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The short answer
Most Italian flats are let on a free-market 4+4 contract (at least four years, then a further four) or a concordato 3+2 contract (at least three years plus a two-year extension, with rent set under local agreements); transitional contracts exist for a documented temporary need. By law the deposit cannot exceed three months' rent and earns legal interest paid to you yearly. The lease must be registered with the Agenzia delle Entrate within 30 days.
Finding a flat in Rome, Milan, Turin or Castel Volturno is hard enough. Once you have one, the contract decides how long you can stay, how much the rent can rise and whether you can register residence at that address. Here is how the main Italian lease types work, what the law says about the deposit, and what to check before signing.
The 4+4 contract (canone libero)
Article 2, paragraph 1 of Law 431/1998 lets landlord and tenant sign a lease of at least four years, with the rent agreed freely. At the end of the first four years it renews for another four, unless the landlord has one of the specific reasons listed in the law to refuse. At the end of the second term either side can start talks on new terms or say it does not want to renew, by registered letter at least six months before expiry. If nobody writes, the contract renews tacitly on the same terms.
The 3+2 contract (canone concordato)
Paragraph 3 of the same article offers an alternative: rent, duration and other terms follow agreements made locally between the most representative landlords' and tenants' organisations. Paragraph 5 sets the minimum at three years; if the parties do not agree on renewal at first expiry, the contract is extended by two years, although the landlord may still give notice for the reasons in article 3 (such as using the property or selling it). At the end of the two-year extension either party can start the renewal procedure or waive renewal.
Concordato contracts are usually linked to lower rents set by the local agreement for your comune and area; ask the landlord or agency which agreement and which band the rent was calculated under.
Transitional contracts (transitorio)
Law 431/1998 also provides, in article 5, for contracts of a transitional nature, for a temporary need of the tenant or landlord that the contract must state. The permitted lengths and conditions are set by the national framework and local agreements, so check the exact term in the contract and the reason given. A short transitional lease can be a problem if you need a stable address for a permit renewal or for family reunification.
The deposit (deposito cauzionale)
Article 11 of Law 392/1978 is short: the deposit cannot be more than three months' rent, and it earns legal interest that must be paid to the tenant at the end of each year. The parties can agree more frequent interest payments in the tenant's favour.
| Example rent | Maximum deposit (3 months) |
|---|---|
| €550 a month | €1,650 |
| €700 a month | €2,100 |
| €950 a month | €2,850 |
Agency fees, the first month's rent and any furniture inventory are separate from the deposit. Pay the deposit by bank transfer with a clear reference ("deposito cauzionale, via ...") rather than cash, so you can prove it when you leave.
Registration and the cedolare secca
The Agenzia delle Entrate's RLI brochure says a lease must be registered within 30 days of signing, which can be done online through RLI with SPID, CIE or CNS; the system calculates registration tax and stamp duty and collects them by direct debit. Keep the contract and the registration receipt: you will need them to register residence, since Bocconi's BLEST guide lists a lease among the accepted proofs of housing, and often for the idoneità alloggiativa.
If the landlord chooses the cedolare secca flat tax, Confedilizia's sheet says the contract pays no registration tax or stamp duty and the landlord gives up rent increases, including ISTAT updates, for the option period, after telling you in advance by registered letter. More on this in cedolare secca for tenants.
What to check before you sign
- Which type it is (4+4, 3+2 or transitorio) and the start and end dates.
- That your name, passport number and codice fiscale are correct, as they must match your permit file.
- The deposit amount: not more than three months' rent.
- Who registers the lease and by when, and that you will get the registration receipt.
- Whether the landlord has opted for cedolare secca, and how utilities and condominium charges are billed.
- Whether the landlord accepts you registering residence at the address.
Example timeline: a 4+4 lease signed on 1 November 2026 reaches its first expiry on 31 October 2030 and its second on 31 October 2034; a letter about not renewing would have to go by registered post before 1 May 2034. A 3+2 lease signed the same day runs to 31 October 2029, then, without agreement on renewal, to 31 October 2031.
Where Pryme fits
If a relative in Nigeria helps with the deposit, or you pay rent for parents at home from Italy, Send and a multicurrency account keep euro and naira payments in one place, with records you can show a landlord. Rates and fees are shown before you approve.
Questions people ask
How much deposit can a landlord ask in Italy?
No more than three months' rent, under article 11 of Law 392/1978. The deposit earns legal interest, payable to you at the end of each year.
What is a 4+4 contract in Italy?
A free-rent residential lease of at least four years that renews for four more, unless the landlord has a legal reason to refuse, under article 2 of Law 431/1998.
What is the difference between 3+2 and 4+4?
A 3+2 (canone concordato) lease follows rent and terms set by local landlord and tenant agreements, lasts at least three years and is extended by two; a 4+4 has a freely agreed rent and longer terms.
Does my lease have to be registered?
Yes. The Agenzia delle Entrate says leases must be registered within 30 days of signing; ask for the receipt, which you need for residence and permits.
Sources
- Brocardi: Legge 431/1998 art. 2, Modalita di stipula e di rinnovo dei contratti di locazione (updated 1 Jan 2020) · accessed Oct 2026
- Brocardi: Legge 392/1978 art. 11, Deposito cauzionale · accessed Oct 2026
- Agenzia delle Entrate: brochure on registering a lease online (RLI) · accessed Oct 2026
- Confedilizia: scheda cedolare secca · accessed Oct 2026
- BLEST, Universita Bocconi: Guida informativa residenza (updated Jul/Sep 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
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