Buying property in Italy from the US: check the seller and title

In short: an Italian property sale must be in writing, as a public deed or private writing, on pain of nullity (Civil Code art. 1350), and the transfer is made public by transcription (art. 2643). A US buyer can request the Italian tax code (codice fiscale) at an Italian consulate. Veryfy checks the seller, a person from €29 or a company from €19, in Italian; it is not a title search.

Part of the guide Vetting an Italian company or counterparty: a guide for US businesses.

Form and public registration

Article 1350 of the Civil Code requires, on pain of nullity, a public deed or private writing for contracts that transfer ownership of immovable property (Normattiva: Civil Code, art. 1350). Article 2643 requires such contracts to be made public by transcription (Normattiva: Civil Code, art. 2643). Ask who will carry out and check the registration, and get an Italian lawyer or notary of your own choosing to review the title.

The Italian tax code

The Italian Revenue Agency states that citizens residing abroad can request the codice fiscale at the Italian diplomatic-consular representation in their country of residence (Italian Revenue Agency: codice fiscale for citizens). Do it before you start negotiating, because many steps need it.

New-build protections

For a building still to be built, the builder must provide a surety and a ten-year insurance policy; see Italian property and heirs: checks for US owners.

Checking who you are paying

Whoever sends you the sale price instructions may not be the owner. Check the seller before you pay a deposit. For a private seller, Verifica Persona (€29) shows protests, adverse public records and procedures; Verifica Persona Estesa (€49) adds offices and shareholdings in other companies and registered real estate. For a company seller or a builder, Verifica is €19 and Decisione (€49) adds registered real estate. Prices are one-off and in euros.

Registered real estate is a fact about ownership, not proof of clear title or of what can be seized, and none of this replaces the notary or your lawyer.

Both person products include a free Check anti-truffa for the email or website that contacted you and the IBAN you were asked to pay: disposable or free webmail, domain age, domains flagged for malware or phishing, SPF and DMARC protection, data breaches affecting the site, and whether the IBAN is correctly written.

The service and the report are in Italian, built from Italian official sources: company names, offices and procedures keep their original Italian wording. Veryfy does not offer a translated report.

Frequently asked questions

Does a property sale in Italy have to be in writing?

Yes. Article 1350 of the Civil Code requires a public deed or private writing, on pain of nullity, for contracts transferring ownership of immovable property.

How does a US resident get an Italian codice fiscale?

Per the Italian Revenue Agency, citizens residing abroad can request it at the Italian diplomatic-consular representation in their country of residence.

Can Veryfy do the title search?

No. Veryfy checks the seller, a person or a company, from Italian official sources. The title review belongs to your lawyer or notary.

More in this cluster

Hub: Vetting an Italian company or counterparty: a guide for US businesses. Related guides:

• Italian property and heirs: checks for US owners
• Italian company report glossary for US readers
• Inheriting property in Italy: succession filing for US heirs

All guides: Guides.

Sources

Official sources opened and read on October 24, 2026 (2026-10-24).

• Normattiva: Civil Code, art. 1350
• Normattiva: Civil Code, art. 2643
• Italian Revenue Agency: codice fiscale for citizens
• Normattiva: D.Lgs. 122/2005, art. 2

General information, not legal advice. Sources verified on 2026-10-24.