New driving licence rulesand regs...

FYI...I have just seen this on another site....have others heard of this ?

oops, here it is...I hope...


Thought I would pass on this information, just in case anyone is unaware of the constantly changing Italian Driving Laws! So - anyone who has taken up residency in Italy must either have their British licence converted to an Italian licence (you need to give up your British licence) within 12 months of the date of residency, or go through the process of re-taking their driving test. This law came into force on the 19th January 2015. I wasn't aware as I thought my licence was valid until June 2015, when after I could get it registered here (they put a little sticker on the back of the licence to confirm registration) which is what my husband did last year. This and any other system in place prior to 15th January 2015 is no longer valid. I have been informed that if I get stopped by the Police they could withdraw my licence and confiscate my car, plus I would have to pay a heavy fine for driving illegally. I guess my husband will be my driver now until I get it sorted.
— feeling perplexed.
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Unfortunately there's no link.  Is this an italian law that they have decided replaces the 'new' European law from a couple of years ago?

From what Ive just read you only have to convert if you have a licence without an expiry date.  If you have a 'new' style Uk licence which expires then it is valid until it expires, at which point you must convert to an Italian patente.

As Modi says, if you have a EU style Driving Licence it is valid throughout Europe until it expires, then you have to have it renewed in your Country of Residence, the only exception I can think of is if you incur penalty points from a Motoring Conviction (Speeding, Dangerous driving etc.) you must submit your licence to that Country of Residence to be renewed with your current details and accompanying points.
The only reason for the sticker (so my aquaintance in the ACI says) is that if you loose it you are registered at that address so a replacement can be sent there rather than to the registered address on your UK driving licence.

That all makes sense Flip/Modicasa.............I have moved some years ago to an Italian licence, but the OH has yet to do so, but I do tend to drive 99.875% of the time.   V

Not too sure of the exact reason, but someone we know is in the process of changing over from a UK to Italian licence and has run into some bother with ACI asking for a certificate from the DVLA. When I told her the UK green counterpart is being scrapped, she wondered if this was the reason for the delay and that ACI wanted some certificate from the DVLA. She was told to call the DVLA, which she did and they faxed the said certificate immediately to ACI. Now wondering if this is some other joined up change to procedures?

Seems like the computers are talking to each other...

Steve I think they need to check on a) restrictions to the classes of vehicle license you have and also b) any pending convictions/penalty points one has on their licence, otherwise a potentially banned driver in the UK (EU) would be issued with a clean licence from Italy.

Flip wrote:Steve I think they need to check on a) restrictions to the classes of vehicle license you have and also b) any pending convictions/penalty points one has on their licence, otherwise a potentially banned driver in the UK (EU) would be issued with a clean licence from Italy.

That makes sense, but I would have thought that is why they want to see the counterpart. As an aside I came across this on the DVLA site where you can view your licence. Could be handy if you wanted to know how any change is progressing. I guess you could log on and show it to ACI even... 

Ok, so this is the latest from the original poster.....

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• Hi Everyone. Okay, this is how the new driving law stands at the moment for drivers with a UK License in Italy: You can drive on your UK license, as everyone has been told, as long as the license has not expired. So, if for example you are here for 8 months, you have no problems. However, this rule depends on the length of time you are here. This is when the new legislation kicks in regarding the date on which you first became a resident. If you were here before 19th January 2013, you had a maximum of 2 years to convert your license to an Italian license, this brings us up to 19th January 2015. If you took up residency after 19th January 2013, e.g. 20th July 2014, you have 2 years from 20th July 2014 to convert your license. The confusion is that not many Police, Carabinieri, ACI or indeed Driving Schools know the law or are up to date with the changes!! This is why when some of you have been stopped by roadside checks, they say you are okay with your current licenses. However, if you want to avoid being caught out, which will happen sooner or later, you will need to get your licenses converted into Italian licenses. When this happens they send your UK license back to the UK as by law you can't have two driving licenses. However, all is not lost, because if you decide to return to the UK permanently you simply need to go to the post office and get a DVLA form D1 which is the application to get your UK license returned to you. I'm afraid I can't comment on the situation regarding the stickers as I don't know about how that works. I would advise ringing or calling into your nearest Motorizzazione office and asking there.
  
  
  

.. do they have a web link to any government site or the legislation?

Angie I got this information direct from the Motorizzazione Civile. If you applied for residency before or after 19 January 2013 you should have converted you UK license by 19 January 2015. Basically you have up to 2 years to convert your license from the date of residency.

