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Canadian driver’s licenses in Italy

In Italy, holders of a valid Canadian driver’s licence may drive for up to 1 year, provided they also have an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an official sworn translation of the driver’s licence (Traduzione giurata).

International Driving Permits are issued in Canada by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) and must be procured before leaving Canada since it is not possible to get or renew IDPs abroad. Note that your Canadian driver’s licence must accompany the IDP at all times: the IDP alone is not sufficient to drive in Italy.

The International Driving Permit may be substituted by an official sworn translation of the driver’s licence (Traduzione giurata). To find out how to obtain an official sworn translation of your driver’s licence, you should liaise with the court (Procura) of the Italian city where you reside, who maintain updated lists of registered translators. Please note that the Embassy of Canada and its Consulates do not provide translation services.

Important: If you remain in Italy beyond 1 year, you must apply for an Italian driver's licence. To find out how to apply for an Italian driving licence, contact the driving school in the city where you are located.

Additional information

In 2017, Italy and Canada signed the Framework Agreement on the Reciprocal Recognition of Drivers’ Licences This was the first step for the conversion of Canadian drivers’ licences into Italian ones and vice versa.

In Canada, provinces and territories have exclusive authority on this matter. The reciprocal recognition depends on detailed agreements signed, or to be signed, between the Italian government and the Canadian provinces or territories.

To find out if the reciprocal recognition of driver’s licences is valid in the province or territory of your interest, contact one of the provincial or territorial authorities listed below:

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