Il patrimonio edilizio italiano è tra i più antichi e stratificati d’Europa. Decenni di interventi, ampliamenti e modifiche interne — spesso realizzati in epoche in cui le regole urbanistiche erano diverse o semplicemente meno stringenti — hanno generato una situazione in cui la stragrande maggioranza degli edifici presenta qualche forma di difformità rispetto ai progetti originariamente autorizzati. Secondo le stime diffuse dal Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti, circa l’80% degli immobili italiani non si trova oggi in una condizione di piena conformità urbanistica. Una percentuale impressionante, che riguarda non solo vecchi edifici rurali o costruzioni periferiche, ma anche appartamenti nei centri storici, villette di recente costruzione e unità in condomini apparentemente regolari.

In questo contesto, l’attestazione dello stato legittimo è diventata uno strumento imprescindibile: un documento che “fotografa” la situazione urbanistico-edilizia di un immobile e ne certifica la regolarità. In questo approfondimento analizziamo nel dettaglio cos’è, come si ottiene, quando è necessaria, chi tutela e perché può fare la differenza tra una compravendita sicura e un potenziale incubo burocratico.

Che cos’è lo stato legittimo di un immobile

Lo stato legittimo di un immobile è la condizione giuridica e tecnica di un edificio — o di una singola unità immobiliare — in relazione alla sua conformità ai titoli edilizi e alle normative urbanistiche vigenti al momento della costruzione e delle successive trasformazioni. In termini concreti: un immobile si trova nello “stato legittimo” quando ciò che esiste fisicamente — muri, tramezzi, finestre, altezze, volumi, destinazioni d’uso — corrisponde esattamente a ciò che è stato autorizzato dalla pubblica amministrazione attraverso i relativi titoli abilitativi.

La definizione normativa è contenuta nell’art. 9-bis, comma 1-bis, del D.P.R. 380/2001 (il Testo Unico dell’Edilizia, comunemente abbreviato in TUE). Questa disposizione è stata introdotta per la prima volta dal Decreto Semplificazioni del 2020 (D.L. 76/2020, convertito in L. 120/2020) e successivamente riformulata in modo significativo dal Decreto Salva Casa (D.L. 69/2024, convertito in L. 105/2024). Prima del 2020 il concetto di stato legittimo era già utilizzato nella prassi amministrativa e nella giurisprudenza, ma non esisteva una definizione legislativa espressa: la sua codificazione ha rappresentato un passaggio fondamentale per dare certezza giuridica agli operatori del settore.

La Corte Costituzionale, con la sentenza n. 217/2022, ha ulteriormente rafforzato questo istituto, elevandolo a principio fondamentale della materia edilizia. Questa pronuncia ha un’implicazione molto concreta: le Regioni non possono introdurre discipline difformi o derogatorie rispetto alle regole nazionali sullo stato legittimo, garantendo così uniformità di applicazione su tutto il territorio italiano. Non importa se l’immobile si trova in Lombardia, in Sicilia o in Trentino: le regole per accertare lo stato legittimo sono le stesse ovunque.

Come si determina lo stato legittimo dopo il Decreto Salva Casa

Una delle novità più rilevanti introdotte dal Decreto Salva Casa (D.L. 69/2024) riguarda proprio le modalità di accertamento della relazione di stato legittimo dell’immobile. Prima della riforma del 2024, era spesso necessario ricostruire l’intera “storia edilizia” dell’immobile, risalendo fino al titolo originario di costruzione e verificando la legittimità di ogni singolo intervento successivo, uno per uno, in ordine cronologico. Per edifici costruiti negli anni ’50 o ’60, con archivi comunali spesso incompleti o difficili da consultare, questa operazione poteva richiedere mesi di lavoro e costi considerevoli.

Oggi, grazie al cosiddetto principio di alternatività, la norma prevede che lo stato legittimo possa essere determinato in via alternativa sulla base di due percorsi distinti.

First path: the original title deed. Si parte dalla licenza edilizia, dalla concessione, dal permesso di costruire o dal condono che ha autorizzato la costruzione dell’immobile. A questo si integrano tutti i titoli successivi che hanno abilitato interventi parziali (ristrutturazioni, ampliamenti, modifiche interne). Questo percorso resta il riferimento classico, indispensabile quando l’immobile non è mai stato oggetto di un intervento complessivo successivo.

Secondo percorso: l’ultimo titolo abilitativo complessivo. Si può partire dall’ultimo titolo edilizio che ha disciplinato un intervento sull’intero immobile o sull’intera unità immobiliare, a condizione che l’amministrazione competente, in sede di rilascio di quel titolo, abbia verificato la legittimità dei titoli pregressi. In pratica, se nel 2015 il Comune ha rilasciato un permesso di costruire per una ristrutturazione completa e in quella occasione ha controllato che l’immobile fosse regolare, si può partire da lì senza dover risalire alla licenza edilizia degli anni ’60.

Questa semplificazione è di portata notevole. Se il Comune ha già effettuato una verifica di conformità in occasione di un intervento recente, non è più necessario ripartire da zero nella ricostruzione documentale. Si riducono così sensibilmente tempi e costi per il cittadino, senza tuttavia abbassare il livello di tutela: la responsabilità della verifica si sposta in parte sul Comune e in parte sul tecnico che presenta la pratica.

Tra i titoli idonei a dimostrare lo stato legittimo, la riforma del 2024 ha incluso esplicitamente anche i provvedimenti di regolarizzazione con pagamento di sanzioni, gli accertamenti di conformità (artt. 36 e 36-bis del TUE), le dichiarazioni sulle tolleranze costruttive (art. 34-bis) e i titoli rilasciati secondo il nuovo art. 34-ter per le varianti ante 1977.

Come si dimostra lo stato legittimo per gli immobili più antichi

Il patrimonio italiano comprende milioni di edifici costruiti prima che esistesse un vero obbligo di licenza edilizia. Ricordiamo che solo con la Legge Urbanistica del 1942 è stato introdotto l’obbligo di licenza edilizia nei centri abitati, e solo con la Legge Ponte del 1967 l’obbligo è stato esteso a tutte le costruzioni, anche fuori dai centri urbani. Per questi immobili, lo stato legittimo può essere dimostrato attraverso le informazioni catastali di primo impianto o altri documenti probanti.

La legge indica espressamente tra i documenti utilizzabili: fotografie d’epoca, estratti cartografici, documenti d’archivio, atti pubblici e privati di comprovata provenienza. Inoltre, il Decreto Salva Casa ha previsto che, nel caso in cui il titolo abilitativo originario non si ritrovi o non se ne abbia copia, purché esista un principio di prova della sua esistenza, lo stato legittimo possa essere ricostruito con la documentazione catastale e archivistica sopra elencata. Questa previsione è particolarmente importante per le compravendite di immobili storici, dove la ricostruzione dell’intera catena dei titoli edilizi può risultare materialmente impossibile.

La relazione di stato legittimo: cos’è concretamente il documento

La relazione di stato legittimo dell’immobile è il documento tecnico, redatto e asseverato da un professionista abilitato, che attesta la conformità urbanistica ed edilizia di un immobile. Il tecnico competente a rilasciarla è qualsiasi professionista abilitato alla presentazione di progetti edilizi e iscritto al proprio Ordine professionale: ingegnere, architetto, geometra o perito.

Il percorso che il tecnico deve seguire per redigere una relazione di stato legittimo completa e affidabile si articola in diverse fasi operative, ciascuna delle quali richiede competenza specifica e attenzione ai dettagli.

