Italy
Drives on the right · EUR · Emergency 112Speed limits
Urban
50 km/h
Rural / outside built-up areas
90 km/h
Motorway
130 km/h
Alcohol limits
General limit
0.5‰
Novice drivers
0.0‰
Mandatory equipment
- •Warning triangle
- •Hi-vis vest (for driver, if exiting vehicle on a road)
- •Spare bulb kit (recommended)
Winter tires & snow chains
Winter tires or snow chains carried on board are required on many roads roughly mid-November to mid-April, but exact dates and affected roads are set locally by each road authority — check signage on your specific route, especially in the Alps and Apennines.
Tolls
System
Toll booths
Most motorways (autostrade) charge tolls at booths, calculated by distance and vehicle class; pay by cash, card, or an electronic tag. No nationwide vignette.
More things to know before you drive
Seatbelts
Mandatory in every seat where fitted, front and rear.
Mobile phone use
Hands-free only; holding a phone while driving is prohibited.
Child seats
Children under 150 cm must use an approved child restraint suited to their size; rear-facing seats must not be used in front of an active airbag.
Headlights
Dipped headlights mandatory on motorways and main roads outside built-up areas at all times, and in all tunnels.
Low-emission & restricted zones
Many city centers (Milan, Rome, Bologna, and others) have camera-enforced restricted traffic zones (ZTL) or low-emission zones — check local signage before entering.
Right of way & roundabouts
Priority to the right at unmarked intersections unless otherwise signed; roundabouts give way to traffic already circulating.
Parking
Blue road markings mean paid parking, white means free, yellow means restricted or residents-only.
Speed cameras
Extensive fixed and average-speed ("Tutor") camera systems on motorways.
Good to know
Novice drivers have a 0.0 alcohol limit. ZTL zones are common in city centers.