by Florian König, maut1.de - 15 May 2024
Italy is a popular destination for many travellers, especially in the summer months but also in winter for winter sports enthusiasts. To help you enjoy a carefree holiday, we have compiled the most important information on traffic rules, regulations and fines for you below.
Information on tolls in Italy
- Motorway toll: Is calculated on the basis of the distance travelled and is payable at the toll stations on the motorways (in cash, by credit card or conveniently by tollbox).
- Vignette: In Italy there is no vignette, as the toll is calculated on a route basis.
- Expressway: These can be driven on toll-free.
- Restricted traffic zones (ZTL): Access to these zones in many cities such as Milan, Palermo and Bologna is associated with costs.
- Charges for tunnels: Separate charges apply for the Munt-la-Schera road tunnel, the Great St Bernard road tunnel (both Switzerland-Italy), the Frejus road tunnel and the Mont Blanc road tunnel (both France-Italy).
- Wrong lane at the toll station: Turning, reversing or changing lanes in the toll area is prohibited. If the wrong lane is selected, the "Help" or "Richiesta di Interveniento" or "Assistenza" button should be pressed.
Maximum authorised speeds in Italy
| Inner city | Out of town | Expressway | Motorway | |
| Motorbike | 50 km/h | 90 km/h | 110 km/h | 130 km/h |
| Passenger Car | 50 km/h | 90 km/h | 110 km/h | 130 km/h |
| Car with trailer | 50 km/h | 70 km/h | 70 km/h | 80 km/h |
| Motorhome up to 3.5 t | 50 km/h | 90 km/h | 110 km/h | 130 km/h |
| Motorhome over 3.5 t up to 7.5 t | 50 km/h | 80 km/h | 80 km/h | 100 km/h |
Please note that exceeding the speed limit at night between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. is penalised more severely than during the day.
Note for novice drivers: Anyone who has held a driving licence for less than three years is only allowed to drive a maximum of 100 km/h on the motorway in Italy, otherwise they would be fined if they were checked.
Blood alcohol limit in Italy
In Italy, as in most European countries, a blood alcohol limit of 0.5 per mille applies. Novice drivers (who have held their driving licence for less than three years), all professional drivers and all drivers of vehicles over 3.5 tonnes are subject to an absolute alcohol ban.
These penalties apply for offences against the blood alcohol limit:
- 0.5 to 0.8 per mille: fines of between 531 and 2,125 euros, driving licence disqualification of between three and six months
- 0.8 to 1.5 per mille: fines between 800 and 3200 euros, prison sentences of up to 6 months, driving licence disqualification for up to 1 year
- From 1.5 per mille: fines between 1500 and 6000 euros, prison sentences of 6 to 12 months, driving licence disqualification for up to 12 months
Here too, the fines incurred increase at night between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., and the penalties even double in the event of an accident under the influence of alcohol.
Parking
You should also pay attention when parking in Italy; colour markings on the kerbs serve as orientation. White markings indicate a free car park, blue markings indicate paid parking spaces and green marked spaces can be used on weekdays between 8:00 and 9:30 and between 14:30 and 16:00.
Areas marked yellow or black and yellow should be avoided altogether for parking; the former indicate a parking ban and should remain free for buses and taxis, the latter even indicate an absolute parking ban. Pink indicates special parking areas for pregnant women and mothers with small children.
Mobile phone use while driving
Currently, unauthorised use of a mobile phone at the wheel of a vehicle results in a fine and a driving ban. In future, this is to be made even stricter: a current draft bill provides for a driving ban of 15 days to two months and a fine of up to 1,697 euros.
If you are caught driving with a mobile phone again within two years of the first offence, you could be fined up to 2,588 euros and have your driving licence suspended for up to three months!
Further traffic rules in Italy
Italians are famous for their temperament, including in road traffic. Perhaps this is the reason why there are signs in some towns that say "Zona di silencio", which means a strict ban on honking the horn.
In Italy, you must also drive with your lights on during the day, either with dipped headlights to avoid dazzling other drivers or with the now widespread daytime running lights.
Certain guidelines apply to vehicle tyres in Italy (which may differ from region to region in some cases):
- In South Tyrol and the Brenner motorway there is a so-called winter equipment obligation from 15 November to 15 April, regardless of winter conditions. Vehicles must be equipped with winter tyres or snow chains must be carried.
- During the summer months, winter or all-season tyres may only be used if they have a speed index that corresponds at least to the value specified in the vehicle registration document, e.g. H = 210 km/h.
If school buses have their hazard warning lights activated, they may not be overtaken in Italy; this also applies when buses stop at a bus stop.
When planning your holiday, you should also consider exactly where the hotel you have booked is located. In many places, there are zones that are closed to normal traffic, which makes travelling there more complicated.
On all mountain roads, vehicles travelling uphill always have right of way, unless there is a nearby alternative route. Public buses always have right of way.
The use of radar detectors in vehicles is prohibited in Italy. Failure to comply and inspection may result in fines and confiscation of the device.
In Italy, smoking is prohibited in vehicles when pregnant women or minors are travelling. All cars travelling on Italian roads must carry a warning triangle and high-visibility waistcoats for all occupants.
It is also forbidden in Italy to leave the engine running when the vehicle is stationary, e.g. to keep the vehicle's air conditioning running or to warm up the engine in winter. Fines of € 200 to approx. € 400 are possible.
Are penalty tickets from Italy also valid in Germany?
If you do break the traffic rules in Italy and receive a ticket, you should either pay it on the spot or settle it at home after your holiday at the latest.
Important to know: Fines from other European countries can now also be enforced in the traveller's home country, i.e. also in Germany. This generally applies from fines of 70 euros upwards.
Even toll charges from Italy that are supposedly long overdue and for which a reminder has been sent by post by Nivi SpA from Italy, expire after 10 years! In the blog article "Replacement tolls and fines after travelling to Italy" you will find all the necessary information on the subsequent replacement tolls.
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