1. Sopralluogo e rilievo dello stato di fatto. Il tecnico si reca presso l’immobile ed effettua un rilievo dettagliato: misura ambienti, verifica altezze, posizione di muri portanti e tramezzi, aperture, destinazioni d’uso dei singoli locali, eventuali pertinenze (cantine, soffitte, garage). Il rilievo viene tradotto in una planimetria che rappresenta fedelmente lo stato attuale dei luoghi.
2. Accesso agli atti presso il Comune. Il professionista presenta una richiesta formale di accesso agli atti presso l’ufficio tecnico del Comune in cui si trova l’immobile. In questa fase acquisisce tutti i titoli abilitativi presenti in archivio: licenze edilizie, concessioni, permessi di costruire, SCIA, DIA, CILA, eventuali condoni, sanatorie e relativi elaborati grafici. I tempi di risposta variano da Comune a Comune, ma in media occorrono dalle due alle sei settimane.
3. Confronto tra stato di fatto e titoli edilizi. Questa è la fase più delicata e qualificante dell’intero processo. Il tecnico sovrappone il rilievo dello stato attuale ai progetti autorizzati, verificando la corrispondenza puntuale di ogni elemento: posizione dei muri, dimensioni degli ambienti, altezze, superfici, volumi, destinazioni d’uso. Ogni scostamento viene analizzato e classificato.
4. Accertamento delle tolleranze costruttive ed esecutive. Non tutte le difformità sono abusi. L’art. 34-bis del TUE definisce le cosiddette tolleranze costruttive, ossia quelle lievi differenze tra progetto e realizzazione che la legge espressamente esclude dalla nozione di violazione edilizia. Il tecnico verifica se le eventuali difformità riscontrate rientrano in queste soglie.
5. Redazione della dichiarazione asseverata. Al termine dell’analisi, il professionista redige la relazione vera e propria, nella quale dichiara sotto la propria responsabilità l’assenza di violazioni alla disciplina edilizia e urbanistica, oppure la sussistenza esclusivamente di tolleranze costruttive che non costituiscono abuso. La dichiarazione viene sottoscritta e asseverata ai sensi del D.P.R. 445/2000.

È fondamentale comprendere che il tecnico si assume la piena responsabilità — civile, penale e disciplinare — di quanto dichiarato. Una dichiarazione asseverata mendace integra il reato di falso ideologico in atto pubblico. Per questo motivo, la relazione di stato legittimo non è un semplice adempimento formale, ma un’attività professionale complessa che richiede rigore, esperienza e profonda conoscenza della normativa edilizia e urbanistica.

Quando è necessaria la relazione di stato legittimo dell’immobile

L’attestazione dello stato legittimo non è un documento obbligatorio in senso assoluto, nel senso che la legge non ne prescrive l’allegazione a pena di nullità per ogni atto. Tuttavia, nella pratica professionale quotidiana, è diventata indispensabile in una pluralità di situazioni. Vediamo le più importanti.

Stato legittimo e compravendita immobiliare

Questa è probabilmente la situazione in cui la relazione di stato legittimo assume il ruolo più rilevante. Sebbene non sia un allegato obbligatorio all’atto notarile a pena di nullità, rappresenta la più solida garanzia per l’acquirente sulla regolarità urbanistica dell’immobile. Allegata all’atto di trasferimento, documenta che la casa non presenta abusi edilizi e tutela concretamente chi compra dal rischio di scoprire irregolarità dopo il rogito.

Nella pratica, molti notai e agenti immobiliari la richiedono ormai come prassi consolidata, soprattutto per immobili datati o che hanno subito nel tempo interventi di ristrutturazione. La scoperta di un abuso edilizio dopo la firma dell’atto può comportare conseguenze molto serie per l’acquirente: l’impossibilità di ottenere titoli abilitativi per futuri lavori, il rischio di un ordine di demolizione da parte del Comune, difficoltà nella rivendita dell’immobile e, in casi estremi, l’azione legale nei confronti del venditore per vizi occulti.

Stato legittimo e ristrutturazione: un prerequisito obbligato

Prima di avviare qualsiasi intervento sull’immobile — dalla manutenzione straordinaria alla ristrutturazione pesante — è necessario confermare la legittimità urbanistica del bene. Il tecnico progettista, nella modulistica per CILA, SCIA o Permesso di Costruire, dichiara sotto la propria responsabilità la conformità dello stato dei luoghi ai titoli abilitativi. Intervenire su un immobile che presenta abusi edilizi non sanati significherebbe proseguire un’attività illegittima, configurando un nuovo reato edilizio anche nel caso di lavori di per sé modesti.

Questo significa che, ad esempio, se un proprietario vuole semplicemente rifare il bagno con una CILA, ma l’immobile presenta una veranda abusiva mai sanata, il tecnico non potrà presentare la pratica senza prima affrontare la questione della regolarizzazione. La verifica preventiva dello stato legittimo evita di trovarsi in questa situazione a lavori già programmati o, peggio, già iniziati.

Stato legittimo e accesso ai bonus fiscali

L’accesso alle detrazioni fiscali in edilizia — Ecobonus, Sismabonus, Bonus Casa, Bonus Ristrutturazioni e, laddove ancora applicabile, Superbonus — presuppone che l’immobile sia in regola sotto il profilo urbanistico. La relazione di stato legittimo dell’immobile costituisce il documento probatorio per eccellenza a dimostrazione di tale conformità. L’Agenzia delle Entrate, in caso di controlli, può revocare le detrazioni godute se l’immobile risulta non conforme: il rischio economico, in termini di restituzione del beneficio fiscale maggiorato di sanzioni e interessi, può essere molto significativo.

Donazioni, divisioni ereditarie, mutui e finanziamenti

Oltre alla compravendita, l’attestazione di stato legittimo è fortemente consigliata in caso di donazioni, divisioni ereditarie, costituzione di servitù, usufrutto, diritto di superficie e, in generale, in tutti gli atti che hanno ad oggetto il trasferimento o la costituzione di diritti reali su un immobile. Gli istituti di credito, inoltre, richiedono sempre più frequentemente una verifica della conformità urbanistica dell’immobile posto a garanzia del finanziamento. La presenza di abusi edilizi può infatti compromettere il valore dell’immobile e la sua commerciabilità, rendendo più difficile o impossibile l’erogazione del mutuo.

Chi tutela la relazione di stato legittimo dell’immobile

La relazione di stato legittimo è uno strumento di tutela trasversale, che protegge simultaneamente tutti i soggetti coinvolti nella filiera immobiliare. Non è un documento pensato a beneficio esclusivo di una parte, ma un meccanismo di trasparenza che eleva la qualità complessiva della transazione.

L’acquirente è il primo e più evidente beneficiario. Grazie all’attestazione, ottiene la certezza documentale che l’immobile è conforme ai titoli edilizi e che non pendono abusi che potrebbero comportare ordini di demolizione, sanzioni pecuniarie o impossibilità di eseguire futuri interventi. In sostanza, acquista con cognizione di causa.

Il venditore è ugualmente tutelato, anche se spesso non ne è consapevole. Disporre di una relazione di stato legittimo aggiornata significa poter documentare la “qualità urbanistica” del bene offerto in vendita, prevenendo contestazioni successive al rogito. Un venditore che consegna all’acquirente un immobile con attestazione di stato legittimo riduce drasticamente il rischio di azioni legali per vizi occulti legati alla non conformità edilizia.

Il tecnico progettista che deve intervenire sull’immobile con un nuovo progetto trae dalla relazione la base documentale indispensabile per operare in sicurezza, senza il rischio di progettare su un immobile viziato da irregolarità che potrebbero invalidare l’intero iter autorizzativo.

Il notaio trova nella relazione un elemento di garanzia ulteriore per la regolarità dell’atto di trasferimento, pur non essendo questa un allegato obbligatorio a pena di nullità. La sua presenza nel fascicolo dell’atto rafforza la diligenza professionale di tutte le parti coinvolte.

Le tolleranze costruttive: quando la difformità non è un abuso edilizio

Uno degli aspetti più rilevanti — e spesso meno conosciuti — della normativa vigente è la disciplina delle tolleranze costruttive (art. 34-bis del TUE). Si tratta di quelle lievi difformità tra il progetto autorizzato e l’opera effettivamente realizzata che, per la loro natura e entità, la legge non considera violazioni edilizie. È un concetto di buon senso: nella realizzazione pratica di un edificio, è materialmente impossibile riprodurre il progetto al millimetro.

La regola generale prevede che non costituisca abuso il mancato rispetto dell’altezza, dei distacchi, della cubatura, della superficie coperta e di ogni altro parametro dell’unità immobiliare, se contenuto entro il limite del 2% delle misure previste nel titolo abilitativo.

Per gli interventi realizzati prima del 24 maggio 2024, il Decreto Salva Casa ha introdotto soglie di tolleranza più ampie e graduate in funzione della superficie utile dell’unità immobiliare. La logica è chiara: in un monolocale di 40 mq, uno scostamento di pochi centimetri incide percentualmente molto di più che in un appartamento di 150 mq. Per questa ragione le soglie variano dal 2% per le unità più grandi (oltre 500 mq) fino al 6% per le unità con superficie inferiore a 60 mq.

L’aspetto più importante ai fini pratici è che le tolleranze, proprio perché non costituiscono violazioni, possono essere semplicemente dichiarate dal tecnico abilitato nella relazione di stato legittimo, senza necessità di avviare procedure di sanatoria. Questo snellisce enormemente l’iter per le compravendite e per la presentazione di nuove pratiche edilizie.

