# Italian Real Estate Sub-Lexicon

Italian-specific terms and references for real estate. These entities, regulations, and cadastral/administrative systems are Italy-specific and should be translated to English in the main lexicon.

## Italian Core Real Estate Terms

| Italian term | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Contratto di locazione | Lease / lease agreement | Generic Italian term for any lease. |
| Locazione commerciale | Commercial lease | Lease of business premises. |
| Locazione abitativa | Residential lease | Lease of residential dwelling; may be subject to special protections under Italian law. |
| Locazione transitoria | Short-term lease | Temporary lease, often under 12 months; distinct protections under Italian law. |
| Contratto di affitto | Lease / tenancy agreement | Synonym for contratto di locazione. |
| Contratto di compravendita immobiliare | Property purchase agreement / sale and purchase agreement | Contract for sale and purchase of property. |
| Atto di compravendita | Deed of sale / transfer deed | Document transferring ownership. |
| Rogito notarile | Notarial deed / deed of conveyance | Deed prepared by notary; required in Italy for property transfers. |
| Atto notarile | Notarial deed / deed of conveyance | General term for document prepared by notary. |
| Preliminare di compravendita / compromesso | Preliminary purchase agreement / preliminary contract | Binding agreement to execute final deed; no exact common-law equivalent. |
| Proposta di acquisto | Offer to purchase / letter of intent | Non-binding offer to purchase property. |
| Caparra confirmatoria | Earnest money deposit / confirmation deposit | Deposit (article 1385 Civil Code); serves as confirmation and liquidated damages. |
| Caparra penitenziale | Penalty deposit / right of withdrawal deposit | Deposit (article 1386 Civil Code); allows either party withdrawal by forfeiting/repaying deposit. |
| Acconto prezzo | Deposit on account of the purchase price | Down payment credited to purchase price. |
| Prezzo di vendita | Purchase price / sale price | Agreed sale price. |
| Corrispettivo | Consideration | Value exchanged in contract. |
| Canone di locazione / affitto | Rent | Periodic payment for use of leased property. |
| Canone mensile | Monthly rent | Rent payable monthly. |
| Spese condominiali | Service charges / common charges / common area maintenance | Charges for shared facilities; calculated by apportionment tables. |
| Oneri accessori | Additional charges / ancillary costs | Costs beyond rent or purchase price. |
| Deposito cauzionale | Security deposit | Cash held by landlord as security. |
| Cauzione | Deposit / security deposit | Synonym for security deposit. |

## Italian Property Terms

| Italian term | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Immobile / Bene immobile | Property / real property / immovable property | Permanent structures and land. |
| Fabbricato | Building | Structure with walls, roof, and permanent fixtures. |
| Edificio | Building / structure | Synonym for fabbricato. |
| Unità immobiliare | Property unit / building unit | Individual unit in multi-unit building. |
| Appartamento | Apartment / flat | Residential unit; UK: "flat"; US: "apartment". |
| Locale commerciale | Commercial premises | Space for business use. |
| Ufficio | Office / office premises | Space for professional work. |
| Magazzino | Warehouse | Building for storage. |
| Terreno | Land / plot of land | Unbuilt ground area. |
| Terreno edificabile | Building land / development land | Land suitable for construction. |
| Lotto | Plot / lot | Parcel of land as defined by cadastral records. |
| Pertinenza | Appurtenance | Property associated with main property (parking, storage). |
| Cantina | Cellar / basement storage | Underground or semi-underground storage space. |
| Posto auto / garage | Parking space / garage | Dedicated vehicle storage. |
| Parti comuni | Common areas / common parts | Shared spaces in multi-unit buildings. |
| Condominio | Condominium / co-ownership / co-ownership building | Multi-unit building with separate ownership of units and joint ownership of common areas; governed by Title VI-bis, Book III, Italian Civil Code. |
| Amministratore di condominio | Building manager / property manager | Person managing condominium. |
| Regolamento condominiale | Condominium regulations / house rules | Rules governing condominium use. |
| Tabelle millesimali | Apportionment tables | Schedule showing each unit's share of common areas (expressed in thousandths = "millesimi"). |
| Superficie commerciale | Gross floor area | Total floor area including all spaces. |
| Superficie calpestabile | Net floor area / usable floor area | Floor area actually usable for occupation. |
| Visura catastale | Land registry extract / cadastral extract | Official document from land registry showing property details. |
| Visura ipotecaria | Mortgage registry search | Official search showing mortgages registered against property. |
| Catasto | Land registry / cadastre | Italian official register of immovable property; maintained by Agenzia delle Entrate. |
| Foglio | Sheet (cadastral reference) | First part of cadastral identification (sheet/map number). |
| Particella | Parcel (cadastral reference) | Second part of cadastral identification (parcel number). |
| Subalterno | Sub-unit (cadastral reference) | Third part of cadastral identification for units within buildings. |

