Adapted car: how do you read restriction codes on a licence?

Codes on an adapted-driver licence specify conditions, restrictions or vehicle adaptations for that holder. Read the code on the licence and match it with the equipment installed in the car. The word “adapted” alone does not establish that every adapted vehicle is permitted.

Codes form part of the individual entitlement

A licence can include harmonised codes that qualify its categories. They may describe a restriction, a required adaptation or another condition. The exact meaning depends on the code and where it appears on the document. Start with the licence itself; do not rely only on a seller’s description or on the equipment used in a previous vehicle.

For an adapted car, compare the licence codes with the controls and equipment actually fitted. A code may require a particular hand control, transmission, steering aid or other adaptation. A similar-looking vehicle may have a different configuration. Do not assume a medical adaptation can be removed or replaced without the required assessment and document update.

Check the licence and the vehicle

Read both sides of the licence, including categories, validity and any codes shown beside the relevant category. Then inspect the vehicle registration and adaptation approval records. The equipment must suit the driver and be correctly recorded where required. If a code is unclear or the car has been changed, ask the Motor Vehicle Office or the body responsible for the individual assessment.

For example, a code requiring an automatic transmission does not permit driving a manual car merely because it has hand controls. Conversely, controls that appear to match may still need approval and registration. Check the complete combination rather than interpreting one code alone.

Check before changing cars

Before buying or borrowing another model, give the authority or specialist the exact licence codes and the new car’s adaptation details. A different model can change pedal layout, steering, transmission or access. Until compatibility is confirmed, do not treat an approval for the former vehicle as proof for the new one.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale offers theory quizzes and mistake review for general study. It cannot interpret a personal medical decision or certify that a particular adaptation complies with codes on an individual licence.

Quiz Patente Ufficiale helps review theory questions and mistakes; individual adaptation codes and medical conditions must be checked on the licence and with the competent authority.