New drivers: speed limits during the first three years

For the first three years after obtaining an A2, A, B1 or B licence, the maximum speed is 100 km/h on motorways and 90 km/h on main extra-urban roads. The period starts on the date the relevant category is obtained.

Which licences and when the period starts

Article 117 of the Italian Highway Code applies to holders of A2, A, B1 and B licences during the first three years after the category is granted. This is a speed rule, separate from restrictions on the power of a vehicle. For example, a driver who has held a B licence for eight months must stay at or below 100 km/h on a motorway and 90 km/h on a main extra-urban road, even when the car is capable of going faster.

The period is counted from the date the licence category is obtained, not from the first journey or the date a car is purchased. If you hold more than one category or have added a category, keep the dates shown on your documents and ask the local Motorizzazione (UMC) how the rule applies to your circumstances. Do not confuse this period with new-driver restrictions on vehicle power and power-to-tare ratio, which have their own scope and duration.

Road classification matters

The reduced speed caps apply on motorways and main extra-urban roads. A road commonly called a tangenziale, or ring road, does not automatically belong to either class. Check the road’s legal classification and the signs on the specific stretch, as well as any lower local limit. Do not infer its class from its everyday name, number of lanes or central barrier.

On other roads, the general limit for that type of road applies unless signs set a different one. A maximum is not a target: traffic, visibility, weather and vehicle condition can require a lower speed. For instance, if an Italian motorway section is signed at 110 km/h, the applicable ceiling for a driver still within the three-year period remains 100 km/h. In a built-up area, follow the limit signed there, which may be lower. Observe signs marking the beginning and end of a road class, and slow down whenever conditions require it.

To review speed limits and road rules, Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers chapter-based study, exam quizzes, review of incorrect answers and progress statistics. Use it to reinforce theory; always adapt your actual speed to the road and current conditions.