The F24 form is a crucial document in Italy's tax administration system, serving as the primary mechanism through which taxpayers fulfill their financial obligations to the state. This unified payment form has become essential for anyone with tax responsibilities in Italy, from individual employees to VAT-registered businesses.
The F24 is a unified payment form that allows taxpayers—both VAT-registered and non-VAT-registered—to pay multiple taxes, contributions, and premiums all in a single transaction. Introduced in 1997, the F24 replaced the numerous forms previously required for separate tax payments. This consolidation greatly simplified Italy's tax payment procedures and helped modernize the country’s digital payment infrastructure.
The term "unified" reflects a key advantage of the F24: it enables taxpayers to make a single payment while also offsetting any eligible tax credits against tax debts. So if a taxpayer owes one type of tax but has a credit from another, the credit can be applied directly in the same transaction, reducing overall out-of-pocket expenses and administrative burden.
The F24 form covers a broad range of tax obligations and financial commitments in Italy, including:
Income taxes such as IRPEF (personal income tax) and IRES (corporate income tax) are among the most common payments made through the F24. The form is also used for withholding taxes on labor income and capital gains, VAT (value-added tax), substitute taxes, IRAP (regional tax), and more.
With the F24, taxpayers can pay regional and municipal surcharges to IRPEF, and various property-related taxes including IMU (municipal property tax), TARES, TARI (waste tax), and TASI (municipal services tax).
Payments to major social security and insurance agencies such as INPS, INAIL, ENPALS, and INPGI are all managed using the F24. The form is also used for paying chamber of commerce fees and related obligations.
Beyond standard taxes, the F24 can be used to pay excise and consumption taxes, manufacturing taxes, interest and penalties, and amounts due in connection with inheritance declarations, including inheritance tax, mortgage tax, cadastral tax, and other related charges.
While all versions serve similar purposes, the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) provides several variations of the F24, each tailored to specific needs:
This is the standard, most comprehensive version, allowing payment of virtually all tax types. The ordinary form has multiple sections to cover treasury payments, INPS contributions, regional and local taxes, IMU, and social security agency payments.
The simplified F24 is intended for treasury, regional, and local government taxes. The form is one page, with a primary section (“Motivo del pagamento”, meaning "Reason for Payment") in which taxpayers input the necessary codes and amounts.
This form is used primarily for excise and monopoly taxes, and can also be utilized for payments relating to income taxes, withholding taxes, VAT, IMU, TARI, and INPS contributions.
Specifically designed for payments to public entities, this form serves a more specialized audience, such as government offices and institutions.
The F24 Elementi identificativi (Elide) is used when the transaction requires information that standard forms can't accommodate. For example, it’s required for VAT on vehicles newly registered in Italy, but not allowed for offsetting credits.
This pre-filled version is sent directly to taxpayers by Agenzia delle Entrate, usually for specific contributions or property taxes. It cannot be used for offsetting credits and is limited to paying the exact amounts indicated.
The method of submitting your F24 depends on your tax status:
For paper submissions, payment can be made at:
Be sure to confirm your bank is enabled for F24 tax payments through the official portal before proceeding.
From July 1, 2024, new laws introduced stricter rules for the offsetting of tax credits using the F24:
If you intend to offset tax debts with credits, you must now submit the F24 through the official Revenue Agency’s online portal, regardless of the offset amount.
If you have overdue tax debts or enforceable tax assessments (entrusted for collection) totaling over €100,000, offsetting using F24 is completely prohibited. This ban extends not just to state tax credits, but also R&D related credits, credits for “Industria 4.0” investments, property renovation incentives, and other tax breaks.
Attempting to offset your debts improperly—when you’re over the threshold or using the wrong process—will result in your F24 being rejected. You’ll also face a potential penalty of 30% for omitted or non-valid payments.
The F24 form remains the backbone of Italy’s modern tax payment infrastructure. It offers a streamlined, unified way for taxpayers of all types—residents, non-resident property owners, expats, freelancers, and businesses—to pay multiple taxes and contributions efficiently. However, with recent regulatory tightening—especially regarding tax credit offsets—it’s essential to understand your responsibilities, use the correct form, and follow the appropriate submission rules.
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