head 62–71 %
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14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy (Motorizzazione civile)
Verified
Quick answer: A Italy driver's license photo must be 35 × 45 mm. Even plain background without shadows. Head occupies 62–71% of photo height. Neutral expression, glasses only if no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 62–71% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Background | Even plain background without shadows. |
| Pose | Full face, no noticeable tilt; face turned towards the lens. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible without strong reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No harsh shadows or overexposure. |
| Attire | Keep the original clothing and a visible shoulder line. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
The Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport treats the driving licence as an identity document equivalent to the identity card, and its circular of 20 October 2016 sets the photograph on ICAO rules: a «frontal image» as defined by ICAO 9303 and ISO 19794-5, recent — «not more than six months», 40–45 mm high and 32–35 mm wide (so the usual 35 × 45 mm passport photo fits), the head and the top of the shoulders showing, the head 60–90 % of the height (28–32 mm in the figure), centred, not tilted, no «artistic positions», gaze to the lens, a neutral expression, the mouth closed and the eyes open and visible, a uniform background «preferably light grey, cream or light blue, or white» lit evenly with no shadows, sharp, in natural colours and not over- or underexposed, without red eyes, only the subject in the picture, printed on high-quality paper — matt is recommended — undamaged and without writing. Headwear is not allowed unless required for religious reasons and the face stays clearly visible; hair must not cover the eyes; coloured lenses are not allowed and the frames must not cover the eyes. For a renewal or a duplicate you hand in «2 identical passport-format photographs, one of them authenticated» — at the counter if you file in person — taken within six months, and the medical receipt needs one recent photo that the doctor legalises; the photos go into the boxes of page 7 of the form.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Italy driver's license applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy (Motorizzazione civile) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Photos that are not identical, not recent (older than six months), or damaged, stained or with writing | Two identical recent photos from the same session, undamaged. |
| A tilted or turned face, an «artistic» pose, a head outside 60–90 % of the height, an off-centre head | A frontal, centred, untilted head at 60–90 % of the height. |
| A background that is not uniform, shadows on the face or the background, other people or objects, over- or underexposure | A uniform light grey, cream, light blue or white background, even light, only you in the picture. |
| Coloured lenses, frames over the eyes, hair over the eyes, red eyes, a hat without a religious reason, or a covering that hides the face | Clear lenses, eyes open and visible, no hat unless required for religion and then with the face clear. |
How to take it
Background: plain, one colour
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 62–71 % of the photo height
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Glasses only if no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
An Italian driving licence is renewed or duplicated at the Motorizzazione civile office of your province (by appointment booked on the Portale dell'Automobilista) with two identical passport-format photos, one authenticated, the form and the other documents.
ilportaledellautomobilista.it — renewals and duplicates; the Motorizzazione of your province
Two identical photos 35 × 45 mm within six months, one authenticated; light uniform background.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport of Italy (Motorizzazione civile) |
|---|---|
| Source | Circular 23176/8.3 of 20 October 2016 — photographs for driving licences (official PDF) |
| Verified |
Questions
A frontal ICAO-style colour photo not older than six months, 40–45 mm high and 32–35 mm wide, the head 60–90 % of the height, a uniform background (light grey, cream, light blue or white), neutral expression with the mouth closed, no coloured lenses, no headwear except for religious reasons with the face visible, printed on high-quality paper.
Two identical passport-format photos, one of them authenticated — at the counter if you file in person — not older than six months.
Yes: the circular gives 40–45 mm in height and 32–35 mm in width, and 35 × 45 mm falls inside that range.
Uniform, preferably light grey, cream or light blue, or white, evenly lit with no shadows.
The Italy driver's license photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 62–71% of the photo height. The photo is printed on the licence card and must remain recognisable for the full validity period.
Even plain background without shadows. Even, frontal light without shadow gradients. Driving licence printers tend to compress contrast — starting with even lighting prevents underexposed areas from disappearing in the final print.
Eyes must be fully visible without strong reflections. Many authorities specifically allow eyewear when it is required for driving, but the eyes must remain fully visible and there must be no lens glare. Tinted lenses or transition lenses that have darkened are not accepted.
Most authorities require the photo to be taken within the last six months. The licence is typically valid for 5–10 years, so use a recent photo that reflects your everyday appearance — not a one-off styled portrait.
No. Driving licence photos use the same neutral expression standard as biometric passports — closed mouth, eyes open and looking directly at the camera, no raised eyebrows. Smiles distort facial geometry used in modern biometric checks.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the Italy licence authority rejects the photo and you supply the rejection notice.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 pixels.