Expired driving license, how long you can drive it and deadlines for renewal

The expiration of the driving license always coincides, for all licenses issued or renewed after 2012, with the date of birth of the holder.
Despite this, it is easy to forget about it, thanks to the fact that for drivers up to 50 years of age the license does not expire for 10 years.
Many are therefore wondering if there is a grace period provided for by law, a sort of residual validity to be able to go to the renewal.
Here's what the law provides.
How long can I drive with an expired license? Many people think that after the expiry of their driving license there is still a time limit to proceed with the renewal, while being able to continue driving in the meantime.
Yet this is not the case.
You cannot drive with an expired license, regardless of whether three days or three years have passed.
Indeed, those who drive with an expired license risk a lot.
The only exception to the rule, in which it is possible to drive even with an expired license, is related to driving by necessity, also granted to those who do not have a driving license at all.
It is worth underlining that this is a very rare hypothesis, in fact jurisprudence only allows it for serious and proven emergencies.
For example, the need to take someone to the emergency room because their life is in danger and the ambulance would have taken a long time, or to escape from a serious danger in the absence of alternatives.
read also Is driving without a license out of necessity legal? What risks those who drive with an expired license Driving with an expired license, outside of the rare cases mentioned, entails very serious consequences.
Firstly, there is the financial penalty, a fine ranging from 160 to 644 euros.
Secondly, the application of the accessory sanction of withdrawing the expired driving license is envisaged.
The latter is held at the municipal police headquarters, leaving the driver a maximum of 10 days to obtain the renewed medical certificate and get his driving license back.
However, if more than 10 days pass, to renew it will be necessary to go to the Prefecture of the place where the infringement occurred, in any case with the medical certificate.
Everything gets worse if the driver with an expired license is involved in a road accident, for which he is responsible.
In this case, the insurance company can legitimately refuse to pay for damage caused to property and people.
Despite this, driving with an expired license is not a crime, unlike driving without a license (because it was never obtained, withdrawn, revoked or not renewed).
Terms for renewing an expired license It is not mandatory to renew an expired driving license, many choose to postpone this process or put the license in the drawer altogether.
As long as you don't need to drive, there's no problem, but it's still important to know the renewal terms.
In particular, it is possible to renew the driving license within 5 years of expiration.
Subsequently, to obtain the document it will be necessary to repeat the initial process, taking the theory test and the driving test again.
Therefore, also pay attention to the costs, which thus respect those necessary for simple renewal.
However, when at least 3 years have passed since the expiry (but less than 5) the DMV could ask for the license to be reviewed if there are doubts about whether the eligibility requirements remain.
If, on the contrary, you want to act a little in advance (for example those who usually drive for work or other needs) it is useful to know that it is possible to proceed with the renewal of the license starting 4 months before it expires.
That's why there is no tolerance limit.
read also Driving license renewal: when it expires, how much it costs and how to do it.
Is the expired driving license valid as an identification document? Some identification documents can be used even after expiry for identification purposes only, but not the driving licence.
The expired driving license is no longer valid as an identification document, not even if it is suitable to drive due to extensions decided by the government.
It will therefore be necessary to use your identity card or another document suitable for recognition, such as a passport.
read also Recognition and identity documents, what they are, differences and when they expire