Preparing to move

Opening a bank account in Italy to get paid: the basic account

Preparing to move · 10 November 2026 · 2 min read

By Lorenzo Schiavone · calculator developer

To receive a salary in Italy you need a payment account. If you are legally staying in Italy or the European Union and do not already have an account in Italy, you have a right to a basic account (conto di base): a bank, the post office or another provider cannot refuse it without a reason set by law.

Who is entitled

All consumers legally staying in the European Union, including people with no fixed address and asylum seekers, provided they do not already hold a payment account in Italy.

What it includes

Salary credit, transfers, payments and a debit card. It has no overdraft and no cheques. The number of operations covered by the fee is set by the basic-account rules.

What it costs and when it is free

It has a modest annual fee set by each provider. It is free for people with an ISEE (the Italian means-test indicator) below €11,600.

When a bank can refuse

Only if the requirements are missing or it suspects unlawful use of the account. A refusal must be given in writing within ten working days.

Documents

A valid identity document and the tax code (codice fiscale). Foreign citizens receive the tax code with the residence permit, or can ask the Agenzia delle Entrate or the consulate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I open an account without Italian residence? ▾

For a basic account, legally staying in the European Union is enough: registered residence in Italy is not required.

Can my employer pay into a foreign account? ▾

Pay must be made by a traceable method. Ask the employer whether it accepts an IBAN from another European country.

Does the basic account come with a card? ▾

Yes, a debit card.

Sources and method

Each guide states the period it covers and the assumptions behind its examples. Net pay estimates flag any prior-year municipal rates. The actual monthly payslip may differ from the annual average.

Preparing to move

Opening a bank account in Italy to get paid: the basic account

Preparing to move · 10 November 2026 · 2 min read

By Lorenzo Schiavone · calculator developer

Who is entitled

All consumers legally staying in the European Union, including people with no fixed address and asylum seekers, provided they do not already hold a payment account in Italy.

What it includes

Salary credit, transfers, payments and a debit card. It has no overdraft and no cheques. The number of operations covered by the fee is set by the basic-account rules.

What it costs and when it is free

It has a modest annual fee set by each provider. It is free for people with an ISEE (the Italian means-test indicator) below €11,600.

When a bank can refuse

Only if the requirements are missing or it suspects unlawful use of the account. A refusal must be given in writing within ten working days.

Documents

A valid identity document and the tax code (codice fiscale). Foreign citizens receive the tax code with the residence permit, or can ask the Agenzia delle Entrate or the consulate.

Frequently asked questions

Can I open an account without Italian residence? ▾

For a basic account, legally staying in the European Union is enough: registered residence in Italy is not required.

Can my employer pay into a foreign account? ▾

Pay must be made by a traceable method. Ask the employer whether it accepts an IBAN from another European country.

Does the basic account come with a card? ▾

Yes, a debit card.

Sources and method

Each guide states the period it covers and the assumptions behind its examples. Net pay estimates flag any prior-year municipal rates. The actual monthly payslip may differ from the annual average.