I have your average American Driver's License which is the equivalent of a Patente B in Italy.

I've been told that I can drive up to a 125 CC scooter by two moto/scooter shops I went to today.

Now I'm told something about your Patente needing to have been issued before a certain date.

So, can I drive a 125 CC scooter with a Patente B or not? Anyone know?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ANTIFA,

A Patente B qualifies you to ride a motorcycle up to 125cc developing no more than 11kW. Full stop.

Do you know this for fact and can I ask how? Just don't want to wind up with a scooter I can't drive and have wasted a nice chunk of change.

No date restrictions or any other possible problems with this then?

See http://www.patente.it/info/patente.htm

quote:

Originally posted by ANTIFA:

Ah, and another question while I'm at it.. big difference between insurance for a 50 CC and a 125 CC? I'm told 250 vs. 325 in Firenze which seems high. Maybe a bit cheaper up here in provincial Emilia Romagna? One can only hope.

Please tell me those prices are for the year. In which case, they don't seem too much worse than the US.

quote:

Originally posted by ANTIFA:
Do you know this for fact and can I ask how? Just don't want to wind up with a scooter I can't drive and have wasted a nice chunk of change.

No date restrictions or any other possible problems with this then?

Apart from the link Bill posted, the information is spelled out very clearly in both English and Italian in the theory book one studies to pass the patente exam. There are no date restrictions.

Note: as I understand it your US driver's license is only good for one year:
http://www.expatsinitaly.com/driving/driving.html

The date restriction Antifa is hearing about is this:

quote:

(tranne i motocicli superiori a 125 cm3 e potenza massima di 11 Kw ovvero 15CV se la patente è stata conseguita dopo il 25.04.1988)

.

Regardless, isn't any USA DL only good for 1 year and then you must obtain an Italian license (presuming living in Italy).

quote:

Originally posted by Bill 2:
The date restriction Antifa is hearing about is this:

quote:

(tranne i motocicli superiori a 125 cm3 e potenza massima di 11 Kw ovvero 15CV se la patente è stata conseguita dopo il 25.04.1988)

.

Without a doubt.

Yeah, but it's 1 year after you obtain residency. Depending on the time for getting a PdS, that can be a fairly long time.

Excellent point Holly.

BTW for pds per lavoro, the Motorizzazione Civile is supposed to accept the pds receipt. Depending on the beaurocrat you encounter, you might need a lawyer to get them to follow their own rule, though.

So is it 1 year from the day you receive your PdS?

No, 1 year from when you gain residenza.

So for now I just keep my US license and Translation current and I am ok?


EDIT: Actually I am probably into FAQ teritory now, I will go back and re-read because I clearly missed something somewhere along the line.

EDIT 2: Ok I recall now that I couldn't Apply for the Residenza because they messed up my PdiS (swapped my First and Last names) so though MY Codice Fiscale is right my PdiS is wrong. Once that gets worked out, I get to go for residenza. Which of course means I can't buy a damn thing until that happens. Yay.

I'm not sure what a translation is used for because we don't have them. We have our US licenses and the International Driving Permit which we'll keep current until we do the autoscuola route.

However, if this is all aimed at being able to buy a scooter, I think you will also need residenza to do that. We have friends that bought a car off someone that was moving home, then found out they couldn't title the car in their name because they weren't residents yet. I've heard of others, though, that haven't been held to the that requirement even though it's the law as far as I know.

quote:

Originally posted by Aron:
So for now I just keep my US license and Translation current and I am ok?


EDIT: Actually I am probably into FAQ teritory now, I will go back and re-read because I clearly missed something somewhere along the line.

EDIT 2: Ok I recall now that I couldn't Apply for the Residenza because they messed up my PdiS (swapped my First and Last names) so though MY Codice Fiscale is right my PdiS is wrong. Once that gets worked out, I get to go for residenza. Which of course means I can't buy a damn thing until that happens. Yay.

Is your pds per lavoro? If so, you can get residenza with the receipt.

It is for marriage.

Ah, you'll have to wait on the corrected pds then.