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DRIVING

Some of the best learner sites for taking your Italian driving test

If you live in Italy and plan to drive, you may need to take your Italian driving test - in Italian. Here are some sites and apps to help you prepare for the theory and practical exams.

Italy’s government says it has allocated over 3 billion euros for road improvements.
Prepare for your Italian driving test with these handy resources. Photo: Andreas SOLARO / AFP

After we published a list of resources to help those study for their driving test in Italian, we heard from some readers of The Local with their own suggestions.

Below you can find our updated list with even more useful sites.

Who needs to take the Italian driving exam?

Driving in Italy is key for many who move to the country – more than a convenience, for some, driving is essential in remote areas to carry out basic life tasks such as getting to work or buying food.

Once you’ve moved to Italy, you can use the driving licence you already own, but only for 12 months after registering for residency.

Some countries have reciprocal agreements with Italy in place, meaning they can convert their driving licences without the need to take the Italian driving tests, according to Italy’s Ministry of Transport.

However, for others, such as the United States, Canada, Australia and currently the UK, this option doesn’t exist, leaving not much time to take and pass the Italian driving exams to get your Italian licence known as ‘Patente B’.

READ ALSO:

Should you not complete the required tests within this timeframe, you can’t drive on Italy’s roads until you do.

As getting through the theory and practical exams is known to take around six months, provided you pass everything first time, getting started on revising for your Italian driving test will likely be a priority.

British residents of Italy can use their driving licenses until the end of this year, the government has confirmed.

Photo by PACO SERINELLI / AFP

One particular obstacle for people who’ve just moved to Italy is the Italian language required, as you can’t take the tests in English (but some regions allow you to take the tests in French or German).

Many readers of The Local have told us that the language involved is as tricky as the technical aspect, particularly for the theory exam – although, reassuringly, others say it’s  “not as difficult as it sounds”.

READ ALSO: Getting your Italian driving licence: the language you need to pass your test

To help you learn the terminology and rules you’ll need for the theory test, here are some useful sites to get you in gear.

The theory exam

The Italian driving theory exam consists of 30 true or false questions, of which you can only get three wrong for a pass, according to the latest government circular.

The Italian Driver’s Manual is likely to be your go-to, whether you decide to go through the process solo or enlist the services of an autoscuola (driving school).

The potential problem with this is the Italian language. However, one reader told us that her driving school gave her an English version of the manual to help with understanding the rules – and with it, a translation of all the Italian road terminology.

If your driving school doesn’t have any English copies, you can buy your own.

Do an internet search for ‘manuali patente per stranieri‘, and you’ll have plenty of options, such as this one that sells the English version for €20.

Other languages can be seen here. More versions can be found Amazon here.

For more interactive learning, there are a few platforms to test your knowledge.

– Websites

Patentati.it has online quizzes and simulations of how the theory test will look, with a timer showing you how many minutes you have remaining to answer all the questions.

When you click on ‘Quiz Patente B’ on the homepage, you’ll find a catalogue of resources, including simple lists of true or false questions, theory broken down by subject and a visual breakdown of road signs.

The practice theory questions are in line with the real, final exam – you’ll come across repetitions of questions worded in a different way to thoroughly check your understanding.

READ ALSO: How do you take your driving test in Italy?

The site is pretty easy to navigate and free to use, plus you can create an account to see your personal progress.

Quizpatenteonline.it also has plenty of interactive quizzes, simulations and the theory manual broken down by subjects.

It’s a cleaner looking site than the above one with fewer annoying adverts. Plus, it also has a list of the answers most frequently incorrectly answered in the last year.

An example of the practice quizzes online. Photo: https://www.quizpatenteonline.it/

If there are questions that often trip people up, this is useful to get a head start on and be prepared for if they come up in your final test.

The site has also gamified the theory exam, so rather than taking a simulation test, you can play some games that take you back to the beginning if you make a mistake.

This is useful for repetition and drilling in the information – and as for the language, the more you keep seeing the same terms, the more you’ll remember them.

Online Italian theory driving test games to drill in the answers. Photo: https://www.quizpatenteonline.it/

Another packed site with lots of resources is Mininterno.netThis government portal isn’t as easy on the eye and looks like a forum from the first days of the internet, but there are some useful nuggets of information in there too.

If you click on ‘Patente di guida’, you’ll find a list of different quizzes and lists of road signs, each with their own vast quizzes according to type, to help you prepare.

The site is a little outdated, though, and still tests you on the previously required 40 questions. Still, more practice can’t hurt.

– Social platforms

Social media also have some good support, particularly for English speakers who may find translating the terms in these online quizzes time-consuming.

The Facebook group ‘Help! I need my foglia rosa (the foglia rosa is a pink slip proving you’ve passed the theory test), helps English-speaking residents in Italy who are preparing for their Italian driving exam.

They require you to already be in the country to accept you into the private group.

(Photo by Miguel MEDINA / AFP)

Other pages such as ‘Study for la patente in English‘ gives tips on the Italian language that can trip you up and cost you a wrong answer.

There are also video resources on YouTube, which explain the theory test in English. ‘Patente B in English has almost 3,000 subscribers and breaks down the Italian questions in English – a good way to first understand the motoring language before you can answer the questions.

READ ALSO: Do you have to take Italy’s driving test in Italian?

– Apps

If playing on your phone or tablet is more likely to get your head down to study, there are many apps designed to practice for the Italian theory exam – and sometimes, in English.

