A Zona a Traffico Limitato restricts private traffic during locally defined hours. Entry cameras photograph number plates and send unauthorised records to municipal police.
The camera sequence
The rules belong to the city
ZTL hours, vehicle classes and permits vary between municipalities and can change by day or season. Advice remembered from Florence should not be reused automatically in Bologna, Rome or a smaller hill town.
A hotel booking is not the permit
Some hotels and garages inside a ZTL can submit guest plates to the municipal system. They need the correct number and timing. Ask before arrival, follow the exact access route and keep written confirmation.
A rental company may add an administration fee
The municipality's fine and the rental firm's charge for identifying the driver are separate things. The rental agreement explains the administration process; insurance normally does not erase traffic violations.
Park outside and let the old town work
A peripheral garage, tram, bus or short walk can be cheaper and calmer than negotiating a medieval street with a camera deadline. Treat the ZTL edge as the place where the driving day ends.