Cost to Open an SRL in Italy: 2026 Fee Guide

What You Pay at Incorporation: Statutory Government Fees

When you sign the notarial deed, three government fees are due immediately. These are fixed by Italian law and apply to every SRL regardless of which notary you use or which city you incorporate in.

The tassa di concessione governativa (corporate books tax) and the diritto annuale (Camera di Commercio annual fee) are recurring charges that begin in the first year and are listed in Table C below.

Table A: Government / Statutory Fees at Incorporation

Total minimum government fees at signing: approximately €446 (imposta di registro + imposta di bollo + diritti camerali). An SRLS pays only the €200 imposta di registro.

Professional Fees: Notary, Accountant, and Setup Services

Professional fees are market-variable. The notary tariff was abolished by D.L. 1/2012, so each notary sets fees freely and there is no regulatory cap. Accountant fees depend on the complexity of the structure and activity type. The ranges below are typical market ranges for a standard SRL with €10,000 share capital.

For non-resident founders, a registered office in Italy is a near-mandatory additional cost. Italian law requires a sede legale (registered address) on Italian territory, but it does not need to be a physical office. A virtual registered office is legally valid and the standard solution for foreign founders.

Table B: Professional and Service Fees (Market-Variable Ranges)

The imposta di registro applies to both SRL and SRLS; the imposta di bollo and diritti camerali apply to the SRL only.

SRLS Notary Waiver: The Important Restriction

The SRLS (Società a responsabilità limitata semplificata) offers one significant cost advantage over the standard SRL: the notary professional fee is waived entirely by Art. 3(3) of D.L. 1/2012 (converted by L. 27/2012), the decree that introduced Art. 2463-bis of the Italian Civil Code. For a founder comparing SRL vs. SRLS on cost, this saves €1,500–€3,000 plus VAT at incorporation.

Only the imposta di registro (€200) still applies to an SRLS. The deed is exempt from the imposta di bollo (€156) and the diritti camerali (€90) that a standard SRL pays at signing and registration.

Critical restriction: only natural persons can form an SRLS (Art. 2463-bis CC). A foreign corporation, holding company or other legal entity cannot be a founding member. If a company later acquires a quota, the transfer is valid, but the company loses SRLS status, becomes an ordinary SRL with reduced capital and must drop the word semplificata from its name (MISE opinion of 15 February 2016, prot. 39365). If a corporate shareholder structure is required from the outset, an ordinary SRL is the only option. See our full SRL vs. SRLS comparison for a detailed breakdown of restrictions.

SRLS capital must be €1–€9,999 in cash and paid in full at signing. There is no partial pay-in option.

Share Capital: What You Deposit vs. What You Spend

Share capital is one of the most misunderstood elements of SRL formation costs. It is not a fee. It is not an expense. It is money you transfer from your personal funds into the company's bank account, where it stays on the company's balance sheet as equity.

The legal minimum capital for an SRL is €1 (Art. 2463 §4 CC, as amended by D.L. 76/2013, Art. 9). The conventional market standard is €10,000. For a multi-member SRL, at least 25% of the subscribed cash capital must be paid in at the notary signing, to the directors named in the deed (Art. 2464 CC). For a single-member SRL, 100% must be paid in at incorporation.

For an SRLS, capital must be €1–€9,999 and paid in full in cash at signing (Art. 2463-bis CC).

The key point: once incorporated, the capital belongs to the company. You can use it to pay salaries, suppliers, or other business expenses. It is not consumed by the incorporation process itself. See our guide to share capital requirements for the full rules on contributions, increases, and the legal reserve obligation.

Annual Running Costs: What You Pay Every Year

After registration, the cost picture shifts from one-time fees to recurring annual obligations. The table below shows the standard annual cost items for a small SRL in its first full year of operation.

Table C: Annual Recurring Costs (Small SRL, First Full Year)

Indicative first-year total (excluding share capital and virtual office): from approximately €3,600. Add €600–€2,000 if a virtual office is needed.

First-Year Budget Summary

Putting both tables together gives a realistic all-in budget for the first year. The one-time setup costs (SRL, excluding share capital) run approximately €2,100–€3,650: notary professional fee (€1,500–€3,000, plus VAT) plus government fees (€446) plus books and digital signature (€150–€200).

First-year annual running costs for a small SRL with basic accounting add from approximately €3,600: diritto annuale (€100), tassa di concessione governativa (€309.87), accounting from €3,000, PEC approximately €50, and balance sheet filing €127.70. Non-resident founders add €600–€2,000 for a virtual registered office.

Share capital (minimum €1 to conventional €10,000) is deposited in the company's bank account separately. It is equity, not a cost.

Ready to plan your Italian SRL? Our team provides a detailed cost breakdown and handles the full incorporation process from abroad. Contact us to request a quote, or read our step-by-step guide on how to register your SRL.