In brief
Renewing a motorcycle or car license every 10 years until age 65 is not yet in force. It is set out in the draft of the new Highway Code, which the Council of Ministers approved at the preliminary review stage on October 13, 2026. Today, AM, A1, A2, A and B licenses are still subject to the expiry dates set out in the 1992 Code: every 10 years until age 50, then every 5 years, every 3 years after age 70, and every 2 years after age 80.
If your license expires in the coming months, you must renew it under the current rules: according to specialist publications, the reform will not arrive before 2027. Here’s what would actually change for motorcyclists, how much renewal costs, why a doctor’s receipt is not enough to drive abroad, and what the risks are of driving with an expired license.
Ten-year renewals up to age 65 have been approved at the preliminary stage; they are not yet law
The headline circulating in recent days, “License valid until age 65 without renewal every five years,” is accurate in substance, but not in timing.
On October 13, 2026, the Council of Ministers approved, at the preliminary review stage, a legislative decree introducing the new Highway Code and replacing Legislative Decree 285 of 1992. It is based on the delegation under Article 35 of Law 177 of 2024, extended by Law 171 of 2026. The Government’s official statement contains a line that concerns anyone with a motorcycle license: the age limit up to which Group 1 licenses, covering motorcycles and motor vehicles, are renewed every 10 years will rise from 50 to 65.
Il Sole 24 Ore, which prompted this in-depth article, devoted one of its pieces on the new Code to license renewals. We reconstructed the rest from institutional sources, separating what applies today from what is still a proposal.
- October 13, 2026 — preliminary review by the Council of Ministers. Done. The text exists as a draft legislative decree.
- Opinions from the Council of State and the Unified Conference. They have 30 days.
- Opinions of the parliamentary committees. Law 171/2026 extended the deadline to 90 days; if the Government does not comply, a further step is предусмотрed.
- Final approval, enactment and publication in the Official Gazette. Only from that point do the new expiration periods become applicable, unless the text specifies different effective dates.
| Measure | Status as of October 16, 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Current expiration periods (10/5/3/2 years) | IN FORCE | Art. 126 of Legislative Decree 285/1992 |
| Ten-year renewals up to age 65 for Group 1 | APPROVED AT THE PRELIMINARY REVIEW STAGE, not in force | Council of Ministers press release No. 192, 13/10/2026 |
| Driving documents presented in digital format | APPROVED AT THE PRELIMINARY REVIEW STAGE, not in force | Council of Ministers press release No. 192 |
| Group 2 limit (C, D) raised from 68 to 70 | Reported by the press as part of the draft | Infodifesa, Automoto.it, 14/10/2026 |
| Expected to take effect in 2027 | JOURNALISTIC ESTIMATE, no official date | Automoto.it, ItaliaOggi |
| 15-year validity (10 years if used as an identity document) | EU DIRECTIVE in force, to be transposed by 26/11/2028 | Directive (EU) 2025/2205 |
| Digital license in the IO app | IN FORCE, Italy only | IT-Wallet, Art. 64-quater of the Digital Administration Code |
Today, motorcycle licenses expire on the same schedule as car licenses: after 10, 5, 3 or 2 years
Under the Highway Code, motorcycles do not have a separate schedule. AM, A1, A2, A and B belong to the same group and follow the same expiration dates.
| Age when issued or renewed | Current validity | Categories | Example for motorcycle riders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 50 | 10 years | AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B, BE | Renewals at age 40: next expiration at 50 |
| Over 50 | 5 years | AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B, BE | Renewals at age 52: expires at 57 |
| Over 70 | 3 years | AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B, BE | Renewals at age 72: expires at 75 |
| Over 80 | 2 years | AM, A1, A2, A, B1, B, BE | Renewals at age 81: expires at 83 |
Three details that apply to motorcycles too
- For licenses issued or renewed after 2012, the expiration date falls on your birthday. The exact date is in field 4b on the card.
- If you ride a 125 with a category B license, you renew your B license: the authorization to ride a 125, valid only in Italy, follows the same expiration date.
- Renewal does not change your license categories. It confirms the ones you already have. Moving from A2 to A has its own rules and is not part of the renewal process.
