There are all sorts of reasons why people who’ve relocated to Italy may want or need to get an Italian driving licence, not least because of the potential lack of a reciprocal agreement (a deal allowing foreign nationals to exchange their licence with an Italian one) between Italy and their country of origin.
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While the Italian Highway Code states that non-EU nationals can freely drive in Italy on a foreign licence for up to one year from the moment they become Italian residents, drivers will be required to get an Italian licence at the end of that grace period.
Unfortunately though, taking the Italian driving test isn’t exactly a piece of cake. That’s largely because the theory exam, which candidates must pass in order to progress to the practical test, requires quite a bit of technical knowledge and cannot be taken in English.
So, for those who are considering getting an Italian licence, here’s what the theory test is about.
For starters, once they have put in a request to take the theory exam, candidates have six months and a total of two attempts to pass it.
Foreign nationals are generally advised to take the test through a driving school (autoscuola) as they will not only help you with all the paperwork but will also provide you with training for taking the exam.
READ ALSO: Why is it taking so long to book a driving test in Italy?
You can also choose to take the test privately, which means dealing with the local licensing office (Ufficio di Motorizzazione Civile, which is roughly equivalent to the UK’s DVLA or the US DMV) directly and booking the exam yourself.
Regardless of which path you choose to go down, the structure and procedures of the test are the same for all candidates.
The theory exam consists of 30 questions of the true or false type and each candidate is given 20 minutes (that’s a little over half a minute for each question) to answer them.
Only three mistakes are allowed, with any number of errors equal to or above four resulting in a failed attempt.
The questions presented to candidates are randomly selected, which means that some sections of the Italian Driver’s Manual (Manuale di Teoria) might not figure in the test at all.
That said, you should know that the exam questions generally refer to the following macro-subjects:
- Road signage
- Driver’s duties
- Speed limits and restrictions to circulation
- Safe following distance
- General rules on vehicles’ circulation
- Right of way
- Braking, stopping and pulling over
- Rules on overtaking
- Use of indicator lights and horns
- Personal safety equipment
- Driving licences, circulation documents and penalty system
- Road accidents and proper response
- Driving under the influence and first aid
- Rules on civil liability and insurance
- Pollution and respecting the environment
- Basic knowledge of car parts and vehicle maintenance
So, what actually happens on the day of the exam?
Barring some rare exceptions, the theory exam will take place at your local licensing office.
Prior to the test, examiners will ask you to produce a valid identity document and the copy of a medical certificate testifying to good mental and physical health. After these formalities, you’ll be asked to take a seat at your designated station.
Please note that you won’t be allowed to take any electronic device nor any notepad to your station.
Once at your station, you’ll find a pc with a touch screen, which is where you’ll be taking the exam.
By law, all candidates are shown a brief video tutorial prior to the test. After that, it’s game on.
Candidates cannot ask their examiners any question during the course of the exam – this includes questions about words or expressions that one might not know.
It’ll be possible for you to move freely from one question to the other (i.e. you don’t have to answer a question to progress to the next one) and change your answers. That said, you’d best keep an eye on the remaining time (this is usually shown in the bottom-right corner of the web page).
READ ALSO: Some of the best learner sites for taking your Italian driving test
Once you have reviewed all of your answers and submitted the test, you will be automatically logged out of the exam page.
What happens after I take the test?
Results will be made available online the day following the exam.
If you pass, you’ll get the ‘pink slip’ (or foglio rosa) and you’ll have 12 months and a total of three attempts to take the practical test.
If you fail, you’ll have to wait a month before you can have another go. Should you fail your second attempt, you’ll have to re-enrol and submit a new request to take the theory exam (this means paying all the relevant fees again).
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I am not sure what type of license this article is referring to. The Patente B, which is the normal operating license for motor vehicles has 40 questions in its theory exam, not 30. And the threshold for failure is 4 missed questions, not 3. That said, if you go to a good driving school here and you really practice the online practice exams, the Theory test is not that hard. Some of the questions seem like trick questions, but if you look at how Italian drivers actually behave, they do have a purpose. I highly recommend a decent school and the online exams. As a U.S. driver for nearly 50 years, I was skeptical of the school, but, instead, found it to be a very valuable learning experience.
Anybody who does not use an autoscuola is foolish, IMHO. Amazingly, there can be trick questions on the theory exam, designed usually to trip up non-Italian speakers (e.g. following distance at xxxkm/h is a meno yy meters v. almeno yy meters). The autoscuola instructor will guide you through this potential minefield. The patente process is truly bureaucrats gone wild. Good luck!
Is all of the instruction at an autoscuola in Italian? Is there any help or hope for an American with limited Italian language skills?
If someone holds a Permesso Di Soggiorno does that mean they can drive for one year on their US license from when the visa was issued, then must take the Italian drivers test? Or, does it mean at the end of the five year extended stay visa when they are issued a permanent residence permit then they must get obtain the Italian drivers license?