SSRL Italy
Company Formation

Open a Company in Milan, Italy

Form an SRL in Milan with the local Camera di Commercio: costs, EUR 446 in registry charges, a 15-day registration timeline, the Innovative Start-up track, and our Via Dante office.

Lorenzo Conti
By

Founder & Managing Partner · Updated 2026-10-06

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Milan city skyline with Piazza Affari financial district, Italy, company formation in Milan
Milan city skyline with Piazza Affari financial district, Italy, company formation in Milan

Milan is the natural first choice for foreign founders looking to establish a presence in Italy. As the country's financial, fintech, and fashion capital, the city offers unmatched access to capital markets, international banks, and professional networks. Company formation in Milan follows the national Italian SRL framework, but it runs through a distinct local authority with its own annual-fee level and support programs.

The competent body for all Registro delle Imprese filings in the Milan metropolitan area is the Camera di Commercio di Milano Monza Brianza Lodi (CCIAA MiMBLo). Knowing the specific fees this body charges and the services it offers gives you a clearer picture of what opening a company in Milan actually involves. For a full walkthrough of the full company formation process in Italy, see our dedicated pillar page.

Contact our Milan office to begin your consultation.

Why Form a Company in Milan?

Milan is not simply another Italian city. It is the economic engine of the country, and the reasons to incorporate here go beyond geography:

  • Financial hub: Piazza Affari hosts Italy's main stock exchange. Milan is home to the highest concentration of banks, private equity firms, and investment vehicles in the country.
  • Lombardy economic weight: Lombardy's GDP per head was about €49,100 in 2023, second only to the autonomous province of Bolzano and well above the Italian average of about €36,100 (ISTAT regional accounts).
  • Sector clusters: Foreign founders in fintech, fashion/luxury goods, design, professional services, and investment holding structures consistently choose Milan for its talent pool and client base.
  • International infrastructure: Milan has two major international airports, a dense professional-services ecosystem, and a business culture oriented toward foreign investors.
  • Milan Startup Point: CCIAA MiMBLo runs a Startup Point for international start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs, where founders can book an appointment with the chamber's team.

Forming an SRL in Milan puts your company inside Italy's primary commercial district from day one.

Milan Formation Costs: What You Will Pay Locally

Government fees for company formation are fixed by national tariff and are the same at every chamber of commerce. Professional fees vary by notary and service scope.

Cost ItemAmountNotes
Registration tax on the deed (imposta di registro)€200Paid by the notary; also due for an SRLS
Stamp duty (imposta di bollo)€156Paid by the notary via the Modello Unico Informatico; covers the deed and the Registro Imprese filing; SRLS exempt
Registro Imprese secretariat fee (diritto di segreteria)€90Electronic filing; national tariff; SRLS exempt
Notary professional feeTypically €1,500–€3,000 plus VATTypical market range; depends on the notary and the deed
Annual CCIAA fee (diritto annuale)From €120 (2026)Revenue-tiered; €120 for turnover up to €100,000 and for newly registered companies (MiMBLo applies the 20% increase)
Virtual registered address (Milan)€600–€2,000/yearTypical market range; provider-dependent
Partita IVA (via ComUnica)No filing feeAgenzia delle Entrate

The €200 registration tax, the €156 stamp duty and the €90 secretariat fee (€446 together) are the fixed government charges for registering a new SRL; an SRLS pays only the €200 registration tax. All other items depend on your company structure, chosen notary, and optional services. Contact us for an itemized cost estimate based on your specific situation.

Milan government fees (CCIAA MiMBLo)

€200

Registration tax on the deed

€156

Stamp duty (paid by the notary)

€90

Registro Imprese secretarial fee (SRLS exempt)

From €120

Annual CCIAA fee (diritto annuale, 2026)

Milan Company Registration Timeline

Milan company registration follows the national SRL formation sequence, but all filings are processed by CCIAA MiMBLo.

