Entrepreneurial Activity in italy

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🏷️ 3. Forms and types of activity for a Partita IVA

🔹 👨‍💻 3.1. Libero professionista (independent professional)

Libero professionista is a Partita IVA form for individuals who perform intellectual or professional activities without creating an enterprise.

• Suited to those who provide services rather than sell goods.
• Does not require registration with the Camera di Commercio (unlike a ditta individuale).
• A simple option for freelancers, consultants, and specialists.

📂 Types of professional activities

1. Professions without professional orders (senza albo/ordine professionale)
   • IT freelancers;
   • translators;
   • marketers, SEO specialists;
   • designers;
   • photographers;
   • consultants (business, HR, finance).

👉 For these professions, it is sufficient to open a Partita IVA with the Agenzia delle Entrate.

2. Professions with professional orders (con albo/ordine professionale)
   • lawyers (ordine degli avvocati),
   • engineers (ordine degli ingegneri),
   • doctors, dentists, nurses (ordine dei medici),
   • architects, notaries, psychologists.

👉 Here, registration with the professional order is required. Contributions are paid not into the Gestione Separata INPS, but into special funds (Casse Professionali), for example:

• Cassa Forense (for lawyers),
• Inarcassa (for architects and engineers),
• ENPAM (for medical professionals).

⚖️ Tax regimes for a libero professionista

🔹 1. Regime forfettario (simplified regime)

• Income up to €85,000/year.
• Tax:
  • 5% for the first 5 years (for new activities).
  • 15% from the sixth year onward.
• No need to charge IVA or keep complex accounts.
• The return is filed once a year.
• You also pay INPS Gestione Separata (~26.07%).

📊 What is the coefficiente di redditività

Under the forfettario, tax is not calculated on the entire revenue (fatturato), but only on a portion of it.

This portion is determined by the “coefficiente di redditività” (profitability coefficient).

• It indicates what share of your turnover (fatturato) the state treats as “net profit” after expenses.
• This percentage varies depending on your sector (defined by your ATECO code).
  👉 That is: taxable income = fatturato × coefficiente di redditività.

📌 Important points

1. Under the forfettario, expenses are not directly deducted (there is no deduction of actual expenses as in the ordinario).
2. Instead, a fixed coefficient applies → the state assumes you have that level of expenses “by default.”
3. The lower the coefficient, the more favorable (more “virtual” expenses).
   • For example, in trade (67%) taxes are lower because it is assumed you have high purchasing costs.
   • In consulting (78%) expenses are low, so the taxable base is higher.

🔹 2. Regime ordinario (standard regime)

⚖️ Key characteristics

• No income cap (you can earn €100,000 or €1,000,000).
• Applies mandatorily if:
  • you exceed the €85,000/year limit (then you automatically exit the forfettario);
  • your activity requires operating with IVA (for example, import/export, wholesale, working with large companies that reclaim IVA).

📊 Taxes under the Regime ordinario

1. IRPEF (Imposta sul Reddito delle Persone Fisiche)
   • Progressive brackets:
     • 23% → up to €15,000
     • 25% → €15,001–28,000
     • 35% → €28,001–50,000
     • 43% → over €50,000
   • Additionally: regional tax (1–3%) and municipal tax (0.5–1%).

2. IVA (Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto)
   • Standard rate: 22%.
   • Reduced rates: 10% (restaurants, food), 4% (essentials, books).
   • You issue invoices with IVA (fattura con IVA).
   • IVA paid to suppliers (IVA a credito) can be offset against the IVA collected from clients (IVA a debito).

3. INPS
   • Contributions depend on the type of activity:
     • Libero professionista senza albo → Gestione Separata (≈ 26%).
     • Artigiani/Commercianti → fixed minimum ≈ €4,200/year + % of profit.
     • Professions con albo → Cassa Professionale.

📂 Expense accounting (deduzioni e detrazioni)

Under the ordinario you can deduct actual expenses from income, reducing the taxable base.
Examples of deductible expenses:

• office or studio rent;
• equipment, computers, furniture;
• phone, internet, electricity;
• transport expenses (fuel, tickets);
• advertising costs, websites;
• accountant’s services;
• professional courses.

📌 The more documented expenses → the lower the taxable profit.

🧾 Reporting and obligations

• Quarterly IVA filings (LIPE — Liquidazioni IVA periodiche).
• Annual IVA return (in April).
• Modello Redditi Persone Fisiche (annually, by November 30).
• F24 — the form for tax payments (at least twice a year: saldo + acconto).
• Bookkeeping: income and expense ledger, IVA registers.

👉 In practice, operating under the ordinario without a commercialista (accountant) is nearly impossible.

