Firenze LTZ Infraction - Auto Ticket Help

Chris,

In the same circumstances, I'd contact the rental agency and ask if they are able to assist with clearing up the ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato) infraction. If they can certify that you were "legitimately" in that area to return a car, perhaps the violation notice can be cancelled?

Regarding the "known consequences of not paying the ticket", I don't know the answer to that. Hopefully one of the others can help.

Good luck!

I think doing what Ken says would fix the problem.

For information, I got a parking ticket in Italy last year. A couple of days later I found an open post office and wandered in to pay it. Their computer already had the full scoop on me and my rental car and the crime I'd committed. I know no more.

I would go the route of contacting the rental agency as well. Of course, if it is a case that you went through, as opposed to around, the ZTL to drop your car off (Agency maybe not in the ZTL) then you may still be out of luck.

Chris,

Some additional information on the topic, according to the U.S. State Department....

"U.S. citizens driving in Italy are reminded that they must adhere to the local driving laws and regulations. Vehicle traffic in some historic downtown areas of cities and towns throughout Italy is limited by a system of permits (called “ZTL” and functioning the same way as an EasyPass system in the United States might on the freeway). Cameras record the license plates of cars driving in parts of the city that require a permit. Although most of the automated verification stations are clearly marked, if a driver passes one it is impossible to know at the time that a violation occurred or has been recorded. Violators are not pulled over or stopped, and there is no personal contact with a police officer. Whenever possible, the fines imposed for these violations are forwarded to the driver’s home in the United States to request payment. The fines are cumulative for each time a driver passes a control point. A similar system of automated traffic control cameras is in place in many parts of the highway system and is used to ticket speeding violations."

Good luck!

The more I stew and read about these LTZ infractions the more infuriated I get. Probably the most frustrating part is that the size of the fine really is not comparable to the crime.

Thanks for the advice thus far. I will contact both the hotel I stayed at that evening as well as the rental car agency and see if that gets me anywhere.

Has anyone simply ignored one of these? What was the ramification?

I got a LTZ ticket in Florence 2 years ago. The fine was $95.00. I think the rental company was in on it. Because they yellow highlighted the route I was to follow to leave town...bam! LTZ ticket 6 months later.

We didn't challenge it because it was charged to our credit card and there was a photo.

Chris - I know it seems infuriating, but look at it this way: Too many cars in the historic centers of these historic cities threatens their beauty and character.

Restricting vehicle traffic to locals only and enforcing the restrictions with traffic solutions is a system that protects these cities. Yeah, it sucks to get a ticket, but Italians are subject to them too and they drive in Italy much more than tourists do. Why should there be an exception for cars with Italian license plates just because they happen to be owned by rental agencies?

Chris, I have direct experience with your second question. Here are the facts:

Two VTL violations July 07

Received first letter February 08 (regular mail, not certified)….ignored it.

Received second letter September 08 (also regular mail), ignored this one too.

Have heard nothing since, and it’s over 33 months since the violation.

However, I have no intention of NOT visiting Italy because of this ridiculous ZTL situation. I have no confidence that local traffic infraction processing officials share information with the federal passport control personnel. Even in this country it's obvious that the INS folks don't have info about a Detroit parking ticket some Italian tourist picked up five years ago. And those folks actually use a computer, unlike what I've witnessed at the Italian passport counter.

Just my experience, I don't speak for everybody and I don't recommend whether or not you should pay, that's up to you.

Neil - Thanks for sharing your personal experience. I think given the facts that I can dispute (traveling to return the car and staying in a hotel). However, how long and difficult a process that is from across the pond that might be I don't know.

My inclination is to ignore it all together. I had concerns about it impacting my credit score - which I take seriously. However, this does not seem to be an issue.

Which rental car agencies were used where a ticket was issued after returning a car inside the ZTL. Did anyone use Europcar?

I'll be returning a car to Europcar in Florence next month and was worried about this. The agency is just inside the ZTL. I was told that I would have 20 minutes from the time the camera snaps my photo to turn the car in to the agency and that they would contact the police to clear the plate. However, after hearing these experiences I'm a bit concerned. Am I at the mercy of the rental agency to do the right thing?

LeAnn, I agree with Kent. If you can change to a different return location, I would suggest doing it. Since the picture is automatically taken, you can guarantee your car will be photographed as it passes into the ZTL; the only uncertainty is whether the car agency reports it as allowed to the police, and if they match the report up correctly.

Otherwise, be SURE to get them to write the return time on your paperwork when you drop off the car and then save that paper! In 9 months to a year from now, if a ticket shows up it will have a timestamp on it; you can contest the ticket show that you dropped the car off within the allowed period.

"Am I at the mercy of the rental agency to do the right thing?"

Unfortunately, yes, this seems to be the case. You won't know, for months, whether they took care of it.

This is an unsatisfactory situation and is one reason many experienced travelers to Italy choose not to attempt returning a rental car to a location inside the Florence ZTL. You're rolling the dice and the fines, which can be multiple, can add up.

Chris. My brother had the exact experiece as Neil, except the rental agency charged him a fee to notify the Italian authorities who was driving the car.

I have read that EuropeCar now charges a $95 eu fee to do that, and that Hertz just automatically charges EVERYTHING to your credit card. Forget an appeal if you rent from Hertz! That is why I picked another agency for my trip in a few weeks.

My brother did not pay, went back several years later, and is alive to tell the story.

I am not advocating non-payment for an infraction, I am just telling you what I have seen.

LeAnn, return your car elsewhere...you won't be sorry.

I don't know why they have car rentals located in the big middle of a ZTL. What a money making scam. You can't avoid driving into or through the ZTL if you rent or return there. Grrrrr!

Contact the car rental to act on your behalf. If they won't resolve it for you then forget it. You had a right to be there. If you didn't have a right to be there then I would say suck it up and pay the fine. If the notice didn't come registered mail from the municipality, don't pay it. You don't know who sent it to you in that case.

Why not return your car to the airport and avoid the problem.

Steve, I WAS charged the administrative fee (35 euros x 2) but not the actual fines. My post was an abbreviated summary of the whole experience.

Thanks to everyone for the input. I changed our car return to the Florence airport, which eliminates one potential complication.

Now we just need to worry about getting through security in time to make our 6:30 a.m. flight out of Florence the following week....

Couple of points - the car rental locations were there before the ZTLs, so that is why they are inside - but you would think there would be an easier/better way to deal with this.

If you were just returning the car, you should be okay - call the rental car place and explain it to them, they should be able to notify the police.

Have heard that the new(ish) Mayor is looking into simplifying the whole ZTL issue/area and make it more tourism friendly. Only two zones - and more simple parking regulations too.

There is a new light now at the ZTL entrance on the lungarno by the biblioteca Nazionale - when it is green, you are ok to come in - not sure if these are going up everywhere (don't forget - you CAN drive in the ZTL after 7:30 PM and Sundays most of the time). BUT - you can (almost) never drive in a Pedonale (pedestrian street) zone.

It ain't easy - but it really isn't that hard either :)