Am I too late to convert UK licence to Italian one?
Discussion
Hi all
Been living in Italy since summer 2016, and driving here on my old UK licence which is registered to my parents' address. Now getting a wee bit concerned I've been stupid about it though.
I believed the "EU means you can keep your licence until it expires" spiel, not realising that only applies if nothing changes at all including losing the card. I lost it, and got a replacement from DVLA, twice so far. Not to mention that I updated the address to parents house after becoming an Italian resident, so that's 3 times I've had a UK photocard issued that it appears I'm not entitled to.
My wife is in the same position other than not losing hers, but she also updated the address after moving here.
And now it looks like there was always a 2 year deadline for conversion anyway, because our actual permission to drive is for life and the expiry date only applies to our photos. Had no idea until recently.
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/dri...
We are properly resident in Italy with a carta d'identita each, and our car is Italian registered (to my wife coz she moved here first) and insured. Been stopped by the carabinieri a couple of times but no problems, and paid one speeding fine that arrived in the post.
Does anyone have experience of what will happen if we go to the local Motorizzazione office, 'fess up, and ask for a conversion despite our licence issue dates being later than the ones on our carte d'identite? Is it better to try with ACI? I'm worried about either a massive fine, or just confiscating our licences on the spot.
My spoken Italian is far from pretty, but enough to communicate, if I look up the jargon and print out forms in advance
If the Motorizzazione confiscates our licences, can we get new ones from DVLA or is that it everywhere?
If we don't do anything, and keep going with our UK licences, are we likely to have trouble transferring the car to a new owner if we leave Italy? I already realise we would be in trouble if there was an accident.
Effect of Brexit on UK licences is impossible to fathom of course, but I do wish I'd just done the conversions up front...
Been living in Italy since summer 2016, and driving here on my old UK licence which is registered to my parents' address. Now getting a wee bit concerned I've been stupid about it though.
I believed the "EU means you can keep your licence until it expires" spiel, not realising that only applies if nothing changes at all including losing the card. I lost it, and got a replacement from DVLA, twice so far. Not to mention that I updated the address to parents house after becoming an Italian resident, so that's 3 times I've had a UK photocard issued that it appears I'm not entitled to.
My wife is in the same position other than not losing hers, but she also updated the address after moving here.
And now it looks like there was always a 2 year deadline for conversion anyway, because our actual permission to drive is for life and the expiry date only applies to our photos. Had no idea until recently.
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/dri...
We are properly resident in Italy with a carta d'identita each, and our car is Italian registered (to my wife coz she moved here first) and insured. Been stopped by the carabinieri a couple of times but no problems, and paid one speeding fine that arrived in the post.
Does anyone have experience of what will happen if we go to the local Motorizzazione office, 'fess up, and ask for a conversion despite our licence issue dates being later than the ones on our carte d'identite? Is it better to try with ACI? I'm worried about either a massive fine, or just confiscating our licences on the spot.
My spoken Italian is far from pretty, but enough to communicate, if I look up the jargon and print out forms in advance
If the Motorizzazione confiscates our licences, can we get new ones from DVLA or is that it everywhere?
If we don't do anything, and keep going with our UK licences, are we likely to have trouble transferring the car to a new owner if we leave Italy? I already realise we would be in trouble if there was an accident.
Effect of Brexit on UK licences is impossible to fathom of course, but I do wish I'd just done the conversions up front...
Edited by moyabrit on Friday 21st September 10:45
Edited by moyabrit on Friday 21st September 10:45
Hi,
I had changed my French license with the Italian one about 3 years after being resident here and no questions asked.
The process was quite simple actually.
IIRC I had to pass the medical examination (a 10 minutes affair) and then I brought the medical certificate together with the requested I.D. documents and French driving license to the Motorizzazione.
The only problem is that they will give you a receipt to drive until you receive the driving licence by post and -of course- this allows you to drive only in Italy, so think about this if you are planning a trip abroad.
HTH
I had changed my French license with the Italian one about 3 years after being resident here and no questions asked.
The process was quite simple actually.
IIRC I had to pass the medical examination (a 10 minutes affair) and then I brought the medical certificate together with the requested I.D. documents and French driving license to the Motorizzazione.
The only problem is that they will give you a receipt to drive until you receive the driving licence by post and -of course- this allows you to drive only in Italy, so think about this if you are planning a trip abroad.
HTH
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