An example of a directional road sign in Italy, in this case near Rieti.
Road signs in Italy conform to the general pattern of those used in most other European countries, with the notable exception that the background of motorway (autostrada) signs is green and those for 'normal' roads is blue. They are regulated by the Codice della Strada (Road Code) and by the Regolamento di Attuazione del Codice della Strada (Rules for the Implementation of the Road Code) in conformity with the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals.
Italy signed the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals on November 8, 1968 and ratified it on February 7, 1997.[1]
Distances and other measurements are displayed in metric units.
Warning signs are usually placed 150 metres before the area they're referring to; if they're farther or nearer, an additional sign displays the actual distance in metres. Prohibition signs and mandatory instruction signs, instead, are placed exactly at the beginning of the area of validity.
Example of directional road sign with multiple destinations. It is blue because it is on a main road (not a motorway) outside a town. The indication to a motorway is in a green box, and the indication to a geographical feature or a tourist attraction is in a brown box. It uses both allowed fonts: the words VIAREGGIO and Marina di Vecchiano are in Alfabeto Normale, and the word autostrade is in Alfabeto Stretto
A version of the Transport typeface employed on road signs in the UK, called Alfabeto Normale, is used on Italian road signs. A condensed version, called Alfabeto Stretto, is also used for long names that wouldn't fit. Each name uses one font, but names in Alfabeto Normale and in Alfabeto Stretto can co-exist on one sign.
The font is officially regulated by the 1992 Codice della Strada, article 39 section 125.[2] It defines both Alfabeto Normale and Alfabeto Stretto for uppercase letters, lowercase letters and digits, "positive" (dark on light background) and "negative" (light on dark background). However, there are regulations about the use of Alfabeto Normale dating back to 1969.[3]
Uppercase is used in most cases. Lowercase is sometimes used for city districts and tourist attractions.
The standard language is Italian. In some autonomous regions or provinces bilingual signs are used (mainly Italian/German in South Tyrol, Italian/French in Aosta Valley and Italian/Slovenian along the Slovenian border, but also Italian/Friulan in the Friuli historical region and Italian/Sardinian in Sardinia).
These are some examples of the italian sign "Passo carrabile" (No parking in front of vehicular access to the side properties) in the bilingual variants:
"Passo carrabile" sign in Italian
"Passo carrabile" sign in Italian and French (used in Aosta Valley)
"Passo carrabile" sign in Italian and German (used in South Tyrol)
"Passo carrabile" sign in Italian and Slovenian (used in some municipalities of Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
Noparking on side where sign is placed. Without additional inscriptions, it is valid from 8 am to 8 pm on urban roads while on extra-urban roads it is valid at all times. (formerly used [4])
No stopping on the side where sign is placed (formerly used with the additional inscription "DIVIETO DI FERMATA" that means "NO STOPPING" [4])
Parking space reserved for vehicles used by people with disabilities (formerly used ). For personal parking, it can be used with the badge's number
Length of a danger or a prescription (in kilometers)
Timetable: the sign applies all day
Timetable: the sign between the hours shown
Timetable: the sign between the hours shown but only in holidays (represented by the cross)
Timetable: the sign between the hours shown but only in working days[7] (represented by the two hammers crossed)
The sign applies only to the category shown (in the example semi-trailer trucks)
The sign doesn't apply to the category shown (in the example buses)
Beginning of a danger or a prescription (vertical)
Continual of a danger or a prescription (vertical)
End of a danger or a prescription (vertical)
Beginning of a danger or a prescription (horizontal)
Continual of a danger or a prescription (horizontal)
End of a danger or a prescription (horizontal)
No road markings or road markings work in progress
Road accident
Crossing of railway linking tracks: the trains move very slowly and usually with the presence of a flagger (this crossing is not considered a level crossing).
Snow removal vehicle at work
Road subject to flooding
Queue
Construction vehicles at work
In case of snow or ice
In case of rain
Slow moving vehicle ahead
Tow-away zone
Lane sign: an overhead sign applies only to te lane pointed out by this arrow.
Albania largely shares the same road signage system used in Italy, except that the language used is Albanian instead of Italian. European route numbers are unsigned in Albania, only national route designations.
Burundi largely shares the same road signage system used in Italy, except that the language used is French. The European road network does not serve Burundi.
Malta largely shares the same road signage system used in Italy, except that the languages used are English and Maltese instead of Italian. Also in Malta, road signs are adapted for left-hand traffic.
San Marino almost wholly shares the same road signage system used in Italy, since this microstate is surrounded on all sides by Italy.
Sierra Leone largely shares the same road signage system used in Italy, except that the language used is English. The European road network does not serve Sierra Leone.
Vatican City almost wholly shares the same road signage system used in Italy, since this microstate is surrounded on all sides by Italy.
^This road sign is not regulated by the Highway Code: it had been designed by the Ministry of Public Works in order to prevent the launch of objects from bridges
that meant "Humps or dip")
that meant "Humps or ramp")
that meant "dangerous for dip")
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![No parking on side where sign is placed. Without additional inscriptions, it is valid from 8 am to 8 pm on urban roads while on extra-urban roads it is valid at all times. (formerly used [4])](https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Italian_traffic_signs_-_divieto_di_sosta.svg)
![No stopping on the side where sign is placed (formerly used with the additional inscription "DIVIETO DI FERMATA" that means "NO STOPPING" [4])](https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Italian_traffic_signs_-_divieto_di_fermata.svg)
with the additional inscription "DIVIETO DI FERMATA" that means "NO STOPPING" [4])
). For personal parking, it can be used 
with the badge's number
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or
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![Number of overpass along a motorway[5]](https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Italian_traffic_signs_-_numerazione_cavalcavia_autostrada.svg)
![Town sign: start of urban area where electric micromobility is being experimented (50 km/h speed limit, no use of horn and particular caution to cyclists and motorized scooters)[6]](https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Italian_traffic_signs_-_segnale_sperimentale_micromobilita_elettrica.svg)
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![Timetable: the sign between the hours shown but only in working days[7] (represented by the two hammers crossed)](https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Italian_traffic_signs_-_validit%25C3%25A0_%2528modello_II_3-d%2529.svg)
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![Regulated parking (Parking allowed using disc parking) [8]](https://akarinohon.com/text/taketori.cgi/en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fig._47_-_Sosta_regolamentata-_1959.svg)
