Renting a Car in Italy – Top Things to Know

Some of the best moments of our trips to Italy have happened because we had a car. The trullo we found down an unmarked road in Puglia. The rifugio with the most stupendous view of the Dolomites where we stopped for coffee and stayed for lunch. The coastal lookout in Sicily that appeared around a bend and made us consider moving there.

You do not find those places on generic “must see lists” of the usual tourist sites. Renting a car in Italy is often what gets you to the version of the country that takes your breath away.

That being said, arriving unprepared can be genuinely stressful. Fines that arrive a year after your trip. Historic zones you should not have entered. A long line at the rental counter on day one. Here is what you need to know before you book, from someone who has been on Italian roads more times than she can count.

Should You Rent a Car in Italy? A Region-by-Region Answer

Ask yourself this question before anything else. The answer is not the same for every Italian trip.

• Leave the car behind for: Rome, Florence, Venice, Milan, and Naples. These cities have workable public transport, expensive and scarce parking, and ZTL restricted zones that catch visitors out regularly. The train between major cities is excellent and often faster than driving. Save yourself the stress.The same applies to popular coastal regional areas including the Cinque Terre where road access is extremely limited, a car can be a hassle while trains and boats work well. The Amalfi Coast is spectacular to drive, but there is only one main road that often crawls to a halt and the local authorities restrict cars during peak summer months. So check current rules before you commit.

• A car is essential for: Puglia, the Dolomites, rural Tuscany and Umbria, inland Sicily, the Italian Lakes if you are visiting more than one, Sardinia, Calabria, and Basilicata. These regions are either poorly connected by public transport or too spread out to explore well without your own wheels. An Italy road trip through any of these areas is not a luxury. It is the trip. The further you travel from the major cities, the more a car stops being optional. 

If you decide to hire a car in Italy, it is important to be prepared by understanding local laws, culture and quirks to avoid disappointment and unnecessary expenses. 

1. Who Can Hire a Car in Italy: Age and Eligibility

Before you book, confirm you meet the requirements. Most Italian rental companies set the minimum age at 21, though some accept drivers from 18. Drivers under 25 typically pay a young driver surcharge on top of the daily rate. Some companies add a fee for drivers over 70. Check the specific policy before you commit as it affects your total cost.

You must have held your license for at least one year. Most Italian providers require a credit card in the main driver's name for the security deposit and debit cards are not widely accepted. Confirm this before you arrive at the counter.

2. Book Early, Especially for Automatic Cars in Italy

This is the one piece of advice I give everyone planning to drive in Italy. Book your car rental early. Automatic cars are genuinely scarce in the Italian car rental market. Most vehicles are manual transmission, and supply has not kept pace with demand from international visitors who do not drive manual. If you want an automatic, booking three to four months ahead for summer travel is sensible. For popular airports like Rome Fiumicino or Venice Marco Polo, earlier is better.

An automatic costs roughly 10 to 15 percent more per day than an equivalent manual. On mountain roads, the Dolomites in particular,that premium is worth every euro. If you are not comfortable with a manual on steep winding passes, do not try to learn on them.

3. Italy Car Rental Costs: What to Budget Beyond the Daily Rate

Rental prices in Italy vary considerably by season, car class, and how far in advance you book. According to Booking.com's car rental data, economy vehicles start from around $15 to $20 a day at the budget end, while premium cars average $53 a day across Italy.

Rates climb sharply in summer when peak-season demand in popular regions pushes prices well above those averages. Automatic transmission adds roughly 10 to 15 percent to the daily rate, and airport pick-up sometimes carries a small location surcharge.The daily rate, though, is not the full picture.

Budget for:

• Fuel: Petrol (benzina) and diesel typically cost between 1.70 and 1.90 euros per liter. Most rental cars run on diesel so check the fuel type before you drive away. 
• Motorway tolls: Italy's autostrade is extensive and toll-bearing, particularly in the north. Use the official toll calculator to estimate costs before you leave home. Tolls can be paid by cash or credit card at booths. Debit cards are sometimes rejected even on international networks, so keep cash available.
• Free Flow electronic tolls: Certain roads around Milan use a fully electronic system with no physical booths. Payment is made online. Miss it, and your rental company is billed at a premium rate and passes the charge directly to you. We found this out the hard way. Learn more: Free Flow electronic tolls
• Parking: In major cities, expect 25 to 40 euros per day for central parking. Secure underground car parks cost more but are worth it, particularly if you have luggage in the vehicle.
• One-way fees: Picking up in Rome and returning in Florence can attract a significant surcharge. Auto Europe generally offers the most competitive one-way rates.
• Child car seats: Available from most companies at an additional daily cost. Book them in advance but it is better to bring your own as the quality may not be to your standard.

