Italy on a South Korean Licence — Carry the IDP, Dodge the ZTL Cameras
South Korea
Italy
South Korean drivers must carry an International Driving Permit in Italy alongside the Korean licence — rental desks will refuse without it. Driving side stays right, so no switch, but ZTL camera zones in historic centres fine tourists by post, and the alcohol limit relaxes from Korea's 0.03 to Italy's 0.05.
The good news for a South Korean driver is that Italy keeps you on the right-hand side of the road, just like home — no mirror-image relearning. The two things to get right instead are the document the rental desk demands and the camera zones that quietly fine visitors weeks after they leave.
Bring the IDP — it is not optional in practice
Italy will accept your South Korean licence for a tourist stay, but only with an International Driving Permit alongside it. In reality the rental desk is the gatekeeper: most Italian firms will not hand over a car to a Korean licence without the IDP, and the police expect to see it too. Get it from a licence office in Korea before you fly — you cannot obtain one in Italy. Carry the IDP, your Korean licence and passport as a set, and check the specifics on the Driving Permit Checker.
ZTL cameras — the fine you don’t see coming
Every Italian city of any size has a Zona a Traffico Limitato, a camera-guarded zone around its old centre. Cross the line in a hire car without a permit and your plate is logged automatically; the penalty, roughly EUR 80-100, comes through the rental company with added fees, often months later. Sat-navs lead you straight into these zones because that is where the hotels sit. Park in a peripheral garage and walk in — this is the mistake that costs foreign drivers the most.
Speeds, alcohol and the rest
The limit relaxes slightly versus home — 0.05 against Korea’s 0.03 — but enforcement is firm and newer drivers get zero, so keep it dry. Motorways run to 130 km/h with average-speed Tutor cameras on long stretches; a 10 km/h overshoot costs about EUR 42-173, which you can estimate on the Speeding Fine Calculator. Read the full rules on the Italy driving guide. Emergencies are 112 and fuel is around €2.02 a litre.
Speed limits, fines, equipment & license requirements
Your home country driving rules for reference
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Winter tyres in Italy — 2026–27 season
Winter tyres are required in Italy whenever conditions are wintry — 15 Nov - 15 Apr (varies by region and road).
- Tread minimum: 1.6 mm — Italy sets no separate winter figure.
- Accepted marking: M+S / MS / M-S / M&S (3PMSF not required)
- Studded tyres: restricted
- Penalty: €87–345
In Italian the rule is pneumatici invernali, and snow chains are catene da neve — that is the wording on signs, in hire-car paperwork and on any penalty notice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Carry an International Driving Permit issued in Korea together with your national licence and passport. Rental companies in Italy generally will not release a car to a Korean licence without the IDP.
A ZTL is a camera-controlled limited-traffic zone in a city's historic centre. Entering without a permit triggers a fine of about EUR 80-100 sent through your rental firm — the most frequent tourist penalty in Italy.
Italy's limit is 0.05, looser than Korea's 0.03 — but enforcement is strict and new drivers face zero, so do not rely on the extra margin.