Your Italian Company, Formed Right.

For a foreign founder, the realistic end-to-end timeline is 4–10 weeks. Document preparation and codice fiscale takes 1–2 weeks, the notary deed 1–2 weeks, Camera di Commercio filing 5–10 business days, and bank account opening — the primary bottleneck — 2–6 weeks at traditional banks (1–5 days with fintechs like Qonto).

The realistic first-year total for a foreign entrepreneur incorporating a standard SRL is €5,000–€15,000: government fees €500–€800, notary €1,500–€3,500, professional/legal fees €1,500–€5,000, plus the €10,000 minimum share capital. Milan commands a 15–25% professional fee premium over Rome and Florence.

Yes. Non-resident foreign entrepreneurs can incorporate via Power of Attorney granted to an Italian-based lawyer — avoiding any travel. A video-conference notary procedure exists under D.Lgs. 183/2021, but the Italian digital identity (SPID/CIE) requirement makes the POA route the practical choice for most non-EU nationals. We manage the full POA process from abroad.

Standard SRL requires €10,000 minimum — 25% paid at incorporation, 100% for single-member SRL. A reduced-capital SRL under Art. 2463 para. 5 allows €1–€9,999 but must be paid 100% upfront. The SRLS (Semplificata) allows €1 with notary fee exemptions but restricts shareholders to natural persons and mandates a standard statute, limiting flexibility.

Yes, for an SRL. The notarial deed (atto costitutivo) is legally required under the Italian Civil Code (Arts. 2462–2483). The notary certifies the deed and files it with the Registro delle Imprese. The notary fee ranges from €1,500–€3,500 for a standard €10,000 SRL. We coordinate notary scheduling and document preparation on your behalf.

The SRL is flexible: €10,000 minimum capital, customisable statute, can have corporate shareholders. The SRLS (Semplificata) allows €1 capital and waives notary fees — but is restricted to natural persons only, uses a mandatory standard statute, and cannot be customised. For foreign investors requiring a corporate shareholder or bespoke ownership structure, the standard SRL is almost always the correct choice.

An Italian SRL is subject to: IRES (corporate income tax) at 24%, IRAP (regional production tax) at ~3.9% (varies by region), and VAT (IVA) at 22% standard rate on taxable supplies. Dividends distributed to non-resident shareholders attract 26% withholding tax domestically — reduced to as low as 5% under bilateral tax treaties (e.g. Italy–UK) or 0% under the EU Parent-Subsidiary Directive for qualifying holdings.

Italy's beneficial ownership register (registro dei titolari effettivi) requires all Italian companies to disclose their ultimate beneficial owners (UBOs) at the Camera di Commercio. The initial filing deadline was 11 December 2023, but the obligation is currently suspended pending a TAR Lazio merit judgment on the Directive's implementation. We monitor the status — when it resumes, filing must be completed within 30 days of incorporation.

Traditional Italian banks (Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, BNL) typically take 3–6 weeks due to enhanced AML due diligence for foreign-owned companies. Fintech providers like Qonto open accounts in 1–5 business days and are increasingly accepted for the pre-incorporation capital deposit requirement. The bank account is the most common cause of delays in the formation process. See our full bank account guide →

Yes. Every director and shareholder needs a codice fiscale (Italian tax identification number) before the notarial deed can be executed. EU citizens can obtain it at any Italian consulate abroad or same-day at Agenzia delle Entrate in Italy. Non-EU citizens should allow 4–10 weeks via consulate. We initiate codice fiscale applications as the first step for all new clients.