Requirements
New driver: how to check whether a car is allowed
Enter the registration plate in the official service linked by MIT and check the current rules that apply to new B licence holders.
MIT directs drivers to the Portale dell’Automobilista online service: enter a vehicle’s registration plate to check whether a new B licence holder may drive it. Read the result alongside the duration of the restriction, exceptions, licence date and current vehicle data.
Use the official checker
For recent B licence holders, MIT provides a new-driver limits checker through the Portale dell’Automobilista. Enter the plate of the vehicle you plan to drive and read the result. Use the exact plate, including letters and numbers, and check that you selected the right category. A mistyped plate may refer to a different vehicle or produce no useful result.
The checker does not replace the law or resolve every personal circumstance. The new power limits introduced by Law 177/2024 apply to B licences obtained from 14 December 2024; earlier licences remain under the previous rules. Under the new regime, a power-to-mass limit applies for three years and M1 passenger cars also have a maximum power cap. Exceptions apply in defined cases, such as vehicles serving a person with a disability under specified conditions. Check current MIT guidance and do not rely on a result saved months ago without confirming the vehicle and rules are unchanged.
What the check does not prove
The plate result concerns the new-driver limits for that vehicle; it does not check every condition for driving. You still need a valid licence and must follow personal restrictions, insurance, inspection and road conditions. If the vehicle has been modified, the checker may return data that do not match its actual configuration. Compare the registration document and approval details, and ask the licensing office or owner for clarification.
If the checker says the car is not allowed, do not rely on a rough calculation of power or engine size: the relevant data are vehicle-specific, and these measurements are not interchangeable. If the result is inconclusive, repeat the check and contact the portal or motorisation office with the plate and documents. Theory study can explain the rules, but only the official vehicle-specific plate check resolves that search result.
Quiz Patente Ufficiale lets you review rules by chapter, take quizzes, read explanations and revisit mistakes and statistics; use the official plate checker for a specific car.
Frequently asked questions
Does a plate check alone mean I am fully compliant?
No. Also check licence validity, personal restrictions, vehicle documents and other road-use conditions.
Can I check the car using its engine size?
No. The MIT service uses the plate and relevant vehicle data; engine size does not replace the required power figures.