The ‘Quiz Patente Official 2022‘ is one of the most popular Italian driving theory apps, available in the Google PlayStore and Apple App Store, offering quizzes, video lessons and theory tips. Plus, it’s available in English.

EasyPatente‘ is available for download in the Google PlayStore and Apple’s App Store in an increasing amount of languages, including Italian, Urdu, Hindi, French and German – although currently, English hasn’t been added.

The ‘Quiz Patente B 2022: Ufficiale’ is worth a try – although this is currently only available in Italian. Download on Google PlayStore or Apple’s App Store.

The practical exam

Many of the sites mentioned above have some tips on how to approach the practical exam, but as far as understanding your driving instructor and tester is concerned, check our guide on the language you’ll need to pass here.

Have you found useful resources to help prepare you for the Italian driving tests? Let us know in the comments below or contact us here.

For more information on driving in Italy, check the Italian government’s page on steps to obtain a Patente B.

Member comments

  1. There is a great book “L’Esame Per La Patente Di Guida Per Cittadini Stranieri” in English – Italian that can be purchased on Amazon.

    Also, we bought a car in Italy last year, but cannot get an Italian Drivers License. We have a unique situation, that other readers may also have. We have dual American and Italian citizenship. We own a home in Umbria, but retain our residence in the United States. We went to the comune and were given a letter which stated that we are A.I.R.E. (Italian Citizens Living Abroad). This gave us a domicile in Italy, but not residency. We were now allowed to purchase a car and get insurance without needing an Italian license. Many police are not aware of this rule, so we make sure we carry our A.I.R.E. letter; and it is also indicated on the auto’s registration.

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DRIVING

EU countries to extend range of offences foreign drivers can be fined for

The EU has agreed to extend the number of driving offences for which motorists from other member states can be fined for and to make it easier for authorities to chase up the fines and make foreign drivers pay.

EU countries to extend range of offences foreign drivers can be fined for

In the last voting session of this term, in April, the European Parliament passed new rules to ensure drivers who breach local traffic rules in another EU member state are found and fined.

The cross-border enforcement (CBE) directive was first adopted in 2015 after it was found that non-resident drivers were more likely to commit speeding offences. The European Commission estimated that in 2008, foreign drivers accounted for about 5 percent of road traffic in the EU but committed around 15 percent of speeding offences.

The directive partially improved the situation, but according to the Commission 40 percent of traffic violations committed in other EU countries are still unpunished “because the offender is not identified or because the fine is not enforced”.

In March 2023, the Commission therefore proposed updating existing measures.

New rules extend the type of offences that will trigger assistance from another member state and seek to improve collaboration among national authorities to identify and fine offenders.

The European Parliament and Council agreed in March on the final text of the directive, which is now being formally approved by the two institutions.

André Sobczak, Secretary-General at Eurocities, a group representing European cities in Brussels, said: “While the final outcome of the discussions is not ideal, we are pleased that EU policymakers have at least put the issue of the enforcement of local traffic rules on foreign vehicles on the table. As we approach an election year, I believe such a practical example can demonstrate why a European approach is necessary to address local issues.”

Which traffic offences are covered?

The previous directive covered eight driving misconducts that would require member states to cooperate: speeding, not wearing seat belts, failing to stop at a red traffic light, drink-driving, driving under the effect of drugs, not wearing a helmet (motorcycles / scooters), using a forbidden lane and using a mobile phone or other communication devices while driving.

The Commission proposed to add to the list not keeping a safe distance from the vehicle in front, dangerous overtaking, dangerous parking, crossing one or more solid white lines, driving the wrong way down a one way street, not respecting the rules on “emergency corridors” (a clear lane intended for priority vehicles), and using an overloaded vehicle.

The Parliament and Council agreed to these and added more offences: not giving way to emergency service vehicles, not respecting access restrictions or rules at a rail crossings, as well as hit-and-run offences.

Despite calls from European cities, the new directive does not cover offences related to foreign drivers avoiding congestion charges or low emission zones. In such cases, information about vehicle registration can only be shared among countries with bilateral agreements.

Karen Vancluysen, Secretary General at POLIS, a network of cities and regions working on urban transport, called on the next European Commission to take other local traffic offences, such as breaches of low emission zones, “fully at heart”.

Collaboration among national authorities

For the traffic violations covered by the directive, EU countries have to help each other to find the liable driver. The new directive further clarifies how.

Member states will have to use the European vehicle and driving licence information system (Eucaris) to get the data of the offender.

National authorities will have 11 months from the date of the violation to issue the fine to a vehicle from another EU member state. However, they will not have to resort to agencies or private entities to collect the fine. This was requested by the European Parliament to avoid scams or leaks of personal data.

Authorities in the country of the offender will have to reply to requests from another EU member state within two months.

When the amount of the fine is more than €70, and all options to have it paid have been exhausted, the member state where the violation occurred can ask the country of the offender to take over the collection.

The person concerned will be able to request follow-up documents in a different official EU language.

When will the new rules will be enforced?

Now that the EU Parliament has passed the law, the EU Council has to do the same, although there is no date set for when that will happen. Once the directive is adopted, EU countries will have 30 months to prepare for implementation.

Last year the Commission also proposed a new directive on driving licenses, but negotiations on the final text of this file will only take place after the European elections.

This article has been produced in collaboration with Europe Street news.

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