Guide
Opening a bank account in Italy: the conto di base floor
By Covered Abroad Research Desk · Last verified July 2026
The obligation, per Banca d'Italia
Banca d'Italia's consumer-education pages state the rule: banks are obliged to offer the conto di base to anyone who has the right to reside lawfully in Italy or in an EU member state, including those without a fixed abode and asylum seekers. The account's characteristics are set by law — the page anchors them to Directive 2014/92, the EU payment-accounts framework — and it exists precisely for simple money management: transfers, debit-card payments, salary or pension credited.
Source: Banca d'Italia — Il conto di base (L'economia per tutti), read 10 September 2026.
What it does and doesn't do
Boundaries, per the same page: no overdraft or credit line, and the conto di base cannot be opened if you already hold a current or payment account in Italy, or if you want it for business, commercial, artisan or professional activity — it is a personal account. Operations beyond the bundled set can carry per-item costs on the bank's published terms.
Source: Banca d'Italia — conto di base, caratteristiche e limiti, read 10 September 2026.
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The fee waivers are statutory: the conto di base is free with an ISEE under €11,600 — in that case even the stamp duty is waived — and for pensioners with gross annual pension under €18,000, who pay only the stamp duty, with an adjusted operations bundle. For a new arrival, the practical read: the account exists as a right while your NIF-equivalent paperwork (codice fiscale, residence) settles, and our codice fiscale guide covers the ID number every Italian counter asks for first.
Source: Banca d'Italia — conto di base, gratuità, read 10 September 2026.