Italy on a Japanese Licence — The Side Switch & the ZTL Camera Trap

Two things will cost a Japanese driver more than anything else in Italy, and neither is about whether your licence is accepted. One is the direction of traffic. The other is a camera system that mails fines to your rental company weeks after you have left.

The licence question first

Article 135 of the Italian Highway Code allows a Japanese licence when it comes with an international driving permit or an official Italian translation. Japan can only issue the 1949 Geneva version of the permit, and Italy accepts it, so you do not have to choose between versions. Apply at your licence centre in Japan before you fly; it cannot be obtained in Italy. Carry the permit, the licence and your passport together.

The cost of skipping this is high. The Italian reference table puts the fine for driving without the right document at EUR 408 to EUR 1,634. It is cheaper to spend a morning at the licence centre.

Right-hand traffic after a lifetime on the left

Japan drives on the left and Italy on the right. The danger is in reflexes: looking the wrong way at a junction, drifting toward the kerb that is now beside the passenger, and roundabouts that turn the other way. Collect the car somewhere calm rather than at a busy airport rank, and spend the first hour driving slowly and deliberately. If two of you are travelling, the passenger can call out the lane at each turn.

ZTL: the invisible fine

Almost every historic centre has a zona a traffico limitato. There is no barrier. Often there is only a small sign, in Italian. A camera reads your plate as you enter, and an automatic fine of EUR 80 or more arrives through the rental company, sometimes months later. Do not follow a sat-nav screen blindly into an old town. Park outside the walls and walk in. Our Italy ZTL fines guide explains how the zones and penalties work.

How the limits compare

The first surprise is the motorway: 130 is the limit, and traffic keeps up with it. Italy uses widespread fixed and mobile cameras. Up to 10 km/h over costs EUR 42 to EUR 173; 10 to 40 km/h over costs EUR 173 to EUR 694; and 40 to 60 km/h over costs EUR 543 to EUR 2,170 with a licence suspension of one to three months.

Other penalties and alcohol

• Phone in hand: EUR 250 to EUR 1,000, plus licence suspension of 15 days to 2 months.
• Seatbelt: EUR 83 to EUR 333 and 5 points.
• Red light: EUR 167 to EUR 665 and 6 points.

At home a phone in hand costs JPY 18,000 and 3 points, so Italy is far harsher. The alcohol limit is 0.05, above Japan’s 0.03, but new drivers and professionals face zero tolerance. The car must carry a warning triangle and a high-visibility vest. A driver can start at 17 with supervision and drive alone at 18.

Parking and fuel on arrival

Two small habits save money. First, park in a marked car park outside the old centre and walk in, which also keeps you clear of ZTL cameras. Second, check which fuel the rental takes before you leave the lot, because pumps are labelled with Italian names and a wrong fill is expensive. Keep your rental paperwork in the car, and photograph the vehicle on pick-up and on return.

Emergency numbers

Italy’s general line is 112. Police are on 113, ambulance on 118 and fire on 115. At home you would dial 110 for police and 119 for ambulance and fire, so the Japanese numbers will not work here. The Italy driving guide covers the rest, and the Driving Permit Checker helps for other countries on your route.

Sources

• Codice della Strada (D.Lgs. 285/1992), article 135 (non-EU licences: international permit or official Italian translation): normattiva.it
• UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (Japan and Italy parties; Japan not a party to the 1968 Convention): treaties.un.org