Italian licence categories
Updated 2026-09-16
Italy has 15 driving licence categories, listed in article 116 of the Codice della Strada: AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE. Minimum ages, set by article 115, start at 14 for the AM moped permit and reach 24 for D buses and direct-access A motorcycles.
At what age can you get each licence?
| Category | Min. age | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|
| AM | 14 | Mopeds and light quadricycles |
| A1 | 16 | Light motorcycles |
| B1 | 16 | Heavy quadricycles |
| A2 | 18 | Mid-power motorcycles |
| B | 18 | Vehicles up to 3,500 kg |
| BE | 18 | Car with heavy trailer |
| C1 | 18 | Medium lorries |
| C1E | 18 | Medium lorries with trailer |
| A | 20 | Motorcycles without power limit |
| C | 21 | Lorries |
| CE | 21 | Articulated lorries and road trains |
| D1 | 21 | Minibuses |
| D1E | 21 | Minibuses with trailer |
| D | 24 | Buses |
| DE | 24 | Buses with trailer |
The law adds a few exceptions to these ages. The AM permit at 14 is valid only in Italy and without passengers. Category A is available at 20 only with A2 held for at least two years; without A2 the minimum age is 24, while A tricycles alone require 21. For C and CE the age drops to 18 for drivers who obtain the goods CQC (driver qualification card) after the standard initial qualification course, under art. 18 of D.Lgs. 286/2005; with accelerated training the limit stays at 21.
Which vehicles does each category cover?
| Category | Vehicles allowed | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AM | Two or three wheel mopeds up to 45 km/h and 50 cm³ (4 kW if electric); light quadricycles up to 350 kg unladen and 45 km/h. | At 14 only without passengers; from 16 a passenger is allowed if the vehicle is approved for two. |
| A1 | Motorcycles up to 125 cm³, 11 kW and 0.1 kW/kg; tricycles up to 15 kW. | An A1 holder can apply for accompanied car driving at 17. |
| B1 | Quadricycles up to 400 kg unladen (550 kg for goods) and 15 kW. | B1 also opens accompanied driving at 17. |
| A2 | Motorcycles up to 35 kW and 0.2 kW/kg, not derived from a version with more than double the power. | After two years of A2, category A is available from age 20. |
| B | Vehicles up to 3,500 kg with at most 8 passengers besides the driver; trailer up to 750 kg. | A heavier trailer is allowed if the combination stays within 3,500 kg, or 4,250 kg after a specific test. |
| BE | Category B towing vehicle with a trailer or semi-trailer up to 3,500 kg. | Needed when the combination exceeds what B alone allows. |
| C1 | Vehicles from 3,500 to 7,500 kg, at most 8 passengers besides the driver; trailer up to 750 kg. | Professional goods transport normally also needs the CQC. |
| C1E | C1 (or B) towing vehicle with a trailer over 750 kg (over 3,500 kg for B), combination up to 12,000 kg. | Requires C1. |
| A | Motorcycles of any power; tricycles over 15 kW (from 21). | 20 with A2 held for at least two years, otherwise 24 with direct access. |
| C | Vehicles over 3,500 kg, at most 8 passengers besides the driver; trailer up to 750 kg. | Age drops to 18 for drivers who obtain the goods CQC through the standard initial qualification course (D.Lgs. 286/2005, art. 18). |
| CE | C towing vehicle with a trailer or semi-trailer over 750 kg. | Requires C. |
| D1 | Vehicles for up to 16 passengers besides the driver and up to 8 metres long; trailer up to 750 kg. | Professional passenger transport normally needs the CQC. |
| D1E | D1 towing vehicle with a trailer over 750 kg. | Requires D1. |
| D | Vehicles for more than 8 passengers besides the driver; trailer up to 750 kg. | Professional passenger transport normally needs the CQC. |
| DE | D towing vehicle with a trailer over 750 kg. | Requires D. |
How do you move from one category to another?
An existing licence is extended to a new category through an application to the Motorizzazione office, a new medical assessment and an exam (art. 116, paragraph 6, CdS). Some categories require the lower one first: BE requires B, CE requires C, DE requires D. The usual motorcycle path is A1 at 16, A2 at 18 and A at 20.
- Medical visit: the certificate must be dated no more than three months before the application (art. 119, paragraph 3, CdS). See the guide to the licence medical visit.
