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In Italy, if I am asked by police for an ID or driving license, would it be lawful to give them a copy of the document (ID or driving licence) crossed and written over with "not usable for utility opening, subscription or any kind of profile"?

I'm asking because a series of events and power abuses towards me made me think to take these extra-precautions, and I fear my IDs might be taken picture of with one excuse or another and used to open any account or utility of any sort and facing the consequences afterwards.

abdul
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3 Answers3

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Official identity documents have security features that would be missing from a copy. When a government agency is entitled to check your documents, they are also entitled to check the security features of your documents.

Think about it -- if you could get away with handing over a copy, then someone else could hand over a photoshopped copy with your name in it.

o.m.
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No, you must give the police the original documents.

Photocopies are allowed only for the car registration certificate, and only in very specific cases (road code, article 180, paragraph 4):

"Per i rimorchi e i semirimorchi di massa complessiva a pieno carico superiore a 3,5 t, per i veicoli adibiti a servizio pubblico di trasporto di persone e per quelli adibiti a locazione senza conducente, ovvero con facoltà di acquisto in leasing, la carta di circolazione può essere sostituita da fotocopia autenticata dallo stesso proprietario con sottoscrizione del medesimo."

"For trailers and semi-trailers with a total mass at full load exceeding 3.5 t, for vehicles used for public transport of persons and for those used for renting without a driver, or with the option of leasing purchase, the registration certificate can be replaced by a photocopy authenticated by the same owner with signature of the same."

The Italian traffic police answered the same question in their official website.

Vorbis
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Legaly, an ID (or passport, drivers licence etc.) is, in most countries, the property of the government that issued it.

Domestic laws states who and under what conditions these documents must be shown to the (in legal terms) representatives of the owner.

To put it bluntly: it is not for you to determine under what conditions a document, that doesn't belong to you, is to be used.

What would I do if one of the unfortunate circumstances stated in the question come to occur?

Do what the domestic laws says that you are required to do.

For any misuse, charges must be made against the person that commited that misuse.

Mark Johnson
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