Florence Driving Map, the ZTL explained

Digital ZTL traffic sign in Florence showing green light indicating open access on Sunday

Driving into central Florence is restricted by the ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato) - a camera-enforced zone covering most of the historic center and an increasing area outside of it. Tourists and non-residents can drive in the ZTL only if staying at a hotel that has registered their license plate in advance, or if they obtain a temporary access pass. Fines for unauthorized entry range from €80 to €335, and are issued weeks later by mail - often after you've returned home.

You can drive into the center with a car, a rental or your personal vehicle, if you are staying at a hotel (or other special use cases), but the hotel/business etc. must let the traffic police know your license plate number ahead of time and get your vehicle on the temporary "Lista bianca" or "white list". Note that even with this access you are expected to go to and from you accommodation and/or parking only - it doesn't give you permission to cruise all about town.

Official ZTL restricted traffic zone map of Florence Italy showing entry points and parking zones

Alternatively, if possible, you can (and should) acquire a "Temporary ZTL Access" pass ("contrassegno giornaliero") through the Servizi alla Strada, the company that manages ZTL access on behalf of the Comune. There are two types: "solo transito" (entry and circulation only) and "transito e sosta" (entry, circulation, and parking in resident spaces) - if you need to park inside the ZTL near your accommodation, make sure you request the second type. The pass is valid for the full calendar day, from 00:00 to 24:00 (or from the time of purchase to 24:00 if bought the same day you need it), and once issued it cannot be cancelled or refunded, so don't buy one speculatively. There's also a cap of ten days per month and sixty days per year per vehicle, which matters if you're staying long-term rather than for a typical visit. Note that this online daily pass only covers vehicles under 35 quintali (3,500 kg/3.5 tonnes) - anything heavier (vans, larger camper vans) requires emailing the Polizia Municipale in advance with documentation, and approval for those vehicles is generally limited to the 6:00-8:30am window. In the past when renting a car from inside the center of Florence we were never given a pass to show in the car - this may have changed. Full documentation of the ZTL (in Italian) is available here.

On the map (click it to download a PDF version suitable for printing), you can see the ZTL entry points (red and blue "T"s) and the various zones by letter (which correspond to where residents can park). The blue "T"s are where you can enter with a car or other motorized vehicle - the red "T"s are for buses and other public and emergency vehicles only, and even with a permit to enter (resident or tourist), you are not allowed enter at the red "T" signs (I know from personal experience - and it was a very expensive lesson).

The hours of limited entry are currently:

During the summer there are additional closing hours which can change from year to year but in general run from the first Thursday of April to the first Sunday of October and is called the "ZTL NOTTURNA ESTIVA". The below hours are just a sample (from the summer of 2022), these may change from year to year:

So remember - if you are just coming to Florence as stop on a day trip, or you are staying at a self catering apartment or Airbnb (i.e. not a hotel), you can not legally drive into (most of) the center unless you get a pass first (although we have heard stories of people doing so and not getting tickets, but you are really taking a chance). If you do drive into the ZTL without proper permission the fines are steep and the local authorities are getting better and better at finding you and making sure you pay. In any case, this is something to be aware and careful of! There are a few tips and tricks as mentioned above (Sundays are open, as are nights from 7:30 PM to 7:30 AM, but not in the summer, etc.). Lastly, the darker green shaded streets and piazzas are "zona pedonale" or pedestrian zones, and you shouldn't be driving on them at all!

Historical ZTL map of Florence from 2010s showing smaller restricted traffic zone before expansion

For reference, here is an older Florence ZTL map - you can see how the zone has grown in the ensuring years:

There is also a good Google Map of the ZTL available - we are not the authors of this map but it does appear to be fairly accurate:

Frequently Asked Questions

And lastly, here is a very good video that sums up everything mentioned above and specifically mentions how to avoid getting ZTL tickets: