Countries › Italy
Italy
At a glance
- Traffic
- on the right
- Currency
- EUR
- Plugs
- types C, F, L · 230 V
- Emergency
- 112
Entering the country
- Schengen Area: 90 days in any 180-day period, all Schengen countries counted together.
- Passport valid at least 3 months after you leave Schengen and issued less than 10 years ago.
- EES: fingerprints and photo taken on your first entry into Schengen, then checked at each crossing (system in place since 2025-2026).
- ETIAS: online travel authorisation, planned for late 2026; check whether it's in force before you go.
Driver and insurance
- International Driving Permit required with your Canadian or US licence (CAA, AAA).
- Insurance: your North American policy isn't valid here. You need European insurance for a vehicle registered outside Europe, with its green card.
Speed limits
| Town | Road | Motorway | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car, light RV | 50 | 90 | 130 |
| With a trailer or caravan | 50 | 70 | 80 |
In km/h. Signs always take precedence.
Tolls and vignettes Toll booths
Toll motorways ("autostrada"): ticket on entry, pay on exit (credit card, or Telepass tag in the yellow lanes). Mont Blanc and Fréjus tunnels: separate, pricey toll.
Low-emission zones
ZTL (limited traffic zones) in almost every city centre: cameras, fines mailed months later, foreign plates included. Never pass a lit ZTL sign. Milan: Area B and Area C (old diesels banned).
Boondocking Tolerated depending on the spot
Wild camping is generally banned; sleeping in a legally parked motorhome is allowed by the highway code, unless locally banned (common on the coast). Many "area sosta camper" stopovers.
Mandatory equipment
- Reflective vest, within reach
- Warning triangle
- Overhanging load panel (bike rack)
- Country-of-registration sticker (CDN or USA) on the back
Winter : Winter tires required from November 15 to April 15.
Good to know
- Bike rack or load sticking out at the back: square red-and-white reflective panel (50 × 50 cm) required.
- November 15 to April 15: winter tires or chains on board on much of the network (signed).
- Dipped headlights required in daytime outside towns.
Famous routes
Frequently asked questions
- Italy: what do you need to enter the country with your vehicle?
- Schengen Area: 90 days in any 180-day period, all Schengen countries counted together. Passport valid at least 3 months after you leave Schengen and issued less than 10 years ago. EES: fingerprints and photo taken on your first entry into Schengen, then checked at each crossing (system in place since 2025-2026). ETIAS: online travel authorisation, planned for late 2026; check whether it's in force before you go. International Driving Permit required with your Canadian or US licence (CAA, AAA). Insurance: your North American policy isn't valid here. You need European insurance for a vehicle registered outside Europe, with its green card.
- Italy: what are the speed limits?
- Car and light RV: 50 in town, 90 on rural roads, 130 on motorways (km/h). With a trailer or caravan: 70 on rural roads, 80 on motorways.
- Italy: do you need a vignette or pay tolls?
- Toll motorways ("autostrada"): ticket on entry, pay on exit (credit card, or Telepass tag in the yellow lanes). Mont Blanc and Fréjus tunnels: separate, pricey toll.
- Italy: are there low emission zones?
- ZTL (limited traffic zones) in almost every city centre: cameras, fines mailed months later, foreign plates included. Never pass a lit ZTL sign. Milan: Area B and Area C (old diesels banned).
- Italy: is wild camping allowed?
- Tolerated depending on the spot. Wild camping is generally banned; sleeping in a legally parked motorhome is allowed by the highway code, unless locally banned (common on the coast). Many "area sosta camper" stopovers.
- Italy: what equipment is required in the vehicle?
- Reflective vest, within reach, Warning triangle, Overhanging load panel (bike rack), Country-of-registration sticker (CDN or USA) on the back. Winter tires required from November 15 to April 15.