A crackdown on the vehicle rental sector in San Marino is underway, with new rules for businesses, a cap on the number of vehicles allowed, and specific restrictions on ultra-high-powered cars. That is what the bill “Provisions on vehicle rental” (“Disposizioni sul noleggio di veicoli”) sets out, presented by the Secretariat of State for Industry, Craft Trades and Commerce (Segreteria di Stato all’Industria, Artigianato e Commercio), led by Rossano Fabbri. The bill will be debated in the next session of the Grand and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale), opening on Monday, September 7.
The measure aims to comprehensively redesign the rules governing rental without a driver in the Republic, aligning them with the provisions introduced by Delegated Decree 85 of June 29, 2026. Some of the planned changes are particularly significant for operators in the sector.
One of the main changes concerns fleet size: each economic operator will be allowed a maximum of 70 vehicles registered for rental use. The law also targets so-called supercars, introducing specific restrictions for vehicles with power output exceeding 375 kW — roughly 510 horsepower — and fewer than five seats. The stated goal is to prevent an excessive concentration of particularly powerful vehicles being used for rental purposes.
Requirements for companies operating in the sector are also changing. To operate, businesses will need to register in a dedicated registry through the Agency for Economic Development – Chamber of Commerce (Agenzia per lo Sviluppo Economico – Camera di Commercio, ASE-CC), and the provisions of the June decree will apply, including the submission of a 200,000-euro bank guarantee issued by a San Marino credit institution.
A minimum employment requirement has also been introduced. Within one month of authorization, and for its entire duration, the operator must employ at least one full-time worker, or two part-time workers whose combined hours amount to the equivalent of a full-time position. The employee cannot be the company’s administrator or the holder of the authorization.
The bill also spells out clear rules for rental contracts. Short-term rentals will cover periods of up to 30 days, while long-term rentals may exceed 30 days but not go beyond 60 months. Contracts must be in writing and cannot be transferred, while subletting will only be permitted among authorized operators. The bill also clarifies the distinction from financial leasing.
Traceability requirements are also being tightened. Contracts must be entered into the registry and kept for at least five years after expiry. Rental payments must be made using traceable payment methods. Additionally, the vehicle’s registration document must explicitly note that it is designated for rental use.
On the insurance front, third-party liability coverage must be taken out by the renter or the owner and must explicitly state that the vehicle is used for rental without a driver.
The bill also addresses another sensitive issue: long-term rentals arranged by San Marino residents with foreign companies. The new rules aim to ensure that these transactions are also subject to the relevant tax obligations within the Republic, while providing for a transitional regime for contracts already in place.
Specific transitional rules are envisioned for existing businesses. Within 30 days of the law’s entry into force, ASE-CC will be required to register San Marino operators already holding the relevant ATECO business codes; within 60 days, companies must also enter the required data for vehicles already in their fleets.
Special attention is also given to changes in company ownership: the new requirements and restrictions will apply to operators already active in the sector in the event of changes to company ownership structures, with some exceptions for transfers and inheritance within families.
Vehicles intended for sports competitions and not registered for road use remain outside the scope of the new regulations. If the law is approved, Delegated Decree 94 of 2011 would also be repealed.
The reform is now set to be examined by the Council chamber, with the stated aim of boosting oversight, transparency and traceability in a sector that has grown increasingly significant in recent years. The parliamentary debate will now determine whether the framework proposed by the Government — including the fleet cap, the 200,000-euro guarantee and the restrictions on the most powerful vehicles — will survive the political debate unchanged.