✅ When the Regime ordinario is advantageous

• If your income exceeds €85,000/year (forfettario no longer available).
• If you have many expenses to deduct (rent, purchases, equipment).
• If you work with large companies or in import/export (they require IVA).
• If you plan to scale your business significantly.

❌ Downsides

• More complex bureaucracy (quarterly filings).
• Accountant’s costs: €800–€1,500/year.
• High IRPEF rates for large incomes.
• Not always advantageous for freelancers with low expenses.

🔑 Conclusion

The Regime ordinario is the “grown-up” regime for entrepreneurs with high turnover or substantial expenses. It is more complex and costlier to manage, but it allows you to deduct all expenses and work with big companies.

🏦 INPS contributions for a libero professionista

🔹 1. Professions without a professional order → Gestione Separata INPS

These are all “free professions” that do not require membership in a professional order (translators, IT specialists, designers, consultants, etc.).

• Contributions: 26.07% (rate for 2025).
• Calculated on net income (i.e., after applying the coefficient under the forfettario or actual expenses in the ordinario).
• Payments:
  • 1st payment: June 30 (saldo + 1° acconto).
  • 2nd payment: November 30 (2° acconto).
  • In some cases — a 3rd payment in January of the following year.
• Instrument: via the F24 model (online banking or through an accountant).

📌 Important: the Gestione Separata has no minimum contributions — if your income is 0, you do not have to pay. But this is a downside if you want continuous contribution records (contributi).

🔹 2. Professions with a professional order (regulated professions) → Casse Professionali

These are “ordinistiche” professions (lawyers, doctors, architects, engineers, etc.).

• Contributions are paid not to INPS, but to special professional pension funds (Casse di Previdenza Professionali).
• Rates vary, but usually:
  • an annual minimum contribution (≈ €2,000–€4,000, even with zero income);
  • additional percentages on income (15–20%).
• Examples:
  • Cassa Forense (lawyers): minimum contribution + 14% of income.
  • Inarcassa (engineers, architects): minimum contribution + 14.5%.
  • ENPAM (medical professionals): depends on age and specialization.

📌 Important: even if you earned nothing, the minimum contribution is mandatory.

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🔹 3.2. Ditta individuale (sole proprietorship)

⚖️ Core definition

Ditta individuale is a business form in Italy suitable for those engaged in:

• trade (negozio, e-commerce, Amazon, eBay),
• crafts (artigiani: construction, plumbing, electricians, beauty professionals),
• production (bakeries, cafés, small workshops).

👉 Unlike a libero professionista, here the activity is not only intellectual; it involves physical services or selling goods.

🏢 Registration

• Mandatory through the Camera di Commercio (business register – Registro delle Imprese).
• At the same time:
  • the Partita IVA is opened with the Agenzia delle Entrate,
  • registration with INPS (Artigiani or Commercianti),
  • in some sectors — with INAIL (occupational risk insurance).
• The procedure is usually handled through an accountant (commercialista).

📌 Start-up costs: about €150–€250 for registration + accountant’s fee (€50–€150).

💶 Taxes and regimes

As with a libero professionista, a ditta individuale can operate under two regimes:

1. Regime forfettario (simplified):
   • income limit: €85,000/year;
   • tax: 5% (first 5 years), then 15%;
   • no IVA;
   • simple accounting (no complex bookkeeping).
2. Regime ordinario:
   • no income cap;
   • IRPEF on a progressive scale (23–43%);
   • with IVA;
   • you can deduct actual expenses (rent, purchases, transport, advertising).
   • accountant required.

🏦 INPS contributions (Artigiani / Commercianti)

Unlike the Gestione Separata for freelancers, here there are fixed minimum contributions that must be paid even with zero income.

• Minimum ≈ €4,200/year (2025).
• If profit exceeds a certain threshold (~€17,000), an additional percentage applies (≈ 24%).
• Payment quarterly (via F24).

📌 This is the main drawback of a ditta individuale for those unsure about stable income: you’ll have to pay the INPS minimum even without clients.

👥 Employees

• A ditta individuale can hire employees (assunzioni).
• You must register them with INPS/INAIL, pay wages, and make contributions.
• The employer must comply with CCNL rules.

📂 Entrepreneur’s obligations

• Issue and manage invoices (fatture).
• Keep an income and expense ledger (mandatory under the ordinario).
• Pay taxes and contributions within deadlines.
• Pay the annual Camera di Commercio fee (~€50–€150).

✅ Advantages

• You can engage in trade and crafts (which a libero professionista cannot).
• You can have employees.
• The business is officially registered with the Camera di Commercio (more trust from clients/partners).
• Under the forfettario — advantageous for modest income.

❌ Disadvantages

• Mandatory INPS contributions (~€4,200/year minimum, even with no income).
• More bureaucracy than a libero professionista.
• Annual Camera di Commercio fee.
• Under the ordinario → complex accounting; a commercialista is needed.

