Avoiding Fines in Milan's Area C - Common Mistakes and How to Prevent Them
Area C is a congestion charge and low emission zone in the center of Milan, introduced to improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion, and promote the use of public transport alternatives like trams and the metro. This zone covers the city center and is easily identifiable as it encompasses the old gates of Milan, forming an imperfect circle from Porta Ticinese to Porta Romana.
Area C is active all year, Monday to Friday, from 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM, excluding holidays. During these times, you cannot drive within this zone without a valid ticket. Failing to have this ticket will result in a fine.
Here, you'll find advice on avoiding fines and dealing with them if necessary.
How to Comply with Area C Rules
Accessing Area C without a valid ticket will result in a fine of €80, plus notification fees of €14. The area is monitored by cameras that record the license plates of incoming vehicles, making it impossible to bypass this control. To avoid receiving a fine, you should:
- Be aware of the times when Area C is active and the locations of the access points.
- Plan your driving routes carefully by checking the access points in advance. If you're driving around Milan, pay attention to the signs relating to the area and its access points or use an updated GPS navigator or another navigation app to avoid entering the zone by mistake.
- Don't think you can trick Milan authorities and get away with entering the zone improperly; it's well known that you cannot trick the Area C cameras.
- Before purchasing a ticket, make sure you don't qualify for any of the exemptions available for certain categories of vehicles and drivers, such as electric vehicles or Area C residents. A list of exceptions can be found on the City of Milan website.
- If you don't qualify for the exemptions and plan to enter the area, purchase an entrance ticket. The ticket costs €7.50 and can be purchased in several ways:
- Online payment: You can buy and pay for the ticket online on Milan municipality website
- Via SMS to the number 4880488, texting: “AREAC.targa"
- At authorized outlets (Intesa San Paolo ATMs, parking meters, etc.) and authorized garages.
- Direct debit (Telepass, Paypal, UnipolMove).
- If you park you car at an authorized garage for more than 1 hour, you can purchase the ticket from them. allowing you to pay a reduced entry fee of just €4.50.
- After purchasing the ticket, you must activate it. The procedure is straightforward, and you can follow the steps on this guide to activating Area C Ticket or get assistance from an authorized retailer.
You can view the specific boundaries of the zone and its access points in this map of Area C.
An entrance ticket is valid for 24 hours and allows unlimited access to the area within this period. If the 24 hours expire while you're still in the area, don't worry; you can always exit it for free! No additional ticket is required.
Handling Unauthorized Entry into Area C
Have you entered Area C without a valid ticket? Don't worry; you can still buy the regular ticket within 24 hours of your first recorded entry. The procedure is the same as for regular ticket purchases, as described above.
If you fail to purchase or validate your ticket within the 24 hours time-frame, you can purchase a delayed entry ticket within 7 days of the first entry. The delayed entry ticket is more expensive and costs €22.50. You can purchase this ticket online by selecting the delayed ticket option in the ticket purchase page in the Milan Municipality Website.
If you fail to purchase or validate your ticket within the 7 days time-frame, you will inevitably receive a fine. As with any traffic violation, the amount varies based on how quickly you pay: within 5 days, 60 days, or later, from the infraction notice.
You can pay the fine through the QR code on the fine notice, via payment slip, online or by using the related app.
Now you have the necessary information to avoid fines in Area C. Remember, attention and planning are your best tools for navigating the city, and this guide will be your secret weapon for driving confidently through the streets of Milan.