Oltre alle tolleranze costruttive in senso stretto, l’art. 34-bis individua anche le cosiddette tolleranze esecutive, che comprendono irregolarità geometriche minori, modifiche di finitura di modesta entità, diversa collocazione di impianti e opere interne e il mancato rispetto delle indicazioni progettuali di dettaglio. Anche queste difformità, purché non incidano sulla struttura portante né sulle caratteristiche essenziali dell’immobile, vengono semplicemente dichiarate dal tecnico senza necessità di sanatoria.

Stato legittimo e conformità catastale: attenzione a non confonderli

Un equivoco estremamente diffuso, anche tra chi opera nel settore immobiliare, riguarda la confusione tra conformità catastale e stato legittimo dell’immobile. Si tratta di due verifiche completamente diverse, che riguardano ambiti differenti e coinvolgono enti diversi.

La conformità catastale — obbligatoria ai sensi dell’art. 29 della Legge 52/1985 — attesta che la planimetria depositata presso l’Agenzia del Territorio (Catasto) corrisponde allo stato di fatto dell’immobile. Il Catasto, però, ha natura essenzialmente fiscale: serve a determinare la rendita dell’immobile ai fini tributari. Non è uno strumento di controllo urbanistico.

Lo stato legittimo, invece, riguarda la conformità edilizia e urbanistica dell’immobile rispetto ai titoli abilitativi rilasciati dal Comune. Un immobile può essere perfettamente conforme al Catasto — ossia avere la planimetria catastale che corrisponde allo stato di fatto — ma presentare gravi abusi edilizi (perché, ad esempio, è stata accatastata una situazione di fatto mai autorizzata). E viceversa: un immobile può essere perfettamente legittimo sotto il profilo edilizio ma avere una planimetria catastale non aggiornata. Le due verifiche sono complementari, ma non possono in alcun modo sostituirsi l’una all’altra.

Giurisprudenza recente sullo stato legittimo degli immobili

La materia dello stato legittimo è in costante evoluzione anche sul fronte giurisprudenziale. Le pronunce dei tribunali amministrativi e del Consiglio di Stato contribuiscono in modo determinante a chiarire i confini e le modalità di applicazione della normativa. Tra le sentenze più significative degli ultimi anni si segnalano:

Corte Costituzionale, sentenza n. 217/2022 — ha elevato lo stato legittimo a principio fondamentale della materia edilizia, con portata nazionale inderogabile da parte delle Regioni.

Consiglio di Stato, sentenza n. 1382/2025 — ha chiarito un punto cruciale: la mera rappresentazione grafica di opere negli elaborati progettuali allegati a un titolo abilitativo non equivale alla loro legittimazione. Se un intervento è disegnato nella tavola ma non è descritto nella relazione tecnica né espressamente autorizzato, il Comune non può ritenersi consapevole della sua esistenza e l’opera resta abusiva.

TAR Lombardia, sentenza n. 2749/2025 — ha ribadito che, per il riconoscimento dello stato legittimo tramite l’ultimo titolo abilitativo, è necessaria un’attestazione esplicita e dettagliata da parte dell’amministrazione comunale sulla regolarità dei titoli pregressi. Non basta un generico rilascio del titolo.

Council of State, Judgment no. 2443/2026 — ha confermato un principio di estrema importanza pratica: lo stato legittimo non si ricostruisce per deduzioni, presunzioni o letture a posteriori, ma si fonda esclusivamente sul contenuto effettivo dei titoli edilizi. Il trascorrere del tempo, da solo, non legittima un abuso edilizio.

A queste pronunce si aggiungono le Linee Guida del MIT del 31 gennaio 2025, che hanno fornito chiarimenti interpretativi sull’attuazione pratica del Decreto Salva Casa. Pur non avendo valore vincolante per i Comuni, rappresentano un riferimento autorevole per professionisti e amministrazioni, in particolare sulle modalità di accertamento dello stato legittimo e sulla gestione delle difformità parziali.

Frequently asked questions about the lawful status report (FAQ)

Who can prepare the lawful status report?

Esclusivamente un tecnico abilitato iscritto all’Ordine professionale di competenza: ingegnere, architetto, geometra o perito. Il professionista assume piena responsabilità civile, penale e disciplinare per l’attestazione resa. Non è un documento che il proprietario può redigere autonomamente né che un’agenzia immobiliare può rilasciare.

Is the lawful status report required to sell house?

It is not required by law as a necessary attachment to the notarial deed, but it is strongly recommended and increasingly required in practice. Many notaries and lending institutions require it as a condition for proceeding with the execution or disbursement of the mortgage. It constitutes the best guarantee for all parties involved in the purchase and sale.

How much does it cost to have a certificate of lawful status drawn up?

The cost varies depending on the complexity of the property, the number of building titles to be found, the time required to access municipal records, and the location. For an apartment with a linear building history the cost is low; for properties with complex historical layers it can be more significant. It is always advisable to request a customized estimate from your technician.

What is the difference between lawful status and cadastral compliance?

Cadastral conformity verifies that the plan filed with the Land Registry corresponds to the actual state of the property. Lawful status verifies building and zoning compliance with respect to municipal permits. A property may be cadastrally compliant but edibly irregular, and vice versa. These are two distinct and complementary checks, both important but not interchangeable.

What happens if my property is not in its rightful state?

In the presence of discrepancies, the appointed technician will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis and indicate the most appropriate path of regularization. Possibilities include building amnesty (ascertainment of conformity under Articles 36 or 36-bis of the TUE), declaration of construction tolerances (Art. 34-bis), regularization of pre-1977 variants (Art. 34-ter), or, in the most serious cases where the abuse cannot be remedied, restoration of the lawful state by demolition of the illegal part.

Do you need legitimate status to access the Home Bonus or Ecobonus?

Yes. Urban and building compliance is a prerequisite to access all major tax deductions in construction: Ecobonus, Sismabonus, Bonus Casa, Bonus Ristrutturazioni. The Legitimate Status Report is the document that provides proof of this and shields the taxpayer from the risk of revocation of deductions in case of inspections by the Internal Revenue Service.

How long does it take to get the legitimate status report?

The time depends mainly on the speed of the municipality in providing access to records and the complexity of the building history of the property. Under normal conditions, the full course of action-from commissioning to delivery of the sworn report-takes an average of four to eight weeks. It is advisable to start the audit well in advance of deadlines such as notarization or the start of construction.

Why rely on a qualified professional for the lawful status report

Verification of lawful status is an activity that requires in-depth technical expertise, well-established experience in reading and interpreting building titles, and familiarity with municipal records and their organization, which varies greatly from one agency to another. It is not a task that can be approached with superficiality or improvisation.

Mistakes in the reconstruction of the chain of permits, in the interpretation of transitional rules, in the classification of discrepancies or in the evaluation of tolerance thresholds can have serious and costly consequences: purchases and sales that skip within days of the deed, inability to access tax bonuses with related economic loss, demolition orders issued by the municipality years after the purchase, and professional liability borne by the technician who asseverated inaccurate information.

For this reason, it is essential to seek the services of a licensed technician with proven experience, who can accompany the owner or prospective buyer every step of the way, from the initial consultation to the collection of documents from the municipality, to the final drafting of the sworn certificate. Choosing the right professional is an investment that will pay off handsomely in terms of security and peace of mind.

In summary: why the legitimate status report is indispensable

The property’s lawful status report is much more than a bureaucratic document. It is the true urban identity card of your property: the instrument that certifies its regularity, ensures its full marketability and protects its value over time. In a real estate market increasingly focused on transparency and the protection of the parties, it represents an investment in the security of the transaction and the peace of mind of those buying, selling, renovating or investing.

Whether you are buying or selling, renovating, accessing a tax bonus, or simply want to know the real urban planning situation of your property, the advice is always the same: check first so you don’t have to fix it later.

L'articolo Relazione di Stato Legittimo dell’Immobile: Cos’è, Quando Serve e Perché è Indispensabile proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.

L'articolo Fondo patrimoniale: cos’è, come funziona, quando protegge davvero i beni della famiglia proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.

Usucaption is one of the modes of acquiring property by original title: it means that the right is established ex novo in the possessor’s possession, regardless of the title of the originator. The Civil Code provides two main variants for real estate: ordinary usucapion (Art. 1158 Civil Code), which requires continuous possession for twenty years, and abbreviated or ten-year usucapion (Art. 1159 Civil Code), which reduces this term to ten years if there are additional requirements.

