# Patente exam in english?



## tftjr

Hi All,

Is it possible to take the exam for the Italian patente in English?

Thanks,


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## accbgb

tftjr said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Is it possible to take the exam for the Italian patente in English?
> 
> Thanks,


No. Up until several years (5? 7?) ago you could take the exam in English but since then it is only in Italian.

If you search really, really, hard you might be able to find one of the old English-language driver's manuals.


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## pudd 2

tftjr said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Is it possible to take the exam for the Italian patente in English?
> 
> Thanks,


no but there is a legal way you can use your american licence over , by taking diferent residency forget the name of the but i shall ask an amecan who has done this watch this space


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## accbgb

pudd 2 said:


> no but there is a legal way you can use your american licence over , by taking diferent residency forget the name of the but i shall ask an amecan who has done this watch this space


I wonder how this would work?

An International Driving Permit (which you need to drive even one day in Italy on a US driver's license) is only valid for a maximum of one year.

More importantly, once you establish legal residency in Italy (which you must do in order to stay longer than 90 days, apply for national health care, etc, etc.) you must obtain a patente within one year or stop driving. Of course, I suppose you could lie your way through a typical traffic stop and get away with it. But, should you be involved in an accident? That could be risky.


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## pudd 2

accbgb said:


> I wonder how this would work?
> 
> An International Driving Permit (which you need to drive even one day in Italy on a US driver's license) is only valid for a maximum of one year.
> 
> More importantly, once you establish legal residency in Italy (which you must do in order to stay longer than 90 days, apply for national health care, etc, etc.) you must obtain a patente within one year or stop driving. Of course, I suppose you could lie your way through a typical traffic stop and get away with it. But, should you be involved in an accident? That could be risky.


i will ask the man involved i live near him and he is completly legal and has resedency but not tax rd


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## BBCWatcher

I'll take a guess. He's a foreign diplomat (or equivalent, such as having Holy See national status), or he's in Italy but under the status of forces agreement (U.S. military serviceperson, for example). Those are exceptions.


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## pudd 2

its allso posible to exange your licence in england or take your test in england as a english licence can be swopped for an italian one with ease jus qoating what ive been tpold you need to check facts your self 
any way you dont want to take an italian test its hard , you need to be able to tailgate the car in front 6 inches away while texing and lighting a sigy and changing the casett player , not easy it takes practice lol


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## BBCWatcher

If you can legally obtain and maintain a valid driving license in another EU or EEA country, or in Switzerland, yes, you can continue using that license in Italy. (Note that's the driving license, not vehicle registration or insurance, which are separate issues.)

Yes, Italy has agreements with some non-EU/EEA countries allowing easier exchange of those foreign driving licenses for Italian driving licenses, though still within the deadline.

I should point out that Tftjr did not ask about any of these options because (one safely assumes) he/she is required to take a driving license exam to obtain an Italian license. But for general reference, sure, that's all good to know.


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## accbgb

I looked into this once before. Belgium and Austria both permit the simple exchange of US driver's licenses for the Belgium/Austria equivalent. And, being that they are both EU member states, that means you can drive in Italy on either license and/or exchange it for an Italian patente.

https://www.justlanded.com/english/Belgium/Belgium-Guide/Travel-Leisure/Driver-s-license

Living in Austria | Embassy of the United States Vienna, Austria

The problem is, you first need to establish residency in one of those countries and not everyone has the time, the means, or the desire to do so. 

Over the years that I have monitored this subject, it seems that the most practical way to get an Italian patente is to sign up with a driving school, if for no other reason than you need to take the driving test in a specially equipped car which driving schools provide. The total cost will be somewhere in the $700 range and the process can take a few months to several depending mostly on your ability to grasp the Italian language.


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## cpa21

I spend 5 months in Italy every year. Since I am not resident I can just buy an IDP before I go and drive on my Florida license. The Italian drivers license (Driving license) is one reason for NOT becoming an Italian resident.


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## Arturo.c

accbgb said:


> No. Up until several years (5? 7?) ago you could take the exam in English but since then it is only in Italian.


More precisely, until the year 2012 the Italian Ministry of Transports (which oversees vehicle licensing as well) had the driving exam papers translated in the 7 UN official languages (English, French, German, Spanish Chinese, Russian and Arabic).

However, citing budget cuts and the fact that some of the translations proved to be inaccurate and (in some cases) incomprehensible, the Ministry disposed that from 2013 the exam could be taken in Italian only, with the exception of the areas where foreign-speaking minorities live (meaning French in the province of Aosta, German in the province of Bolzano and Slovenian in the province of Trieste).

So anybody who wants to move to Italy and doesn't hold a convertible driving license, can either learn the language before taking the driving test, or use public transportation


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## tftjr

Well thanks all for your replies and assistance. It looks like I must do the test in Italian but, I must say, studying for the test has helped me learn the language a bit better so in the end it's useful. I just wish I would've taken the test in 2012.


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## accbgb

Arturo.c said:


> More precisely, until the year 2012 the Italian Ministry of Transports (which oversees vehicle licensing as well) had the driving exam papers translated in the 7 UN official languages (English, French, German, Spanish Chinese, Russian and Arabic).
> ...



Wow! Was it really just that recent?

Seems like so long ago.


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## Arturo.c

tftjr said:


> It looks like I must do the test in Italian but, I must say, studying for the test has helped me learn the language a bit better so in the end it's useful.


And, in order to get well prepared, you could make use of this website where you can run a simulation of the written test exam.


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## FionaScull

Im studying for the exam... anyone need a study-buddy? We could share the translating load...


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## FionaScull

Can I quote you? That's very useful information that I'd like to share...


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## pudd 2

if you have a british licence even old you can renue it and there is no need to take test or for americans you can register as a A;R;e resident  and you can drive on your american licence 

please check facts , but i know a american who hqas done this


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## accbgb

pudd 2 said:


> if you have a british licence even old you can renue it and there is no need to take test or for americans you can register as a A;R;e resident and you can drive on your american licence
> 
> please check facts , but i know a american who hqas done this


Once you (non-EU citizen) become resident in Italy, you have one year to obtain an Italian patente or stop driving entirely. You cannot legally continue to drive on a US driver's license indefinitely as a resident and, of course, you cannot stay in Italy for more than 3 months if you are not.


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