Rent a car
In order to rent a vehicle you shall be 21 and hold a valid driving license for 12 months. Drivers beow 25 years could be requested to pay a supplementary fee. You will need to show your Italian driving license translated (see below) or an international driving license. An international driving license can only be issued in your country of residence. Residents of Italy must therefore contact the Motorizzazione Civile, the international driving license is only valid for driving abroad, it cannot be renewed by the Embassies or Consulates and it cannot be converted into an Australian driving licence. The South Australian road network is generally in good conditions nonetheless, especially in the outback, unpaved road are very common. If travelling in the internal part of the State it is necessary to plan very carefully your trip considering distances and availability of service stations.
Translation
It is possible to have your Italian driving license translated into English at the Consulate or at an official translator http://www.naati.com.au/. Both translations have the same legal value
In order to obtain a translation at this Consulate, you shall book an appointment for consular services here. On the day of the appointment you shall provide:
- the original driving licence in Italian
- Passport
If your driving license has been stolen or lost or if it is illegibe or not available, it will not be possible to obtain a translation at the Consulate by providing a photocopy. You shall request a duplicate at the Italian Motorizzazione Civile
The cost for a translation can be consulted here
In order to speed the process, you can send ascanned copy of your driving license prior to the appointment at this email address: consolato.adelaide@esteri.it.
Extension
Those who are registered in AIRE and temporary residents in South Australia for at least 6 month, can request a paper that will allow the license holder to drive even if the original document is expired (or no more than 5 years) or is about to expire. In order to obtain this service, you shall book an appointment for Consular services here and bring with you:
1. A medical certificate from the the Consulate trusted doctor (Dr. Peter Del Fante, 60 Hutt Street Adelaide SA, 5000. Tel: 08 82233918);
2. One photograph;
3. The original Italian driving license;
4. A proof of residence in South Australia;
It is recommended to send the above mentioned documentation prior to the appointment to the email address consolato.adelaide@esteri.it.
An extension of a driving license is NOT a new driving license. The applicant shall within six months of his/her return in Italy, renew the driving license at the offices of the Motorizzazione civile or a driving school.
The international driving license cannot be renew at the Consulate.
The cost to extend a driving license can be consulted here
Theft or loss/duplicate
An Italian as well as an international driving license can be duplicate only by the Italian Motorizzazione Civile. For more information, please refer to the Italian version of this page
Get an Australian driving license
In South Australia it’s possible to convert the Italian driving license. Applications must be made through Service SA Transportation. We suggest you contact the relevant office for details on the documentation to be submitted