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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.

Published: 3 June 2022 16:53 CEST
Updated: 6 November 2022 09:08 CET
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.net. This 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

Reader question: Can I drive a friend or relative’s car in Italy?

If you're visiting or staying in Italy for any length of time and are planning on doing some travelling, a generous neighbour or relative might offer you access to their vehicle. But what does the law say about driving someone else's car in Italy?

Published: 31 May 2024 15:45 CEST
Reader question: Can I drive a friend or relative's car in Italy?

Question: We live in Canada but also own a home in northern Italy. Our Italian relatives often tell us that we can use their cars any time, but we are afraid in case of an accident or damage.

Could we as non-residents be added to their car insurance as an extra driver?

In Italy, car insurance covers the vehicle rather than the driver, meaning that in principle anyone with a valid driving licence (including foreign licences recognised by Italy) can drive someone else’s car with their permission.

There are, however, some restrictions that it’s important to be aware of before jumping in your great aunt’s Fiat 500 and puttering off down the Amalfi coast.

Italy’s Codice della Strada, or Highway Code, says that if you’re driving someone else’s car for more than 30 consecutive days, they should notify the Civil Motorization Office (l’Ufficio di Motorizazzione Civile) to add your name to the vehicle registration certificate.

Though it’s arguably hard to prove that someone’s violated this rule, failing to follow it could get you stuck with a fine of between €727 to €3,629, so it’s worth abiding by.

All cars in Italy must have third-party insurance, known as Responsabilità civile autoveicoli or RC Auto, which covers any bodily harm or property damage caused by the driver to other people, including the driver’s own passengers.

READ ALSO: MAP: Where in Italy is car insurance cheapest – and most expensive?

Car insurance costs are high in Italy, and one way to get a lower premium is to buy insurance that only covers certain categories of drivers (e.g., those above the age of 26, or who’ve held a licence for a certain number of years) – so it’s important to check that you’re covered under the owner’s insurance.

If you’re worried about the risk to yourself or your friend’s vehicle, you’ll want to check that they have additional insurance on top of RC Auto, such as a polizza Infortuni conducente (driver accident coverage) or polizza cristalli (broken window coverage) – or see how much it would cost to add these on.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How to pay Italian traffic fines from abroad

There are also restrictions on the type of vehicle a newly-qualified driver is allowed to drive in Italy, so if you haven’t had your licence for long, you’ll want to make sure it’s valid for the specific car you’re planning on borrowing.

Bear in mind that if you’re visiting Italy as a tourist and have a non-EU/EEA licence, you’ll need to apply for an International Driving Permit or get your licence officially translated for it to be valid.

And if you’re in Italy for more than 12 months, you’ll either need to apply to get your foreign licence converted (if your country has a reciprocal agreement with Italy), or pass an Italian driving test.

If you’ve considered all of these factors and still think it’s a good idea, borrowing a friend or relative’s car can be a cost-effective and convenient way to explore Italy without having to fork over hefty rental fees or risk getting stung with hidden costs.

Just make sure to familiarise yourself with some of the idiosyncrasies of Italian driving culture before setting off.

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