Can I show my digital driving licence on my phone during a check?

Yes. The digital licence in the Wallet of the IO app is intended to prove your driving entitlement during law-enforcement checks in Italy. You must have added it to the service and be able to open it on your phone. Official guidance also provides offline access to documents already added, but the version shown reflects the last time it was updated online.

Prepare before a road check

The digital licence is added to the Wallet section of IO after signing in with CIE or SPID. Italian government sources say it can be shown during a road check in Italy to prove that you are authorised to drive. Before setting off, make sure you completed the addition and can view the document; a photo of the card or a saved screenshot is not the same digital credential.

An offline feature lets users open documents already saved in the updated app, even without a network connection. When offline, IO warns that the displayed validity reflects the last online access. Do not assume an unadded document or an outdated version will be available in every situation.

Keeping the physical licence is still an option

The Wallet is voluntary and does not require you to leave the physical card at home. If your phone is out of battery, damaged or locked, you may not be able to open the digital licence. Keep a valid document under the applicable rules and follow the officers’ instructions if there is a problem. A technical failure does not mean you can drive without a valid entitlement.

For example, if IO opens the digital licence during a check, you can present it in the Italian context described by the sources. If the phone is off and you have no physical document, do not improvise with unverifiable data: cooperate with the officers and ask how to proceed. Recognition abroad should not be assumed from how the service works in Italy.

Study and review Italian licence rules and exam questions with Quiz Patente Ufficiale.