Which car can a neopatentato drive in Italy?

Art. 117 c. 2-bis of the Codice della strada as amended by L. 177/2024: for the first three years after getting a category B licence you may not drive cars with more than 75 kW per tonne of kerb weight, and passenger cars (M1), electric and plug-in hybrid ones included, also have a 105 kW cap. Under art. 7 c. 2 of Law 177/2024 the new limits apply to licences obtained after it came into force; the restrictions run from the date of the exam.

The same article sets 100 km/h on motorways and 90 km/h on main extra-urban roads for the first three years (c. 2), and art. 186-bis sets zero alcohol. The power limits do not apply when an instructor aged 65 or under, with a licence of the same category held for at least 10 years, sits beside you. A breach costs 165-660 euros and a 2-8 month licence suspension (c. 5).

For people who take the exam in Italy this means three years as a neopatentato whatever their previous driving experience - in the chats (36 questions in 2023-2026, 4 in July-September 2026) this is the most painful part. The BE category is debated: the c. 2-bis power cap is worded for category B, but the speed and zero-alcohol rules of the first three years still apply. People look for suitable automatic cars by the power and weight in the registration document and ask which hybrids fit the limits.