StepActorDuration
Codice Fiscale for founders/directorsAgenzia delle Entrate / consulate1–5 days
Notarial deed (atto costitutivo + statuto)Notary (any Italian notary)1–3 days once documents are ready
Notary deposits deed with CCIAA MiMBLoNotaryWithin 10 days (Art. 2330 §1 CC)
Registro Imprese iscrizioneCCIAA MiMBLoWithin 5 days of deposit (electronic filing)
Partita IVA via ComUnicaAgenzia delle EntrateCommunicated immediately once the Comunicazione Unica is filed
REA notificationFounder / agentWithin 30 days of activity start
Statutory maximum after signing the deed15 days (10-day deposit + 5-day registration)

The two most time-sensitive steps are the notary deposit deadline (Art. 2330 §1 of the Codice Civile requires the deed to reach CCIAA MiMBLo within 10 days) and the REA notification, which must be filed within 30 days of the date your company actually begins trading. Missing the REA deadline can result in administrative penalties.

Milan company registration timeline
  1. 01

    Codice fiscale

    For founders and directors via the Agenzia delle Entrate or a consulate (1–5 days).

  2. 02

    Notarial deed

    Atto costitutivo + statuto executed by any Italian notary (1–3 days once documents are ready).

  3. 03

    Deposit with CCIAA MiMBLo

    The notary deposits the deed within 10 days (Art. 2330 §1 cc).

  4. 04

    Registro Imprese iscrizione

    CCIAA MiMBLo registers the company within 5 days of the electronic filing.

  5. 05

    Partita IVA & REA

    Partita IVA via ComUnica, communicated immediately on filing; REA notification within 30 days of activity start.

The Local Authority: Camera di Commercio di Milano Monza Brianza Lodi

The Camera di Commercio di Milano Monza Brianza Lodi is the government body responsible for the Registro delle Imprese covering Milan, Monza e della Brianza, and Lodi provinces. Every company that lists a Milan address as its sede legale (registered office) must file through CCIAA MiMBLo. The body processes incorporations, issues REA codes, collects the annual diritto annuale, and maintains the Sezione Speciale for Innovative Start-ups.

Innovative Start-up track: If your SRL was established within the preceding 60 months and has annual turnover below €5 million, it may qualify for registration in the Sezione Speciale Innovative Start-up at CCIAA MiMBLo. Benefits include access to equity crowdfunding, more flexible governance provisions, and exemption from standard insolvency proceedings during the eligibility window. Contact our team to assess whether your company qualifies before filing.

Milan Startup Point is a CCIAA MiMBLo service for international start-ups (established less than five years ago) and aspiring entrepreneurs: founders book an appointment with the chamber's team to find the services that suit their project.

SRL Structure for Your Milan Company

Regardless of which Italian city you choose as your registered office, the legal vehicle is the same: the Italian SRL (Società a responsabilità limitata). The table below summarizes the three capital configurations available.

SRL VariantCapital RangeKey Rule
Standard SRL€10,000 minimum25% paid in at formation (multi-member); 100% if sole member (Art. 2464 CC)
Reduced-capital SRL€1–€9,999 (cash only)20% of annual net profits allocated to reserve until capital + reserve = €10,000 (Art. 2463 §4–§5 CC)
SRLS (semplificata)€1–€9,999Natural-person founders only; standard inderogable bylaws (Art. 2463-bis CC)

The capital variant you choose affects both your upfront funding obligation and your annual compliance obligations. For a full breakdown of all capital rules, payment timelines, and reserve mechanics, see our guide to SRL share capital rules. For the complete incorporation sequence, see our step-by-step SRL registration guide.

SRL capital variants for a Milan company
Capital range
Key rule
Standard SRL
€10,000 minimum
25% paid in (multi); 100% if sole member (Art. 2464)
Reduced-capital SRL
€1–€9,999 (cash only)
20% of profits to reserve until €10,000 (Art. 2463)
SRLS
€1–€9,999
Natural persons only; standard bylaws (Art. 2463-bis)

Registering Remotely and Non-Resident Founder Rules

You do not need to be present in Milan, or in Italy at all, to form a company here. Remote incorporation works by granting a notarized and apostilled Power of Attorney (PoA) to an Italian representative, who then acts on your behalf before the notary. The notary executing the deed does not need to be based in Milan; any licensed Italian notary may draft and execute the atto costitutivo, but the filing must go to CCIAA MiMBLo as the competent Registro delle Imprese for a Milan-registered company.

Non-EU founders: The condizione di reciprocita (Art. 16 of the Preleggi to the Italian Civil Code) requires that Italy and the founder's home country grant mutual corporate rights to each other's citizens. The Foreign Ministry assesses reciprocity country by country, and we check the position for your nationality before incorporation. EU and EEA citizens are fully exempt from this requirement.

