Lifetti.com’s Italian business team has taken founders through SRL incorporations and partita IVA registrations in Milan, Rome and Bologna. This guide reflects what Italian banks actually do in 2026 — including the AML questions that decide whether your account is opened in two weeks or refused outright.
What you need to know first
- Company registration runs on SPID or a CNS card and a PEC certified email — get those before anything else, because they gate the rest.
- An SRL is formed by notarial deed: €10,000 standard capital with 25% paid in cash, or €1–9,999 paid in full and in cash.
- Banks will not talk to you without the visura camerale, the deed, the partita IVA and identification for every shareholder and director.
- The bank account — not the incorporation — is usually the slow step for foreign-owned SRLs: two to six weeks of AML review is normal, and some banks decline.
- Freelancers on a partita IVA are not legally obliged to hold a business account, but electronic invoicing and tracciabilità make one effectively necessary.
The setup, step by step
- 1
Get the personal pieces in place
Every shareholder and director needs an Italian codice fiscale — issued by the Agenzia delle Entrate, or by an Italian consulate if you are abroad. Company registration also runs on SPID or a CNS smart card and a PEC certified email address, so set those up early; they gate everything else.
- 2
Sign the atto costitutivo at the notary
An SRL is formed by notarial deed. Standard minimum capital is €10,000, of which at least 25% must be paid in cash before signing. An SRL can also be formed with capital between €1 and €9,999 — but then the whole amount must be paid in full and in cash, and profits are reserved until capital reaches €10,000.
- 3
Register with the Registro Imprese and get the partita IVA
The notary files the company at the Camera di Commercio within 20 days. Registration produces the visura camerale — the company extract every bank asks for — and the business gets its partita IVA from the Agenzia delle Entrate.
- 4
Open the conto corrente aziendale
With the visura, the deed, the partita IVA and identification for all shareholders and directors, you apply to the bank. Expect a real interview about the business model, the source of funds and the ownership chain: this is the step that takes weeks, not the paperwork.
- 5
Add the operating layer
Fatturazione elettronica through the Sistema di Interscambio is mandatory for essentially all Italian businesses, so connect your invoicing software or let your commercialista handle it. Then set up F24 tax payments by direct debit, INPS contributions, and a card for each person who spends.
Lifetti Client Alert
Lifetti’s Italian advisors see the same failure repeatedly: a foreign-owned SRL with a virtual-office address and no Italian signatory gets passed between branches for a month and then declined. A real address, a commercialista who introduces you, and a clear one-page explanation of the business change that outcome more than the choice of bank does.
What the bank will ask you for
Italian banks review the whole file at once. A gap does not pause the process — it restarts it.
- Codice fiscale for every shareholder and director, plus passport or EU ID
- Codice fiscale and partita IVA for the company itself
- Atto costitutivo and statuto (the notarial deed and articles)
- Recent visura camerale from the Camera di Commercio
- Shareholders' or board resolution naming the authorised signatories
- Beneficial-owner (titolare effettivo) declaration for holders above 25%
- Proof of the registered address in Italy and a PEC address
- A description of the activity, expected turnover, main clients and source of funds
Where founders in Italy actually bank
Lifetti’s Verified Comparison, updated July 2026. Terms change often — confirm on the provider's own site before applying.
| Provider | Type | English support | Foreign owners | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intesa Sanpaolo | Traditional | Good in cities | Case by case — strict AML | Larger SRLs, credit |
| UniCredit | Traditional | Good in cities | Case by case | Cross-border business |
| Banca Sella | Traditional | Limited | Case by case | E-commerce and payments |
| Fineco | Online bank | Partial | Italian-registered companies | Low-cost online banking |
| Revolut Business | Fintech | Full app in English | Yes (eligible EEA companies) | Opening fast, cards, low-cost FX |
| Qonto | Fintech | Full app in English | Italian-registered companies | Accounting integrations |
| Wise Business | Money account | Full app in English | Yes | Invoicing clients abroad |
The faster alternative
Revolut Business — open a Italian business account in minutes
If the traditional route above looks like weeks of paperwork, this is the shortcut most of our founders take first: a full business account you can open online and use the same day, then add a high-street bank later only if you actually need one.
- Fastest route to a working account — apply online in a few minutes, no branch visit and no appointment.
- A country-specific IBAN where Revolut issues one locally — and where it does not, a full SEPA euro IBAN that Italian clients, INPS and F24 mandates may not legally refuse (IBAN discrimination is banned under SEPA Regulation 260/2012).
- Start spending instantly with virtual cards issued the moment you are approved — freeze, unfreeze and set limits per card or per team member.
- Cheap transfers: free SEPA payments on the free plan, interbank exchange rates on international payments, and no minimum balance to maintain.
For Italy specifically: this is an operating account, not a substitute for the notarial incorporation route — the SRL still has to be formed by deed and registered at the Camera di Commercio. What it does replace is the month of branch appointments before you have anywhere to get paid.
Open a Revolut Business accountPartner link — using it never costs you more and helps keep our guides free. Plan features and pricing change; confirm on Revolut's site before you sign up.
Open a business account online
Providers you can apply to today, without a branch appointment.
Some links may be partner links — using them never costs you more and helps keep our guides free.
Not registered yet?
Partita IVA, the regime forfettario, INPS contributions and the SRL alternative — the full setup path for foreigners in Italy.
You will need a personal Italian account too
Rent, utilities, the codice fiscale paperwork and salary all want a personal Italian IBAN. See which banks work for newcomers.
Frequently asked questions
Lifetti’s Italian business advisors answer:
Does a partita IVA freelancer need a business account?
Italian law does not compel a sole trader — including those in the regime forfettario — to hold a dedicated business account. In practice your commercialista will insist on one, because tracciabilità of income and expenses is what makes your position defensible in a Guardia di Finanza check. A separate personal account can satisfy it, but a business one avoids the bank's terms-of-use problem.
How much capital does an SRL need paid in?
With the standard €10,000 capital, at least 25% must be paid in cash before the deed is signed. If you form the company with capital between €1 and €9,999, the entire amount must be paid in full and in cash, and the company must reserve profits until capital reaches €10,000.
Why do Italian banks take so long with foreign-owned companies?
AML and KYC. Italian banks apply strict rules on ownership chains, source of funds and the credibility of the business model. Two to six weeks is normal, some banks ask for at least one Italian-resident director or signatory, and some will simply decline a structure they find hard to verify. Having a commercialista introduce you to a branch helps more than it should.
What is the imposta di bollo on a business account?
Italy charges annual stamp duty on bank accounts. For companies and other non-individual account holders it is €100 per year, applied regardless of balance — unlike the individual rate, which only applies above an average balance threshold. Banks normally debit it in instalments across the year.
Can I open the account before the company is registered?
Not really. Unlike Germany's GmbH i.G. route, the practical path in Italy is deed first, Registro Imprese registration, then the account. The 25% capital payment ahead of the deed is normally made to the directors or held as required by the notary, not into a company account that does not yet exist.
What does it cost to run?
Traditional Italian business accounts commonly run from around €10 to €30 a month once you add cards and services, plus the €100 stamp duty and per-transaction charges at some banks. Fintech plans start free or in the single-digit euros. Compare the annual all-in, including the bollo.
About Lifetti
Capital rules, stamp duty and bank onboarding policy change. Lifetti.com verifies these details with Italian commercialisti and branch contacts. For a personalised route — SRL or partita IVA, and which bank will actually onboard you — use Lifetti’s Italian business setup service.
Get matched with a commercialista or bank contactNote: This page is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Capital rules, stamp duty and bank terms change — confirm with your notary, commercialista or the bank before acting.