Night Driving in Italy — Rules, Limits & Safety Tips

Driving at night in Italy isn't just about having your headlights on. There are specific equipment requirements, and behaviours that differ from daytime driving — and they're tested in both the theory and practical exam.

Speed Limits for New Drivers

In the first 3 years after obtaining Patente B, the lower limits apply at all hours, not only at night: 100 km/h on motorways and 90 km/h on main extra-urban roads (CdS art. 117).

Mandatory Equipment and Lights

At night and in low-visibility conditions (fog, heavy rain, tunnels), you must use:

• Low beam headlights (anabbaglianti) — always at night on all roads
• High beams (abbaglianti) — permitted on unlit roads outside urban areas, but must be dipped for oncoming traffic and when following another vehicle
• Rear fog lights (fendinebbia posteriori) — only in genuine fog/heavy rain (visibility under 50m); leaving them on in clear conditions is an offence
• Hazard lights — only when stationary and creating a hazard, not while moving

Night Driving During the Foglio Rosa Phase

When you hold a Foglio Rosa, your compulsory autoscuola driving lessons include night driving (and motorway or extra-urban roads), certified by the autoscuola. Under DM 294/2025 night driving is a 1-hour module of the 8 compulsory hours; that decree is not applied in practice yet, and some autoscuole still accept the previous 6 hours (DM 20-04-2012).

Theory Exam Night Driving Questions

Common exam questions cover:

• When to use high beams vs. low beams
• When rear fog lights are mandatory vs. prohibited
• What to do when meeting oncoming high-beam traffic (look right, slow down)

Practice with Driving Freedom

The Driving Freedom app includes all night-driving questions from the official bank, with image-based explanations that help you remember the scenarios visually.

Download for iOS | Download for Android