The municipal property tax IMU (imposta municipale propria) applies to properties located in Italy, whether used for private or business purposes. It applies to buildings, agricultural land and building plots.
Due to their special autonomous status, the Autonomous Provinces of Bolzano and Trento apply their own local property tax regulations in place of the national IMU provisions. In the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, the tax is known as GIS (Gemeindeimmobiliensteuer), while in the Autonomous Province of Trento, the IMIS (imposta immobiliare semplice) applies.
The Friuli-Venezia Giulia region has also introduced its own local property tax due to its special autonomous status. Since 2023, the ILIA (autonomous local property tax) has been levied there.
Taxpayers
The tax is payable by the owner of the property, the holder of a usufruct right or any other person holding a right in rem over the property.
Calculation
For buildings, the cadastral income (“rendita catastale”) forms the basis for calculating the tax base. The cadastral income is first increased by 5 per cent and then multiplied by a coefficient depending on the cadastral category:
| Cadastral category |
Examples |
Multiplier |
| A (excluding A/10) as well as C/2, C/6 and C/7 |
Flats, villas, cellars, garages, parking spaces |
160 |
| B, C/3, C/4 and C/5 |
Underground storage rooms, workshops |
140 |
| A/10 and D/5 |
Offices, banks and insurance companies |
80 |
| D (excluding D/5) |
Industrial buildings, hotels, guesthouses |
65 |
| C/1 |
Shops |
55 |
Example:
For an apartment in cadastral category A/2 with a cadastral income of €500, the tax base is calculated as follows: €500 × 1.05 × 160 = €84,000.
For building plots, the tax base corresponds to the market value (valore venale) of the land.
The tax base is then multiplied by the tax rate established by the municipality. Within the limits provided by law, local authorities may determine their own rates and introduce specific reductions, exemptions or tax benefits.
Payment and obligations
The municipal property tax is generally paid annually in two instalments:
- 16 June: first instalment (acconto);
- 16 December: second instalment (saldo).
Payment is generally made using the Italian tax payment form F24.
Declaration
Changes that may affect tax liability must generally be reported to the competent municipality by submitting a declaration (dichiarazione IMU or the corresponding local declaration).
The declaration generally has to be submitted by 30 June of the year following that in which the relevant changes occurred. In the autonomous provinces, different deadlines may apply due to specific local regulations. The applicable requirements should therefore be verified with the competent local authority.
However, a declaration is not required in every case, particularly where the municipality already has all relevant information. Specific cases and whether a declaration obligation exists should therefore be clarified with the competent municipality.