Lawyer
An expert in corporate and international corporate law. He has many years of experience in establishing and reorganizing companies, supporting M&A transactions, as well as providing legal support for opening and running a business in the EU, Asia, and North America.
Business Setup and Support in Italy
Italy, as a member state of the European Union, operates within the framework of a unified European legal system, while retaining its national specifics of business regulation. Business regulation in Italy is based on the Civil Code (Codice Civile), Corporate Law, the Tax Code (Testo Unico delle Imposte), as well as numerous secondary regulations that govern individual aspects of economic activity.
Get a consultation on business registration in Italy
Company Registration
Main Business Forms
- SRL (Società a Responsabilità Limitata) – the most common form for small and medium-sized businesses. A legal entity with limited liability.
Number of founders: SRL — from 1 to 50 participants, SRLS (simplified) — 1 participant.
Share capital: SRL: €1 (nominal), actual contribution — €1,000 (€1 in cash + €999 in assets), SRLS: €1 (without mandatory contribution). - SPA (Società per Azioni) – a public company, suitable for large businesses or IPO. Shares can be freely traded on the stock exchange, with mandatory annual audit of financial reports.
Share capital: €120,000 (30% contributed, i.e., €36,000). - SNC (Società in Nome Collettivo) – general partnership (not recommended for foreigners). Participants bear unlimited liability (with personal assets). Typically used by family farms or professional firms (lawyers, doctors).
SRL Registration Procedure (Detailed)
Preliminary steps:
- Choosing a company name.
The procedure for choosing a company name in Italy requires mandatory verification through the state register Registro delle Imprese to ensure uniqueness; legislation prohibits the use of common terms and geographical references such as “Regione”, “Comune”, and others that may mislead regarding affiliation or status. The name must include the legal form (e.g., “SRL” – Società a Responsabilità Limitata, “SRLS” – Società a Responsabilità Limitata Semplificata) and may include keywords indicating the type of business (e.g., “TechSolutions SRL”).
- Address.
According to Italian corporate law (Legislative Decree No. 159/2006 and subsequent modifications), it is mandatory to provide a physical (non-postal) address within Italy for registration. Typically, this is done by renting commercial premises suitable for business activities. A virtual office may only be used for correspondence but cannot serve as the legal address.
Document Preparation
- Atto Costitutivo (Incorporation Act) containing founders’ details (full name, date of birth, codice fiscale, passport details) and contribution amounts (minimum €1,000 for SRL).
- Articles of Association (purpose of the company, governance rules).
- Notarial certification (signed by founders and an Italian notary).
* For foreigners: documents must be translated into Italian and legalized (apostille or consular legalization).
- Additional documents:
For non-residents:
— Apostilled passport.
— Power of attorney certified by the Italian consulate.
For legal entities:
— Extract from the trade register of the country of origin.
Registration
1) Submission via Sistema Informativo Camerale: online form + upload of Atto Costitutivo (PDF).
2) Receiving documents:
— Partita IVA (tax number) — issued automatically.
— Codice Fiscale (tax ID code) — for the director.
— Visura Camerale (register extract) — confirms registration.
From 2025, Italy introduces a digital transformation of business registration procedures: mandatory submission via Sistema Informativo Camerale, SPID (Sistema Pubblico di Identità Digitale) identification, and electronic signature (CIE) for incorporation documents. For startups, simplified registration of SRLS online without a notary is allowed, with special tax benefits (10% IRES) for R&D companies.
Stricter KYC rules are also introduced, especially for foreign founders (proof of income sources), and mandatory registration of beneficial owners (UBO) in the Registro dei Beneficiari Effettivi.
Opening a Bank Account
Document Requirements
For Italian residents:
— Copy of passport or ID card (Carta d’Identità).
— Visura Camerale of the company.
— Codice Fiscale of the director.
— Business plan (for new companies).
For non-residents:
— Apostilled passport + Italian translation.
— Power of attorney certified by the Italian consulate.
— Proof of income sources (contracts, bank statements for the last 6 months).
— Enhanced Due Diligence (interview with a bank officer, explanation of business model and risks).
Bank Account Opening Procedure
Steps:
1) Preparation of documents in compliance with Decreto Legislativo 159/2006 (AML).
2) Application:
— Traditional banks (Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit) require in-person presence.
— Digital banks (Revolut, N26) allow online applications through SPID.
3) Due diligence — mandatory meeting with a bank manager.
4) Processing times:
— Traditional banks: 1–4 weeks.
— Digital banks: 1–3 days.
2025 Updates
— Mandatory UBO verification in Registro dei Beneficiari Effettivi.
— Mandatory reporting of transactions above €10,000 to UIF.
— Digital KYC via SPID for residents.
Calculate the cost of professional assistance
Accounting and Taxes
Main Requirements
Accounting standards:
— OIC — for SMEs.
— IFRS — for public companies (SPA).
Taxes:
— IRES: 24% (standard), 10% (SEZ), 15% (Pillar Two minimum).
— IRAP: 3.9% (average rate).
— IVA (VAT): 22% standard, reduced — 10%, 5%, 0%.
2025 Updates
— E-invoicing mandatory for B2B >€25,000 through Sistema di Interscambio.
— Pillar Two: 15% minimum for companies with turnover >€750m.
— Digital reporting via FinanzOnline with e-signature.
Tax Incentives
— R&D: 150% deduction of expenses.
— Investment: 20% deduction for new equipment/IT.
— SEZ: 10% IRES, duty-free import/export.
Contact Prikhodko & Partners Law Firm — we will provide full legal and accounting support for your business in Italy.
call back
during the day
Compensation for moral, material damage
Protection of honour, dignity, and business reputationContract Development for Business and Legal Entities
Licensing of business activities
Compensation for moral, material damage
Legal services in the field of cryptocurrency and blockchain
REGISTRATION OF COMPANIES AND OPENING OF BANK ACCOUNTS
Sale and purchase of ready-made firms
Grants and attracting investment
Business registration and support in Great Britain
Business registration and support in Switzerland
Business registration and support in the EU
Business Registration and Support in the Gulf Countries (GCC)
Business registration and support in Turkey
Business registration and support in USA
Lawyer for administrative cases
Legal services for medical businesses and doctors
Protection of honour, dignity, and business reputation
Real estate transaction support
Escort of the tender participant
Trial lawyer: support and defense in court
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
Why postpone, describe the task now and you will be surprised how quickly we will provide an answer!
Describe the task