To check the expiration date, all you need is your license, the Ministry's Motorist Portal, which can also send you a reminder, or the official iPatente app. If you're thinking about your first motorcycle or moving up to a different license category, our guides on how to choose your first motorcycle and adventure bikes for an A2 license are a good place to start.
Between ages 50 and 65, one in every two renewals would be eliminated
This is the age group that makes up a significant portion of people who travel by motorcycle, and the one that would be most affected by the reform.
Today, anyone who renews at age 51 gets a license valid for 5 years. Under the new Highway Code proposal, if the final text remains as announced, they would get a license valid for 10 years. In practice, between ages 50 and 65, the number of renewals would go from three to one or two, depending on when the expiration date falls relative to their birthday. Fewer medical examinations, less paperwork, and fewer chances of finding your license expired just before a trip.
| Age at renewal | Today | Under the new Highway Code proposal | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45 years | 10 years (up to age 55) | 10 years (up to age 55) | No difference |
| 52 years | 5 years (up to age 57) | 10 years (up to age 62) | One fewer renewal |
| 60 years | 5 years (up to age 65) | To be clarified | The announcement does not say whether the 10-year validity applies to people who renew shortly before age 65 |
| 66 years | 5 years (up to age 71) | To be clarified | It is not yet known what the text will provide for after age 65 |
| 72 years | 3 years | No changes announced | To be verified against the published text |
For professional category 2 licenses, those for trucks and buses, reports say the age limit would rise from 68 to 70, with checks every two years. This has little relevance to motorcyclists, but explains why many summaries speak generically of “longer-lasting licenses”: the measures differ by category.
Renewal is handled by a doctor, not the Motor Vehicle Department
The procedure is the same for category A and B licenses, and, as far as has been announced, the new Highway Code does not change it.
- Pay the two fees through PagoPA: 10.20 euros in Motor Vehicle Department fees and 16 euros in stamp duty.
- Book an appointment with a doctor authorized under Article 119 of the Highway Code: the local health authority, military doctors, State Police doctors, RFI doctors, and other authorized providers, often through agencies or driving schools.
- Have the examination with your ID, driver’s license, a passport photo, and, if you wear glasses or contact lenses, the prescription details required by the facility.
- Receive the receipt: the doctor sends the certificate, photo, and payments to the Ministry and gives you a certificate that allows you to drive in Italy.
- Wait for your new license to arrive by registered mail. When it does, destroy the old one.
If your licence expires during your trip, the doctor’s receipt is valid only in Italy
This is the situation that summaries of the new Highway Code don’t cover, and the most common one for anyone setting off on a motorcycle trip lasting two or three weeks.
The receipt issued by the doctor after your appointment lets you drive in Italy while you wait for your new card. It isn’t valid outside the country. Likewise, a digital driving licence in the IO app is accepted at checkpoints in Italy but not abroad, where you need the physical document. And a licence that expires while you’re in France or Norway is simply expired: the consequences depend on that country’s rules, and in the event of an accident, your insurer may seek reimbursement from you.
- Check field 4b on your driving licence: if it expires during or just before your trip, renew it beforehand.
- Book your medical appointment a few weeks in advance so your card arrives at home before you leave.
- Bring your physical driving licence: the digital version isn’t enough abroad.
- Keep your documents somewhere dry and always within easy reach.
- Setting off with only the doctor’s receipt.
- Relying on the driving licence in the IO app outside Italy.
- A photo or PDF of your driving licence on your phone: it isn’t a valid document.
- Waiting for the new Highway Code to avoid renewing a licence that expires now.
In Italy, on the other hand, your phone has effectively become a document holder: if you don't have your physical card with you but have your driving licence in the IO app, you can show it on your screen at a checkpoint. There’s just one weak point: the battery. If your phone is off and you don’t have a physical card, you can be cited for failing to show your documents, with a fine of €42 to €173. On a touring motorcycle, where your phone also works as a navigation device, a stable mount with charging and a USB-C socket connected to the bike’s electrical system solve the problem at its source. We’ve covered this in detail in our guide to motorcycle smartphone mounts and our guide to the 100 W USB-C socket.
