Documents an Italian New Hire Needs Before Day One

A late start in Italy is rarely about the contract. It is about a missing document. A tax code that does not exist yet, an expired ID, or a bank account in the wrong name can hold up the registration of a new hire and the first payroll.

This checklist covers what to collect, why each item matters, and what to do when the hire does not have it yet.

Tax code (codice fiscale)  

Every employee in Italy needs a codice fiscale. Payroll, social security registration and the mandatory employment notification all depend on it.

Most Italian residents already have one. Foreign hires often do not. The tax code is issued by the Italian tax authority, and a person abroad can usually request it through an Italian consulate. Someone already in Italy can request it at a tax office.

Ask for the tax code early. If the hire has to apply, build that time into your start date.

Identity document  

You need a valid copy of an identity document. For Italian and EU citizens, that is a national ID card or passport. For others, it is a passport, plus the permit described below.

Check the expiry date now. A document that lapses a few weeks after the start creates a problem later, especially for non-EU hires whose permit depends on the passport.

Work authorization for non-EU hires  

EU citizens can work in Italy without a permit. Hires from outside the EU need the right to work before they begin. Depending on the case, that means an entry visa for work followed by a residence permit, or an existing permit that allows employment.

Do not let anyone start before this is in place. Working without authorization exposes the employer, not only the employee. This is the item with the longest lead time, so start it first.

Residence and address  

Collect the hire’s residence address and, if different, their current address. Residence is a legal status registered with the local municipality. It affects tax treatment, local forms and some benefits.

A hire who is relocating may not have a registered address yet. That is normal. Note the temporary address, record the planned move, and update the file once the registration is done. Registering residence often takes a while after arrival, so do not wait for it before you onboard.

Bank details  

Get an IBAN for an account held in the employee’s own name. Salary cannot go to a third party’s account, and a joint account should be confirmed with the employee in writing.

A new arrival may not have an Italian account. An account in another SEPA country can work for the first payments, but ask your payroll provider before promising it. Collect the IBAN as text, not a screenshot, and have the employee check it twice.

Health card and social security data  

Italian residents hold a health card (tessera sanitaria). It is not needed to run payroll, but it is useful to have on file. New arrivals will usually register for the national health service after they have residence, so do not block onboarding on it.

If the hire has worked in Italy before, ask for any social security details they have. If they come from another EU country, ask whether they hold documents that show their coverage there. This helps avoid gaps and double coverage.

Family and tax situation  

Italian payroll applies tax relief for dependent family members. To apply it correctly, the employee must declare who qualifies. Ask for the details of a spouse, children or other dependents, and a signed declaration where your payroll provider requires one.

If the hire skips this, payroll will still run. It will just apply the standard treatment, and the employee may have to claim the difference later. Tell them this up front.

Previous employment  

If the hire changed jobs this year, ask for the tax certificate from the previous employer. It lets payroll account for income already earned. Without it, the tax calculation can be off.

Also confirm any notice period or non-compete obligations. These are not documents for payroll, but they decide whether the start date is realistic.

Qualifications and medical fitness  

Some roles need proof of a degree, a license or a professional registration. Ask for copies and check them against what you advertised.

Certain jobs also require a medical fitness check and safety training before work begins. Ask your local adviser whether the role needs them. Office jobs often have lighter requirements than field or lab roles, but the answer depends on the duties.

Signed contract and privacy forms  

The employment contract must be signed and the employee should receive it in a language they understand. Add the privacy notice and any consent forms required for processing personal data. Send them with the contract, not on the first morning.

A simple way to run it  

Send one request list as soon as the offer is accepted. Group it by lead time: work authorization and tax code first, then address and bank details, then everything else. Track each item by name and owner. Chase the slow items weekly.

The documents are routine once you know them. The delay almost always comes from asking late.

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