How to Get a Category A1 Driving Licence in Italy?

Many Italian car drivers assume their Patente B already lets them ride a 125cc scooter anywhere, but that's not true outside Italy. This piece covers what Category A1 (the “patentino 125”) actually authorizes, the genuine gap between the B-license exemption and a real A1 license, current costs, and a December 2024 law change that altered where 125cc bikes can legally go.

What Category A1 covers

A1 authorizes motorcycles with a cylinder capacity between 120 cc and 125 cc, a maximum power of 11 kW, a top speed of 90 km/h, and a power-to-weight ratio no higher than 0.1 kW/kg, plus motorized tricycles up to 15 kW.

Minimum age

You need to be 16 to hold an A1. However, you can enroll in a course and start studying before your birthday. You can’t sit the practical exam or receive your provisional permit (foglio rosa) until you actually turn 16.

Where A1 sits in Italy’s motorcycle system

Italy runs four powered two-wheeler categories. AM (14) covers mopeds up to 50cc. A1 (16) covers up to 125cc/11kW. A2 (18) covers up to 35kW. Full Category A, unrestricted, needs 24 for direct entry, or 20 if you’ve already held A2 for at least two years.

The car-license exemption and why it isn’t a real A1 license

If you hold a Patente B obtained after 25 April 1988, you can ride A1-spec motorcycles (up to 125cc/11kW) only within Italy, without holding an actual A1 license, as a national exemption (deroga) under Article 116 of the Codice della Strada, not a genuine extension of category A1. If your car license predates that cutoff, you have no restrictions at all on two wheels. This exemption has real limits: it doesn’t apply outside Italy (ride the same scooter abroad and you’re effectively riding without a valid license, with insurance implications too if an accident happens abroad), and it doesn’t count toward the staged-access route to A2 or full Category A; only a genuine, exam-obtained A1 license gets you that.

The theory exam

The theory exam is a 40-question true/false quiz covering road signs, the Highway Code, driver obligations, and related topics. You’ll need a medical certificate of psychophysical fitness before registering, starting with an anamnestic certificate from your GP, which is a prerequisite for the exam itself.

The practical exam

A Motorizzazione official conducts the practical test and assesses core riding skills: braking, cornering, and general maneuvering. The exam motorcycle must meet A1’s specific vehicle requirements (120–125 cc, up to 11 kW, 0.1 kW/kg ratio, 90 km/h top speed). It can be supplied by your driving school or brought by you personally, provided it meets those parameters. Full protective equipment is mandatory at the exam: full-face helmet, gloves, protective jacket, protective long trousers, closed footwear, and a back protector. Turning up without complete gear is generally grounds for the exam not proceeding at all.

Provisional permit and learning to ride before the exam

Once you turn 16 and your paperwork is in order, you receive a foglio rosa (provisional permit) that lets you practice under specific conditions ahead of your practical exam. Motorcycles don’t allow a second person on board the way a car does with a supervising instructor, so foglio rosa practice happens solo. However, carrying passengers remains prohibited at this stage.

What it costs

Costs vary considerably by source and route. Going through a driving school typically costs between €300 and €900, with many quotes clustering around €450–500, covering the theory course, the required practical hours, and the driving school's administrative handling. Fixed Motorizzazione fees apply regardless of route: roughly €26.40, plus €16 for exam-related stamps, and a medical certificate costing €30–80 depending on the region. Managing the process yourself as a private candidate (privatista), without a driving school, cuts costs to around €50 in official stamps plus the medical certificate. However, you’ll need to self-study and arrange your own motorcycle for the exam.

Automatic transmission

Test on an automatic-transmission motorcycle or scooter, and your resulting license will be restricted to automatic machines only under the standard EU code 78. Test on a manual, and you keep the flexibility to ride either.

The December 2024 motorway rule change

A common misconception persists, even in some older guides: 125cc-class motorcycles were once banned from motorways entirely. Law 177, effective 14 December 2024, updated the Codice della Strada to allow motorcycles of at least 120 cc (combustion) or 6kW (electric) onto motorways and major extra-urban roads, but only if the rider is 18 or older. A 16-year-old holding a valid A1 license still can’t use those roads until they turn 18, even on a bike that’s now technically permitted there.

Upgrading from A1 to A2, and onward to full Category A

Since the 2022 reform, moving from A1 to A2 (after at least two years holding A1, from age 18) requires either a straightforward practical exam or, as an alternative, a 7-hour driving course at an approved school, with no formal Motorizzazione exam required at all. The same choice applies when moving from A2 to full Category A after two years on A2, starting at age 20. Either way, the theory exam is never repeated once you’ve passed it for any motorcycle category.

Validity

Italian driving licenses, including Category A1, follow the standard EU photocard administrative validity period before renewal.

Foreign residents and license exchange

If you’re a foreign resident in Italy, you can ride on your home country’s license for up to one year. After that, you’ll need to convert it to an Italian license if a bilateral agreement exists between Italy and your country of issue, or complete the Italian theory and practical exams from scratch if it doesn’t.

Tips that actually help

• Don’t confuse the B-license exemption with a genuine A1 license. If you plan to ride abroad or want the staged route to A2 later, get the real A1 through the exam.
• If you’re managing the process privately rather than through a driving school, budget for self-study materials and arranging a compliant exam motorcycle yourself.
• Test on a manual-transmission bike if you want the option to ride either transmission type later.
• Remember, a 16-year-old A1 holder still can’t use motorways or major extra-urban roads until turning 18, regardless of the December 2024 vehicle-eligibility change.

Where this fits going forward

A1 in Italy is genuinely popular. It’s often the first license many Italian teenagers get, well ahead of a car license. If your plans extend toward professional driving down the line, take a look at the driver section, browse current vacancies, or see who’s hiring among employers on FastDriver.eu, alongside our broader job guides. Our driving license in Italy and license eligibility pages cover the broader picture.

Declaration

This article is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Fees, training requirements, and administrative rules can change the motorway access rule, which changed as recently as December 2024, and further changes are possible. Always confirm current requirements with official Italian sources, such as the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, before making decisions. FastDriver.eu accepts no liability for decisions made based on this information.