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BREXIT: Italy extends UK driving licence use to end of 2022

There's some good news for British residents of Italy who haven't converted their UK licence to an Italian one as Italy has confirmed that UK licences issued before January 1st, 2021 can now be used in Italy until the end of 2022.

Published: 25 December 2021 13:10 CET
Updated: 27 December 2021 08:27 CET
A general view taken from a bridge shows a few cars driving through a deserted highway leading to Rome's Fiumicino international airport 
Most other EU countries have already announced reciprocal agreements with the UK, allowing driving licences to be exchanged without the need for a test, but there's still no arrangement confirmed with Italy. ANDREAS SOLARO / AFP

“While discussions on agreement continue, Italy has confirmed valid UK licences issued before 1 Jan 2021 can be used until 31 Dec 2022,” stated the British Embassy in Rome in social media posts on Christmas Eve.

“All other licence holders can use their licences for 12 months from becoming a resident in Italy but need to take a test to exchange licence within this period,” it added.

No further details were immediately available, but the embassy advised people to keep an eye on the UK government’s ‘Living in Italy’ website for updates “expected soon”.

Though nothing more is known about the 12-month extension so far, the news will at least provide UK licence holders with some further breathing space after a tense wait for confirmation that licences would not become invalid in Italy on December 31st this year.

Most other EU countries have already announced reciprocal agreements with the UK, allowing driving licences to be exchanged without the need for a test, but there’s still no arrangement confirmed with Italy.

A UK government spokesperson told The Local on Wednesday that negotiations were continuing with the Italian government on the right to obtain an Italian licence without the need to re-sit a driving test.

Since Britain left the EU at the end of 2020, UK licence holders living in the country were granted a 12-month grace period in which they could continue to use their British licence in Italy, which, before the extension, had been due to end on December 31st, 2021.

Residents in Italy with UK licences had initially been warned they may need to take an Italian driving test immediately.

READ ALSO:

After December 31st, 2022, and if no long-term reciprocal agreement is reached, residents in Italy will still have to take a test to exchange their UK licence for an Italian patente di guida (driving licence). 

Reciprocal driving licence agreements are in place between Italy and around 20 non-EU countries, including Switzerland, Brazil, the Philippines and Turkey (full list here), which allow holders of these licences to swap their permits without a test.

The rules apply to UK nationals who are resident in Italy. People visiting Italy for short periods can continue to drive on a UK licence.

 Find our latest Brexit-related news updates for UK nationals in Italy here.

Find more information on the UK government website’s Living in Italy section.

Member comments

  2. I agree. This has made my Christmas after trying to exchange last year around Christmas time, only to be declined because the ACI did not submit our application until late January and then lied to us for months.

    Hoping this arrangement is sorted out by end of next year.

  4. Huge massive sigh of relief ! It would have been bonkers for them to have made us take a test especially with Omicron just bubbling up. I had just got my first 36 correct out of the 40 questions. That can all go in the pending tray and I shall break out the Prosecco. As you all say best pressie we could possibly have.

    1. Wait, nowhere does it say they WILL reach an agreement to exchange come the end of 2022… if they don’t, taking the test in italian will still be the only option

    2. Agreed, great News. Thank you to the Local for keeping us updated.

      It would be useful to have a link to an Italian notice of the extension to assist anyone who needs evidence of the extension.

      In the meantime, Godspeed to those negotiating the exchange agreements!

          1. Rachel

            Thank you, much appreciated.

            The link doesn’t work because it ignores the “.pdf” at the end. When the “.pdf” is included it goes straight through to the declaration 👍

            I personally, will keep a copy with me when driving in case someone tries to tell me that I am not compliant with the law.

            Let’s hope that the authorities can now come to a sensible conclusion so that we can exchange our licences as soon as possible.

            Thank you again and Happy New Year.

  5. Does anyone know the name of the Minister who is responsible for this section of law ? The real problem is even if the test is passed, you are treated as a neopatentati meaning like a 18 year old kid the cars you can drive for a year a restricted and limited on the speed you can drive.

    I think a petition and proposal should be put together by the collective interests of Canada, UK, Britain and Australia as this impacts all their citizens living in Italy.

    Any ideas who’s problem this is in the government?

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BREXIT

‘We are desperate’: Why the UK must help Britons with Italian healthcare charges

A 74-year-old British woman has explained the "frustration and fear" Britons in Italy are facing when trying to access healthcare and appealed to the UK government for help.

Published: 11 April 2024 09:53 CEST
'We are desperate': Why the UK must help Britons with Italian healthcare charges

Pat Eggleton, a teacher and writer from the UK, appealed to the UK’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron in the letter sent April 9th about the “desperate” situation faced by UK citizens entitled to free healthcare in Italy – but unable to access it.

British nationals residing in Italy before Brexit, and covered by the Withdrawal Agreement (WA), are in many cases being told by Italian health authorities that they must pay steep new fees at a minimum of €2,000 a year – even though they are exempt from paying at all.

READ ALSO: ‘Life or death situation’: Brits facing high Italian healthcare costs amid rule change uncertainty

In her open letter seen by The Local, Ms. Eggleton, who has lived in Italy since 2005, highlighted that the current minimum is a huge jump from the previous €387, and said that the sum was “difficult, or even impossible, for some to find when there had been no prior notification and there is no option to pay in instalments.”

“A great deal of undeserved worry, frustration and even fear has ensued,” she wrote.

“Some of our group have serious, ongoing health conditions. All we require is for one sentence from the Italian government confirming that Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries do not have to pay for healthcare access to be circulated to all regional health authorities.

“We implore you to act before this becomes even more serious. As someone put it, “This is a matter not only of money, but of health.” 

Ms Eggleton’s letter came exactly one month after the British government confirmed that all WA agreement beneficiaries are exempt from paying the €2,000 fee, provided they were living in Italy before January 1st 2021.

But there were no details available at the time from the Italian government setting out how the rules would be implemented or communicated to local health authorities around Italy.

Since then, there has been no further information released by the Italian government on any official platform. 

One Withdrawal Agreement beneficiary, Graham Beresford, told The Local last week how he was having trouble accessing healthcare, even though he has a right to it.

Mr. Beresford suffers from blood cancer and needs access to the Italian healthcare system to obtain his medication. 

“Every time I go to my ASL (local health unit) office, I always feel like I’m dismissed,” Graham said. “I told the ASL worker I need medication for my cancer and she replied lots of people come in here with sob stories.

“There genuinely seems to be no compassion whatsoever.”

The Local has written to the Italian health ministry for comment.

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