The rationale for the institution is twofold: to protect those who purchased in good faith from a person who was not the true owner, and to ensure certainty in the legal circulation of real estate. Without shortened usucaption, the bona fide purchaser who transcribed his deed would be exposed sine die to the claims of the true owner.

2. The four requirements of Article 1159 of the Civil Code.

The rule is clear in its assumptions, but case law has over time clarified the boundaries of each. For abridged usucaption to take place, four elements must be present at the same time:

(a) Non-domino purchase

The purchase title must come from someone who is not the real owner of the property. Article 1159 of the Civil Code does not apply to domino purchase-that is, from the rightful owner-even if the contract has defects of form or substance. In such a case, if anything, ordinary usury may operate. This point was clearly reiterated by the Supreme Court, which made it clear that the provision “makes it clear that it refers to the hypothesis of non-domino purchase and not also to the hypothesis of the spoiled domino purchase.”

(b) Title abstractly eligible for transfer

The title-typically a purchase or sale or a gift-must be abstractly capable of transferring ownership, though without actually producing that transfer. A deed that is void for lack of public form is not abstractly capable; a deed that is void for lack of seller standing is. The distinction is crucial and often determines the outcome of the judgment.

In its Order No. 9566 of April 9, 2024, the Supreme Court (Sec. III) clarified that a deed of gift that is void for lack of a public deed cannot constitute an abstractly suitable title, but can still result in the interversion of possession into possession, paving the way for ordinary usucaption.

(c) Transcription of the title in the land records

The title must have been duly transcribed. Transcription does not cure defects in the deed, but it is a constitutive element of the acquisitive case: without it, abridged usucapion cannot accrue. The ten-year period runs precisely from the date of transcription.

The Supreme Court (Sec. II, ord. No. 6728, March 1, 2022) clarified that the principle of accession of possession also applies to ten-year usucapion: one who has been acquiring for less than ten years may add to his own possession the possession of his predecessor, with the term running from the date of transcription of the latter’s title.

(d) Good faith at the time of purchase

Good faith-understood as the reasonable belief that one is buying from the rightful owner-must exist at the time the contract is made. It is presumed (Article 1147 of the Civil Code) and need not persist throughout the decade. Even if the purchaser later discovers the defect of title, the shortened usucaption continues to run.

The burden of proof of the absence of good faith rests on those who intend to challenge the usucaption. The Supreme Court (Sec. II, ord. No. 15830, June 7, 2024) has confirmed that a person who brings an action to ascertain ownership in original title has the burden of proving all the requirements of possession, including duration.

3. Shortened usucaption and real estate purchase and sale: the most frequent cases

In the Milan and Lombard real estate market, shortened usucaption typically detects in three scenarios:

• Purchase from heir apparent: the seller shows up as sole heir, but there are other coheirs or a previous will not known to the buyer.
• Double alienation: the owner sells the same property to two different parties; the second buyer who transcribes his or her title first can invoke shortened usury after ten years.
• Vices of provenance in the chain of title: one of the deeds in the chain of transactional is null and void or ineffective, making the seller a non-domino with respect to the ultimate purchaser.

In all these cases, prior verification of the property’s 20-year provenance-the so-called real estate due diligence-is the essential tool for identifying the risk before the deed. As we have repeatedly pointed out here, the role of the real estate lawyer as a filter between buyer and seller is not an option but a necessary safeguard.

4. Effects of usucaption: what is acquired and what is extinguished

Acquisition by abridged usucaption is original in nature: the right of ownership is constituted ex novo, free of any burden, charge or easement that burdened the property in the hands of the previous owner. This principle, already well established in case law, has been reiterated by the Supreme Court (Sec. II, ord. no. 12744, May 13, 2025): “The original acquisition by abridged usucaption determines the freedom of the property from any pre-existing burden, charge and easement.”

On a practical level, this means that, at the completion of the decade, mortgages, easements and other real rights encumbering the property are extinguished, unless they have been established by the purchaser himself in the meantime. This is an effect of great patrimonial significance, making usucaption not only a defensive but sometimes a strategic tool.

5. The usury judgment: how it is initiated and what evidence is needed

Usucaption does not operate automatically: judicial ascertainment is required to produce effects enforceable against third parties. Judgment is instituted by a writ of summons before the court having territorial jurisdiction.

The means of proof typically used are testimonial evidence – admitted by the Supreme Court as early as Judgment No. 3342/1977 and deemed sufficient in itself (Cass. No. 7692/1999) – and documentary evidence (utilities, administrative records, tax returns, dated photographs). Regarding the manner in which the claim is invoked, the Supreme Court (Sec. II, ord. no. 5307 of 2025) clarified that the deduction of abridged usucaption by the defendant in claim who had already objected to ownership on other grounds in the first instance does not violate the prohibition of new claims on appeal, since these are self-determined rights.

Caution: abbreviated usucaption must be specifically invoked and its deduction cannot be considered included in that concerning ordinary usucaption. Those who do not specifically infer it in the first instance cannot invoke it for the first time in the Supreme Court.

Mediation is a condition of proceeding under Legislative Decree 28/2010 for disputes on real rights, and must be attempted prior to the filing of the lawsuit. Failure to attempt it precludes access to the trial court.

6. Abbreviated usucaption and cadastral updating.

An often overlooked practical issue concerns the effects of the judgment finding usucaption on land and cadastral records. A final judgment constitutes a title for transcription in the land registers (Article 2651 of the Civil Code) and for updating cadastral records.

Cadastral updating is an essential step to ensure full marketability of the property: without it, the titled usucapient will not be able to alienate the property with continuity of title in the records. In Milanese practice, the offices of the Agenzia delle Entrate – Territorio require the transcription of the judgment and the submission of the due declaration of cadastral variation.

At a glance – Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between ordinary and abbreviated usucaption?

Ordinary usucapation (art. 1158 Civil Code) requires twenty years of continuous possession, with no further requirements. Abbreviated usucapion (art. 1159 Civil Code) reduces the term to ten years, but presupposes bona fide acquisition by a non-domino, an abstractly suitable title, and transcription of the same in the land registers.

Should good faith last for the entire ten years?

No. Good faith is required exclusively at the time of purchase (art. 1147 Civil Code). Its subsequent failure does not prevent the fulfillment of shortened usucaption.

What happens to mortgages on usurped property?

They are extinguished. Usucaption is an original title purchase that frees the property from any pre-existing burdens, including mortgages established by the previous owner (Cass. Sec. II, ord. no. 12744/2025).

Can I add my ownership to the seller’s?

Yes. The principle of accession of possession also applies to ten-year usury (Cass. Sec. II, ord. no. 6728/2022). The term runs from the date of transcription of the title of the predecessor in title.

Is a lawyer necessary to take legal action?

Yes, the usury judgment is held before the court and requires the technical representation of a lawyer. Before the judgment, it is mandatory to introduce and attempt mediation proceedings (Legislative Decree 28/2010).

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The preliminary contract for real estate purchase and sale represents one of the most common negotiating instruments in Italian contract practice. With it, the parties mutually obligate each other to enter into a future final contract having transactional effects. However, the long time interval that often elapses between the stipulation of the preliminary and the definitive contract exposes the promising buyer to significant risks: the promising seller could alienate the property to third parties, set up mortgages or suffer enforcement actions by its creditors.

To protect the promissory purchaser from such risks, the legislature introduced with Article 2645-bis of the Civil Code the possibility of transcribing the preliminary contract, giving this formality a peculiar reservation effect. The rule stipulates that preliminary contracts having as their object the conclusion of contracts for the transfer or constitution of real property rights must be transcribed if they result from a public deed or from a private deed with a notarized or judicially ascertained signature.

The requirements of the promising seller

From the perspective of the promising seller, the transcription of the preliminary contract represents a significant constraint on the free disposition of the property. Once the preliminary contract is transcribed, the seller’s ability to dispose of the property is restricted, as any subsequent dispositive acts would be unenforceable against the promissory purchaser if the latter transcribes the final contract within the timeframe prescribed by law.

However, the transcription of the preliminary may also meet the needs of the promising seller. First, it constitutes a form of guarantee of fulfillment on the part of the promissory buyer, who, having made public his or her intention to purchase, will find it difficult to escape the obligation assumed. Secondly, the transcription of the preliminary may be a means of protection for the seller who has already delivered the property to the promissory buyer, enabling him to prove the existence of a legal title legitimizing such delivery.

