The codice fiscale is your Italian tax identification number: a 16-character alphanumeric code derived from your name, date and place of birth, and sex. It is the single most foundational thing you will obtain when settling in Italy — almost nothing else can be done without it.
Why you need it first
You will be asked for a codice fiscale to:
- sign an employment or self-employment contract;
- open an Italian bank account;
- sign a residential lease;
- register with the national health service (SSN);
- set up utilities, a mobile contract, and most other services.
Because so many later steps depend on it, getting the codice fiscale is Step 1 of the residency journey.
Who issues it
The codice fiscale is issued by the Agenzia delle Entrate (the Italian Revenue Agency), free of charge. As an EU/EEA citizen you have two main routes:
- Before you arrive — request it through an Italian consulate in your country of residence. This is often the fastest path overall, because you arrive ready to act.
- After you arrive — apply in person at any Agenzia delle Entrate office.
What it is called where you are coming from
Italy uses one number where many countries use several, which is why the codice fiscale is hard to place at first. The Agenzia delle Entrate describes it as the means of identifying foreign citizens “in their relations with public authorities and other administrations” — so it is not only a tax number.
In practice it does the job that, at home, was split between:
- your tax number — a UK Unique Taxpayer Reference, a German steuerliche Identifikationsnummer, a US TIN/ITIN;
- your social-security identifier — a UK National Insurance number, a US Social Security number, a French numéro de sécurité sociale. INPS and the health service identify you by your codice fiscale, not by a separate number;
- the general-purpose citizen number some countries have — a Spanish or Portuguese NIF, a Dutch BSN.
Two differences are worth internalising, because they trip people up:
It grants nothing. A National Insurance number is bound up with the right to work; a codice fiscale is not. It identifies you and does no more. Your right to stay comes from registering at the comune (Step 2), and healthcare from enrolling in the SSN (Step 3).
It is free, and it is not proof of anything. It is issued at no charge to anyone who needs one, including people who do not live in Italy. So being asked for it is routine, and holding it proves only that you asked for it.
How to apply in person
- Book an appointment first. The Agenzia delle Entrate requires EU and non-EU foreign citizens applying for their first codice fiscale to book an in-person appointment and attend in person, so their identity can be verified. Turning up at the counter without one is the most common wasted trip on this step. Book on the Agenzia’s Prenota un appuntamento service, under “Identificativi fiscali, abilitazioni, consegna documenti e istanze”.
- Bring a valid passport or national ID card. For EU citizens that document, together with the request, is all the Agenzia asks for.
- Complete the request form for individuals (modello AA4/8). Staff at the office can help if you have not filled it in advance.
- Submit it at the counter. In most cases the codice fiscale is issued immediately, on a printed certificate (certificato di attribuzione).
The plastic health card (tessera sanitaria) that also shows your codice fiscale is a separate, later step — you receive it after enrolling in the national health service. See Step 3.
Common pitfalls
- Treating it as a residence permit. It is not. EU citizens establish their right to stay by registering residency at the comune (Step 2), not by holding a permesso di soggiorno.
- Name mismatches. The code is generated from your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID. Inconsistencies between documents (e.g. middle names) can cause problems later — make sure the details match.
- Losing the certificate. Keep the issued certificate safe; you will be asked to quote the code constantly in your first months. If it does go missing you do not need another appointment — a replacement tesserino can be requested online from the Agenzia’s reserved area with SPID, CIE or CNS. Note that the plain tesserino is issued only to people not enrolled in the SSN; once you are enrolled, the card that carries your code is the tessera sanitaria.
Next step
With your codice fiscale in hand, you can register your residency at your local comune — which, for stays over three months, is both your legal obligation and the gateway to the health service.