Italy: beware the costly ZTLs

A fine of 100 euros, or even more

At the heart of the system are the ZTLs (Zone a traffico limitato), literally “limited traffic zones”. These are areas, most often located in historic centres, where access is restricted to certain categories of users: residents, delivery services, public transport, taxis and vehicles holding a special permit. Other drivers, and tourists in particular, are generally not admitted.

For travellers, the consequences are tangible. Unauthorised entry into a zone is usually penalised by a fine of around 100 euros (it varies from 80 to 300 euros depending on the city), detected by cameras that automatically read number plates. The penalty notice often reaches the driver’s home address several months after the trip, and each unauthorised entry can be penalised separately in the event of repeated passages. As a rule, prompt payment (within five days) reduces the bill. Conversely, ignoring the notice pushes the amount up.

The study “Auto e Città, oltre il divieto” highlights the limits of this kind of scheme, as it most often disregards the environmental performance of the vehicle. For example, an old and polluting car belonging to a resident may circulate freely, whereas a zero-emission vehicle driven by a visitor is shut out. What is more, each city sets its own opening hours, access conditions and signage, which makes things harder for motorists, especially foreign ones.

For Luxembourg motorists heading to Italy this summer, caution therefore remains essential: when in doubt in front of a sign, it is better to refrain from entering the zone and to look for another route.

Rental cars are treated in the same way

For tourists using a rental car, the principle is identical. The camera photographs the number plate and the penalty is first sent to the vehicle’s registered owner, that is to say the rental company. The latter is then required to provide the police with the driver’s full details (name, address and any other information requested). No pass or special arrangement applies: rental cars are subject to the same rules, the same cameras and the same procedure as any other vehicle. On top of this, the rental company charges an administrative fee for processing the case, which is added to the fine, generally 30 to 50 euros per offence, often debited automatically from the bank card used at the time of hire.

Italy, European champion

Again according to the study “Auto e Città, oltre il divieto”, Italy has 485 access restriction measures, more than half of the European total (56.2 per cent), which stands at 863 schemes. The count is not confined to limited traffic zones, but covers all the measures that specialists group together under the term UVAR (Urban Vehicle Access Regulations). The study identifies five categories: urban tolls, low-emission zones, limited traffic zones, pedestrian areas and restrictions targeting certain categories of vehicle.

ZTLs in the strict sense therefore make up only part of the picture, but their concentration remains striking. Of the roughly 500 zones of this type active in Europe, 446 are in Italy, nearly nine out of ten. The picture is reversed, however, for low-emission zones: Europe has 338, with Spain in the lead with 82 zones, ahead of France (63), Germany (57) and the Netherlands (40).

The study does not stop at this observation. It calls for greater harmonisation: consistent criteria for low-emission zones, coherent signage and, above all, a single national digital platform. The researchers also point out that reducing traffic and pedestrianising streets, contrary to a widespread belief, does not penalise local shops but tends to strengthen the appeal of neighbourhoods.

Source: study “Auto e Città, oltre il divieto”, Osservatorio Auto e Mobilità of the LUISS Business School (dir. Fabio Orecchini), presented in June 2026.
Link to the study: https://businessschool.luiss.it/osservatorio-auto-mobilita/auto-e-citta-oltre-il-divieto/