Florence · rental cars and ZTL fines
ZTL fine in Florence with a rental car: how it reaches you
With a rental car the fine does not come to you straight away. This page explains the steps, who can ask for the cancellation and what to watch out for in the rental contract.
The notice reaches the rental company first
With a rental car the fine does not reach you straight away. The first notice is addressed to the rental company, because it is the owner of the car. At that point the rental company is obliged, under the Highway Code, to tell the Polizia Municipale that issued the penalty who was driving the car, that is, the details of the renter who signed the rental contract: yours. The Polizia Municipale then reissues the notice, this time addressed directly to you.
Why this step matters so much
Only the person the notice is addressed to can ask for its cancellation. As long as the fine is in the name of the rental company you cannot appeal: you can do so when you receive the notice in your own name, and the 60 days count from that moment. So there is no need to rush when the rental company first writes to you: wait for the notice addressed to you, then follow the steps in how to appeal to the Prefetto. And of course keep the parking ticket of the garage: it is your proof. Beware, too: sometimes a letter arrives from the rental company that looks like a fine but is not (see rental company letter or real fine?).
Beware of penalties in the contract
Watch out too for clauses in the rental contract that provide for penalties, for example of 50 euro, if you take a fine under the Highway Code. Often they are unlawful and void, and so without effect: the Italian competition authority has ruled in this sense in some recent measures. We talk about it in the guide on rental company penalties.
How to avoid the fine
The simplest way to avoid surprises is to book a garage that registers your number plate, such as City Parking Fiesolana, City Parking Via Venezia and Garage Firenze Borgo Pinti. The garage issues the permit when you arrive, with no need for you to send the plate beforehand; just remember that it does not hold in the lanes reserved for buses and taxis. For the general case, see ZTL fine for foreign drivers.
ZTL fines: all guides
ZTL fine for foreign drivers · When does a ZTL fine arrive? · Why keep your garage parking ticket · ZTL fine with a rental car (you are here) · Rental company letter or real fine? · Pay the ZTL fine or appeal? · Can the garage appeal for me? · Prefetto or Giudice di Pace? · How to appeal a ZTL fine · Rental company fees for fines
Questions from international drivers
Who receives the first notice with a rental car?
The rental company, because it owns the car. The notice is then reissued in the customer’s name.
Why does the rental company pass on my details?
Because under the Highway Code it is obliged to tell the Polizia Municipale who was driving the car, that is, the details of the renter who signed the rental contract.
Who can ask for the fine to be cancelled?
Only the person the notice is addressed to. While the fine is in the name of the rental company you cannot appeal.
When do my 60 days start?
From when you receive the notice in your own name, not from the first notice to the rental company.