Before you start

Residence registered with the comune, which starts the twelve-month clock
Your original licence plus a sworn translation, unless it is an EU one
Codice fiscale
Medical certificate from an authorised doctor

Step-by-step

1
Check the reciprocity list before assuming conversion is possible
Italy converts EU and EEA licences and those from a defined list including Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Argentina and Morocco. The US, UK, Australia, India and China are not on it, and for those the Italian exams are the only route.
OnlineWho: You
2
Treat the twelve-month grace period as a deadline
A foreign licence remains valid for one year from the date residence is registered, alongside an International Driving Permit or a sworn translation. After that it has no legal effect in Italy regardless of its own expiry date.
In personWho: You12 months from residence registration
3
Convert at the Motorizzazione or enrol at an autoscuola
Conversion is a booked appointment with licence, translation, medical certificate and fees. For the exam route an autoscuola handles the foglio rosa and the scheduling, and the administrative help is worth the fee on its own.
In personWho: You
4
Prepare for a theory exam in Italian
The quiz is offered in Italian, German and French only. Thirty literal true/false statements with a low error tolerance and technical vocabulary where a single word flips the answer.
In personWho: You
5
Learn the ashfall routine before the first fall
Keep a stiff broom and a mask. Never run wipers on a dry ashed windscreen — the ash is silicate glass and will score it. Do not hose ash into the drains; the comune's ordinances prohibit it because it sets in the sewers. Expect scooter restrictions for a day or two after a heavy fall.
In personWho: You
6
Check the ZTL and use the metro where it goes
A limited-traffic zone covers the baroque centre with camera enforcement. The Metropolitana di Catania is short but useful along the Borgo–centre–Porto axis, and AMTS runs the buses. Parking in the centre is metered and genuinely scarce.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Original driving licence
Sworn translation or International Driving Permit
Passport and permesso di soggiorno or receipt
Certificate of residence
Medical certificate from an authorised doctor
Codice fiscale and passport photographs

Things most newcomers don’t know

Volcanic ash damages a car in ways ordinary dirt does not, and the mistakes are made in the first hour.

Etna's ash is fine, angular volcanic glass. Wiping or brushing it dry across paint or a windscreen grinds it in; the correct sequence is to blow or rinse the bulk off with plenty of water before any contact. Wet ash then blocks drains and sets hard, which is why the comune's post-ashfall ordinances prohibit washing it into the sewer and ask for it to be swept and bagged. A resident who learns this after their first fall has usually paid for a windscreen to learn it.

Source: Comune di Catania; community-reported

The theory exam is not offered in English, which rules out self-study for most Anglophone arrivals.

Britons, Americans, Australians and Indians cannot convert their licences, so all of them must sit the Italian exams — and English was withdrawn from the available languages. The questions are literal true/false statements phrased so that one word changes the correct answer. Catania's autoscuole handle this routinely and cheaply by northern standards.

Source: Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport

Motor insurance in the southern provinces is priced well above the national average.

Premiums are risk-priced by province and the southern provinces sit consistently above the northern ones in the supervisory authority's own comparisons — the gap can be several hundred euros a year for the same driver and the same car. Anyone moving from the north and planning to bring a vehicle should get a quote against a Catania address before deciding, because the difference can outweigh the saving on rent.

Source: IVASS

Access to Etna's upper slopes is regulated and closes at short notice, and the closures are not advisory.

The prefettura and the comuni on the mountain restrict access above the mid-mountain refuges when INGV's assessment changes, sometimes within hours. Guided ascents above the regulated altitude require a certified mountain guide. It is worth internalising early: a plan to drive up on Saturday is a plan contingent on Friday's bulletin, and the enforcement is real.

Source: INGV Osservatorio Etneo; Comune di Catania

Common mistakes to avoid

Running wipers or a dry brush across ash-covered glass and paint.
Washing ash into a street drain, which is prohibited and expensive to undo.
Preparing for the theory exam in English, which is no longer offered.
Bringing a car south without pricing the insurance against a Catania address first.
Driving up Etna without checking the day's access restrictions.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.