The promising seller also has an interest in the timely cancellation of the transcription of the preliminary agreement if the contract is terminated or loses effect, in order to restore the full legal availability of the property and its marketability. As pointed out by Court of Monza Judgment No. 2619/2024, the permanence of a transcript relating to a contract that has now been terminated constitutes a concrete prejudice to the owner of the property.

The requirements of the promissory purchaser

For the promissory purchaser, the transcription of the preliminary contract constitutes the fundamental instrument of protection against the risks arising from the failure to acquire ownership immediately. In fact, Article 2645-bis, paragraph 2, of the Civil Code stipulates that “the transcription of the final contract or of any other deed that in any case constitutes the execution of the preliminary contracts referred to in paragraph 1, or of the judgment granting the application for specific performance of the aforementioned preliminary contracts, prevails over the transcriptions and registrations made against the promisor after the transcription of the preliminary contract.”

This reservation effect, as clarified by established case law, extends not only to transcriptions of subsequent deeds of disposition, but also to mortgage registrations and transcriptions of foreclosures. Brescia Court Judgment No. 4733/2024 reiterated that “the transcription of the preliminary contract prevents the rights of the promissory purchaser from being affected by any other sales of the same property by the promisor, by any other act performed by the seller, or by any fact suffered by the promisor.”

Therefore, the promissory purchaser has a primary interest in the timely transcription of the preliminary contract and that the transcription is carried out correctly, complying with the formal requirements of the law. As pointed out by Court of Milan Judgment No. 6500/2025, an indispensable prerequisite for transcription is that the contract results from a public deed or private writing with a notarized or judicially ascertained signature.

The time limits of the reservation effect

The effectiveness of the transcription of the preliminary contract is not unlimited in time. In fact, Article 2645-bis, paragraph 3, of the Civil Code stipulates that “the effects of the transcription of the preliminary contract cease and are considered as never produced if within one year from the date agreed between the parties for the conclusion of the final contract, and in any case within three years from the aforementioned transcription, the transcription of the final contract or of another act that otherwise constitutes the execution of the preliminary contract or of the court application referred to in Article 2652, first paragraph, number 2) is not executed.”

Therefore, the rule provides for a dual term: a one-year term, running from the agreed date for the stipulation of the definitive contract, and a three-year term, running from the transcription of the preliminary contract. Both terms are peremptory in nature and respond, as clarified by the judgment of the Court of Catania No. 4290/2025, “to the same ratio of protection of interests of a general nature, represented by the twofold need to avoid, on the one hand, that the property may be taken away by the promising seller indefinitely, through a preliminary of convenience, from the generic patrimonial guarantee under Article 2740 of the Civil Code, and, on the other hand, that it is realized, in fact, the removal of the property from free circulation.”

Case law has made it clear that the three-year term runs from the transcription of the first preliminary contract and cannot be extended by the parties through the stipulation and transcription of supplementary or amending deeds. As affirmed by the same judgment of the Court of Catania, “the extension of the term for the conclusion of the final contract, although freely agreeable between the parties, can only give rise to reservative effects enforceable against third parties if transcribed before the expiration of the annual term and provided that the transcription of the final or the court application is in any case within the three-year term from the transcription of the first preliminary.”

The unnecessary expiration of the three-year period results in the automatic termination of the reservation effects of the transcription, which are considered as never having been produced, without the need for formal cancellation of the transcription itself. This implies that the promissory purchaser loses all protection against third parties who have acquired rights to the property after the transcription of the preliminary.

The non-performance of the preliminary contract

When one of the parties fails to fulfill its obligations under the preliminary contract, the other party may avail itself of the remedies provided by the general rules of contracts. In particular, the fulfilling party may seek termination of the contract for non-performance under Article 1453 of the Civil Code, or it may exercise the right of withdrawal provided for in Article 1385 of the Civil Code on the subject of the down payment.

In the event that it is the promising seller who defaults, the promising buyer may either seek termination of the contract with return of twice the deposit paid, or take action for specific performance of the obligation to contract under Article 2932 of the Civil Code, obtaining a judgment producing the effects of the unfinished contract.

If, on the other hand, it is the promising buyer who fails to perform, the promising seller may retain the deposit paid as a penalty and seek termination of the contract. As pointed out in Milan Court Judgment No. 5294/2025, the penalty clause included in the preliminary contract “performs a function, not so much as a penalty-punishment, but as a lump-sum compensation for damages, being intended to strengthen the contractual bond and to establish in advance the performance to which one of the contracting parties is obliged if he or she defaults.”

A particular hypothesis of non-performance is that of so-called anticipated non-performance, which occurs when a party expressly declares that it will not or cannot fulfill the obligation undertaken. As clarified by the judgment of the Court of Brescia No. 4733/2024, “the declaration of the promising seller that he is unwilling or unable to fulfill his obligation to enter into the final contract within the agreed time limit integrates anticipated default, which is suitable for the basis of a claim under Article 2932 of the Civil Code.”

Of particular relevance is the hypothesis in which the promising seller has obligated himself to cancel prejudicial transcripts encumbering the property prior to the stipulation of the definitive agreement. As affirmed by Cagliari Court Judgment No. 1296/2024, this obligation constitutes “a result guarantee obligation, by virtue of which the promisor is liable for the failure to achieve the promised result even when this does not depend on his willful misconduct or fault, the risk having been assumed that the third party will not give consent to the cancellation.”

The cancellation of the transcript of the preliminary

The issue of cancellation of the transcription of the preliminary contract assumes particular practical relevance and has complexity profiles that deserve in-depth analysis. Article 2668 of the Civil Code, in its fourth paragraph, states that “the transcription of preliminary contracts shall be cancelled when the cancellation is duly permitted by the parties concerned or is judicially ordered by a final judgment.”

Thus, the rule provides two alternative ways to obtain the cancellation of transcription: the consent of the parties concerned or a court order that has become final. As clarified by the ruling ofthe Court of Monza No. 2619/2024, “the cancellation of the transcription of the preliminary contract requires, pursuant to the last paragraph of Article 2668 of the Civil Code, the consent of the parties concerned or a judicial decree that has become final.”

Consensual cancellation

Consensual cancellation is the simplest and quickest way to remove the transcript of the preliminary. It requires the consent of all parties concerned, which must be manifested in the form required for transcription, i.e. by public deed or private deed with a notarized signature. The consent must be submitted to the Registrar of Land Records together with the request for removal.

In practice, consensual cancellation is often agreed upon at the same time as the termination of the preliminary contract, by entering into a deed of mutual resolutory consent that expressly provides for the obligation of one party to give consent to the cancellation of the transcript. If this obligation is not fulfilled voluntarily, the party concerned may take legal action to obtain an order replacing the missing consent.

As pointed out in Catania Court Judgment No. 1408/2025, “where the parties have agreed on the obligation of the promissory purchaser to give assent to the cancellation of the transcription of the preliminary contract in the event that the condition precedent is not fulfilled, the failure to fulfill this obligation entitles the promising sellers to judicially request the cancellation of the transcription. The court, having ascertained incidentally the non-fulfillment of the condition precedent, may directly order the Registrar of Land Registries to proceed with the cancellation of the transcript, substituting itself for the defaulting party’s failure to give consent.”

Judicial cancellation

When the other party’s consent cannot be obtained, cancellation of the transcript can only be ordered by a final judgment. This implies that the interested party must institute a court of ordinary cognizance, obtain a favorable ruling, and wait for the judgment to become final before the cancellation can be made.

The need for res judicata constitutes an element of rigidity in the system, which can lead to long delays and significant costs. However, this requirement responds to the need to ensure the certainty of legal relations and the stability of real estate publicity, preventing transcripts from being cancelled on the basis of non-final orders that are subsequently reformed on appeal.

Case law has clarified that the order of cancellation can be contained in the same judgment that declares the termination of the preliminary contract or ascertains its ineffectiveness. As stated in Catanzaro Court Judgment No. 420/2025, “Pursuant to Article 2668 paragraph 2 of the Civil Code, the cancellation of the transcript must be judicially ordered if the trial is extinguished due to waiver or inactivity of the parties. Therefore, there is a party’s interest in obtaining a judicial order to cancel the transcript in the absence of a previous order ordering such cancellation and in the absence of the express consent of the party in whose favor the transcript is executed.”

The annotation in lieu of cancellation

One profile of particular interest concerns the distinction between cancellation and annotation of the transcript. Case law has made it clear that in the case of termination of a transcribed preliminary contract, the appropriate remedy is not the cancellation of the transcript but the annotation of the termination in the margin of the original transcript.

