If you drive under certain conditions you risk penalties ranging from 711 euros up to 3,558 euros and the confiscation of the vehicle.
In our country, the issue of foreign license plates has always generated conflicts. As is well known, this aspect is actually very linked to other important issues such as fines, insurance and car tax.
Therefore, the situation is changing radically with the introduction of a new system for the circulation of cars with foreign plates in Italy, in order to comply with European regulations.
Foreign plates: change the norm
The rules governing theuse of vehicles with foreign license plates by persons registered as resident in Italy, including foreigners.
The European law, definitively approved by the Chamber of Deputies on 21 December 2021, that is almost a year ago, redesigns both the rules and the sanctions in a complete new article of the Highway Code, thearticle 93-biswhich every motorist should know.
The main novelty concerns the extension of the minimum residence period required to re-enter the highway code. Foreigners who acquire Italian residence must register in Italy, within three months of acquiring the residenceowned vehicles already registered abroad.
After this deadline, the vehicle will no longer be able to circulate on Italian territory with foreign plates.
On the other hand, foreigners residing abroad can circulate in Italy with a vehicle with a foreign license plate for a maximum of one year.
Finally, citizens who reside in Italy but are not owners of the vehicle, for example on leasing, rental or loan, must have on board the vehicle (in addition to the foreign vehicle registration document) a document signed by the owner of the vehicle and of a certain date indicating for what reason and for how long the vehicle will have to be used.
The penalties provided
We remember that already in the 90s this wave of “crafty” had begun, which then exploded in 2011 with the increase in car tax. In practice, to avoid paying taxes, stamp duty and insurance, some Italians have started to circulate with foreign license plates.
Some have leased or rented luxury cars, while many other foreigners have driven more common and older cars. And it is clear that this phenomenonwhich can certainly be defined as such, has begun to spread more and more and certainly could not be hidden.
The violation of the highway code with the use of a foreign license plate carries a penalty of 712 euros up to 3,558 eurosin addition to seizure of the vehicleas recently established by article 93bis.
If, at the time of the police check, the driver is not in possession of the required documentation, he is legally required to register with the PRA, regardless of the 30 day period. In both cases, a fine of 250 euros and the driver is obliged to bring the documents to the police station within 30 days.
