Your codice fiscale is your Italian social security number. It is an official ID number that you will need at agencies including:
- Agenzia delle Entrate, the Italian tax agency
- Istituto Nazionale Previdenza Sociale (INPS), the Italian social security office
Who can get a codice fiscale?
Anyone who applies for asylum, or any other type of legal residence in Italy, can get a codice fiscale.
Where can I get a codice fiscale card?
These days, it’s uncommon to find a printed codice fiscale card, and you don’t need one. However, your codice fiscale number will appear on your:
- Permesso di soggiorno
- Tessera sanitaria
You can request your codice fiscale at:
- Questura - if you submit a request for a permit to the Questura, you will automatically get a codice fiscale from the Questura itself, as the Questura is in direct contact with the Agenzia delle Entrate
- Sportello Unico Immigrazione, the immigration desk of the Italian Ministry of the Interior - if you applied from abroad for a work or family reunification visa.
You can find more detailed information on how to apply for your codice fiscale on the Agenzia delle Entrate website here.
What if I lost my codice fiscale?
If you lost your codice fiscale, you can request a duplicate of your codice fiscale on the Agenzia delle Entrate website here. Once it’s ready, they will post it to your address.
Do I need a codice fiscale to get a job?
Yes, you need to provide your codice fiscale number to your employer. They need it to register you as an employee.
You do not need a physical codice fiscale card.
Do I need a codice fiscale to access health services?
To access non-emergency health care, you need a physical tessera sanitaria document. That document has your codice fiscale written on it.
However, you can access emergency care at public hospitals even if you don’t have a tessera sanitaria by getting another document: the STP card. Learn more:
How to access health care if you haven't applied for asylum
My codice fiscale is all numbers, but my friend’s has numbers and letters. Why?
A codice fiscale that is all numbers is temporary. A codice fiscale with both numbers and letters is permanent.
Although temporary codici fiscali are rare, some Questure still issue it.
When do I get a permanent codice fiscale if I don’t already have one?
Asylum-seekers with a temporary codice fiscale usually get a permanent one when they get a positive response from the Territorial Commission and renew their residence permit.
If you don’t have a permanent codice fiscale, don’t worry: a permanent codice fiscale does not give you any more rights than a temporary codice fiscale.
What if I have a temporary codice fiscale and my employer cannot register me as an employee?
The INPS adjusted all the employee registration procedures so that temporary codice fiscale are now accepted. You shouldn't have any issues with registration.
However, if you would like a codice fiscale with both numbers and letters, you might be able to request one from the Agenzia delle Entrate office.
I don’t know my codice fiscale. How can I find out what it is?
If you have a codice fiscale but can’t remember what it is, you can find it on the Calcolo Codice Fiscale website. You’ll need to input your name, date and place of birth.
Sometimes the Calcolo Codice Fiscale website stops working. If you can’t get it to work, you can ask for your codice fiscale at the closest tax office. For help finding one, you can message us on Facebook.
Where can I get more information on the codice fiscale?
You can find more information on the codice fiscale on the Italian tax agency website by clicking here.