As affirmed by the Court of Prato Judgment No. 261/2025, “the transcription of the preliminary deed is not susceptible to be cancelled by order of the Judge, since Article 2668 of the Civil Code covers only the claims set forth in Articles 2652 and 2653. In cases where a transcribed deed is declared null and void or is annulled, terminated, rescinded or revoked, or is subject to a resolutive condition, on the other hand, the declaration of nullity, annulment, termination, rescission, revocation and fulfillment of the condition are subject to annotation in the margin of the transcription of the deed pursuant to Article 2655 of the Civil Code.”

This distinction has significant practical relevance, since annotation, unlike cancellation, leaves a trace of the contractual event in the property records, enabling third parties to reconstruct the legal history of the property. Annotation can be performed on the basis of agreement of the parties or on the basis of a judgment showing one of the facts provided for in Article 2655 of the Civil Code.

The automatic termination of the effects

A special case is that of the automatic termination of the effects of transcription due to the expiration of the terms provided for in Article 2645-bis, paragraph 3, Civil Code. In such a case, as already pointed out, the effects of transcription cease and are considered as never produced, without the need for any formal cancellation.

However, even in this case it may be appropriate to obtain the cancellation of the transcription for reasons of clarity and certainty of the real estate records. As affirmed by Court of Milan Ruling No. 5294/2025, “the transcription of the preliminary contract pursuant to Article 2645-bis of the Civil Code automatically ceases its reservation effects after three years from the transcription, without the need for formal cancellation, since the judge may still order its cancellation ex officio for reasons of public interest once the termination of the title has been ascertained.”

Special hypotheses: bankruptcy and judicial liquidation

Special rules are provided for when the promising seller is subject to insolvency proceedings. Article 173 of the Code of Business Crisis and Insolvency provides that the liquidator may dissolve the preliminary contract of real estate sale, even when the promising buyer has filed and transcribed an application for specific performance under Article 2932 of the Civil Code.

However, the rule provides for an important exception: the transcribed preliminary contract is not dissolved if it relates to a property for residential use intended to constitute the principal residence of the promissory purchaser or his relatives and relatives-in-law within the third degree, or to a property for nonresidential use intended to constitute the principal place of business of the promissory purchaser, provided that the effects of the transcription have not ceased prior to the date of the opening of the judicial liquidation.

In the event of dissolution of the preliminary contract in the bankruptcy proceedings, the promissory purchaser is entitled to assert his claim in the liabilities and enjoys the privilege provided for in Article 2775-bis of the Civil Code, provided that the effects of the transcription of the preliminary contract have not ceased prior to the date of the opening of the judicial liquidation.

Conclusions

The transcription of the preliminary contract of real estate sale and purchase is a fundamental instrument of protection for the promissory purchaser, enabling him to oppose to third parties his right to purchase the property. However, this tool is subject to strict time limits and requires compliance with precise formal requirements.

Breach of the preliminary contract may give rise to various legal consequences, which vary depending on the defaulting party and the contractual terms agreed upon. In any case, the termination or ineffectiveness of the preliminary contract necessitates the cancellation or annotation of the transcript in order to restore the full legal availability of the property and the certainty of the property records.

The cancellation of the transcript can be done by consent of the parties concerned or by a court order that has become final. The choice between the two methods depends on the willingness of the other party to consent and the need to obtain a judicial determination of the fate of the preliminary contract.

Ultimately, the regulation of the transcription of the preliminary contract requires a careful assessment of the opposing interests of the promising seller and the promissory buyer, balancing the latter’s need for protection with the need to prevent the property from being indefinitely removed from the free movement and general asset security of the promising seller.

L'articolo The transcription of the preliminary contract: protection, effects and cancellation proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.

L'articolo Preliminary purchase and sale and certificate of practicability: when you can withdraw and get double the deposit (Supreme Court 2132/2026) proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.

Italy represents one of the most fascinating and structurally sound real estate markets in Europe.

Milan, Rome, Florence, Venice, Tuscany, Lake Como, the Ligurian Riviera-each area combines historical heritage, international attractiveness, and long-term heritage value.

However, investing in Italy means operating within a complex, rigorous and deeply technical legal system.

A real estate purchase is never a simple notarial act.
It is an operation that involves:

• CIVIL LAW,

• urban planning law,

• cadastral discipline,

• condominium regulations,

• tax profiles,

• Banking regulation and anti-money laundering,

• market dynamics.

For an international investor, effective capital protection depends on the quality of assistance received.

Studio Legale Mauro offers an integrated legal assistance service for foreign investors wishing to purchase real estate in Italy – in Milan and throughout the country.

A strategic approach: from identification to full operation

Assistance is not limited to final verification before the deed.

On behalf of the client, the firm can:

• Actively seek real estate opportunities consistent with the investor’s profile;

• Make a prior selection from a legal perspective;

• Analyze the potential for revaluation and profitability;

• Negotiate economic conditions and contract clauses;

• Coordinate each stage up to actual enjoyment or income generation.

In recent transactions, the firm has taken on exclusive real estate search and acquisition mandates for foreign investors, acting as legal and strategic advisor along the entire journey.

Multidisciplinary coordination

The single direction that protects the investment

A real estate investment in Italy necessarily involves a plurality of parties:

• real estate agencies,

• notaries,

• technicians and architects,

• condominium administrators,

• banking institutions,

• possible property managers,

• tax consultants.

In the absence of unified direction, the risk is information fragmentation:
inconsistent documents, incomplete communications, critical issues that emerge late in the process.

Mauro Law Firm assumes the role of single coordination center.

This means:

• Check the completeness of the documentation before it is sent to the notary;

• Coordinate access to records at municipal offices;

• Aligning timelines between bank, seller, and notary;

• Prevent inconsistencies between the state of affairs and building titles;

• Ensure that contract clauses are consistent with the audits conducted.

For an international investor, this means having a single point of contact responsible for the entire process.

Extensive due diligence

True protection of invested capital

Due diligence is not a formal fulfillment-it is the heart of asset protection.

In Italy, a property may have critical issues that are not immediately apparent:

• Zoning discrepancies dating back decades;

• Land registry irregularities;

• Obvious constraints;

• Mortgages not extinguished;

• Onerous condominium resolutions;

• limitations on tourist use.

Without prior analysis, such issues can:

• blocking the deed;

• Reduce the value of the property;

• jeopardize the possibility of resale;

• generate litigation;

• Prevent the intended use (e.g., short leases).

The due diligence conducted by the firm includes:

Verification of titles of provenance
Analysis of 20-year continuity of transcripts and seller’s legitimacy.

Analysis of mortgages and encumbrances
Mortgage inspections to ascertain the absence of foreclosures or judicial applications.

Cadastral compliance
Verification of correspondence between floor plan and actual state.

Town planning regularity
Analysis of building permits and any amnesties.

Condominium documents
Review of rules, meeting minutes, extraordinary expenses.

Compatibility with intended use
Regulatory verification on short leases or other uses.

For a sophisticated investor, due diligence is not a cost: it is a form of preventive capital insurance.

Banking and anti-money laundering regulations

Compliance, traceability and international flow management

Real estate purchases in Italy are subject to strict regulations regarding:

• traceability of payments;

• customer identification;

• Verification of the source of funds;

• anti-money laundering (AML) obligations.

Banks and notaries are required to conduct thorough checks, especially when funds come from abroad.

For an international investor, this may entail:

• articulated documentary requests;

• Timelines to be planned precisely;

• Need to prove the legitimate origin of the sums.

Mauro Law Firm assists in the:

• Preparation of documentation required by banking institutions;

• Cash flow planning (down payment and price balance);

• Coordination between foreign bank, Italian bank and notary;

• Prevention of delays or suspensions of the operation.

Early management of these aspects avoids criticality in the final stage of purchase.

Power of attorney and international operations

Investing in Italy without the need for physical presence

Many investors do not permanently reside in Italy.

The Italian legal system allows for power of attorney, provided it is properly prepared.

Mauro Law Firm:

• Drafts the text in accordance with Italian law;

• Coordinates formalization with notary or consular authority abroad;

• Verifies suitability for use in Italy;

• may intervene in the proposal, preliminary or deed on behalf of the client.

This allows for:

• Seize market opportunities in a timely manner;

• Avoid repeated trips;

• Ensure business continuity.

The investor retains full decision-making control while delegating executive management.

The role of the real estate agency: a necessary distinction

According to Article 1754 of the Italian Civil Code, a mediator is a third party who brings parties together without representing them.

