My digital licence will not open in IO: what should I do during a check?

If your digital licence will not open, do not treat a photo or screenshot as an automatic substitute. Try offline access only if the licence was already added and the app is updated; if it is still unavailable, explain the problem to officers and show another valid document if you have one. An app failure does not change the licence’s validity.

Check offline access without improvising

Official IT-Wallet guidance provides offline access to documents already added to the Wallet in an updated IO app. Without a network, the app shows a notice and the data reflect the last online access. If the licence was never added, you changed phones without completing setup or the app is stuck, this feature cannot guarantee that you can retrieve it on the spot.

Check that your phone is on, the IO app is installed and updated, and offline access is available. Do not rely on saved images, messages or a photographed screen: official guidance describes the document inside the Wallet, not an unverified copy.

During the check, follow the instructions you receive

If the licence remains unavailable in the Wallet, explain the problem to law-enforcement officers and show the physical card or another valid document if you have one. Do not assume that a technical fault removes the obligation to produce a valid entitlement under the applicable rules. If no document is accessible, ask the officers how they can identify and verify your status; do not continue driving based on generic online advice.

After the check, restore access and confirm that the digital information is updated when you are back online. For example, a network outage may be handled by offline access if the licence was already added; a forgotten password or a broken phone is a different problem. Do not assume that an Italian digital licence is recognised for checks abroad.

Study and review Italian driving-licence rules with theory quizzes in Quiz Patente Ufficiale.