Pink sheet: how the document that anticipates the driving license works

Alexander Pinto

03 April 2023

After the changes to the Highway Code in November 2021, are there any other news coming in 2023 for the pink sheet? It is the document that allows aspiring motorists or motorcyclists to practice driving before taking the final exam to obtain a licence. These are the general rules to follow:

• during this phase, the Cds requires the presence, alongside the driver, of a person within the age of 65 with at least 10 years of driving license valid for the same or higher category.
• the maximum speed to be respected is 90 km/h on main extra-urban roads and 100 km/h on the motorway.
• the driver with a pink slip cannot carry passengers (with the exception of the passenger/instructor who has been licensed for at least 10 years) on the motorway and in the evening/night hours, after sunset and until sunrise.
• trainees are required to display the sign with the letter P (beginner) on the back of the car, in black on a white background.

Pink sheet 2023: what has changed

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In November 2021, after the stops due to the pandemic and the related extensions on the expiry of the pink sheets or on the renewal of the license, the government changed some rules of the Highway Code which also concern aspiring licensees. The carry-over of the theory exam introduced by a 2016 Ministry of Transport circular has been confirmed. In practice it is a second pink sheet, which offers the candidate another year to pass the practical exam necessary to obtain guide. Let’s see the most recent news on the pink sheet:

• the duration has increased from six months to a year;
• three tests to pass the practical exam instead of two.

Car pink sheet: rules, limits and penalties

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Once the first important step to obtain the license, the theory exam, has been passed, the candidate receives the pink sheet which allows him to circulate on public roads subject to compliance with the rules already mentioned. The theory test includes 30 multiple-choice quizzes and 20 minutes to answer correctly at least 27 questions: 3 errors are allowed, the theory test must be repeated on the fourth. These are the penalties provided for by the CDS if the rules governing driving with the pink sheet are not respected:

• if the pink sheet has expired, a fine ranging from 419 to 1,682 euros is foreseen;
• the holder of the pink slip caught driving unaccompanied receives a fine that can vary from 431 to 1,734 euros, to be added to the additional penalty of administrative detention of the vehicle for 3 months.

Motorbike pink sheet: rules, limits and penalties

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As for the B license, the preparatory pink sheet for the A license is also given to the candidate once the driving theory test has been passed. It is not allowed to carry the passenger on the motorbike and the figure of the expert driver or riding instructor is not foreseen, therefore the practitioner must practice alone but on little frequented roads. Depending on the type of licence. On request, the limits and characteristics of the motorcycle with which to practice change: for the A1 license (minimum age 16 years) it is possible to use motorcycles with a maximum cylinder capacity of 125 cc and a maximum power of 11 kW (15 HP ); for the A2 license (minimum age 18 years) the limit rises to motorcycles with power not exceeding 35 kW (48 HP), while for the A license (minimum age 24 years) there are no restrictions on power. With the AM license (minimum age 14 years) – the so-called “patentino” – it is possible to practice with mopeds and vehicles with two or more wheels (such as light quadricycles or minicars) which have an engine capacity equal to or less than 50 cc and which exceed the maximum speed of 45 km/h. In the case of vehicles with three or more wheels, the presence of a companion is required, with the same requirements as for cars. The only limit set by the highway code in driving these vehicles is that the place is not very popular. A condition that should not be understood as a permanent feature of the road, but must be evaluated when the exercise takes place, even during the night. Violation of the rule entails a fine of 78 euros. An aspiring adult driver can carry another person (if provided for by the vehicle registration document), while a driver under 18 with a pink slip can never carry a passenger.

Pink sheet at 17, accompanied driving: how it works and penalties

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For over a decade, a teenager has been able to drive a car with a pink slip at the age of 17, as accompanied driving (GA) is improperly called. These are the requirements to drive a car at 17:

• be holders of an A1 driving licence;
• participate in a driving course, at least 10 hours, at a driving school.
• at least 4 hours of course dedicated to driving on the motorway or on extra-urban roads;
• at least 2 hours of course in conditions of night visibility.
• the driven vehicle must not exceed 3.5 tons nor 70 kW of power, while it must have a kw/t ratio lower than 55 and display the “GA” mark;
• on board the presence of a B driving license holder for at least 10 years is required.

Failure to comply with these rules will result in a fine ranging from 419 euros to 1,682 euros, in addition to the revocation of accompanied driving.