Article 1755 of the Civil Code stipulates that commission is due if the deal is concluded.

The mediator does not act as an exclusive advisor to the buyer.

It does not conduct structured legal due diligence or assume a technical advocacy role.

An international investor who desires full protection must rely on a professional acting solely in his or her best interests.

Mauro Law Firm acts only for the buyer, with direct professional responsibility.

Investing in Italy with a dedicated legal structure

The Italian real estate market offers significant opportunities, but requires expertise, method and coordination.

Mauro Law Firm provides:

• Exclusive protection of the investor;

• preventive risk analysis;

• Multidisciplinary coordination;

• Transnational management of the operation;

• assistance throughout the country, with particular experience in Milan.

L'articolo Buying a property in Italy from a foreign investor. Integrated legal assistance from search to full enjoyment of the property proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.

It is a choice that exposes both parties to very high risks: criminal (for statements made in a public deed), administrative (because the abuse “follows” the property), and civil (especially in the event of litigation over price, guarantees, termination, and returns).

The following is a clear and operational framework for orientation.

1) Building abuse and discrepancies: why they affect buying and selling

“Building abuse” and “nonconformity” do not only mean total construction without a title: they often include expansions, balcony/veranda closures, accessory rooms made or converted, interior alterations with building significance, or work in partial deviation from the title.

The key point is that these irregularities:

• may affect the marketability of the asset (including in relation to mortgages and resale);

• expose them to municipal demolition/restoration orders and other consequences;

• make it extremely dangerous to “fix” the matter with incomplete or reticent statements in the deed.

2) The essential regulatory framework (without unnecessary technicalities)

2.1 The most relevant urban planning and building regulations.

• Art. 46 D.P.R. 380/2001 (Testo Unico Edilizia): regulates zoning mentions in transfer deeds and nullity in case of omission.

• Art. 36-bis D.P.R. 380/2001: conformity assessment for partial non-conformities and specific cases, when the conditions are met.

• Art. 34-ter D.P.R. 380/2001: rules on special cases of interventions performed in partial non-conformity with the title.

• Art. 30 and Art. 40 Presidential Decree 380/2001: provisions on illegal subdivision and on controls/sanctions/recovery and amnesty.

Practical note: “regularization” is neither automatic nor always possible. When it is feasible in the abstract, it must be planned before the deed (or regulated with consistent contract clauses).

2.2 The civil and procedural rules that recur most often in litigation

• Art. 1376 c.c. (translative effect of consent) and art. 2643 c.c. (acts subject to transcription): frame transfer and real estate publicity.

• Art. 1479 Civil Code (buyer’s good faith) and Art. 1154 Civil Code (knowledge of illegitimate provenance): useful for understanding when and how good faith affects protections.

• Art. 2841 c.c., Art. 2665 c.c.: profiles on omissions/inexactitudes in titles or notes, often evoked when documentary and publicity problems arise.

• Art. 186-ter c.p.c. (injunction): may be relevant in procedural strategies for recovery of sums in civil judgments, when the conditions are met.

3) The “urban nullity” of Article 46: what it really means.

Article 46 Presidential Decree 380/2001 requires specific urban planning mentions/declarations in certain deeds. If they are missing, the law provides for nullity.

Beware, however: civil jurisprudence has clarified that this nullity is, in general, a “formal” nullity , typically pegged to the lack of the required mentions, and not automatically to any “substantial” irregularity of the building. This principle was affirmed by Cass. civ. sect. united, no. 8230/2019.

Translated concretely: one should not confuse the issue of the formal validity of the deed with the (very risky) choice to knowingly keep silent about an abusive portion. Even when the deed “holds up” formally, criminal liability, administrative measures and civil law consequences can be triggered.

4) The criminal risk: ideological misrepresentation of a private individual in a public act (Article 483 of the Criminal Code).

4.1 Why “keeping silent knowing” can become a crime

If the parties knowingly omit the existence of unauthorized portions or make untrue zoning declarations in the deed, the crime of ideological forgery committed by a private party in a public deed (Article 483 of the Criminal Code) may be committed.

In the field of real estate transfers, the Criminal Cassation has affirmed the existence of a duty of truth in statements made to the public official, which is also linked to the protection of public interests in matters of land governance: in particular, Criminal Cassation, Sec. V, No. 11628/2012.

The same line of interpretation has been reiterated in several arrests of Section V on the subject of false statements in notarial acts or public acts related to real estate circulation, including Criminal Cass., Sec. V, No. 36694/2008, Criminal Cass., Sec. V, No. 50668/2016, Criminal Cass., Sec. V, No. 5178/2018 and Criminal Cass., Sec. V, No. 11233/2019.

4.2 Seller and buyer: who is liable and how

• Vendor: he is normally the person who makes (directly or indirectly) the most sensitive statements about the urban-building status; therefore, his position is often central in the hypothesis of Article 483 of the Criminal Code (see, among others, Cass. pen., Sec. V, no. 5178/2018).

• Buyer: if he or she consciously participates in the choice to “not bring out” the abuse, there may be an aiding and abetting in the formation of a public act that represents a non-corresponding reality (consistent with the principles recalled by Cass. pen., Sec. V, no. 11628/2012 and subsequent Section V jurisprudence, including Cass. pen., Sec. V, no. 11233/2019).

4.3 The position of the notary

On the criminal side, the Supreme Court has ruled out, as a general rule, an obligation of the notary to verify the correspondence to the truth of the statements made by the parties regarding urban conformity: an issue addressed by Criminal Cass., Sec. V, no. 11628/2012.
This, however, does not mitigate the liability of the parties when the omission or mendacity is conscious.

5) The administrative profile: construction abuse “follows” the property (and affects the current owner)

A recurring misconception is to believe that the municipality can only target the material author of the abuse. In reality, sanctioning and restorative measures (typically the demolition/restoration order) are related to the protection of urban planning and often have a real rationale: they can also be directed at the current owner.

This approach is constant in administrative jurisprudence, and has been clarified particularly authoritatively by the Plenary Meeting of the Council of State: Cons. Stato, Ad. Plen., no. 9/2017 and Cons. Stato, Ad. Plen., no. 16/2023.

Buyer awareness = even weaker position

When the buyer was already aware of the abuse at the time of purchase (and especially if he or she agreed to keep quiet about it), it becomes much more difficult to invoke any protection related to “blameless” reliance.

6) Civil law consequences: why the “between us” agreement does not shelter

Even assuming that seller and buyer were both aware of the discrepancy, the choice not to declare it often produces destabilizing effects in the contractual relationship, because all it takes is for an external element to intervene (municipality, bank, future resale, technical expertise, condominium litigation) to bring out the criticality.

6.1 Price, guarantees and remedies: what happens when the problem explodes

In real estate litigation, zoning and construction irregularities can affect:

• price reduction;

• Termination of the contract in the most serious cases;

• compensation for damages and/or reimbursement of costs (technical, administrative, loss of chance, etc.) when the conditions are met.

In substantive civil jurisprudence, construction/urban irregularities are often treated as factors that impair the usability, value, and marketability of the property, with outcomes that may go so far as to recognize incisive remedies and restitutory obligations: see, for example, Trib. Monza, no. 1266/2024, Venice Trib. no. 2344/2024, Messina Trib. no. 2500/2024 e Trib. Salerno, no. 345/2020.

On the level of the Courts of Appeal, the following are also useful (in terms of approaching remedies and contractual fallout) C. App. Naples, no. 5261/2024 e C. App. Naples, no. 178/2025.

6.2 Good faith and fair dealing: the rule is not “as long as we know”

Good faith (Article 1375 of the Civil Code, in terms of fairness and loyalty) remains an essential parameter in the management of the negotiation and execution of the contract. In this sense it is significant C. App. Rome, no. 4919/2025, which values good faith profiles in the presence of urban planning irregularities and non-transparent conduct.

Even when “both knew,” the affair can escalate: if regularization is not possible, if costs explode, or if the property cannot be financed or resold, a conflict often arises over who should bear the consequences and expenses.

7) What to do, concretely, if an unauthorized portion emerges at the buying and selling stage

If you are a buyer

1. Technical verification (access to records, lawful status, titles, drawings, consistencies).

2. Evaluate sanctionability and timeframe before you bind yourself (or provide suspensive/resolving conditions).

3. Avoid any “solution” based on ongoing silence: this is the most criminally exposed point (Art. 483 of the Criminal Code), as shown by the guidelines of Cass. pen., Sec. V, No. 11628/2012 and subsequent ones, including Cass. pen., Sec. V, No. 5178/2018.