- Application: filed with the Motorizzazione, directly or through a driving school, with the payments listed on the Portale dell'Automobilista.
- Theory exam, where the requested category requires one.
- Practical exam on a vehicle of that category. If the vehicle has an automatic gearbox, the licence will cover automatic vehicles only (art. 116, paragraph 5).
What limits apply to new B licence holders?
For the first three years after obtaining B, a new driver may not drive vehicles with a power to weight ratio above 75 kW per tonne and, for M1 cars, power above 105 kW (art. 117 CdS, as amended by law 177/2024). The permitted blood alcohol level in the same period is zero. More detail is in the new driver guide.
If a new driver in Cagliari, one year after passing B, drives the family car rated at 150 kW, he risks a fine of 165 to 660 euro and a licence suspension of two to eight months (article 117, paragraph 5, of the Codice della Strada).
What happens if...?
A 16 year old in Bari wants to carry a friend on a 50 cc scooter. With the AM permit obtained at 14 he could not carry passengers. Now that he is 16 he can, provided the moped is approved for two people, as shown on the registration document.
If a 19 year old in Verona who has held A2 for one year rides a 70 kW motorcycle, she risks a fine of 1,021 to 4,084 euro and a licence suspension of four to eight months (article 116, paragraph 15-bis, of the Codice della Strada). She can apply to extend to A only at 20, with A2 held for two years; until then she stays within 35 kW.
If a driver in Florence wants to tow a 1,300 kg caravan with an SUV whose maximum authorised mass is 2,400 kg, B alone is not enough: the combination reaches 3,700 kg, and with a trailer over 750 kg a B licence allows combinations up to 4,250 kg only after the specific test (article 116, paragraph 3, letter b, of the Codice della Strada). Otherwise he needs BE.
A 17 year old in Turin with an A1 licence wants to practise in a car. A parent files the authorisation request with the Motorizzazione. After at least ten hours at a driving school (four on motorways or extra-urban roads and two at night), he can drive with a companion who has held B for at least ten years, in a car marked "GA" and with no other passengers (art. 115, paragraph 1-bis onwards).
What are the most common mistakes?
- Confusing the B trailer limit (750 kg) with the combination limit (3,500 kg): what counts is the maximum authorised mass on the registration document, not the actual load.
- Assuming A2 turns into A automatically after two years: the extension procedure at the Motorizzazione is still required.
- Driving a microcar heavier than a light quadricycle with only the AM permit.
- Forgetting that professional use of C and D also requires the CQC, save for the exemptions in D.Lgs. 286/2005.
- Taking the practical test in an automatic without realising the licence will stay limited to that type of vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
How many licence categories are there in Italy?
There are 15: AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B, BE, C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE. The list and the vehicles allowed for each are set by article 116, paragraph 3, of the Codice della Strada.
At what age can you get a B licence?
At 18 (art. 115 CdS). At 17, a holder of an A1 or B1 licence can ask the Motorizzazione for accompanied driving authorisation on cars up to 3.5 t, after at least ten hours of lessons at a driving school.
What is the difference between A2 and A?
A2 limits the motorcycle to 35 kW and 0.2 kW per kg. A has no power limit and can be obtained at 20 if A2 has been held for at least two years, otherwise at 24.
Is the AM licence enough for a microcar?
Yes, if the vehicle is a light quadricycle: up to 350 kg unladen, 45 km/h top speed and up to 50 cm³ or 4 kW. Heavier quadricycles need B1 or B.
When is BE needed?
When a trailer over 750 kg is attached to the car and the combination exceeds 3,500 kg. B alone covers combinations up to 4,250 kg only after a specific practical test, recorded with an EU code on the licence.
What changes if the practical test is taken with an automatic gearbox?
The licence then covers only vehicles with an automatic gearbox, meaning no clutch pedal or lever (art. 116, paragraph 5, CdS).
How long is a licence valid in each category?
AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B and BE are valid 10 years up to age 50, then 5 years up to 70, 3 years up to 80 and 2 years after that. C1, C1E, C and CE are valid 5 years up to 65. D1, D1E, D and DE are valid 5 years (art. 126 CdS).
Sources: Codice della Strada, article 116; Codice della Strada, article 115; Codice della Strada, articles 117 and 126; D.Lgs. 18 April 2011, n. 59; Portale dell'Automobilista.