How to Open a Company in Italy: Step-by-Step Guide

Choosing the Right Company Type in Italy

Italy offers several legal forms for business. The right choice depends on your capital, shareholder structure, and growth plans. The table below covers the four most relevant forms for foreign founders.

All capital figures from Codice Civile (Art. 2327, 2463, 2463-bis CC).

For a full comparison, see our guide on comparing all Italian company types.

Why Most Non-Residents Choose the SRL

The SRL (Società a responsabilità limitata) is the preferred form for foreign founders for four reasons:

• No nationality restriction. Both natural persons and foreign legal entities can be shareholders.
• Flexible governance. Directors, voting structures, and profit distribution can be customized in the bylaws.
• Limited liability. Members are liable only up to their capital contribution (Art. 2462 CC).
• SRLS is not available to corporate shareholders. Art. 2463-bis CC restricts SRLS shareholders to natural persons only. If a foreign company will hold shares, the standard SRL is the only option.

For the SRL-specific registration process, see our guide on the Italian SRL.

Prerequisites Before You Start

Before you book a notary appointment, every founder and director must have the following in place.

• Codice Fiscale (Italian tax identification number). Required for every founder and director. Non-residents apply at an Italian consulate or embassy in their country of residence. The Codice Fiscale is free and typically takes 1–3 weeks; allow extra time at busy consulates. This is often the critical-path item for non-residents.
• Chosen entity type and ATECO code. The ATECO code defines your business sector and affects sector-specific license requirements and INPS contribution rates.
• Apostilled power of attorney (procura speciale). Required if any founder cannot attend the notary in person. The POA must be apostilled under the Hague Convention.
• Capital-deposit account (conto corrente vincolato). A blocked bank account where initial share capital must be deposited before the deed is signed.
• Non-EU eligibility check. The condizione di reciprocità (Art. 16 Preleggi CC) must be satisfied for non-EU founders. Most nationalities qualify; EU citizens are exempt.

See our page on documents and requirements for a full checklist.

How to Open a Company in Italy: 10 Steps

The process below follows the standard SRL path, which applies to the majority of foreign founders. Steps are broadly the same for other entity types, with variations noted.

1. Obtain Codice Fiscale for all founders and directors. Apply via Italian consulate or Agenzia delle Entrate overseas office. Indicative time: 1–3 weeks. This step frequently drives the total timeline for non-residents.

2. Choose entity form and ATECO code. Decide between SRL, SRLS, SpA, or other form. Select the ATECO code that matches your core business activity. This step runs in parallel with Step 1.

3. Draft bylaws (statuto) and atto costitutivo; open capital-deposit account. A notary or legal advisor drafts the founding documents. The bank opens a blocked account (conto corrente vincolato) where capital must be deposited. Indicative time: 3–5 working days.

4. Sign the notarial deed, or grant a POA for remote signing. All founders (or their authorized representatives) sign before an Italian notary. If a founder cannot travel to Italy, an apostilled power of attorney allows a local representative to sign on their behalf. Indicative time: 1 day.

5. Notary deposits deed with Registro Imprese. Under Art. 2330 CC, the notary must deposit the executed deed with the Registro Imprese within 20 days of signing. In practice, most notaries deposit within 1–3 working days.

6. Registro Imprese issues company registration number (iscrizione). The local Camera di Commercio processes the filing and issues the company's registration number. Indicative time: 3–7 working days.

7. Register for Partita IVA and tax ID via Comunicazione Unica (form AA7/10). Filed with the Agenzia delle Entrate; often processed the same day or next day after Registro Imprese confirmation.

8. Register with INPS and INAIL, if applicable. Social security (INPS) and workplace insurance (INAIL) registration is required when employing staff. Registration must be completed within 30 days of starting activity.

9. Activate a PEC (certified email) address for the company and directors. PEC is now mandatory for company directors. Activation takes approximately 1 day.

10. Open operational bank account; release frozen capital. Once the company number is confirmed by the Registro Imprese, the bank releases the blocked capital into the company's operational account. Indicative time: 1–5 working days.

For the detailed step-by-step SRL registration process, including document checklists and notary instructions specific to the SRL, see our dedicated guide.

Timeline: How Long Does It Take to Open a Company in Italy?

The total time from first consultation to a fully active company depends mainly on how quickly the Codice Fiscale is obtained for non-resident founders and how fast the chosen bank processes the account opening.

For a detailed breakdown of phases and cost drivers, see the full cost and timeline breakdown.

Company Formation Costs in Italy

Formation costs vary by entity type. The table below shows indicative figures. All cost amounts are secondary-source estimates.

Two points worth noting for founders choosing between a standard and reduced-capital SRL:

• The SRLS has no notary professional fee, making total upfront costs significantly lower.
• A reduced-capital SRL (capital below €10,000) must allocate 20% of annual net profits to a legal reserve until the combined total of capital plus reserve reaches €10,000 (Art. 2463 §5 CC). This is commonly misreported as 5%; the correct figure is one-fifth.

For a complete cost comparison including ongoing accounting fees, see our full cost and timeline breakdown.

Incorporating Remotely as a Non-Resident

One of the most common questions from foreign founders is how much of the process can be handled without traveling to Italy. The answer depends on the step.

Possible remotely:

• Codice Fiscale. Obtained via an Italian consulate in your country of residence. No fee; allow 1–3 weeks.
• Entity and ATECO selection. Advisory work can be done by email or video call.
• Notarial deed. You can grant an apostilled procura speciale (special power of attorney) to a local representative, who signs the deed in Italy on your behalf. The apostille must comply with the Hague Convention.
• Capital deposit. Once the capital-deposit account is opened, the initial contribution can often be wired remotely.
• PEC activation, INPS/INAIL registration, Partita IVA. All can be handled by a local accountant (commercialista) or formation agent.

Requires in-person presence or a local representative:

• Notarial deed signing. If you do not grant a POA, you must attend in person before an Italian notary.
• Registered office. Italian law requires every company to have a registered office address in Italy. Non-residents typically use a registered office address in Italy service.
• Non-EU reciprocity check (Art. 16 Preleggi CC). Most nationalities qualify, but confirming eligibility before starting the process avoids delays.

We provide a registered office address in Italy, required for non-residents, as part of our full company formation package. Contact us to discuss your situation.

Tax and Compliance Obligations After Incorporation

Once your company is registered, several tax and compliance obligations apply immediately. The table below summarizes the key rates.

Sources: PwC Tax Summaries 2025; Agenzia delle Entrate (IVA 22% confirmed).

Beyond the rates in the table, three ongoing obligations apply from the start:

• e-Invoicing via SdI. Mandatory for virtually all businesses since 1 January 2024 (Agenzia delle Entrate). All customer invoices must be transmitted electronically through the Sistema di Interscambio.
• Annual financial statements. The bilancio must be approved within 120 days of year-end (or 180 days in permitted cases) and filed with the Registro Imprese within 30 days of approval.
• Partita IVA. Your 11-digit VAT number is also the EU VIES number (with "IT" prefix) for intra-community transactions.