A virtual registered address at a professional domiciliation provider or law firm in Milan fully satisfies the sede legale requirement under Art. 2463 CC. No physical lease is needed. This is standard practice in Milan's professional-services district. Our registered office service for Italy covers the full scope of domiciliation options. Founders who are not resident in Italy can find a detailed guide at opening an SRL as a non-resident.

Tax Overview for a Milan-Registered SRL

A Milan SRL pays the same national tax rates as any Italian company. There is no municipal surcharge on corporate profits.

TaxRateNote
IRES (corporate income tax)24%National rate; no Milan surcharge
IRAP (regional production tax)3.9%Lombardy ordinary rate for 2026
IVA (VAT)22%Standard rate; reduced rates of 10%, 5%, 4% apply to eligible goods and services

A reduced IRES "premiale" rate of 20% under Law 207/2024 applied to FY 2025 only, for SRLs meeting specific reinvestment and employment conditions; from FY 2026 the standard 24% applies. For the complete tax picture including dividend withholding rates and international treaty considerations, see our corporate tax pages.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

No. You can incorporate remotely by granting a notarized, apostilled Power of Attorney to an Italian representative. The notarial deed is executed in Italy; you never need to be physically present. Non-EU founders must also satisfy the condizione di reciprocita under Art. 16 Preleggi before signing.

From notarial deed to a fully registered company with Partita IVA takes no more than about 15 days: the notary has 10 days to deposit the deed with the Camera di Commercio di Milano, the Registro Imprese then has 5 days to register an electronic filing, and the Partita IVA is communicated immediately once the Comunicazione Unica is filed.

It is the local Chamber of Commerce (CCIAA MiMBLo) responsible for the Registro delle Imprese in the Milan metropolitan area. All new companies headquartered in Milan must file through CCIAA MiMBLo. It also runs the Startup Point for international start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs and maintains the Innovative Start-up section of the Business Register.

Registering a new SRL costs €446 in government charges: the €200 registration tax and €156 stamp duty paid by the notary on the deed, plus a €90 secretariat fee (diritto di segreteria) for the electronic filing; an SRLS pays only the €200 registration tax. The company also pays the diritto annuale for its first year (€120 at MiMBLo in 2026 for a newly registered company) and then every year.

No. A virtual registered address (sede legale) at a professional domiciliation provider or law firm in Milan satisfies the legal requirement under Art. 2463 CC. This is the standard approach for newly formed SRLs and holding companies in Milan's professional services district.

Yes, provided the condizione di reciprocita is met (Art. 16 Preleggi), meaning Italy and the founder's country must grant mutual corporate rights. The Foreign Ministry assesses this country by country. EU and EEA citizens are fully exempt.

For a standard SRL, the minimum is €10,000 (Art. 2463 §2 n.4 CC), with at least 25% paid in at formation (100% if you are the sole member). A reduced-capital SRL allows €1–€9,999 but requires a 20% annual-profit reserve allocation until total capital plus reserves reach €10,000.

Founders in fintech, fashion, luxury goods, design, professional services, and investment holding structures regularly choose Milan for its status as Italy's primary financial and commercial hub. Lombardy's GDP per head (about €49,100 in 2023) is second only to Bolzano among Italian regions, giving Milan unparalleled access to capital markets, international banks, and professional networks.

A Milan SRL pays the same national taxes as any Italian company: IRES corporate income tax at 24%, IRAP regional production tax at 3.9% (Lombardy's ordinary rate for 2026), and standard IVA (VAT) at 22%. There is no Milan-specific surcharge on corporate profits.

Yes, if the SRL was established within the last 60 months, has annual turnover below €5 million, and meets the R&D or technological-innovation criteria. Registration goes into the Sezione Speciale of the Registro Imprese at CCIAA MiMBLo and unlocks benefits including equity crowdfunding access, flexible governance provisions, and exemption from standard insolvency proceedings.

The diritto annuale is an annual membership fee charged by CCIAA MiMBLo to all registered companies. The amount is tiered by turnover: for 2026 it starts at €120 for turnover up to €100,000, and a newly registered company pays a fixed €120.

No. Company formation is a commercial act and does not automatically confer a residence permit or right of abode. Non-EU founders who wish to reside in Italy must apply for the appropriate visa or permit through Italian immigration authorities. An SRL with operational activity may support certain visa categories, but this is a separate process.

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