Converting an Australian Driver Licence in Italy

An Australian driver licence cannot be converted in Italy. Italy's transport ministry converts licences only from countries with reciprocity agreements, and Australia is not on its list. After you take up residence, you can drive on your Australian licence, with an International Driving Permit or an official Italian translation, for one year. Then you need an Italian licence by examination.

Key takeaways

• Italy's Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport lists the non-EU countries whose licences can be converted, last updated in August 2026. Australia is not on it.
• A current non-EU licence can be used for up to one year after you acquire residence in Italy, with an IDP issued by the licensing country or an official Italian translation.
• After the year, an Australian licence holder must obtain an Italian licence by examination: a theory test and a practical test.
• An EU licence obtained by converting an Australian licence elsewhere cannot then be converted or renewed in Italy.
• A notarised copy or an apostille does not create a conversion right.

Can I convert my Australian licence in Italy?

No. The ministry's page on converting foreign licences says that after one year of residence in Italy, you must convert a non-EU licence to keep driving, and that conversion is possible only if the country that issued the licence has signed a reciprocity agreement with Italy. If conversion is not possible, you must obtain the Italian licence by examination.

The ministry lists the non-EU countries whose licences can be converted: among them Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Morocco, Moldova, Monaco, the Philippines, South Korea, San Marino, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Australia is not there. Canada and the United States appear only in a separate list, for diplomatic and consular staff and their families.

Licence from	After a year of residence in Italy
An EU or EEA state	Treated like an Italian licence; convert when it expires, or under the EU rules
A reciprocity country, such as the UK or Japan	Convert without tests, within the period set by the agreement
Australia	No conversion; an Italian licence by examination

How long can I drive on my Australian licence?

The ministry says a person holding a licence from a non-EU, non-EEA state may drive the vehicles it covers for up to one year after acquiring residence in Italy. The licence must be current, and it must be accompanied by either:

• an International Driving Permit, issued by the state that issued the licence, which for you means Australia; or
• an official translation into Italian of the licence.

An IDP must come from Australia, so get it before you leave. An official translation in Italy generally means one certified in Italy, and a NAATI translation made in Australia may not be treated as one; the IDP is the simpler choice. Neither extends the year. Keep the Australian licence itself current throughout, because the ministry's rule applies only to a licence that is still valid; if it is due to expire while you are in Italy, check with your state or territory licensing authority whether you can renew it from overseas before you go.

What does the Italian licence by examination involve?

The ministry's page on obtaining a category B licence, the car licence, says the exams are a theory test and a practical driving test, with a minimum age of 18. The timing rules are strict:

1. Apply at the Motorizzazione Civile office on form TT2112, with ID, your Italian tax code, and a medical fitness receipt from an authorised doctor.
2. Sit the theory test: you have two attempts within six months of applying.
3. Receive the foglio rosa, the learner's authorisation, which is issued only after passing theory.
4. Complete the compulsory driving lessons: a certificate of at least six hours of practice at night and on motorways and main roads, at a driving school with a qualified instructor.
5. Sit the practical test: you have three attempts within eleven months, from the month after passing theory, in a dual-control car capable of at least 100 km/h.

The ministry lists additional documents for non-EU citizens and a residence requirement for obtaining a licence; the Motorizzazione Civile office or a driving school (autoscuola) will tell you what applies. We do not quote the fees.

If you also hold a UK or other convertible licence

Some Australians also hold a licence from a reciprocity country, for example a UK licence from earlier years there. That licence may be convertible even though the Australian one is not, but the ministry sets conditions. Conversion without further tests is possible only if the licence is current and was obtained before you took up residence in Italy, and the application must be made within a period after residence that depends on the agreement. Under the ministry's circular of 24 October 2023, that period is four years for some countries and six years for others, including the United Kingdom; after it, an application from those countries is refused. If you have such a licence, apply early rather than relying on the Australian one.

When does the year start?

The ministry's rule runs from when you acquire residence in Italy. For most people moving there, that is tied to registering as resident with the comune, the local council, which also underpins the tax code and many other steps. Keep a record of the date. If you are only visiting, without becoming resident, the one-year residence rule does not start, but you still need the IDP or translation with your licence.

The EU-licence trap

Some Australians think of a detour: convert the Australian licence in an EU country that accepts it, such as France, then use that EU licence in Italy. The ministry closes that door explicitly. Its page says it is not possible to renew or convert an EU or EEA licence issued by conversion where the original licence came from a non-EU state without reciprocity with Italy under article 136 of the Highway Code. It also says foreign licences obtained by converting another foreign licence that is not convertible in Italy cannot be converted.

In practice, a French licence obtained by exchanging an Australian one may let you drive in Italy while it is valid, as an EU licence, but when it needs renewing or converting in Italy, the Australian origin catches up with it. If you are planning a move through more than one European country, take that into account. Our guide to Italian visa documents covers the paperwork for the move itself.

Do I need a notary or an apostille?

No. Since Italy will not convert an Australian licence, there is no conversion file for a notarised copy or an apostille to support. A notarised copy of your licence does not make it valid in Italy for longer, and an apostille does not create a reciprocity agreement. What helps is an IDP before you leave Australia, and your Italian residence and tax code once you are there.

A notary is useful for other documents you may need for Italy, such as powers of attorney or apostilled certificates for residence and citizenship. Our guides to apostilles for Italy and notarising Italian documents explain those, and our guide to notarising a driver licence explains when a certified licence copy genuinely helps.

If you are an Italian citizen too

Many Australians moving to Italy hold Italian citizenship by descent. Citizenship does not change the licence rules: what matters is the country that issued the licence. An Italian citizen resident in Italy with an Australian licence is in the same position as anyone else, with a year from residence and then the Italian exams. If you are still working through citizenship, our guide to Italian citizenship by descent covers the documents.

An illustration

This is an illustration, not a real case. An Australian nurse moves to Bologna with her Italian-Australian husband and registers as resident in March. She arrives with an IDP from Australia and drives on her Australian licence. In May she enrols at an autoscuola, gets her medical certificate, and applies on form TT2112. She passes the theory test in June, receives the foglio rosa, completes the six hours of night and motorway lessons, and passes the practical test in October, months before her year of residence ends.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming Australia has an agreement because the UK and Japan do.
• Arriving without an IDP, which must be issued in Australia.
• Driving past a year of residence on the Australian licence.
• Converting in another EU country expecting Italy to accept it later.
• Missing the theory window: two attempts in six months from applying.
• Paying for a notarised copy or apostille that no Italian office has asked for.

In short

Italy does not convert Australian driver licences, because Australia has no reciprocity agreement with Italy. With an IDP from Australia or an official Italian translation, you can drive on your current Australian licence for a year after taking up residence. After that, you need an Italian licence by examination, through the theory and practical tests. A licence converted elsewhere in the EU does not get around this, and no notary step changes it. Our notarisation service covers the documents that do need one.

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If an Italian office has asked you for a document from Australia, send us what it asked for, and we will explain each step before you book.