Italy Is Scrapping the Bollo Auto for Cars Under 80kW: Why Right Now Is the Best Time to Get Your Patente

Italy's government has moved to eliminate the bollo auto for 14.5 million cars and motorcycles under 80kW starting in 2027. Here's what it means for you, and why getting your Italian driving license now puts you first in line to benefit.

Executive Summary and Timeline

On September 16, 2026, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government announced a major push to eliminate the regional vehicle ownership tax, known locally as the bollo auto, for all cars and motorcycles with a maximum power output of up to 80 kW (approximately 109 horsepower). The measure is expected to affect roughly 14.5 million vehicles across Italy, about 13.2 million cars and 1.1 million motorcycles and mopeds, which together make up more than 70% of vehicles currently on Italian roads.

• The Problem: Rising fuel costs and maintenance expenses have placed a heavy burden on everyday drivers and households, and the bollo auto has long been criticized as an outdated, difficult-to-enforce tax that penalizes ordinary car ownership.

  
  

• The Solution: A targeted tax exemption aimed at putting money back in the pockets of middle and lower income families who rely on smaller, more practical vehicles.

  
  

• The Timeline: The government introduced the measure by decree in mid-September 2026 and has stated its intent to make the exemption structural (permanent) through the 2027 budget law. Full rollout is planned for 2027, though the details still need to move through Italy's budget process, so some specifics could be refined before then.

  
  

Why Italians Hate the Bollo Auto... And Why This Move Matters Now

The Most Hated Tax in Italy

For decades, the bollo auto has been a notorious fixture of Italian life. It's officially a regional ownership tax rather than a road-usage tax, which means motorists pay it every year regardless of whether the car is actively driven or simply parked on the street. For many citizens, it feels like a penalty for owning a basic means of transportation. Meloni herself put it plainly, calling it one of the taxes Italians hate most and describing the exemption as a structural change rather than a one-time giveaway.

Relief for Everyday Families and Rising Fuel Pressure

With fuel prices today sitting at painful highs, families relying on a single vehicle to manage commutes, errands, and daily life have felt the squeeze. Removing this tax eliminates a recurring, unavoidable yearly fee for the vast majority of drivers. For a typical small car, it's roughly €130–200 back in drvier's pocket every year. It's also a cornerstone of the government's broader fiscal strategy, delivering visible financial relief to millions of voters as momentum builds ahead of the 2027 elections.

Worth Noting: The exemption is currently expected to apply to one vehicle per person, so a household with multiple cars would still pay the bollo on any additional vehicles.

Example: If two individuals live in the same house but each has a qualifying vehicle (under 80kW) registered in their own name separately, both vehicles can be exempt at the same time. The "one vehicle per person" cap only kicks in if the same individual owns more than one qualifying vehicle themselves, in which case only one of their vehicles (the lowest-power one) gets the exemption, not their choice of vehicle.

Electric vehicles already carry their own separate tax exemptions under existing rules and aren't the focus of this new measure. Regions, which currently collect bollo auto revenue directly, are also negotiating with Rome over how the roughly 2 billion euros in lost annual revenue will be reimbursed, a detail that's still being worked out and is worth watching as 2027 approaches.

What Can You Drive Under the 80kW Limit?

When the 2027 exemption goes live, it's expected to cover a wide range of practical, everyday vehicles. If you're wondering what kind of cars and motorcycles fall under the 80 kW threshold, here's a look at the spectrum:

• The Low End (city cars and scooters): Light city hatchbacks and standard commuter scooters, which fall under the motorcycle and moped provisions. Think nimble urban models like the Fiat Panda or Fiat 500 variants, along with mid-range motorbikes that are perfect for getting through traffic without burning through expensive fuel.

  
  

• The High End (family crossovers and sedans): At the upper limit of the 80 kW threshold, you're looking at compact SUVs, family station wagons, and mid-sized sedans. Many entry-to-mid-level trims of popular family cars, including efficient diesel and petrol-hybrid options, land right around 109 horsepower, letting families own a comfortable, long-distance car that's completely exempt from the bollo.

Why This Is Timely for New Drivers in Italy

If you're currently on the fence about getting your Italian driver's license (the patente), this policy shift is about as clear a green light as you'll get.

Starting your driving journey in Italy comes with upfront costs: driving school fees, registration, lessons, and exam fees. Knowing that your first vehicle, whether it's a practical first car or a scooter, will likely be exempt from the yearly bollo auto starting in 2027 changes the long-term math of car ownership considerably.

But you can't take advantage of a benefit you're not yet qualified to use. To be ready the moment the exemption takes effect, you need to clear the bureaucratic steps now, starting with passing your theory test to secure your learner's permit, the foglio rosa. The Italian theory exam is notoriously technical, and it's administered in Italian nationwide (with French and German available only in a small number of border regions). There is no English-language option anywhere in Italy, so preparation takes real time for non-native speakers.

Starting your studies now means you'll be fully licensed and ready to buy or register an eligible vehicle the moment the 2027 exemption arrives, instead of scrambling to catch up.

Master the Theory Test with Ready Set Italia

Passing the Italian driving theory exam can feel like an uphill battle for English speakers, thanks to dense legal jargon and study materials that are often poorly translated. That's where Ready Set Italia comes in.

The Patente B program is built specifically to help English speakers master the material needed to pass the Italian theory test, without the confusion of working through it in a second language. By breaking down complex traffic laws into clear, digestible, English-language modules, the program walks you from your first day of studying all the way to securing your foglio rosa.

Don't wait until 2027 to get started. Head over to Ready Set Italia today, begin studying, lock in your license, and put yourself in position to save on vehicle taxes the moment the new policy takes effect.

Quick FAQ:

• Is the 'bollo auto' exemption law in effect yet?

  Not fully. As of this writing, the government has introduced it by decree and stated its intention to make it permanent through the 2027 budget law. It still needs to move through Italy's normal budget process, so it's worth keeping an eye on for any changes before 2027.

  
  

• How much will I actually save?

  For most small and mid-size cars near the 80kW cutoff, that's roughly €130–200 a year, since the tax is based on engine power. Larger, more powerful vehicles pay more.

  
  

• How many vehicles will qualify?

  Roughly 14.5 million, about 13.2 million cars and 1.1 million motorcycles and mopeds, or more than 70% of vehicles on the road in Italy today.

  
  

• Does this apply to electric vehicles?

  Electric vehicles already have their own, separate bollo exemptions under existing Italian tax rules, so they sit outside this particular measure.

  
  

• What if my household has more than one car?

  Current reporting indicates the exemption is meant to apply to one vehicle per person, so additional household vehicles would likely still owe the bollo.

  
  

• Can I take the Italian driving theory test in English?

  No. It's offered in Italian nationwide, with French and German available only in specific border regions (Valle d'Aosta and Alto Adige/South Tyrol). There is no English-language version anywhere in the country.