Speed cameras: new installation limits are triggered. Here are what they are

The rules for speed cameras are changing, a manoeuvre strongly desired by Minister Matteo Salvini, in order to put an end to 'hidden taxes', a term used by the Minister of Transport to describe the practices adopted by various Italian municipalities, which would use speed cameras mainly to make cash. So here is what will be new as of 12 June 2025.

In the current measure, there are no changes to the penalties, which remain the same as those introduced in the 'new highway code'.

The stretches of road on which speed cameras may be used must be identified by order of the prefect, provided they respect at least one of these characteristics: a high speeding accident rate in the previous five years; impossibility or difficulty in immediately contesting the violation; passage of vehicles at an average speed above the permitted limits. Generally speaking, speed cameras may be installed on various types of roads: urban, district and local roads with a speed limit of no less than 50 km/h, main suburban roads, secondary suburban roads, local suburban roads (with a speed limit no less than 20 km/h lower than the speed limit set by the Highway Code), and motorways.

If the road meets the Ministry's specifications, the placement of the speed cameras can then proceed, and following the new guidelines on the distance between one camera and the next and its signalling, there will be: for motorways, a distance of 4 km between one camera and the next; 3 km for main and secondary suburban roads; 1 km for local and trunk roads; and finally, for district and local roads, even 500 m between two cameras.

Municipalities are obliged to notify every speed camera in their territory in order not to incur penalties. If this is not done, unmapped devices will not be able to operate