Italy has approved a fresh overhaul of its road code, trimming several routine fines while sharpening the rules on dangerous behaviour, in a move that also raises the professional driving age for lorries and buses to 70. According to ANSA, the cabinet signed off on the changes as part of a wider revision promoted by transport minister Matteo Salvini after consultations with more than 100 sector bodies and associations.
The ministry says the reform involves a broad rationalisation of penalties, including the end of automatic two-year inflation indexation and a downward rounding of some common fines. Standard minimum penalties of €26 and €42 will fall to €25 and €40, while fines of €83 and €87 are to be reduced to €80. At the same time, the government has stressed a zero-tolerance line on conduct deemed dangerous, including a tougher approach to uninsured vehicles, which will face an indefinite ban from circulation.
The package also reaches into several corners of everyday mobility. Riders using powered cargo-style e-bikes will have to wear helmets and display a plate, while the paper driving licence and vehicle registration document will no longer need to be carried physically because police will be able to check them electronically. Motorcyclists will be allowed to use the hard shoulder on motorways when traffic is blocked by incidents or heavy slowdowns, and electric scooters will be barred from circulation when they create an obstruction or safety risk for pedestrians.
Administrative enforcement is being tightened as well. When offences are detected remotely and there is no immediate roadside stop, municipalities will have 45 days rather than 90 to serve the fine, a change the ministry says is intended to strengthen legal safeguards and the right of defence. The reform also seeks to recover unpaid sums from foreign drivers and will require visitors staying in Italy for more than 30 days to have insurance that complies with Italian rules.
One of the most politically significant elements concerns disabled motorists. Disability minister Alessandra Locatelli said the reform would oblige every municipality to join the national digital platform for disability parking permits, with the aim of making access to restricted-traffic zones simpler and more consistent across the country. She added that the system would be backed by tougher sanctions for misuse or fraud, uniform criteria for issuing permits and national guidance for more consistent medical-legal standards.
The government has also raised the upper age limit for professional transport licences in the C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE categories from 68 to 70, subject to a medical check every two years. Not everyone welcomed the package. The Codacons consumer group argued that changing the level of fines does little on its own to improve road safety and insisted that what Italy needs most is stronger enforcement on the ground. According to the association, many existing rules are already ignored and new ones will matter little without more checks.
Source Reference Map
Inspired by headline at: [1]
Sources by paragraph:
– Paragraph 1: [2], [3]
– Paragraph 2: [2], [4]
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Source: Noah Wire Services
Verification / Sources
- https://www.ansa.it/canale_motori/notizie/istituzioni/2026/10/13/nuovo-codice-della-strada-via-libera-del-consiglio-dei-ministri._2d8aaebc-8b4c-4526-8e95-4dc5f0b54dc8.html – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.ansa.it/canale_motori/notizie/istituzioni/2026/10/13/nuovo-codice-della-strada-via-libera-del-consiglio-dei-ministri._2d8aaebc-8b4c-4526-8e95-4dc5f0b54dc8.html – The Italian government has approved a new Road Code featuring lighter penalties but a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous driving behaviours. The minimum fines for common infractions have been reduced from €26 and €42 to €25 and €40, respectively, while fines of €83 and €87 have been lowered to €80. Additionally, the age limit for driving trucks and buses has been raised to 70 years. The code also introduces stricter measures for uninsured drivers and mandates that all municipalities join a national platform for recognising disability parking permits.
- https://www.ansa.it/canale_motori/notizie/istituzioni/2026/10/13/nuovo-codice-della-strada-via-libera-del-consiglio-dei-ministri_2d8aaebc-8b4c-4526-8e95-4dc5f0b54dc8.html – The Italian government has approved a new Road Code featuring lighter penalties but a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous driving behaviours. The minimum fines for common infractions have been reduced from €26 and €42 to €25 and €40, respectively, while fines of €83 and €87 have been lowered to €80. Additionally, the age limit for driving trucks and buses has been raised to 70 years. The code also introduces stricter measures for uninsured drivers and mandates that all municipalities join a national platform for recognising disability parking permits.
- https://www.ansa.it/canale_motori/notizie/istituzioni/2026/10/13/nuovo-codice-della-strada-via-libera-del-consiglio-dei-ministri_2d8aaebc-8b4c-4526-8e95-4dc5f0b54dc8.html – The Italian government has approved a new Road Code featuring lighter penalties but a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous driving behaviours. The minimum fines for common infractions have been reduced from €26 and €42 to €25 and €40, respectively, while fines of €83 and €87 have been lowered to €80. Additionally, the age limit for driving trucks and buses has been raised to 70 years. The code also introduces stricter measures for uninsured drivers and mandates that all municipalities join a national platform for recognising disability parking permits.
- https://www.ansa.it/canale_motori/notizie/istituzioni/2026/10/13/nuovo-codice-della-strada-via-libera-del-consiglio-dei-ministri_2d8aaebc-8b4c-4526-8e95-4dc5f0b54dc8.html – The Italian government has approved a new Road Code featuring lighter penalties but a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous driving behaviours. The minimum fines for common infractions have been reduced from €26 and €42 to €25 and €40, respectively, while fines of €83 and €87 have been lowered to €80. Additionally, the age limit for driving trucks and buses has been raised to 70 years. The code also introduces stricter measures for uninsured drivers and mandates that all municipalities join a national platform for recognising disability parking permits.
- https://www.ansa.it/canale_motori/notizie/istituzioni/2026/10/13/nuovo-codice-della-strada-via-libera-del-consiglio-dei-ministri_2d8aaebc-8b4c-4526-8e95-4dc5f0b54dc8.html – The Italian government has approved a new Road Code featuring lighter penalties but a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous driving behaviours. The minimum fines for common infractions have been reduced from €26 and €42 to €25 and €40, respectively, while fines of €83 and €87 have been lowered to €80. Additionally, the age limit for driving trucks and buses has been raised to 70 years. The code also introduces stricter measures for uninsured drivers and mandates that all municipalities join a national platform for recognising disability parking permits.
- https://www.ansa.it/canale_motori/notizie/istituzioni/2026/10/13/nuovo-codice-della-strada-via-libera-del-consiglio-dei-ministri_2d8aaebc-8b4c-4526-8e95-4dc5f0b54dc8.html – The Italian government has approved a new Road Code featuring lighter penalties but a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous driving behaviours. The minimum fines for common infractions have been reduced from €26 and €42 to €25 and €40, respectively, while fines of €83 and €87 have been lowered to €80. Additionally, the age limit for driving trucks and buses has been raised to 70 years. The code also introduces stricter measures for uninsured drivers and mandates that all municipalities join a national platform for recognising disability parking permits.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score: 10
Notes: The article reports on the recent approval of Italy’s new road code on October 13, 2026, aligning with the latest available information. No evidence of recycled or outdated content was found. The narrative appears original and timely.
Quotes check
Score: 8
Notes: The article includes direct quotes attributed to Minister Matteo Salvini and other officials. While these quotes are consistent with the official statements from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, independent verification of the exact wording is limited. The quotes cannot be fully independently verified, which slightly reduces the score.
Source reliability
Score: 9
Notes: The primary source, ANSA, is a reputable Italian news agency. The article also references official statements from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, enhancing credibility. However, the reliance on a single news agency and official sources may limit the diversity of perspectives.
Plausibility check
Score: 9
Notes: The claims about the new road code’s provisions, such as reduced fines and stricter regulations, are consistent with official announcements. The narrative aligns with known policy changes and does not present implausible information. No significant discrepancies were found.