Codice della Strada — Italian Highway Code in English

The Codice della Strada (Legislative Decree 285/1992) is Italy's national Highway Code — the body of law that governs every aspect of road use in Italy, from speed limits and traffic signs to vehicle requirements and penalties. If you are a non-Italian speaker living in Italy and need to obtain a driving licence (Patente B), mastering the Codice della Strada in your own language is the single most important step you can take.

For non-EU residents, the 12-month rule means you have just one year from registering Italian residency to either convert your foreign licence or pass the full Italian theory and practical exam. This glossary breaks down the entire Highway Code into readable English sections so you can study efficiently — even if you have never opened an Italian law book.

Structure of the Theory Exam

The Italian Patente B theory test (esame di teoria) is administered by the Motorizzazione Civile at official exam centres across Italy. Here is exactly what to expect:

Questions are drawn from the official question bank published by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport. There are approximately 7,400 questions in total, but they follow predictable patterns across the 10 topic areas covered in this glossary. With the right preparation, most candidates can be exam-ready in 4–8 weeks of consistent daily practice.

The 5 Most Important Topics

Based on the question distribution in the official exam bank, these five areas account for the majority of exam questions and the most common failure points:

Complete Chapter Index

10 chapters covering every topic in the Italian Highway Code theory exam.

Related Guides

Study all topics in your language

Driving Freedom translates the entire Patente B question bank into 7 languages — Farsi, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Italian, and English — with audio, AI explanations, and timed mock exams.