- Charging
- Induction up to 15 W, Type-C PD up to 24 W
- Power supply
- 12–16 V motorcycle electrical system
- Damping
- Three levels of silicone
- Available mounts
- GPS bar 12–13 mm, mirror stem up to 10.2 mm
- Phone
- Width 65–98 mm, thickness up to 13 mm
- Unlocking
- Button, operable with gloves
- Outputs
- USB-C 100 W + USB-C 30 W
- Total
- Up to 130 W
- Input
- DC 12–15 V
- Protection
- IP67
- Display
- Real-time system voltage
- Installation
- 3M adhesive or mirror bracket included
For paper documents, the LOBOO BTB10 tank bag with a capacity of 4.5–6.5 liters (€113, available) has an internal mesh pocket under the lid and magnetic attachment; other sizes are available in the tank bags collection. For the rest of your preparations, from the green card to the rules in transit countries, see our guide on how to prepare your motorcycle for a long trip.
Driving with an expired license costs €158 to €638 and results in the document being confiscated
The penalty is administrative and does not deduct points, but it has consequences that cost more than the fine.
What Article 126 currently provides
- Fine of €158 to €638 for driving with an expired license.
- License confiscation, which is sent to the Prefect and returned only after renewal.
- No points deducted.
- Insurance company’s right of recourse: in the event of an accident, the company compensates third parties but may ask you to reimburse it for what it paid.
Expired for more than five years
You renew it again, without retaking the full test. However, in addition to the medical examination, you must complete a riding test at the Motor Vehicle Office, including at least one maneuver and some traffic behaviors required for the category. If you fail, your license is revoked; if you don’t show up, it remains suspended until you pass a new test. If you’ve had an A license for years but haven’t ridden in a while, this is a step to prepare for with a few accompanied rides, not something to take lightly.
The European directive will extend driver’s license validity to 15 years, but not before 2028
Two different reforms overlap in the debate about renewals: Italy’s Highway Code reform and the European reform of driver’s licenses.
Directive (EU) 2025/2205 of October 22, 2025, is in force from November 25, 2025, and member states must transpose it by November 26, 2028. For cars and motorcycles, it provides for a 15-year validity period, reduced to 10 years if the license is also used as an identity document, and allows member states to shorten it after age 65. It also provides for a uniform digital driver’s license in the European Digital Identity Wallet by the end of 2030, valid throughout the Union, with the physical card always available on request.
- The directive has been approved and published.
- The transposition deadline is November 2028.
- The European digital driver’s license is expected by 2030.
- In Italy, a driver’s license also serves as an identity document: the choice between 10 and 15 years is up to the legislature.
- How it will align with the new Highway Code’s age-65 threshold.
- When the digital driver’s license will also be valid abroad.
For motorcyclists, the practical implication is simple: over the next few years, the rules will change at least once, perhaps twice. It’s worth checking the date on your document, not the newspaper headlines. For the full picture of the reform, from emergency lanes to gloves and back protectors on motorways, see our article on the new Highway Code and motorcycles.
Frequently asked questions about motorcycle license renewal
Is renewing a license every 10 years until age 65 already in effect?
Does the change also apply to motorcycle licenses?
How often does an A license have to be renewed now?
I'm 55 and my license expires in December: should I wait for the new Road Traffic Code?
How much does it cost to renew a motorcycle license?
Who carries out the medical examination for license renewal?
Can I ride a motorcycle abroad with the renewal receipt?
What happens if my license expires while I am traveling abroad?
How much is the fine for driving with an expired license?
My license expired more than five years ago: do I have to retake the test?
Can I show the digital license in the IO app during a motorcycle check?
Will the new Code eliminate the requirement to carry a driver's license when riding a motorcycle?
Is it true that a driver's license will be valid for 15 years?
Does renewing my license change its categories, for example from A2 to A?
License in order, motorcycle ready to go
Tell me your motorcycle's make, model and year, and I'll recommend a compatible phone mount, USB socket and tank bag to keep your documents, navigation device and phone organized on the road. If you travel with an iPhone, also download the Endurrad app for iPhone.
LOBOO electronics and navigation
