Driving from 16: Here's how 🚗

Are you a guy who wants to drive?
Are you a parent who worries about your child's safety?
Are you a grandfather worried about your grandchild?

Whoever you are, if you've landed here, it means you're interested in learning how you can be behind the wheel at 16. Maybe you've never heard of it: at this age, it's possible to drive a four-wheeled vehicle, even alone.

To tell the truth, you could start driving at 14 with a category AM license, but it's a bit early and we're still talking about vehicles that are very different, in terms of characteristics and speed, from those you drive at 16—the latter being much more similar to normal cars.

If you like the idea, keep reading: we'll explain the process step by step.

Three interconnected steps, each step preparing the next. Let's look at them one at a time.

This is the first license you need to get. If you've never heard of it: the B1 license allows you to drive non-light quadricycles , with an unladen weight not exceeding 450 kg (excluding batteries, if electric) and a maximum power of up to 15 kW.

To obtain it, you take a theory exam : 30 questions, with a maximum of 3 errors. Don't worry about preparation; we'll take care of it with our continuous daily courses taught by our instructors.

Once you've passed the theory exam, the next day you can get your training permit to practice and prepare for the driving test , which takes place no sooner than 30 days later. The test includes a manoeuvring exercise around cones in a private yard, followed by a road test.

Now you can drive your own vehicle, if you have one. And if you don't, no problem: the B1 licence still allows you to continue your training with Accompanied Driving .

You know those cars with the letters "GA" on a yellow background instead of the usual "P"? They indicate that a seventeen-year-old may be behind the wheel practising while waiting to get their category B licence.

The 10 hours are divided as follows:

At the end of the course, you must apply for a permit to drive with a companion at the DMV . From that moment on, you can drive with a companion: a person who has held a category B license for at least 10 years and is no older than 60, or a holder of a higher license. You cannot carry other passengers, and the vehicle must be suitable for new drivers.

By the time you turn 18, you already have about a year and a half of driving experience under your belt : you're much more ready to take to the road on your own.

As anticipated, you will not have to retake the theory test : you will move directly to the request for the provisional licence (foglio rosa) for the B driving licence .

Have you heard that a B license requires 6 hours of certified driving? In your case , you won't have to do it , because you've already completed it during your Accompanied Driving course.

At that point, there's not much left to do: you wait the 30 days required by law from the date of issue of your provisional licence and you book the driving test for the long-awaited B license.

Fair question, let's talk about it.

The price of the complete course may vary depending on the number of driving lessons actually taken, and is in any case spread over two years .

Does this seem like a significant expense? Maybe. But try to compare it to what you get: two years of real-world driving experience before finding yourself alone in traffic, and the peace of mind of knowing your child has been trained calmly, not rushed. If you then consider just one bodywork repair after an accident, the numbers quickly change. 🛡️