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🔹 3.3. Società (legal entities)

⚖️ General definition

Società is a legal business form in Italy suitable for medium and large enterprises when:

• you work not alone but with partners;
• you need investments;
• you plan to hire employees;
• you have large turnovers that cannot be managed through a simple Partita IVA.

📌 Registration takes place in the Registro delle Imprese (Camera di Commercio) through a notary.

🔹 Types of società

1. S.n.c. (Società in nome collettivo)
   • General partnership (similar to a Ukrainian general partnership).
   • All partners are personally and jointly liable with all their assets.
   • Decisions are taken collectively.
   • Used for small businesses with high trust among partners.

👉 Downside: risk — company debts = partners’ personal debts.

2. S.a.s. (Società in accomandita semplice)
   • Two types of partners:
     • Accomandatari → unlimited personal liability.
     • Accomandanti → risk limited to invested capital (limited liability).
   • Used when some partners only invest money while others actively manage the business.

3. S.r.l. (Società a responsabilità limitata)
   • Equivalent to an LLC (limited liability company).
   • Partners risk only the contributed capital (minimum €10,000).
   • The most common form for medium-sized business.
   • Has its own legal personality, separate from the founders’ assets.
   • Suitable for businesses with employees, significant turnover, cooperation with banks and investors.

📌 Plus: limited liability.

📌 Minus: high management costs (notary, accountant, reporting).

4. S.r.l.s. (Società a responsabilità limitata semplificata)
   • Simplified S.r.l., created for startups and young entrepreneurs.
   • Minimum share capital: from €1 to €9,999.
   • Cheaper registration (reduced notarial costs).
   • Simpler governance structure.
   • Good for those who want to start with partners without large upfront costs.

📊 Taxes for Società

• IRES (Imposta sul Reddito delle Società) → 24% of profit.
• IRAP (Imposta Regionale sulle Attività Produttive) → ≈ 3.9% (depends on the region).
• IVA — same as under the ordinario (standard VAT).
• INPS → depends on category (partners, employees).

📌 Unlike a Partita IVA (natural person), here the tax is not progressive but a fixed percentage of profit.

📂 Accounting and reporting

• Mandatory double-entry bookkeeping (contabilità ordinaria).
• Annual financial and tax reporting.
• A commercialista (accountant) is mandatory.
• Management costs: €1,500–€3,000/year and up.

✅ Advantages of a Società

• Limited liability (except S.n.c.).
• A prestigious form — convenient for working with large companies, banks, and investors.
• Potential to scale the business.
• Separation of personal and company finances.

❌ Disadvantages

• High costs for setup and management.
• Complex bureaucracy.
• Requires an accountant + notary.
• Minimum share capital (especially for S.r.l.).

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🧾 4. How to open a Partita IVA: step by step

1️) Choose the activity form

Before opening, decide which form you will operate in:

• Libero professionista (independent professional)

👉 For intellectual and creative services: translation, programming, design, consulting, marketing.

• Registration directly with the Agenzia delle Entrate.
• Contributions to the Gestione Separata INPS.
• No need to register with the Camera di Commercio.

• Ditta individuale (sole proprietorship)

👉 For trade, crafts, handiwork, cafés, e-commerce, construction.

• Mandatory registration with the Camera di Commercio.
• Contributions to INPS Artigiani/Commercianti (minimum ≈ €4,200/year even with zero income).
• You can hire employees.

• Società (S.r.l., S.r.l.s., others)

👉 For medium and large businesses with partners or investments.

• Registration through a notary with the Registro delle Imprese.
• Taxes: IRES (24%) + IRAP (~3.9%).
• Complex accounting, high management costs.

📌 Your choice affects: taxes, INPS, bureaucracy, costs, and capabilities (e.g., whether you can hire employees).

2️) Choose an ATECO code

Every type of activity in Italy has its ATECO code. It determines:

• what exactly you do;
• the coefficiente di redditività (under the forfettario), used to calculate the tax base;
• the INPS rate and eligibility for certain benefits.

3️) Choose the tax regime

This is where you decide how you will pay taxes:

• Regime forfettario (simplified):
  • Income limit: ≤ €85,000/year.
  • Tax: 5% (first 5 years), then 15%.
  • No IVA.
  • Uses the coefficiente di redditività (e.g., 78% for consultants, 67% for trade).
  • Very simple reporting.

👉 The most advantageous option for beginners, freelancers, and small businesses.

• Regime ordinario (standard):
  • No income limit.
  • IRPEF (23–43% progressive).
  • IVA is mandatory.
  • You can deduct actual expenses (rent, equipment, transport, advertising).
  • Complex accounting; a commercialista is needed.

