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Registering an Italian business's PEC (digital address) with the Companies Register

Every Italian business, whether a sole trader or a company, must have a digital address registered with the Companies Register (Registro delle Imprese): an active PEC (certified e-mail) mailbox of its own, used by no one else. Since 1 October 2020 the obligation applies to all businesses (article 37 of Decree-Law 76/2020). The filing is online and free, including through the « Pratica semplice » digitally signed by the owner or legal representative. A business that does not register one, or lets its registered PEC lapse, is given an ex officio receive-only digital address and an administrative penalty. Since 31 October 2025 the sole or managing director of a company must also register a personal digital address.

Up to date for 2026 — verified on September 25, 2026Official procedure, no printed formGuide: about 15 min

Deadlines

In the business's registration application
Without a PEC the application is suspended and, after 30 days without completion, refused
At every change of PEC address
Registration of the new digital address with the Register of the province of the head office
On the director's appointment or reappointment
A personal digital address, different from the business's, filed with the registration of the appointment; for directors in office on 31/10/2025 the deadline was 31/12/2025

Documents to prepare

  • An active PEC mailbox in the business's name only
  • The digital signature of the owner or legal representative (or of the appointed professional)
  • The tax codes of the business and of the declarant
  • For a director, a personal digital address different from the business's
See the procedure on the official site

No form is attached to this procedure: the link leads to the official page that describes it.

What this page gives you

The guide above and the link to the official site. ActioFin does not produce any document for this page: whatever you fill in or file is done on the official medium.

Who this applies to

  • Sole traders, required to give a PEC address in their registration application since 20 October 2012
  • Companies, required since 29 November 2008, including foreign companies with branches in Italy; not bankrupt companies
  • Businesses whose registered PEC has expired, been revoked or is no longer active, which must register a valid one
  • The sole director, the managing director or, failing one, the chair of the board of limited companies, cooperatives and consortium companies, for their own personal digital address
  • Not a business renewing the same registered mailbox with its provider: a renewal need not be reported

Worked example

Marco Bianchi, an electrician in Perugia, replaces his lapsed PEC

Marco, owner of the sole-trader business Bianchi Impianti, sees from the free company report in his digital drawer (cassetto digitale) that the registered PEC is no longer active: he let it lapse when changing provider. He opens a new mailbox in his business's name only, sends a test message and waits for the delivery receipt. He then opens the Pratica semplice on registroimprese.it, enters his tax code, the business's and the new address, signs digitally and sends it: no fees and no stamp duty. Without this filing he would have risked an ex officio address and a penalty, reduced to 60 euros for a sole trader.

How to fill it in, step by step

  1. Check whether the business already has a registered PEC, and whether it is still active, with an up-to-date company report or a search on registroimprese.it.
  2. If it is missing or has lapsed, open a mailbox with a provider authorised by AgID: it must belong to the business alone, not to an accountant or a trade association.
  3. Test the mailbox with a test message and wait for the delivery receipt.
  4. File it with the Pratica semplice, which needs only a digital signature, the tax codes of the business and of the declarant and the PEC address; or in DIRE, as a change to « Dati sede », completing only the PEC field.
  5. Sign digitally, as owner, legal representative, appointed professional or special attorney, and send the filing to the Register of the province of the head office.
  6. If you are the sole or managing director of a company, also register your own personal digital address, different from the business's.

Good to know

  • Filing the PEC and its changes is exempt from filing fees and stamp duty; if other changes are filed in the same application, their amounts are due.
  • The ex officio address takes the form businesstaxcode@impresa.italia.it, is receive-only, is read from the entrepreneur's digital drawer and is listed in INI-PEC: administrative, tax and court documents can be served there.
  • The penalty for failing to file ranges from 206 to 2,064 euros for companies and from 30 to 1,548 euros for sole traders; paying within 60 days of notification reduces it to 412 or 60 euros.
  • The Registrar can strike a revoked or inactive PEC address off the Register.
  • The PEC addresses of businesses and professionals can be looked up freely, without logging in, on the INI-PEC portal.
  • A sole trader who applies to be struck off is not asked to complete a missing PEC.

Common mistakes

  • Registering the PEC of an accountant or a firm shared with other clients: it cannot be registered.
  • Using the same PEC for several businesses.
  • Letting the registered mailbox lapse in the belief that filing it once is enough.
  • Also completing the head-office details in DIRE when filing only the PEC.
  • For a director, registering the company's PEC as a personal address.

Frequently asked questions

Must my business have a registered PEC?

Yes, since 1 October 2020 every business, sole trader or company, that is active and not in insolvency proceedings must have an active digital address on the Companies Register.

How much does filing the PEC cost?

Nothing: the filing and its changes are exempt from filing fees and stamp duty.

What if I do not file it?

The Chamber of Commerce assigns a receive-only digital address of its own motion and imposes an administrative penalty, served at that address.

I renewed my PEC with my provider: must I report it?

No, renewing a mailbox already registered need not be reported; you file only if the address changes.

Does the director of an Srl also need a PEC?

Yes, since 31 October 2025 the sole or managing director, or failing one the chair of the board, must register a digital address of his own, different from the company's.

Go further

Understand this form: the related course

Related forms

Official sources

Read in Italian

Guide and document provided for information purposes only; they do not constitute personalised legal or tax advice. Check the recipient organisation's requirements and consult a professional if needed.