Living and working in Italy means you'll need to get your own tax identification number (TIN). In Italy, your TIN is called the Codice Fiscale. You'll need this to pay your taxes and receive access to a variety of services.

If you’re not familiar with the Italian bureaucratic system, getting your Codice Fiscale can be quite a confusing process. In this article, we'll walk you through the process of getting your Codice Fiscale and answer any questions you may have.

What is the Codice Fiscale?

The Italian Codice Fiscale is a tax identification number (TIN). It’s similar to the Social Security Number in the US, the NIE Number in Spain, or the BSN in the Netherlands.

Italian citizens are issued their Codice Fiscacle at birth, but as a foreigner, you’ll have to request one from the Italian government. As you might expect, every Codice Fiscale is unique and is a requirement for many of your dealings with the Italian government.

Just like every person has their own unique Codice Fiscale in Italy, so do entities like businesses and organisations. A person’s TIN is calculated based on a formula involving their personal information. Entity numbers are different, as they are essentially random numbers issued by the Italian government.

In essence, your Italian tax ID number is the magic code that will give you access to your new life in Italy!

Why do I need the Codice Fiscale?

Most importantly, you’ll need your Codice Fiscale in order to work in Italy. Without it, it’s very difficult to pay taxes over your taxable Italian income. That said, simply having your own Italian tax ID doesn’t mean you’re automatically subject to Italian tax duties.

In a nutshell, you only need to pay taxes if:

• You earn a taxable Italian income. This means Iicome from employment and self-employment you get from services performed in Italy, but also extends to income from capital paid by the state or an establishment in Italy.
• You have ownership of qualifying assets. This could be real-estate, owning patents and trademarks if they’re being paid for by the Italian government or Italian citizens.

The Codice Fiscale is also necessary when attempting to use certain services. You could get by without some of these services, but some of them are pretty important for internationals.

You need your Codice Fiscale in order to:

• Sign an Italian employment contract;
• Work as a freelancer in Italy;
• Pay taxes, file your tax return and receive refunds (if applicable);
• Open an Italian bank account;
• Gain access to the Italian health system;
• Get an Italian mobile phone number;
• Sign utility contracts;
• Buy, sell or even rent properties for more than 30 days.

So, as you can see, you’ll really need to get your Codice Fiscale in order to live comfortably in Italy!

Thankfully, it’s possible to get your tax id before you arrive in the country. Let’s dive into the details of how to get your Codice Fiscale sorted out as soon as possible.

How do I get my Codice Fiscale?

The first question many people have is: can I get the Codice Fiscale online?

Unfortunately, it’s not possible to request your Codice Fiscale online. The only thing you can do online is request a replacement for your Codice Fiscale certificate, which is only available to people who already have their Codice Fiscale issued.

Instead, you’ll have to request your Codice Fiscale in person. The process for this depends on whether you’re already an EU citizen or not.

1. Getting your Codice Fiscale as an EU citizen

If you’re an EU citizen, you’re in luck! It makes the process a lot easier.

All you need to do is submit a request (in person) at any office of the Italian Revenue Agency. Make sure you bring a valid ID or passport and you should be able to pick up your Codice Fiscale certificate on the same day.

If you’re outside Italy, you should be able to submit your request at any Italian consular office or Italian Embassy in your current EU country of residence.

2. Getting your Codice Fiscale as a non-EU citizen

Non-EU citizens can obtain the tax identification number by submitting a request at:

• The Single desk for immigration (Sportelli Unici per l’immigrazione). This government agency handles requests for the Codice Fiscale to people who apply for entry into the country for employment purposes or to be reunited with family.
• Police headquarters (Questure). The Police headquarters assign a Codice Fiscale to foreign nationals who require either the issuance or the renewal of a residence permit.

As a non-EU citizen, you also need to submit at least one of the following documents:

• a valid passport with visa (if required), or any other identity document accepted by the Italian government.
• a certificate of identity issued by the Italian diplomatic or consular authorities from your original country of nationality (with photo).
• a valid residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) an ID card issued by the municipality of residence in Italy.

In any case, you need to be able to prove you have the right to stay in Italy, even if it’s temporary.

Once you receive your Codice Fiscale card, make sure to check:

• The spelling. Mistakes can happen, especially since you probably have a foreign name.
• The fiscal code. The code is generated through an algorithm based on your personal information. That way you can easily check if it’s correct.

How do I calculate my Codice Fiscale?

In fact, using a Codice Fiscale generator, you can predict what your Codice Fiscale will be. This is useful when making preparations before moving to Italy.

Remember that your Codice Fiscale can be calculated beforehand, but won’t be official until it’s actually issued by the Italian government. Keep in mind that the tax id is an alphanumeric construct.

If you want to calculate what your Codice Fiscale will be, you can use the following formula:

• Your surname: the first 3 consonants of your last name. If it doesn’t have 3 consonants, a vowel will be used. If your name is shorter than 3 letters, an X will be used to complete the 3 characters.
• Your name(s): The first consonant(s) of your name(s). E.g. if you have 3 names, the first consonant of each name will be used. An X is again used as a filler.
• Year of birth: the last two digits of your birth year.
• Month of birth: a letter is assigned to your birth month, according to a predetermined table.
• Your day of birth and gender: the two numbers of your birthday, such as 15 or 09. If you’re a woman, the number 40 is added here.
• Country of birth: 4 alphanumeric characters assigned to foreign country codes.
• Control number: based on the rest of the code, a control number is added to verify the calculation.

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How can I check the Italian Codice Fiscale?

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If you want to verify a Codice Fiscale ID number, you can use this official website by the Italian Government (in Italian).

There it is! All you need to know about the Codice Fiscale. Make sure you get your application in on time and it’ll be smooth sailing on the administrative side of starting your new life in Italy!

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