Question: What is the GIS/IMI and how does it differ from the IMU?
Answere: The Municipal Property Tax (Gemeindeimmobiliensteuer GIS/imposta municipale immobiliare IMI) is a local property tax levied on properties in the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. Due to its special autonomy, the Province of Bolzano has its own regulations governing property taxation. The revenue generated from the GIS/IMI is allocated to the municipalities in which the respective properties are located. In the rest of Italy, the national property tax (IMU) generally applies. However, due to specific autonomous powers, the Autonomous Province of Trento and the Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia have also introduced their own local property taxes.
Question: Where are the provisions governing the GIS/IMI set out?
Answere: The provisions governing the GIS/IMI are set out in Provincial Law No. 3/2014. Municipalities also have certain regulatory powers, allowing them, within the limits established by law, to introduce specific tax relief measures, deductions or adjustments to the applicable tax rates.
Question: Are all types of property subject to the GIS/IMI?
Answere: No. In principle, the GIS/IMI is only levied on buildings and building plots. A building plot is defined as an area which, according to the municipality’s definitively approved urban development plan, is designated for the construction of buildings.
Question: Who is liable to pay the GIS/IMI?
Answere: The GIS/IMI is payable by the owner or by the holder of a right in rem over the property (for example, a right of usufruct or a right of habitation). In the case of properties held under financial leasing arrangements, the lessee (leasing user) is liable for the payment of the tax from the date on which the property is delivered.
Question: How is the tax base for the GIS/IMI determined?
Answere: For buildings, the tax base is calculated based on the cadastral income (’rendita catastale’). 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 x 1.05 x 160 = €84,000.
For building plots, the tax base is determined based on the reference
values established by the municipalities for the respective plots.
Question: What tax rates apply to the GIS/IMI?
Answere: The standard tax rate is 0.76 per cent. Within the limits established by law, municipalities may modify the applicable tax rate by increasing it by up to 0.8 percentage points or reducing it by up to 0.5 percentage points. Different tax rates may apply depending on the cadastral category and the use of the property. A reduced tax rate of 0.4 per cent generally applies to the main residence.
Question: Why is GIS/IMI often not due on the main residence?
Answere: For the main residence (’abitazione principale’), tax allowances are granted, with the amount determined by the respective municipality. In many municipalities, these allowances fully offset the GIS/IMI liability, meaning that no tax is payable on the main residence.