Italian IMU late-payment penalty reaches 25% of tax bill

Owners of second homes in Italy should note that 16 June marks the deadline for the first instalment of municipal property tax (IMU). A second payment falls due in December. The tax operates selectively: it does not apply to primary residences if you have lived in Italy for more than six months and are registered on the Anagrafe (municipal register). Non-residents, however, must pay on any property they own. The tax also catches luxury real estate—villas, palaces and castles in categories A1, A8 and A9—even when these serve as primary residences.

The complication lies in the fact that no bill arrives automatically; owners must calculate their own liability. The process involves taking the cadastral value, adding 5 per cent, multiplying by a coefficient (which varies by property type) and then applying the relevant percentage to the resulting figure. The calculation is sufficiently complex that experts recommend engaging a commercial accountant.

Payment can be made through a bank or post office using form F24; some banks now permit online settlement. Late payment incurs a penalty of up to 25 per cent of the tax owed. However, a remedy exists: the ravvedimento operoso procedure allows taxpayers to self-report errors and settle with a substantially reduced penalty.