4. Which Italy Car Rental Sites and Companies to Use

We use two platforms consistently and recommend them to our trip planning clients: Car Rental by Booking.com for breadth of choice, and Auto Europe for one-way rentals and longer stays.

When it comes to companies, we lean toward the major international names such as Hertz, Europcar, Avis, and Sixt. The pick-up process is more predictable, support when something goes wrong is more reliable, and insurance terms are clearer.

We have also used Italian companies with no problems in the past however it is worth noting at least one of our party speaks fluent Italian. One note: Enterprise operates in Italy under the name Locauto. If Locauto appears in your search results, it is the same company and worth considering.

5. Where to Pick Up Your Rental Car in Italy

Almost always: an airport is the best choice for both pick up and return. Italy's airports are well serviced with car rental options. 

Airport pick-up locations sit outside congested historic centers, carry larger fleets, and spare you the stress of navigating unfamiliar city traffic on day one with an unfamiliar car. City center locations can work, but you risk driving straight into a ZTL historic zone before you have turned out of the street. Start your Italy road trip as stress free as possible especially if you are driving straight after a long flight.

6. Italy Car Rental Requirements: The Documents You Need

If you are traveling from outside the EU and Schengen Zone, including visitors from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and most of the rest of the world, you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your standard license.

The IDP is a translation of your home license, not a replacement for it. You need both documents with you at all times. You cannot get an IDP once you are in Italy. Arrange it before you travel through your national automobile association.

• US: Apply for your IDP through AAA online or at a local branch. Around $20, takes minutes.
• Australia: Via your state automobile club (NRMA, RACV, RACQ depending on your state).
• Canada: Via the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA).
• UK: Not required but it is not a bad idea to have one. You can arrange via the Post Office or the AA. Around £5.50.

The rental company may or may not ask for it at pick-up. That is not the point. If police stop you without one, fines of several hundred euros apply. If you are in an accident without it, your insurance can be invalidated. I know people this has happened to and increasingly we are hearing of travelers denied cars when they cannot produce their IDP when they try to pick up their rental car. Arrange it before you go.

7. Understanding Italy Car Rental Insurance

Basic Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) is mandatory in Italy and is included in all car hire rates. It covers liability for injury, property damage, and related costs while driving.
What CDW does not always cover is the excess — meaning you remain liable for damage up to a set amount. Read exactly what your policy includes and consider whether a comprehensive travel insurance policy closes the gap.

On credit card insurance: many travelers assume their card's rental car benefit applies in Italy. Because CDW is mandatory and already included in the Italian rental rate, you cannot waive it, which typically negates the credit card benefit entirely. Call your card provider before you travel to confirm what specifically applies in Italy.
We take out travel insurance for all our trips. Worldnomads works well for most travelers under 70. For those over 70, Travel Insurance Master allows comparison across multiple providers.

8. Driving Rules in Italy Every Rental Driver Should Know

The full Codice Stradale (Italy's official road rules) are available online. Here is what matters most for international rental drivers:

• Drive on the right
• All passengers must wear seatbelts at all times
• Blood alcohol limit is 0.05%, roughly one standard drink for most adults. For drivers who have held their license fewer than three years, the limit is zero
• Turning right on a red light is illegal
• Headlights must be on at all times on motorways and outside built-up areas
• Carry your ID, rental agreement, insurance documents, a warning triangle, reflective jackets, and headlamp deflectors at all times. The rental company provides everything except your personal documents.
• Speed limits: Built-up areas 50 km/h, regular roads 90 km/h, motorways 130 km/h.
• Speed cameras: Italy uses the Safety Tutor system on the autostrade. It calculates average speed between two fixed points, not just at a single camera. This system has expanded to regular roads as well. Do not speed.
• Snow chains: Between November 15 and April 15, Italian law requires you to carry snow chains or have winter tyres fitted, regardless of where you are driving in Italy. Ask at pick-up and confirm they are in the car before you leave.

For more information read Italy's highway code.

9. ZTL Zones in Italy: The Fine That Arrives Long After You Get Home

ZTL stands for Zona a Traffico Limitato. These restricted zones protect historic city centers from through traffic and are enforced by automatic cameras in almost every Italian city of any size. When your plate is captured, your rental company is billed automatically. They pass the charge to you, usually with an administration fee on top. Notices can arrive up to two years after your trip.

The practical rule: do not drive into city centers. Park at the outskirts and walk in, or take public transport. If your accommodation is inside a ZTL, contact them before you arrive. Some properties can register your plate for a temporary exemption, but only if arranged in advance so never assume it has been done.

Navigation apps including Google Maps sometimes route you through ZTL zones without any warning. The car's built-in GPS is generally better at avoiding them, though not infallible. When in any doubt, check ZTL boundaries before you set out.

