📌 In short: An Italian A/B licence renews every 10 years until age 50, then every 5 (50–70), every 3 (70–80) and every 2 years past 80 — expiry falls on your birthday, and you can renew from 4 months before. You need a medical examination plus the €26.20 PagoPA payment (€10.20 fees + €16 stamp duty): realistic totals are €60–90 via the ASL, €100–130 through a driving school or agency. Driving on an expired licence costs €158–638.
Sources: art. 126 Italian Highway Code, Portale dell'Automobilista (tariff N004), ASL/ACI, specialist guides cited in the text
How often you renew: the age table
| Holder's age | A/B licence validity |
|---|
| Up to 50 | 10 years |
| 50 to 70 | 5 years |
| 70 to 80 | 3 years |
| Over 80 | 2 years |
Since 2012 expiry has been pegged to your birthday, which makes it easy to remember. Professional categories run tighter cycles: C renews every 5 years until 65, then every 2 (with the medical board), D every 5 years until 60, then annually.
What it really costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|
| PagoPA tariff N004 (€10.20 Motorizzazione fees + €16 stamp duty) | €26.20 |
| Medical examination | €40–100 (varies by structure and region) |
| Postal delivery of the new licence | €6.80 |
| Passport photo | €3–8 |
| Total via the ASL | ≈ €60–90 |
| Total via driving school / agency / ACI | ≈ €100–130 (they handle the paperwork) |
How the procedure works
- Book the medical visit at the ASL, an ACI office, a driving school or an authorised agency — you can start 4 months before expiry.
- Pay the €26.20 PagoPA (tariff N004 "Rinnovo patente") on the Portale dell'Automobilista or through the structure you chose.
- Bring: the expiring licence, an ID document, your codice fiscale, a recent photo and the payment receipt.
- The examination: eyesight (at least 7/10 combined), hearing (conversation at 2 metres) and general fitness. The result is transmitted electronically and the doctor issues a receipt that serves as a temporary licence for driving in Italy.
- The new licence arrives by post, normally within about a fortnight.
Expired licence: what you risk
Driving on an expired licence is sanctioned by art. 126 of the Highway Code: a fine of €158–638 plus withdrawal of the licence until it is renewed. Mind the insurance angle too: after a crash, the insurer compensates third parties but can claim the money back from you. The licence itself, however, does not lapse: you can renew at any time with the same procedure and no re-examination — you merely lose the right to drive in the meantime. Professional drivers should remember the CQC has its own expiry (5 years, renewed with a 35-hour course). If you hold a foreign licence instead, the path is different — see our guide to converting a foreign licence in Italy.
Three practical tips
- Move at the 4-month mark: ASL waiting lists (the cheapest route) can be long; agencies and driving schools cost more but close the file in a day.
- Glasses or lenses? Bring them to the visit: if you need them to drive, harmonised code 01 appears on the licence — and driving without them is a fine.
- New driver with a licence about to expire? Renewal does not reset the new-driver restrictions: those follow the 3 years from obtaining the licence, not the document's validity.
❓ Frequently asked questions
How often does an Italian B licence renew?
Every 10 years until age 50, every 5 between 50 and 70, every 3 between 70 and 80, and every 2 past 80. Expiry falls on your birthday and renewal can start 4 months early.
How much does renewing an Italian licence cost?
The fixed PagoPA payment is €26.20 (€10.20 fees + €16 stamp duty), plus the medical visit (€40–100), delivery (€6.80) and a photo. Realistic totals: €60–90 via the ASL, €100–130 through a school or agency.
What happens if I drive on an expired Italian licence?
A fine of €158–638 and withdrawal of the licence until renewal (art. 126); after a crash the insurer can reclaim payouts from you. The licence doesn't lapse though — it can be renewed at any time without re-examination.
What does the renewal medical examination check?
Eyesight (at least 7/10 combined), hearing (conversation at 2 metres), vital parameters and the absence of conditions incompatible with driving. The doctor's receipt serves as a temporary licence in Italy.
Can I drive right after the renewal medical visit?
Yes: the doctor's receipt acts as a provisional permit within Italy until the new card arrives by post, normally within about two weeks.
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