Suspended licence: how do I know when I can drive again?

The date when you may drive again depends on the suspension order you received. Article 218 says the Prefect sets the duration and returns the licence at the end of the period. Do not drive before that end date or rely only on a date you remember: check the order and confirm the document has been returned.

Read the order that sets the duration

A suspension is an additional penalty under the Italian Road Code. After the licence is withdrawn, the Prefect issues an order stating the period of suspension; the specific duration depends on the applicable rule and circumstances. The report, order and notice are therefore the documents to check: there is no single date that applies to every suspension.

Article 218 provides for the licence to be returned by the Prefect when the set period ends. Returning to driving depends on the measure actually ending and on the procedure for the document. If the notice is unclear, contact the authority named in the order before getting behind the wheel.

Do not confuse the end date with the document withdrawal

The fact that the number of days you expected has passed does not by itself prove that the licence is available again. Check the start date in the order, any later notices and the instructions for return. A driving permit may be issued only under specific conditions and must be explicit; it is not implied by the suspension.

For example, if the order sets the end date as the 20th of the month, do not drive before then. If the document must then be collected or returned through a procedure, complete that step and keep proof. Driving during the suspension or outside an expressly authorised permit can lead to additional consequences.

Study and review Italian penalty rules and licence requirements with the quizzes in Quiz Patente Ufficiale.