from the United States, Canada and Australia. Rental desks do not always ask for it at the counter, but officers at a roadside check can, and the fine for driving without one runs from €408 to €1,634. EU licenses, and UK photocard licenses, do not need an IDP.
Here is who needs one, how to get it before your trip, and what else to know before you drive in Italy.
In this guide:
- Do you need an IDP?
- What an IDP is
- Who needs one, by license
- How to get an IDP
- Renting a car
- Fines and police checks
- FAQ
Do you need an IDP to drive in Italy?
If you hold a license from a country outside the EU and the European Economic Area, the answer is yes. Article 135 of the Italian Highway Code (Codice della Strada) lets visitors drive in Italy on a foreign license for up to one year, as long as it is valid and carried together with an IDP or an official translation. In practice, the permit is the simplest way to meet the rule, because a sworn translation has to be arranged in advance and is rarely cheaper.
The rule applies to cars, motorcycles and scooters. It also applies whether you rent, borrow a friend’s car or drive your own vehicle across the border, and on every kind of road, from city streets to motorways.
What an international driving permit is
An international driving permit is not a license on its own. It is a small booklet that translates the details of your home driver’s license into several languages, including Italian, so that authorities abroad can read it. It is only valid when shown together with your original license, so carry both documents every time you drive.
IDPs are issued under two UN conventions, from 1949 and 1968, and Italy accepts both. Each country decides which version it issues: the US issues the 1949 version, which is valid for one year; the UK issues the 1968 version, valid for three years or until your home document expires.
Watch out for websites selling an “international driver’s license”. No such official document exists, and these products have no legal value. Only the national bodies listed below can issue a genuine permit, and each of the countries covered here has its own issuer.
Which drivers need an IDP?
US license holders
You need an IDP. In the US, only two organizations are authorized to issue one: AAA (the American Automobile Association) and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA). The AAA IDP costs $20, lasts a year, and you can apply at a local AAA branch or by mail. You do not need to be a member. Any other company offering an IDP online is not legitimate.
UK license holders
Holders of a UK photocard license do not need an IDP to drive in Italy. If you still have an old paper license, or one issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man, you need a 1968 IDP, sold at PayPoint shops in the UK for £5.50.
Canadian, Australian and other non-EU licenses
You need the permit. Canadians get one from the CAA, for around CA$32, and Australians from their state motoring club, such as the NRMA, RACV or RAC. Drivers from other non-EU countries should contact their national automobile club, which is usually the only issuer.
EU and EEA licenses
No IDP is needed. A license issued in any EU country is valid in Italy on its own, and the same goes for other EEA countries: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
How to get an IDP before your trip
You have to get an IDP in the country that issued your license, before you leave. There is no way to get one in Italy. For US drivers, the process with AAA is simple:
- Fill in the application form from the AAA website.
- Get two passport-style photos and sign the back of both.
- Bring your current license and the $20 fee to a local AAA office, where it is often issued on the spot, or send everything by mail and allow several weeks.
You must be at least 18. If you are already overseas, AAA can process a mailed application and send the permit to you, but this takes time, so plan ahead. Check the expiry date: a US permit dated 2026 lasts one year, so a trip a year later needs a new one.
Renting a car with an IDP
Car rental companies in Italy differ on what they check. Some ask to see an IDP at the desk, some list it in their terms and do not check, and a few will refuse the rental without one. Either way, the legal duty to carry the permit is yours, not the agency’s, and the rental agreement will usually say that you must comply with local law.
Other rental rules to expect:
- Age: the minimum age to drive in Italy is 18, but most companies require renters to be 21 and charge a young driver fee under 25.
- License held for one year or more: many companies require this.
- Credit card in the driver’s name: needed for the deposit; debit cards are often refused.
- Insurance: basic third-party liability cover is included by law, but check the excess for damage and theft.
If you plan to rent a scooter or motorcycle, make sure your home document and IDP both show the right category (A for motorcycles).
Fines and police checks without an IDP
The Carabinieri, the Polizia Stradale and local officers carry out roadside checks on any road and will ask for your license, the vehicle documents and your IDP. Driving with a non-EU license but without the permit can bring a fine of €408 to €1,634. An accident is when it matters most: a missing IDP can complicate the accident report and your claim.
If you become a resident
The one-year rule is for visitors. Once you become a resident, you can keep driving on your foreign document for one year from the date of residence. After that, you must convert it to an Italian license, if your country has a conversion agreement with Italy, or take the Italian driving test. The US has no such agreement, so American residents usually have to sit the theory and practical tests.
Other road rules to know
An IDP solves the paperwork, but a few local rules catch out many visitors:
- ZTL zones: most historic centers are limited-traffic zones watched by cameras. Entering without a permit brings a fine of €83 to €332, now one fine per day per zone, often sent months later via the rental company.
- Tolls: motorways (autostrade) have tolls; take a ticket on entry and pay on exit by card or cash.
- Speed limits: 130 km/h on motorways, 110 on main roads outside towns, 90 on other roads outside towns and 50 in towns, unless signs say otherwise.
- Headlights: dipped lights are required on motorways and main roads outside towns at all times.
- Alcohol: the limit is 0.5 g/l, and zero for drivers with less than three years’ experience.
Checklist before you set off
- Home driver’s license, not expiring while you are away.
- IDP issued in your home country, or an official translation.
- Passport or ID card.
- Rental agreement, cover papers and the vehicle registration (in the glove box of a rental).
- A plan for parking outside ZTL zones in the cities you visit.
If you are deciding whether a car makes sense at all, many travelers find that trains are easier between cities and a rental car is best kept for the countryside. Our trip planner can help you work out which days of your Italy itinerary actually need one.
FAQ
Is an IDP required for Americans?
Yes. US citizens driving in Italy on a US license must carry an IDP from AAA or AATA, or an official translation, along with the license.
How long is a US IDP valid?
One year from the date of issue, and only together with a valid home license.
Can I get one once I arrive in Italy?
No. Permits are issued only in the country that issued your license, so get one before you travel. Mountain and country roads are where most visitors drive, and those are exactly the places where a roadside check can happen.
Do rental companies check for an IDP?
Some do and some do not. Even if the rental desk does not ask, officers can, and the fine applies to the driver.
Do scooter riders need a permit too?
Yes, the same rules apply to scooters and motorcycles, and your license must include the right category.