👉 Suitable for high turnover and expense-heavy businesses.

4️) Registration with the Agenzia delle Entrate

• Fill in the AA9/12 form (for individuals).
• Submit:
  • in person at the office;
  • via PEC (certified email with signature);
  • through an accountant (commercialista).
• Registration is free.

📌 The form must include:

• ATECO code;
• tax regime (forfettario/ordinario);
• data on residenza/domicilio.

5️) Registration with INPS

Within 30 days of opening your Partita IVA you must register with INPS.

• Gestione Separata → for freelancers without professional orders.
• Artigiani / Commercianti → for a ditta individuale.
• Cassa Professionale → for professions with professional orders (lawyers, doctors, engineers).

📌 In the Gestione Separata there is no minimum → you pay only based on income.
📌 For Artigiani/Commercianti the minimum contribution is ≈ €4,200/year → even if your income is 0.

6️) Additional steps

• PEC (posta elettronica certificata): mandatory legal email.
• Firma digitale (digital signature): required for online procedures.
• Taxpayer QR code (obtained from the Agenzia delle Entrate).
• For a ditta individuale — the Camera di Commercio annual fee (≈ €50–€150).

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📊 5. Tax returns and tax payments

🔹 1. Income tax return

• All Partita IVA holders must file the Modello Redditi Persone Fisiche (ex Unico PF) annually.
• Submission:
  • online via the Agenzia delle Entrate website (with SPID/CIE/CNS);
  • through an accountant (commercialista or CAF).
• Deadline: by November 30 of the year following the tax year.
  • Example: for 2024 income, the return must be filed by 30.11.2025.

📌 Under the forfettario the return is simpler: you report only turnover, and the coefficiente di redditività is applied.

📌 Under the ordinario the return is complex: you must report all income, expenses, and IVA.

🔹 2. Tax payments

Taxes are paid in two (sometimes three) installments:

1. Saldo (final settlement for the previous year)
   • Payment of the difference between what you owed for the past year and what you already paid as “acconti.”
   • Deadline: by June 30 of the following year.

2. Primo acconto (first advance payment for the current year)
   • Together with the saldo (also by June 30).
   • Usually 40% of the expected tax for the current year.

3. Secondo acconto (second advance payment)
   • Deadline: by November 30 of the same year.
   • Usually 60% of the expected tax.

📌 If the total acconto < €257.52 → it may be omitted.

🔹 3. The F24 form

• All taxes (IRPEF, INPS, IVA, addizionali) are paid via the F24 model.
• This is a standard tax form you can pay:
  • via online banking (almost all Italian banks offer a “Pagamento F24” function);
  • at the bank or post office (only for some categories).
• The F24 includes:
  • your codice fiscale;
  • the codice tributo (tax code);
  • the year the tax is due for;
  • the amount.

📌 The accountant usually prepares the F24 and sends you the file for payment or pays online on your behalf (with your authorization).

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🚨 6. Penalties and liability

Italian tax law (DPR 600/1973, DPR 633/1972, Legge 212/2000 – Statuto del Contribuente) provides strict sanctions for missed deadlines and underpaid taxes.

🔹 1. Late or missing return (omessa o tardiva dichiarazione)

• If you do not file the Modello Redditi by November 30:
  • a fine from €250 to €1,000;
  • if the return included taxes due → an additional fine equal to 120–240% of the unpaid taxes.
• If you are up to 90 days late → it is considered a “tardiva dichiarazione,” which can be corrected with a lower fine (~€25 + % of the tax).

🔹 2. Underpayment of taxes (omesso o insufficiente versamento)

• If you underreport income or miscalculate taxes:
  • fine of 90–180% of the amount due;
  • interest (interessi legali, currently ≈ 5% per year).

🔹 3. Late payment (ritardato pagamento)

• If taxes are correctly declared but you pay after the deadline:
  • penalty 0.1% per day of delay (first 14 days);
  • 1.5% for delay up to 30 days;
  • 1.67% for delay up to 90 days;
  • 3.75% for delay up to 1 year.

👉 The ravvedimento operoso mechanism applies — “voluntary correction”:

• If you pay late voluntarily, penalties are reduced.
• The faster you correct, the lower the penalty.

🔹 4. Other violations

• Errors in F24 (wrong codice tributo, year, amount) → the payment may be considered invalid, penalized as an underpayment.
• Failure to register with INPS → backdated debt assessments + fines.
• Unregistered workers (lavoro nero in a ditta individuale or società) → a fine of €1,800–€10,800 per worker.

We have prepared for you a detailed PDF Guide: all the nuances, essential information, and practical advice for running entrepreneurial activities in Italy (Partita IVA).

Download and use it as a ready-to-go manual!

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