Brexit: How to swap your UK driving licence for an Italian one
The British Embassy explains how to exchange a UK driver's licence for an Italian one – and why you should do it now.
**Note: This article is from 2020 and it is no longer being updated. Please find the most recent news about driving in Italy after Brexit here.**
If you are a UK national living in Italy you should exchange your UK driving licence for an Italian one as soon as possible.
That’s because the rules on driving licence recognition may change from January 2021. You may have to re-sit your test if you exchange your licence after December 31st, when the transition period ends.
Which licences can you exchange?
You can exchange a UK driving licence if it is a photocard licence or a paper one.
You can convert your licence before the expiry date and in some cases, when it has already expired.
Not all UK driving licences can be exchanged for an Italian one. It will depend on where you took your original driving test and whether Italy has a bilateral agreement on exchange with that country. So check for more information on the Italian Ministry of Transport website.
Where do you exchange a UK driving licence?
You can exchange your licence at one of the agencies of the Italian Ministry of Transport. These are called ‘uffici della motorizzazione civile’. There is usually one or two in every town. You can find a list of them on the Italian Ministry of Transport website.
Alternatively you can use an office of the ACI, or Automobile Club d’Italia, to exchange your licence. (Find a list of their offices here.) You can also find information in English on their website about exchanging driving licences.
READ ALSO:
- 'Expect the unexpected': What you need to know about driving in Italy
- Italy confirms 7-month extension of expired driving licences
- Ten Italian driving habits you need to be aware of
Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP
What documents do you need?
To exchange your licence you will need to provide:
- A completed application form called a TT 2112 form, which your local ACI office or Italian Ministry of Transport agency can provide
- Your current licence + a photocopy of the front and back of the licence
- A valid identity document, for example a UK passport + a photocopy
- Your codice fiscale (tax code) + a photocopy
- Two recent passport-sized photographs
You may also need to show evidence of your residency in Italy such as your residency document.
If your licence has expired or has nearly expired, you could be asked to provide a medical certificate from your local doctor. This must have been issued in the last three months.
How much does it cost?
You will need to pay two separate fees when exchanging your licence (around €42 in total). You pay these via bolli or tax stamps.
Your local ACI office or Italian Ministry of Transport agency can provide you with pre-printed payment slips. These slips can also be found at post offices.
How long does it take?
The exchange process can take up to four months to complete but processing times vary so it is worth asking your local office.
You may want to contact more than one ACI office or Ministry of Transport agency before choosing a provider.
Do you have to give up your UK licence?
When you apply to exchange your licence you may be asked to surrender your current licence. In which case you’ll be provided with a temporary paper one, which you can use to drive in Italy while you wait for your Italian licence. You won’t be able to use this temporary one to drive in other EU countries or in the UK.
You cannot hold two driving licences at the same time. So once you have an Italian licence, you cannot also hold a UK one.
If you return to the UK at any point in the future to settle, you can exchange your Italian licence back to a UK one without having to re-sit your test.
For more advice for UK nationals in Italy, see all The Local's Brexit updates here.
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**Note: This article is from 2020 and it is no longer being updated. Please find the most recent news about driving in Italy after Brexit here.**
If you are a UK national living in Italy you should exchange your UK driving licence for an Italian one as soon as possible.
That’s because the rules on driving licence recognition may change from January 2021. You may have to re-sit your test if you exchange your licence after December 31st, when the transition period ends.
Which licences can you exchange?
You can exchange a UK driving licence if it is a photocard licence or a paper one.
You can convert your licence before the expiry date and in some cases, when it has already expired.
Not all UK driving licences can be exchanged for an Italian one. It will depend on where you took your original driving test and whether Italy has a bilateral agreement on exchange with that country. So check for more information on the Italian Ministry of Transport website.
Where do you exchange a UK driving licence?
You can exchange your licence at one of the agencies of the Italian Ministry of Transport. These are called ‘uffici della motorizzazione civile’. There is usually one or two in every town. You can find a list of them on the Italian Ministry of Transport website.
Alternatively you can use an office of the ACI, or Automobile Club d’Italia, to exchange your licence. (Find a list of their offices here.) You can also find information in English on their website about exchanging driving licences.
READ ALSO:
- 'Expect the unexpected': What you need to know about driving in Italy
- Italy confirms 7-month extension of expired driving licences
- Ten Italian driving habits you need to be aware of
Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP
What documents do you need?
To exchange your licence you will need to provide:
- A completed application form called a TT 2112 form, which your local ACI office or Italian Ministry of Transport agency can provide
- Your current licence + a photocopy of the front and back of the licence
- A valid identity document, for example a UK passport + a photocopy
- Your codice fiscale (tax code) + a photocopy
- Two recent passport-sized photographs
You may also need to show evidence of your residency in Italy such as your residency document.
If your licence has expired or has nearly expired, you could be asked to provide a medical certificate from your local doctor. This must have been issued in the last three months.
How much does it cost?
You will need to pay two separate fees when exchanging your licence (around €42 in total). You pay these via bolli or tax stamps.
Your local ACI office or Italian Ministry of Transport agency can provide you with pre-printed payment slips. These slips can also be found at post offices.
How long does it take?
The exchange process can take up to four months to complete but processing times vary so it is worth asking your local office.
You may want to contact more than one ACI office or Ministry of Transport agency before choosing a provider.
Do you have to give up your UK licence?
When you apply to exchange your licence you may be asked to surrender your current licence. In which case you’ll be provided with a temporary paper one, which you can use to drive in Italy while you wait for your Italian licence. You won’t be able to use this temporary one to drive in other EU countries or in the UK.
You cannot hold two driving licences at the same time. So once you have an Italian licence, you cannot also hold a UK one.
If you return to the UK at any point in the future to settle, you can exchange your Italian licence back to a UK one without having to re-sit your test.
For more advice for UK nationals in Italy, see all The Local's Brexit updates here.
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