Updated on October 16, 2026
In 30 seconds
If you reside in Italy and drive a car with a German plate, you must as a rule register it. The owner must register it in Italy within three months of becoming resident. A person who only uses it must enter it in REVE (the Register of Vehicles with Foreign Plates) when using it for more than 30 days in the year. Those who do not reside in Italy can drive under different rules.
For the general picture, read the guide Italians in Germany: Legal Guide.
In this article
- The rules
- Practical steps
- Frequent case
- The best solution for you
- Frequently asked questions
- Official sources
The rules
- Owner residing in Italy: must register the vehicle in Italy within three months of becoming resident (Article 93-bis, paragraph 1, of the Highway Code), according to ACI (the Italian automobile club, which keeps the vehicle registry).
- User residing in Italy (not the owner): if you have the car at your disposal for more than 30 days in the calendar year, even non-consecutive, you must register it with REVE. You need a document with a certain date that states the title and duration, for example a loan for use, rental or leasing.
- With 30 days or less: you must carry the registration document (carta di circolazione) and the document signed by the owner.
- Non-residents: can drive with the foreign plate for a limited period. If you are registered with AIRE (the register of Italians residing abroad) or have doubts about your case, ask ACI before using the car in Italy.
Penalties for failing to register with REVE do not appear in the sources consulted. For any provincial registration tax and for costs, ask ACI or a tax accountant (commercialista).
Practical steps
- Check residence (AIRE or the Italian population register).
- Count the days of use and define the title.
- Prepare the document with a certain date if the car belongs to a relative in Germany.
- Request registration at the STA/ACI (the vehicle registration service point) or through a car-paperwork agency.
- Keep the certificate with the QR code in the car.
- Driving licence: according to the guide of the Embassy in Berlin, those who reside in Germany can convert the Italian licence into a German one at the Straßenverkehrsamt (the German road traffic office). People registered with AIRE cannot renew it in Italy or at the Consulates.
Frequent case · A problem that happens often
A man moves from Hanover back to Salerno with his German car and keeps using it. After a few months he receives a fine because the plate is foreign. He did not know about the three-month deadline. Before any move, check the date of residence and the German registration document.
Frequent case described in general terms: names, places and details do not refer to real people or cases.
The best solution for you
First: Check residence (AIRE or the Italian population register), count the days of use and check the title under which you have the car at your disposal.
Then: The owner residing in Italy registers within three months of becoming resident. A user for more than 30 days a year requests registration with REVE and keeps the certificate with the QR code in the car.
If the office or the other side does not cooperate: If the car belongs to a relative in Germany, you need a document with a certain date that states the title and duration. If the office asks for something else, ask in writing which rule it applies.
It usually pays to: Usually it pays to count the days and check the date of residence before any move. That decides whether you need registration or REVE.
What to do now
- Check the date you became resident in Italy.
- Count the days you use the car in the calendar year.
- Prepare the document with a certain date if the car belongs to a relative.
No route guarantees an outcome.
Learn more: Legal guides from Studio Legale Fiorentino.
How attorney Fiorentino can help you
- Gather the German registration document, the residence certificate and the document with a certain date on the title of use.
- Check with the firm the date of residence, the deadlines and the case of a relative’s vehicle.
- For the video call, show the registration document and the papers; for registration you go to STA/ACI.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the German plate if I live in Italy?
As a rule only within the deadlines: then you need registration or REVE, according to ACI.
How many days do I have to register?
Three months from becoming resident, for the owner.
What if the car belongs to a relative in Germany?
You need REVE if you use it for more than 30 days in the year, with a document with a certain date.
What do I risk if I drive with a foreign plate?
Penalties depend on the case and on the rule applied. It is best to regularize your position and ask ACI or the firm.
How do I change my licence?
At the Straßenverkehrsamt, if you reside in Germany, according to the guide of the Embassy in Berlin.
Read also
- Italians in Germany: Legal Guide
- German Pension and Return to Italy: Documents and Taxation
- German and Italian Pensions: Contributions in Two Countries and Return
Official sources
Institutional pages consulted; the official source always prevails for up-to-date texts.
- ACI: Register of Vehicles with Foreign Plates (REVE)
- Italian Consulate in Koper: circulation in Italy of cars with foreign plates
- Italian Embassy in Berlin: guides to consular services and succession
Where to find us
The firm is based in Naples (Piazza Giovanni Bovio 22 and Via Monte di Dio 14) and works throughout Italy; the first meeting can be held by video call.
Informational text, prepared with the help of artificial intelligence tools. Author: attorney Renato Giuseppe Fiorentino.
Do you have a similar issue?
Every situation depends on the documents of the specific case. You can contact the firm from anywhere, remotely.