Key facts
| How much does it cost? | Nothing: it is free at the Agenzia delle Entrate. |
|---|---|
| Where do I apply? | In Italy, at the Agenzia delle Entrate by appointment. From abroad, at the Italian consulate in your country. |
| Form | AA4/8, from the Agenzia delle Entrate. |
| ID | Valid passport (with visa if required). EU citizens: identity card. |
| When do I get it? | At the appointment you receive the certificate of attribution. The card arrives later by post. |
| Does it expire? | No. The number is yours for life. |
Step by step
Check whether you already have one
Many people already have a codice fiscale without knowing it:
- If you entered on a work or family reunification visa, the Sportello Unico per l'Immigrazione assigns it.
- If you applied for or renewed a permesso di soggiorno, the Questura assigns it.
- If you hold recognised Italian citizenship and are registered with AIRE, you already have one.
Look for it in your paperwork. Do not use online calculators: the codes they generate are not valid.
Choose where to apply
- If you are in Italy: at any Agenzia delle Entrate office, by appointment. For a non-EU citizen's first codice fiscale you must go in person.
- If you live abroad: at the Italian consulate in your country. Each consulate has its own rules and some require a specific reason (buying property, enrolling at university, signing a contract).
- EU citizens can send the signed form by certified email (PEC) to the office.
Fill in form AA4/8
Download it free from the Agenzia delle Entrate website. Write your name, surname, date and place of birth exactly as in your passport: a mistake will carry over to all your Italian documents. Add an address where the card can be sent.
Book an appointment at the Agenzia delle Entrate
Book in the «Prenota un appuntamento» section of the website, or by phone on 800 90 96 96 (toll-free in Italy). Choose the office, the codice fiscale service, the day and time. For some services there is also a same-day «webticket».
Attend with your documents
Bring the form, your passport and a photocopy. At the counter they check your details, you sign the AA4/8 and receive the certificate of attribution of the codice fiscale. You can use the number from that moment.
Receive your card
The card arrives by post at the address you gave. If you register with the National Health Service you get the Tessera Sanitaria, which includes the codice fiscale; otherwise, the codice fiscale card. Meanwhile, use the certificate.
Take it with you
Download this guide as a PDF, with a checklist to tick off, and keep it handy on appointment day.
Document checklist
At the Agenzia delle Entrate
- Completed form AA4/8 (you sign it at the counter)
- Valid passport, with visa if needed, and photocopy
- Or: valid permesso di soggiorno, Comune identity card or identity certificate from your consulate in Italy, with photo
- EU citizens: valid identity document
- An address (in Italy or abroad) to receive the card
- For a minor: the ID of the parent applying
If you apply from abroad
- Check your Italian consulate's website for requirements and whether it accepts email requests or appointments only
- Valid passport and photocopy
- Completed form AA4/8
- Proof of the reason, if the consulate asks for it
Applying by email from your country
Some Italian consulates accept the request by email, with no appointment. For example, the Consulate General of Italy in Buenos Aires: foreigners who do not live in Italy fill in the request form on its website and send it to the Pensions Office: pensioni.buenosaires@esteri.it.
The consulate does not publish the list of attachments or processing times: attach the signed form and a copy of your ID, and check its website before sending. Other consulates have different rules (some by email, others only by appointment and with a specific reason). Alternatively, you can give someone in Italy a power of attorney to file it at the Agenzia delle Entrate.
What you will need it for
To sign a rental contract, work, open a bank account, set up internet or a phone line, enrol at university, register your residence with the Comune and join the health service. Get it as early as you can, even before you travel.
If your codice fiscale is numbers only
The Sportello Unico sometimes assigns a provisional 11-digit code first. It works for some procedures, but banks, contracts and employers need the final alphanumeric code: request it at the Agenzia delle Entrate, or it is assigned when your permesso is issued.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a codice fiscale before travelling to Italy?
Yes, at the Italian consulate in your country, although each consulate has its own requirements and some only issue it for a specific reason. Otherwise, get it on arrival at the Agenzia delle Entrate.
Is a code calculated by a website valid?
No. Only the code assigned by the Agenzia delle Entrate (directly or through the Questura, Sportello Unico or consulate) is valid.
Do I need a permesso di soggiorno to apply?
No. A valid passport (and visa, if required) is enough. If you already have a permesso, it also works as ID.
Does the codice fiscale expire?
No: the number is for life. The health card expires and is renewed with the permesso.
Can someone else apply for me?
For a non-EU citizen's first codice fiscale, the Agenzia requires you to attend in person. Parents can apply for their minor children.
Official sources
Last updated: 2026-10-24. This guide is general information and does not replace a lawyer's advice on your specific case. Italian immigration rules change often.