https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Some of Italy’s international residents need to take an Italian driving test due to the absence of licence exchange agreements – but do you have to be able to drive a manual car to pass the road exam or is there an option for automatic vehicles? https://www.thelocal.it/20240916/can-you-only-take-italys-practical-driving-test-if-you-drive-a-manual-car Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:54:02 +0200 can-you-only-take-italys-practical-driving-test-if-you-drive-a-manual-car Driving is often a necessity when living in Italy, but only some foreign nationals are allowed to swap their licences for an Italian one without having to take the Italian driving exam. https://www.thelocal.it/20250217/which-countries-have-driving-licence-exchange-agreements-with-italy Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:04:39 +0100 which-countries-have-driving-licence-exchange-agreements-with-italy Passing Italy's notoriously challenging driving exam is one of the major hurdles faced by Americans moving to the country. We spoke to two experts to find out what’s preventing a US-Italy licence exchange agreement from actually happening. https://www.thelocal.it/20250217/why-a-us-italy-driving-licence-deal-is-not-going-to-happen-overnight Mon, 17 Feb 2025 17:19:29 +0100 why-a-us-italy-driving-licence-deal-is-not-going-to-happen-overnight A long-planned reform of the Italian Highway Code is set to introduce new rules for newly licensed drivers, or ‘neopatentati’, in Italy from December 14th. But what’s changing under the upcoming measures? https://www.thelocal.it/20241205/what-do-italys-new-driving-laws-mean-for-newly-licensed-drivers Thu, 05 Dec 2024 14:08:15 +0100 what-do-italys-new-driving-laws-mean-for-newly-licensed-drivers The theory quiz is generally the most daunting part of Italy's driving test. We take a look at what the questions are about and what you’ll be asked to do on the day of the exam. https://www.thelocal.it/20221208/explained-whats-in-the-italian-driving-licence-theory-test Thu, 08 Dec 2022 13:21:40 +0100 explained-whats-in-the-italian-driving-licence-theory-test Candidates who have passed the theory test and done their six certified driving hours have one last hurdle to clear before getting their Italian driver’s licence: the practical driving exam. But what's that really like? https://www.thelocal.it/20240926/what-you-should-expect-from-italys-practical-driving-test Thu, 26 Sep 2024 19:04:28 +0200 what-you-should-expect-from-italys-practical-driving-test Moving from the US to Italy involves overcoming all kinds of hurdles, not least the difficult but often vital quest to get an Italian driver's licence, as American citizen Barbara Giuliano Di Fabio reveals. Readers can share their own tips and experience in the comments section below. https://www.thelocal.it/20240909/i-felt-like-a-rookie-how-one-american-finally-got-her-italian-drivers-licence Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:30:02 +0200 i-felt-like-a-rookie-how-one-american-finally-got-her-italian-drivers-licence The 'patente di guida' is a key document for anyone who wants the right to drive long-term in Italy. But what are the circumstances under which your Italian driver's licence could be taken away? https://www.thelocal.it/20240429/explained-how-can-you-lose-your-driving-licence-in-italy Mon, 29 Apr 2024 15:29:46 +0200 explained-how-can-you-lose-your-driving-licence-in-italy If it's time to renew your Italian driving licence, it pays to get organised. https://www.thelocal.it/20220217/reader-question-how-do-i-renew-my-italian-drivers-licence Thu, 17 Feb 2022 16:30:37 +0100 reader-question-how-do-i-renew-my-italian-drivers-licence Italy's international residents often find themselves needing to retake their driving tests due to the country's rules on foreign permits. Here's how the rules apply depending on where you (and your license) come from. https://www.thelocal.it/20221019/explained-who-needs-to-exchange-their-driving-licence-for-an-italian-one Wed, 19 Oct 2022 16:53:14 +0200 explained-who-needs-to-exchange-their-driving-licence-for-an-italian-one The new Fiat Topolino minicar is being advertised as a vehicle that "doesn't need a licence". Is this true and could it benefit Italy’s international residents who need to retake their test? https://www.thelocal.it/20231201/reader-question-can-i-drive-a-minicar-in-italy-without-a-drivers-licence Fri, 01 Dec 2023 12:44:54 +0100 reader-question-can-i-drive-a-minicar-in-italy-without-a-drivers-licence British nationals living in Italy can now exchange their driving licences following a post-Brexit deal, but how exactly does the process work? https://www.thelocal.it/20230915/step-by-step-how-to-swap-your-uk-driving-licence-for-an-italian-one Fri, 15 Sep 2023 13:45:03 +0200 step-by-step-how-to-swap-your-uk-driving-licence-for-an-italian-one The EU Commission on Wednesday presented proposals for new EU driving licence rules which could make it easier for people from non-EU countries to swap their licences. https://www.thelocal.it/20230301/foreign-drivers-could-get-simpler-way-to-exchange-licence-under-eu-proposal Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:21:29 +0100 foreign-drivers-could-get-simpler-way-to-exchange-licence-under-eu-proposal Brexit is forcing Britons living throughout the EU to exchange their UK licences for an EU one in their country of residence. But the rules they face in each country are quite different and many may need to take a new test. https://www.thelocal.it/20210428/how-do-rules-for-exchanging-uk-driving-licences-compare-for-brits-around-europe Wed, 28 Apr 2021 17:43:05 +0200 how-do-rules-for-exchanging-uk-driving-licences-compare-for-brits-around-europe Italy is now the only EU country not to have reached an agreement that will allow Brits living in Italy to swap their driving licences without resitting a test, but the UK government says that talks are underway. https://www.thelocal.it/20210414/negotiations-ongoing-on-driving-licence-agreement-between-uk-and-italy Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:29:27 +0200 negotiations-ongoing-on-driving-licence-agreement-between-uk-and-italy Brits in Italy now need to sit an Italian driving test if they wish to continue driving in Italy. But what about Brits who own a home in Italy, but aren’t residents? https://www.thelocal.it/20210304/reader-question-do-british-second-home-owners-in-italy-need-to-get-an-italian-driving-licence Thu, 04 Mar 2021 17:14:00 +0100 reader-question-do-british-second-home-owners-in-italy-need-to-get-an-italian-driving-licence An Italian man who lost his driving licence after being told he was not mentally fit to drive due to being gay has won a 15-year legal battle against two Italian ministries. https://www.thelocal.it/20150123/italian-man-lost-driving-licence-for-being-gay Fri, 23 Jan 2015 15:47:00 +0100 italian-man-lost-driving-licence-for-being-gay Italian police on Wednesday said they have uncovered a corruption ring through which transport officials issued driving licences for cash. https://www.thelocal.it/20130918/italian-officials-caught-in-driving-licence-scam Wed, 18 Sep 2013 13:27:00 +0200 italian-officials-caught-in-driving-licence-scam