UK driving licence: recognition and exchange in Italy

After Brexit, the use and exchange of a UK driving licence follow specific rules. The MIT lists an agreement valid until 30 March 2028 and a six-year period from the date of residency.

Recognition and exchange are two separate questions

A valid UK licence may be recognised for driving in Italy under the applicable conditions, but temporary recognition is not the same as exchanging it for an Italian document. For exchanges of UK licences, the MIT lists an agreement valid until 30 March 2028, which may be extended after consultations. It covers Great Britain and Northern Ireland and, according to the Ministry, also applies to Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey.

The MIT gives a six-year period from the date you establish residency in Italy to apply for an exchange. Check your official residency date and the exact origin of the document before booking. A licence issued in an associated territory may be subject to conditions in the ministerial table; an English-language document alone is not enough.

Documents and categories

Apply to the UMC with the current form, identity document, tax code, original licence, valid medical certificate and PagoPA receipt. The Portale table lists any specific translation or verification requirements for the United Kingdom. Also check the categories and dates of issue: equivalence is determined by the agreement and cannot be inferred from the category name printed on the document alone.

If your UK licence was exchanged from a third-country licence or contains codes or restrictions, tell the office before booking. The UMC may request clarification from the issuing authority. Some certificates are valid only for a short time, so arrange the medical examination close to your appointment and follow the current forms.

After you apply

Ask the Motorization Office what will happen to your UK document during the process and whether you may drive in the meantime under the document you hold. Do not treat an appointment or submission receipt as a permit. Keep the protocol number and copies, and ask how to receive updates if international verification takes time.

Before driving, check that your licence is valid and that any period tied to your residency has elapsed. If the exchange window has passed or the agreement has ended, ask the UMC whether you must obtain an Italian licence by taking the test. Agreements can expire or change: check the MIT page again before starting your application.

A targeted check

Before contacting the office, gather three details: your residency date in Italy, the territory and authority that issued your licence, and its categories and restrictions. Use these to ask whether your document can be exchanged and which row of the document table applies. This is more useful than a general question and reduces the risk of applying rules for another country.

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