The codice fiscale is the Italian tax number (like a TIN): you need it for almost everything - the KIT, a bank, a lease, insurance. This tool builds the code with the official algorithm and explains each part. It is an UNOFFICIAL aid: the only valid codice fiscale is the one issued by the Agenzia delle Entrate. This is not legal advice.
What the codice fiscale is and how a foreigner obtains one is in the guide: codice fiscale for foreigners.
Learn more: codice fiscale, residenza and tessera sanitaria ->
Blanks and samples in the materials hub ->
This is an unofficial helper, not legal advice. Only the Agenzia delle Entrate issues a valid codice fiscale; it can often be requested in advance through an Italian consulate (esteri.it) or obtained in Italy. Country Belfiore codes are revised occasionally - verify current on agenziaentrate.gov.it.
The codice fiscale is Italy's 16-character personal tax code, similar to a TIN or SSN as an identifier. It is assigned once, for life, and you need it for almost anything in the country: an employment contract, a lease, a bank account, a SIM card, a doctor appointment, filing the permesso di soggiorno KIT. The code proves neither a visa nor a right to stay - it is only an identifier in the tax registry.
The code is not random - it is derived deterministically from your surname, name, sex, date and place of birth. That is exactly why the calculator above can reproduce it.
Three letters each for surname and name: consonants first, then vowels; short words are padded with X. The name has a special rule: with four or more consonants, the 1st, 3rd and 4th are taken. Everything uses the Latin spelling - as in your passport.
The last two digits of the year, a month letter (A = January ... T = December) and the day of birth; for women 40 is added to the day, so 41-71 means female. This is where sex is encoded.
A four-character Belfiore code: for those born in Italy - the comune code (e.g. H501 = Rome), for those born abroad - the country Z-code (e.g. Z154 = Russia). Country codes are occasionally revised - the current table lives on agenziaentrate.gov.it.
The final letter is computed from the first 15 via the odd/even position tables and mod 26. It catches typos: a mistyped code almost always fails the check-character test.
The only body that assigns a valid code is the Agenzia delle Entrate (the Italian revenue agency). In Italy it is free: an application (form AA4/8) plus your passport at any office; the paper certificate is usually issued on the spot. From abroad, you request the code through an Italian consulate (esteri.it) - handy if you need it before moving. For visa D or permesso applicants the code is often assigned automatically along the Sportello Unico / questura chain.
Why an online calculator is only an estimate: in an omocodia case (two people sharing all 15 characters) the Agenzia delle Entrate gives the second person an altered code - some digits become letters and the check character is recomputed. No algorithm can predict that, so our tool is an algorithm demo and a self-check aid, not a source of the official code.
A foreigner and even a non-resident can get the code: it is needed, for example, to buy property, handle an inheritance or open an account. The document base is a passport and the completed form; non-EU citizens inside Italy may be asked for a basis of stay (visa, permesso or ricevuta) - per community experience, offices differ, so check your own case. To see what belongs in your document pack for your motivo, try the document-pack builder; how the code ties into residency and the health card is covered in codice fiscale, residenza and tessera sanitaria, and related certificates and legalization live in the Documents section.
No. Any online calculator (ours included) only reproduces the algorithm and shows what the code will most likely be. Only the code assigned by the Agenzia delle Entrate is legally valid: in an omocodia case (two people sharing all 15 characters) the agency issues an altered code that no calculator can predict. Always verify against your issued document.
In Italy - free of charge at any Agenzia delle Entrate office with an application (form AA4/8) and your passport; from abroad - through an Italian consulate (esteri.it). For visa D or permesso applicants the code is often assigned automatically along the way (Sportello Unico / questura) - community experience, check your own case.
Yes. Residency or a visa is not required for the code itself: non-residents apply through an Italian consulate in their country or in person at an Agenzia delle Entrate office - for example to buy property, open an account or sign a contract. You need a passport and the completed form; timing and details vary by consulate.
The code is assigned once and does not expire. It changes only in special cases - an official name change or an omocodia correction. The plastic card (usually combined with the tessera sanitaria) has an expiry date, but the code on it stays the same.
Formally - recompute the check character: enter the data in the calculator above and compare part by part. Officially - via the codice fiscale verification service on the Agenzia delle Entrate website: it confirms the code actually exists in the registry, not just that it is mathematically well-formed.
Regarding the driver's license and codice fiscale, when buying a car from a dealership, check which code they register the car under. I didn't check and ended up with the driver's license and the car registered under different codes. I only found out about this when moving, when I re-registered my address. As a result, I spent a lot of time and money fixing the situation. So it's better to check everything in advance!
I also have a student residence permit. When I signed the employment contract, I was asked for the tessera, but they accepted just a paper document with the codice. Italians require the tessera for the codice fiscale, as the card is more convenient, but its main function is to have the codice fiscale. I bought a transit ticket without problems; I don't remember if I showed the residence permit or passport, but definitely not the tessera.
I have a similar situation: the permesso has one codice fiscale, while the carta d'identita and tessera sanitaria have another. The birth certificate from the USSR does not appear in the system, so they assign the codice - RF. All other documents are fine, and it creates confusion. I worked under the second codice fiscale. I applied for the renewal of the permesso and indicated the discrepancies, but I don't know what will come of it.
Rephrased from open chats of Russian-speaking expats in Italy, with names and identifying details removed. This is lived experience, not legal advice: check rules and figures on the official sites.
Short answers from community experience are on the FAQ page.