Italy 7% Pensioner Flat Tax

7% on your foreign income, if you retire to the right town.

Italy taxes all foreign income at a flat 7% for eligible foreign pensioners who move to small towns in the south. We map your eligibility, the qualifying towns and regions, and the duration, then hand a clean file to a licensed Italian tax adviser.

First call: leave knowing whether you qualify, which towns work, how long the 7% lasts, and the adviser handoff.

Researching the route first? Italy Tax Guide

What you get

What we coordinate on the 7% regime.

A 7% claim fails when the town does not qualify or the prior-residency rule is missed. We test eligibility, check the town against the rules, and hand a clean file to the adviser.

01

Eligibility check

Whether you hold a qualifying foreign pension, meet the prior-non-residency rule, and come from a country with a tax-information agreement with Italy.

02

Town and region check

Whether your chosen town qualifies, a southern municipality under the population threshold, or an eligible small earthquake-zone town.

03

Foreign-income and duration map

The foreign income the 7% would cover and how long the option lasts, so it is planned, not assumed.

04

Adviser handoff

A clean file for a licensed Italian tax adviser who confirms eligibility and files the option.

Rate

7% on all foreign income

The regime applies a flat 7% substitute tax to all foreign-source income, not just the pension, so foreign rental, dividends, and gains are covered too. Italian-source income is taxed normally.

Where

Small towns in the south

You must move to a qualifying municipality of up to 30,000 inhabitants (raised from 20,000 in April 2026) in Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, or Sardinia, or to a small earthquake-zone town.

Duration

Up to 10 years

The option lasts 10 tax periods, the first year plus nine. After that, ordinary tax applies. You must not have been Italian tax resident in the prior five years.

Exemptions

Foreign-asset exemptions

Like the neo-residents regime, the 7% regime exempts you from IVIE and IVAFE on foreign assets and from the quadro RW monitoring while it applies.

Who this fits

Why use Movingto for a 7% pensioner case?

The valuable work is checking the eligibility and the town carefully before you commit to a move, then getting a clean file to the adviser, so the 7% is relied on, not assumed.

Good fit for

  • Foreign pensioners planning to retire to southern Italy
  • People who have not been Italian tax resident in the past five years
  • Retirees choosing between qualifying southern towns
  • Pensioners with foreign rental, investment, or other income beyond the pension

Not the right fit for

  • People without a qualifying foreign pension
  • Anyone set on a town that does not meet the population or region rules
  • People from countries without a tax-information agreement with Italy
  • Anyone wanting Movingto to confirm eligibility or give tax advice

Service scope

What Movingto coordinates, and what the adviser confirms.

You get an eligibility and town check and an organized file. Confirming eligibility, advice, and the filing stay with a licensed Italian tax adviser.

Included workstreams
4
Scope boundary
Clear
Delivery scopeIncluded vs. referred out
Coordinated by Movingto

Eligibility triage

We test the foreign-pension, prior-non-residency, and source-country-agreement requirements against your facts.

Coordinated by Movingto

Town and region check

We check whether your chosen town qualifies under the population and region rules, including the earthquake-zone option.

Coordinated by Movingto

Foreign-income and duration mapping

We map the foreign income the 7% covers and the duration so it is planned for.

Coordinated by Movingto

Adviser handoff

We hand a clean file to a licensed Italian tax adviser who confirms eligibility and files the option.

Handled separately

Confirming eligibility or filing as adviser

Movingto does not confirm eligibility, give tax advice, or file as the adviser. Those stay with the licensed adviser.

Handled separately

Approval or outcome guarantee

No adviser can guarantee the regime or a tax result. Eligibility depends on your facts, the town, and the rules in force.

Regime path

From a retirement plan to a filed option.

Each stage turns a plan into evidence: pension and residency, the town, the foreign income, then handoff to the adviser.

Case path05 managed stages
  1. Step 1 of 5

    Confirm pension and residency

    Confirm you hold a qualifying foreign pension, meet the five-year prior-non-residency rule, and come from an agreement country.

  2. Step 2 of 5

    Check the town

    Check that your chosen town qualifies under the population and region rules, or the earthquake-zone option.

  3. Step 3 of 5

    Map foreign income and duration

    Map the foreign income the 7% covers and the years the option will run.

  4. Step 4 of 5

    Organize the evidence

    Build the evidence the adviser needs to confirm eligibility and file.

  5. Step 5 of 5

    Hand off to the adviser

    Deliver the file to a licensed Italian tax adviser who confirms and files the option.

Who qualifies

Italy 7% pensioner regime at a glance

RequirementDetail
Foreign pensionYou receive a pension paid by a foreign entity
Prior non-residencyNot Italian tax resident in the prior five years
Where you moveA southern town up to 30,000 people (eight regions), or a small earthquake-zone town
Source countryHas a tax-information agreement with Italy
What is taxedAll foreign income at 7%; Italian income taxed normally
DurationUp to 10 years (first year + 9), then ordinary tax

General guide only. Eligibility is municipality-by-municipality and confirmed by a licensed Italian tax adviser. The 30,000 threshold applies since April 2026 (previously 20,000). Based on Article 24-ter TUIR.

Evidence

Evidence you can check.

Scope, professional boundaries, and credential claims stay tied to source pages instead of sitting as unsupported marketing copy.

Source
Optional regime for foreign pensioners (7% flat tax)

Agenzia delle Entrate

View source
Source
Flat tax 7% (earthquake-zone municipalities)

Struttura Commissariale Sisma 2016 (gov.it)

View source
Source
Italy - Taxes on personal income

PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries

View source

Common questions

Questions before you engage.

What income does the 7% regime cover?

It applies a flat 7% substitute tax to all of your foreign-source income, not only your pension but also foreign rental, dividends, interest, and capital gains, replacing ordinary Italian tax on that income. Italian-source income is taxed at normal rates.

Which towns qualify?

You must move to a municipality of up to 30,000 inhabitants (raised from 20,000 in April 2026) in one of eight southern regions, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, or Sardinia, or to a small town in a specified earthquake-affected zone. Eligibility is town-by-town and depends on official population data, so the specific town must be checked.

Who is eligible?

You must hold a pension paid by a foreign entity, not have been an Italian tax resident in the prior five tax years, and move from a country that has a tax-information agreement with Italy. Returning Italians can qualify if they meet the test.

How long does the 7% last?

The option runs for 10 tax periods, the first year of the option plus the following nine. After that, ordinary Italian tax applies. The option can also be revoked or forfeited.

Are foreign assets exempt?

While under the regime, you are generally exempt from IVIE and IVAFE on foreign assets and from the quadro RW foreign-asset monitoring. A tax adviser confirms how this applies to you.

Does Movingto confirm eligibility or file for me?

No. Movingto tests eligibility, checks the town, and organizes the evidence. Confirming eligibility, any advice, and the filing stay with a licensed Italian tax adviser.

Private advisory call

Find out if the 7% regime fits your retirement.

Bring your pension, your residency history, and the town you are considering. We test eligibility, check the town, map the foreign income and duration, and hand a clean file to a licensed adviser.

First call covers

Leave knowing whether you qualify, which towns work, how long the 7% lasts, and the adviser handoff.

Route fit
Country, visa category, family members, and timing.
Scope
Documents, legal work, tax points, and investment boundaries.
Next steps
What to prepare before engaging the right specialists.
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