Vetting an Italian company or counterparty: a guide for US businesses
Updated to
In short: a US business that deals with an Italian company should check it in Italy's own business register, Registro Imprese, because an EIN, a US credit file or a Secretary of State search says nothing about an Italian entity. Then check the people behind it and the payment details you were given. Veryfy builds reports on Italian companies and people from Italian official sources, from €19, in Italian, with a free anti-scam check.
Where to look first
The official source on Italian companies is Registro Imprese, the portal of the Italian Chambers of Commerce. It offers a free company search and access to official documents such as the visura camerale (company extract) and annual financial statements, run by InfoCamere (Registro Imprese, the Italian business register portal (InfoCamere)).
Three US facts that change how you vet
- Beneficial ownership. On August 11, 2026 FinCEN issued a final rule that exempts U.S. companies from BOI reporting; it became effective on August 14, 2026 (FinCEN: Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting). Do not expect a US-style ownership filing to tell you about an Italian company.
- Payment fraud. Wire fraud is a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 1343, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, or up to 30 years where it affects a financial institution (LII: 18 U.S. Code § 1343). The FBI's IC3 describes business email compromise as a scam that targets businesses performing legitimate transfer-of-funds requests (FBI IC3: Business Email Compromise PSA).
- Cross-border courts. The United States and Italy are both Contracting Parties to the 1965 Hague Service Convention, in force since February 10, 1969 for the US and January 24, 1982 for Italy (HCCH: Service Convention status table).
The guides in this cluster
What Veryfy does, and does not do
Veryfy covers Italian companies and people only. Verifica costs €19, Decisione €49 and Istruttoria €99; for a person, Verifica Persona costs €29 and Verifica Persona Estesa €49. Prices are one-off and in euros.
Every company product comes with a free Check anti-truffa (anti-scam check): it looks at the VAT number in the EU VIES register, free webmail or disposable email, domain age, domains flagged for malware or phishing, SPF and DMARC protection, the VAT number shown on the website, data breaches affecting the site, and whether the IBAN is correctly written and from a country consistent with the company.
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
How can a US business check an Italian company?
Search Italy's own business register, Registro Imprese, run by the Italian Chambers of Commerce through InfoCamere. A US EIN or any US database does not cover Italian companies. Veryfy builds reports on Italian companies from Italian official sources, from €19, in Italian.
Does the US beneficial ownership reporting rule cover Italian companies?
No. FinCEN's final rule, issued August 11, 2026, exempts U.S. companies from BOI reporting, and the reporting requirement now applies only to entities formed under foreign law that have registered to do business in a U.S. State or Tribal jurisdiction. It is not a way to see who owns an Italian company.
Is a US court judgment automatically enforceable in Italy?
No. Italy recognizes a foreign judgment under art. 64 of Law 218/1995 only when its seven listed conditions are met. The HCCH 2019 Judgments Convention is in force for the EU and Italy, but the HCCH status table lists only a signature date for the United States.
More questions
How do I look up an Italian VAT number?
Use the Italian Revenue Agency's free Verifica partita Iva service, which shows validity, the activity status in the tax registry and the holder's name; for intra-EU operations the Agenzia points to VIES.
What interest can I charge an Italian customer that pays late?
Under D.Lgs. 231/2002, default interest is the ECB reference rate plus eight percentage points, running from the day after the due date without formal notice, plus a flat €40 for recovery costs, if the decree applies to your contract.
Does Veryfy screen Italian companies against OFAC?
No. Veryfy shows beneficial owner, shareholders and directors from Italian official sources so you can search OFAC and EU lists yourself and apply the 50 Percent Rule.
Sources
Official sources opened and read on October 24, 2026 (2026-10-24).
- FinCEN: Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting
- LII: 18 U.S. Code § 1343, fraud by wire
- FBI IC3: Business Email Compromise PSA
- HCCH: Service Convention status table
- HCCH: 2019 Judgments Convention status table
- Normattiva: Legge 218/1995, art. 64
- Registro Imprese, the Italian business register portal (InfoCamere)
General information, not legal advice. Sources verified on 2026-10-24.
Frequently asked questions
How can a US business check an Italian company?
Search Italy's own business register, Registro Imprese, run by the Italian Chambers of Commerce through InfoCamere. A US EIN or any US database does not cover Italian companies. Veryfy builds reports on Italian companies from Italian official sources, from €19, in Italian.
Does the US beneficial ownership reporting rule cover Italian companies?
No. FinCEN's final rule, issued August 11, 2026, exempts U.S. companies from BOI reporting, and the reporting requirement now applies only to entities formed under foreign law that have registered to do business in a U.S. State or Tribal jurisdiction. It is not a way to see who owns an Italian company.
Is a US court judgment automatically enforceable in Italy?
No. Italy recognizes a foreign judgment under art. 64 of Law 218/1995 only when its seven listed conditions are met. The HCCH 2019 Judgments Convention is in force for the EU and Italy, but the HCCH status table lists only a signature date for the United States.
How do I look up an Italian VAT number?
Use the Italian Revenue Agency's free Verifica partita Iva service, which shows validity, the activity status in the tax registry and the holder's name; for intra-EU operations the Agenzia points to VIES.
What interest can I charge an Italian customer that pays late?
Under D.Lgs. 231/2002, default interest is the ECB reference rate plus eight percentage points, running from the day after the due date without formal notice, plus a flat €40 for recovery costs, if the decree applies to your contract.
Does Veryfy screen Italian companies against OFAC?
No. Veryfy shows beneficial owner, shareholders and directors from Italian official sources so you can search OFAC and EU lists yourself and apply the 50 Percent Rule.
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