Italian police issuing more fines for driving without an International Driving Permit

The Italian police seem to be increasing enforcement of International Driving Permit requirements for foreign drivers. Driving without an IDP in Italy is punishable by a fine of €408 to €1,634 (Article 135 of the Codice della Strada), and we’ve recently seen a significant uptick in the number of American tourists reporting to us that they were fined for driving without an IDP.

Just last weekend, the American owner of a $1M classic car that was in Italy for a car show was fined for driving without an International Driving Permit. You can see the full story here.

We haven’t seen any change recently with the behavior of rental car companies; it’s still a tossup whether they will require tourists to present an IDP before renting them a car. However, it’s the police that have recently become more strict about enforcing the rule that foreign drivers must have an IDP to drive.

It’s not a sure deal that you’ll get caught, but it’s always best to play it safe. If you’re still in the US and have the time to go to a AAA office in person, you can get an official IDP directly from AAA. However, if you're unable to visit AAA yourself or you're already abroad, we can help! We will obtain your IDP and ship it to you as quickly as next-day for domestic shipments or 2 days to Italy. You can apply for an expedited IDP on our website: fastidp.com. 

Check out our blog post about driving in Italy, and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions!

Don't forget to get an IDP before driving in Italy - the pope might be watching! I took this picture last summer in Florence after the decal on the back window gave me a laugh. (Take a second look if you missed it.)