4. If you decide to proceed, include consistent contractual protections (price deposit, clauses on fees and regularization activities, specific guarantees).

If you are a seller

1. If possible, regularize before the sale or set up a transparent and contractually manned sale.

2. Failure to make statements “of convenience”: the risk under Article 483 of the Criminal Code is real (see Cass. pen., Sec. V, no. 11628/2012, n. 50668/2016, n. 11233/2019).

3. Handle the topic of Article 46 T.U. Construction correctly, remembering the framing of the United Sections(Cass. civ., Sec. Unite, no. 8230/2019) but without using it as a “screen” for conscious omissions.

8) Conclusions

In real estate buying and selling, the idea that an unauthorized portion or a building discrepancy can be “handled” simply by keeping it silent in the deed is, in essence, an illusion. The problem does not disappear: it remains embedded in the property and often resurfaces when it is most damaging, such as at the time of a mortgage application, appraisal, resale, municipal inspection, or litigation between the parties. At those times, what seemed like a shortcut becomes a blocking factor, with costs and time tending to rise precisely because the issue was not properly addressed at the outset.

The most sensitive profile is the criminal one. A notarial act is a public deed, and the statements made there, if untrue or if they are constructed in such a way as to represent a different reality, may integrate the ideological falsity of the private individual in a public deed under Article 483 of the Criminal Code. The jurisprudence of the Criminal Cassation has repeatedly referred to the requirement of truthfulness of urban planning statements made to the notary in this matter, with pronouncements that constitute a constant reference: Criminal Cass., Sec. V, No. 11628/2012, Criminal Cass. , Sec. V, No. 5178/2018 and Criminal Cass., Sec. V, No. 11233/2019.

Added to this is an often underestimated fact: at the administrative level, construction abuse tends to “follow” the property and can also be challenged against the current owner, regardless of who physically carried out the work. This approach, repeatedly reiterated by administrative jurisprudence (see Cons. Stato, Ad. Plen., no. 9/2017 and Cons. Stato, Ad. Plen., No. 16/2023), means that the buyer cannot reasonably rely on the fact that “it concerns the seller” or that “it is a problem of the past.” And when the issue resurfaces, it almost inevitably produces civil law repercussions: claims for price reduction, termination, restitution, damages, and litigation over contractual warranties, according to dynamics that merit and appellate jurisprudence frequently addresses (among others: Trib. Monza, no. 1266/2024; Venice Trib. no. 2344/2024; Messina Trib. no. 2500/2024; Trib. Salerno, no. 345/2020; C. App. Naples, no. 5261/2024; C. App. Naples, no. 178/2025; C. App. Rome, no. 4919/2025).

Ultimately, when a discrepancy emerges, the really prudent choice is not to “play it cool,” but to bring it into focus: to figure out whether and how it can be regularized, what the costs and timeframes are, and-if you decide to proceed anyway-to regulate the issue transparently and consistently, with appropriate clauses. This is the only way to reduce the risk of turning a buyout into a source of liability and litigation in later years.

L'articolo Buying and selling with illegal portions “aware but silent” in the deed: criminal, administrative risks and civil law consequences proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.

L'articolo Notice to comply (art. 1454 Civil Code): what it is, how to write it, and what effects it has proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.

L'articolo Movida in Milan, night noises and responsibility of the Municipality: what does the Milan Trib. ruling no. 9566/2025 proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.

Buying a home in Italy as a foreigner is therefore possible, but it requires careful prior assessment of legal and operational profiles: from verifying the ability to buy, to the correct preparation of documents, to the choice of the safest payment methods that comply with Italian regulations.

Who can buy property in Italy: EU citizens, non-EU citizens and reciprocity condition

Citizens of the European Union and assimilated states.

Citizens of European Union member states, as well as those belonging to the European Economic Area and Swiss citizens, may purchase real estate in Italy under the same conditions as Italian citizens.
No residence in Italy or any verification of the so-called condition of reciprocity is required.

Non-EU citizens and reciprocity condition

For citizens of non-European Union states, the purchase of property in Italy is generally subject to the condition of reciprocity, as provided for in Article 16 of the General Law Provisions.

According to this principle, a foreigner can enjoy civil rights-and thus also acquire real estate-only if his or her state of citizenship recognizes similar rights to Italian citizens. In practice, reciprocity is verified by means of tables prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, normally used by notaries and professionals.

Foreigners legally residing in Italy

As an alternative to reciprocity, purchase is also generally allowed for non-EU citizens regularly residing in Italy and holding a valid residence permit. In such cases, notarial practice recognizes the foreigner’s full capacity to acquire real property rights, regardless of the reciprocity regime with the country of origin.

Real estate purchase proposal in Italy: why it is not a simple expression of interest

One aspect of particular importance, often underestimated by foreign buyers, concerns the proposed real estate purchase.

In the Italian legal system, the signing of a purchase proposal-usually prepared at a real estate agency-does not constitute a mere expression of interest, but represents a legally binding contractual commitment.

Once accepted by the seller, the proposal is capable of producing obligations between the parties and carries precise economic consequences, namely:

• The payment of sums as a deposit;

• Liability in case of termination or default;

• exposure to compensation claims.

For a more in-depth discussion of the legal effects of this instrument, see the article
Real estate purchase proposal in Italy: why it really binds (and what a foreign buyer needs to know)

In many cases, the accepted proposal may integrate a real preliminary contract, as also explained in the in-depth

Preliminary contract of sale and purchase in Italy: essential contents, registration and transcription (protections for those buying from abroad)

The purchase proposal is frequently accompanied by the payment of a down payment, governed by Article 1385 of the Civil Code
This sum assumes a central role in the contractual balance between the parties and can have significant effects if the deal is not concluded.

A detailed analysis of how the down payment works and its consequences can be found in the article
Down payment, down payments and penalties: how they work in Italian buying and selling (and why the foreigner should be careful)

Documents needed to buy home in Italy as a foreigner

ID and social security number

In order to purchase property in Italy, it is always necessary to have a valid identity document and the Italian tax code, which is essential for registering the property in your name and signing the notarial deed.

The tax code can be obtained from theInternal Revenue Service or, in certain cases, through Italian consular representations abroad. This should be done before signing any binding document.

Residence permit and additional documents

For non-EU citizens purchasing as a resident in Italy, proof of legal residence must be provided through a valid residence permit.

They can also be requested:

• documents related to marital status;

• Guidance on the matrimonial property regime between spouses;

• Notary powers of attorney, if the buyer cannot be present at the stipulation.

Documents from abroad may require sworn translation and apostille.

Price payment in real estate buying and selling: Italian account or funds from abroad

One of the most frequently asked questions concerns whether or not it is necessary to open a current account in Italy.

Is an Italian bank account mandatory?

There is no general obligation. The purchase price can also be paid by wire transfer from abroad, as long as the payment is traceable and complies with anti-money laundering regulations.

In practice, however, opening an Italian account can facilitate the management of:

• deposits and down payments;

• taxes and notary fees;

• Condominium and property management fees.

The notary is required to indicate in the deed in an analytical manner the means of payment used, as also explained in the in-depth study
Notarial deed and payments in Italy: controls, traceability, transfers from abroad and price deposit with the notary

The deposit of the price into the notary’s dedicated account

A particularly protective solution, especially for the foreign buyer, is the deposit of the price with the notary’s notary’s dedicated bank account.

With this system:

• the buyer pays the price into the notary’s escrow account;

• the notary proceeds to execute and transcribe the deed;

• Only after completion of the fulfillments are the sums released in favor of the seller.

The price deposit, promoted by the National Council of Notaries., significantly reduces the risks associated with prejudicial formalities or criticalities in international money transfers.

Final considerations: why prior legal assistance is advisable

Buying a home in Italy as a foreigner is entirely feasible, but it requires legal awareness and proper planning from the initial stages.

An improper setting of the proposal, payments or documentation can easily result in litigation, as evidenced by numerous cases dealt with in buying and selling. See the following in-depth discussion:
Litigation in real estate buying and selling: typical foreigners’ mistakes and prevention strategies (from proposal to deed)

Qualified legal assistance enables effective coordination of the work of notaries, banks and real estate brokers, preventing errors, delays or disputes and ensuring that the transaction is concluded in full compliance with Italian regulations and in the best interest of the buyer.

L'articolo Buying property in Italy if you are a foreign national: rules, documents and procedures proviene da Studio Legale Mauro.