Steve, I did ask the question after reading the original posting, see reply above. As for people with paper licences and pink stickers, that seems to be even more confusing !

The police, carabinieri, Motorizzazzion and ACI dont even know of the paper counterpart in my experience!  When I converted my licence last year, because it was expiring (after being resident 12 years) they never wanted my paper bits, just the photo card.   The paper bit was only ever needed to hire a car in the UK!


Since 2013 you dont need the 'circolazione' sticker on your UK licence- if you have the European photocard licence.

Oh to be none resident eh Angela...  

Seriously, it's not that I ever doubt what people say or that I even trust the government web pages. Particularly HM websites where they disclaim by saying this site is really only for guidance, about time the EU stamped that one out as well... This is what HM government say about living in Italy, which includes the paragraph

Exchange an EU/EEA licence for an Italian licence

, which  is interesting if indeed fact. I'm still looking for some thing on the Motorizzazione Civile site, but it seems they are regional, which will no doubt add another dimension if they can differ from region to region...

I should have mentioned that, if true, what is said on the UK site indicates if the Italians change the validity period following residency, then what your acquaintance has told you Angela could well be right.

Ok I'm assuming this web site is an official Italian government site. I note it was last changed 09Jan15, so it does get updates. It would appear to confirm what Angela has been told. Get residency, with an EU licence without expiry, then you must change it after 2 years of getting residency. I', reading this thinking if it does have an expiry, then you only have one year after residency to change it....

This subject is definitely a 'Chinese Whispers' matter, as there are so many conflicting reports and I suspect that it is all down to interpritation with old laws and new ones.
According to our acquaintance in the ACI, EU law says that any EU type licence is valid for its lifetime in any country within the EU (Schengen or not), however if one needs a replacement if you are resident in Country that did not issue the original you must get it in the Country of Residence, similarly if you get any penalty points on your licence in the country of residence you must submit your licence to be exchanged in that country with the new points on. This is also backed up by a Caribinieri in our Village; now I'm not saying that this holds in every place in Italy but it seems to be the case here and also borne out by a friend in Rome which is all I can confirm, so unless anyone can produce the relevant piece of legislation that says otherwise and contradicts EU law then I'll stick with my version.
  EDIT Just seen the previous link and it does appear to hold out I will have a caht with our ACI chum as it looks as if this has not filtered down. !! surprise surprise.

Yes Steve,thought my 'informer' knew what she was talking about so just wanted to spread the jolly news.....

I am not yet a resident Steve....still looking into the health stuff, tried e-mailing them, obviously did not read my mail and asked the questions I had answered in my mail so will phone tomorrow......


Lots I know Modi have paper licences here and just go to docs for cheap medical, wear glasses and they wont bother with the eye test as assume you can see !...and are given / sent sticker to put on licence saying it's valid for umpteen years, but think it is being phased out... Oh yes another plus to the paper licence is that it allows you to drive bigger vehicles than the EU one.....

No Steve, remember to read the bit for patente comunitaria. When they refer to estera they mean outside the EU. If it has an expiry date then you have until that date to convert it to an Italian licence. The tricky thing that makes me unsure is that our UK licences do not expire until we're 70. It is just the photo card that expires.

Admin wrote:No Steve, remember to read the bit for patente comunitaria. When they refer to estera they mean outside the EU. If it has an expiry date then you have until that date to convert it to an Italian licence. The tricky thing that makes me unsure is that our UK licences no not expire until we're 70. It is just the photo card that expires.

Perhaps you can translate it better Admin, so age 70 expiry means you can go on until then.... Mmmm ... Little wonder the various authorities don't have a clue... It matters little to us as we just tell the comune we are now not resident, then when we need to buy a car etc, tell them we are... I'm sure it costs less (including IMU charges) that the alternative(s)....

Surely, it is just not that easy Steve.  You cannot just tell the comune you are resident one week or when it suits and then tell them that you do not want to be a resident when you feel like it.  This would cause an administrative nightmare etc !

Does anyone still have only the paper UK licence without a photocard?   If you have a photo card, it has an expiry.   I suppose if you havent moved house since 1980 its possible, but there must be veryfew people in that situation.....

... about 7 million still hold them according to DVLA.... They have a cut-off date of 2033 (!!!) to do away with them. Not sure if they have an expiry date on them...

I just checked on the government's website and it seems our licences expire with the photocard but our entitlement doesn't until we're 70, so we all have to convert to an Italian one. Good question though - what about those who still have just a paper part? As I understand it they are not entitled to drive in Europe with that anyway as the rules state it has to be an 'EU-style' licence.