Italy tightens rules for cars with foreign license plates
Italy is preparing new requirements for cars with foreign license plates that are permanently used in the country. Vehicles subject to registration in the REVE foreign vehicle registry may be required to have civil liability insurance issued by an Italian insurance company or by an insurer officially authorized to operate in Italy.
The provision is included in the basic text of the new highway code, reports ANSA.
The document is not yet a definitively approved law. Industry associations must submit their comments by September 13, after which the draft will be revised. The final text is planned to be presented to the government for approval in the autumn.
The main goal of the changes is to combat the so-called esterovestizione: the practice of a person actually using a car permanently in Italy while formally the vehicle is registered abroad. The authorities believe that such a scheme can be used to reduce insurance and tax costs, as well as hinder the collection of fines.
Who will be affected by the new rules
The key factor will not be the mere fact of having a foreign license plate, but whether the car falls under the registration requirements in REVE – Registro dei Veicoli Esteri.
Under current rules, if a person resides in Italy and uses a car registered abroad for more than 30 days in a calendar year – including with interruptions – information about such use must in certain cases be entered into REVE.
Stricter requirements apply to owners. As ACI explains, a person who has obtained residency in Italy must, as a rule, register their foreign-owned car in Italy within three months.
According to the proposed changes, after registration of the car in REVE, it will require insurance coverage from a company registered in Italy or officially authorized to provide insurance services on the Italian market.
Thus, this is not a requirement for every tourist entering Italy with a foreign-plated vehicle. The main target of the new rules is cars that are actually used in the country on a permanent basis.
Why the authorities are targeting foreign license plates
The problem became most visible with cars on Polish plates, especially in Naples and other areas of Campania. That is why Italian media call the upcoming changes a fight against the "Polish plates" phenomenon.
According to Italian media reports, about 53 thousand cars with foreign plates falling under the relevant rules are registered in the country, tens of thousands of which are used in the Naples area. Polish and Czech registrations are mentioned among the common foreign registrations.
The popularity of the scheme is attributed, among other things, to high car insurance prices in some southern regions of Italy. Registering a car abroad could significantly reduce costs.
The problem also has practical consequences. According to Rai News, in 2025 alone, around 5 thousand accidents involving cars with Polish plates occurred in Naples and its province. Approximately half of those vehicles, according to the Italian Central Bureau of Insurers, did not have valid insurance coverage. The amount of compensation paid to victims was estimated at around 15 million euros.
Inspections of Polish cars have already been stepped up
Even before the adoption of the new highway code, Italy expanded its ability to inspect foreign vehicles. Since August 13, Italian law enforcement has gained direct access to Polish government databases.
Police can now check in real time the registration documents of cars with Polish plates, the presence of an insurance policy, and driver's licenses issued in Poland.
In Naples, authorities have also begun targeted checks on cars with foreign plates. When fictitious foreign registration or other violations are detected, drivers may be fined and vehicles may be subject to administrative seizure.
What matters for Ukrainians in Italy
The new requirements should not be automatically applied to all cars with Ukrainian plates. Separate rules apply to Ukrainian citizens in Italy under temporary protection.
According to the clarification of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, Ukrainians with a valid temporary protection permit can, subject to certain conditions, obtain special EE registration plates for one car they own. Their validity is tied to the duration of temporary protection.
At the same time, for cars that Ukrainians residing in Italy use but do not own, in certain cases there is already an obligation to register in REVE.
Therefore, the practical impact of the new requirement on Ukrainians will depend on the final version of the law, the status of the car owner, and the method of its registration. Until the document is approved, the current rules for insurance and use of foreign-plated cars continue to apply.