10. GPS and Navigation: What to Know Before You Drive in Italy

GPS can take you only so far. This is something we have learned the hard way more than once in Italy. We can laugh about it now but being wedged between two walls in Sicily with a couple of tired children in the back has made me curse Google maps on more than one occasion.

Countryside roads and medieval hilltop towns do not always behave the way a navigation app expects. Roads that look perfectly driveable on screen are sometimes physically impassable. Others end in a five-point-turn situation on a lane barely wider than the vehicle.

Use Google Maps or Apple Maps as a general guide, but pay close attention to the area around you and use common sense. For rural destinations, ask your accommodation for detailed local directions before you leave. And carry a physical map as a backup in areas with limited mobile signal. It is not a nostalgic gesture in Italy. Occasionally, it is the thing that saves you.

11. Choosing the Right Car for Italian Roads

Italian roads are narrower than most visitors expect. Particularly in the south. Particularly in medieval towns. Rent the smallest car that comfortably fits your group and luggage.

• Dolomites and mountain regions: Reasonable torque makes the climbs more comfortable. An automatic transmission is worth the premium here.
• City periphery driving: A compact automatic is ideal and significantly easier to park.
• Larger groups: Think carefully before going big. A van gives you space but becomes a liability in historic town centers where spots are designed for Fiat Pandas, not people carriers.
• On electric vehicles: the charging network is improving but remains inconsistent in rural areas. If your accommodation has no charger and you are spending time in the countryside, we would not recommend an EV at this stage.

12. Picking Up Your Rental Car in Italy: Do This Before You Drive Away

• Walk around the entire car and photograph every panel including the roof before you accept it. Use timestamps. Do not rely solely on the rental company's condition report. Anything you did not document becomes your problem.
• Confirm the fuel type before you start the engine. Putting petrol in a diesel car, or the reverse, is an expensive mistake and more common than you would think.
• Familiarise yourself with the controls before leaving the car park. Italian cars are sometimes configured differently from what you drive at home.
• Know the emergency numbers: Police 113, Fire Brigade 115, Ambulance 118.
• In the event of an accident, report it to police within 48 hours. A CAI form (Constatazione Amichevole di Incidente) should be in the glove box. Photograph it. Keep the original safe.

13. Parking in Italy: The Practical Reality

Blue-lined spaces are paid parking. White lines are generally free, though always check local signs. Yellow lines are reserved.

Italian street parking follows its own logic. Double-parking, footpath parking, and improvised spaces are common. On narrow streets it is entirely possible to return to your car and find it blocked by a vehicle parked directly behind it. Underground car parks are more predictable and worth the cost.

In cities, plan your parking before you leave your accommodation. Parking at the outskirts and walking or taking public transport in is almost always less stressful than attempting to park centrally in any town and especially big cities like Rome, Florence, or Naples.

14. Returning Your Car Hire in Italy

Read the fuel policy before you reach the return desk. Most rentals operate full-to-full, meaning you return the car at the same fuel level as when you collected it. Failing to do so triggers a refuelling charge substantially higher than pump prices. Do not leave the fill-up to the last moment. Fuel stations in smaller towns close early.

Inspect the car yourself before handing over the keys. Ask an agent to sign off the return in your presence where possible. Dropping a car after hours without an agent present has occasionally led to disputed damage claims that are difficult to resolve from home.

When Renting a Car Is Not the Right Choice in Italy

Even for confident, experienced drivers, there are trips where a car makes things harder. The Amalfi Coast between May and September is genuinely stressful to drive and not the experience you imagined. Cinque Terre is best seen by foot, train, and boat. And if your itinerary is primarily city-based, Italy's train network connects the major destinations faster and more pleasantly than any road. Read our full guide to transportation in Italy for all the options.

FAQ: Renting a Car in Italy

Your Italy Is Waiting

Some of the best roads in Italy have barely made it to a map. They are ones that drop down through olive groves to a town you were not looking for (but that you might find on the Untold Italy app). The ones that wind up to a hilltop where the only other cars belong to people who live there. The ones where you pull over not because you planned to, but because you simply have to.

Italy is more than a checklist. It always has been. The version worth having is not the one assembled from search results and top-ten lists. It is the one built around what you actually love: the food, the landscape, the history, the atmosphere of a particular afternoon in a particular place.

That Italy is yours. We open the door to it.

Our trip planning consultants have collectively spent decades on Italian roads, in Italian kitchens, and in the kind of places that do not make the obvious lists. If you are planning a driving trip and want to know which regions to base yourself in, which roads are worth taking, and how to build an itinerary that leaves room for the unexpected, we would love to help.

talk to a trip planning consultant

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