When you rent a car in Italy, you’ll need to bring a couple of documents with you.
Your driver’s license from your home country
Your ID (passport)
Credit Card
International Driver’s Permit (IDP)
The rules and logistics of driving in Italy can be unfamiliar, even to the most seasoned traveler. Traffic has gotten extremely heavy in many parts of Italy such as Rome, Florence, Milan, and the South —particularly the Amalfi Coast, where there is only one road and it can take up to two hours for what should be a 25- to 30-minute drive. Many Italian cities now limit the vehicles allowed into their historic centers; these areas are known as ZTL, or zona a traffico limitato (limited traffic zone). Only those with resident permits or official licenses are permitted to enter; anyone else risks a fine. The signs are small, inconspicuous, and in Italian, of course. Parking is another big problem for foreign drivers; in the big cities it can be chaotic and quite impossible to park, as well in the Tuscan countryside. Italy’s beautiful medieval hill towns weren’t designed with automobile parking in mind! Most of these towns—and certainly those with any kind of tourism—have a car park outside the walls. Be prepared to walk a moderate distance (usually uphill) from these parking lots to the town itself. Don’t expect to drive right up and park in front of the clock tower in Montepulciano. These lots, and most parking spots in urban areas, are not free. The typical speed limits are:
130 km/h (80 mph) is the speed limit on highways in Italy,
110 km/h (68 mph) is the speed limit on non-major highways outside of major urban areas in Italy,
90 km/h (56 mph) is the speed limit on local roads in Italy, and
50 km/h (31 mph) is the speed limit in urban areas in Italy.