## Italian Lease-Specific Terms

| Italian term | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Locatore | Landlord / lessor | Property owner granting lease. |
| Conduttore / locatario | Tenant / lessee | Party leasing the property. |
| Sublocazione / subaffitto | Sublease / subletting | Lease by tenant to third party. |
| Durata della locazione | Lease term | Period of the lease. |
| Rinnovo tacito | Tacit renewal / automatic renewal | Automatic renewal at expiration unless notice given. Italian law often provides for automatic renewal unless either party gives written notice within specified period. |
| Disdetta | Notice of termination / notice to quit | Formal notice to end lease. |
| Recesso anticipato | Early termination | Ending lease before agreed term. |
| Aggiornamento ISTAT | ISTAT indexation / rent indexation | Adjustment of rent based on ISTAT inflation indices; common in Italian residential leases. |
| Adeguamento del canone | Rent review / rent adjustment | Change in rent through indexation or renegotiation. |
| Manutenzione ordinaria | Routine maintenance / ordinary maintenance | Regular maintenance and minor repairs; typically tenant responsibility under Italian law. |
| Manutenzione straordinaria | Major repairs / structural repairs / extraordinary maintenance | Substantial repairs (roof, structural elements); typically landlord responsibility under Italian law. |
| Destinazione d'uso | Permitted use / use covenant | Permitted use as specified in lease; also used for land zoning. |
| Cambio di destinazione d'uso | Change of use | Modification of permitted use; requires landlord consent and may require zoning changes. |
| Migliorie | Improvements | Enhancements made by tenant. |
| Addizioni | Tenant's fixtures / additions | Items attached by tenant. |
| Stato dei luoghi | Condition of the premises | Physical state at commencement. |
| Verbale di consegna | Handover report / schedule of condition | Document recording condition at lease start. |
| Verbale di riconsegna | Return report | Document recording condition at lease end. |
| Indennità di avviamento | Goodwill indemnity / key money | Payment for right to occupy or assume existing lease. |
| Cedolare secca | Flat-rate tax / substitute tax on rental income | Simplified tax regime for residential rental income (Law 431/1998 and subsequent amendments); allows opt-out from normal income tax. |

## Italian Transfer and Title Terms

| Italian term | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietà / Diritto di proprietà | Ownership / title / right of ownership | Legal right to own and control property. |
| Piena proprietà | Freehold / full ownership | Complete unrestricted ownership. |
| Nuda proprietà | Bare ownership / reversionary interest | Ownership without the right to use or enjoy (the usufructuary holds the use rights). Civil-law concept (Italian Civil Code, Articles 978 et seq.). Avoid the calque "naked ownership". |
| Usufrutto | Usufruct | Right to use and enjoy another's property for a specified term or for life; the bare owner (nuda proprietà holder) retains title. Civil-law concept. Avoid mapping to "life interest" — the common-law life tenancy is a distinct doctrine. |
| Diritto di superficie | Right of superficies / building right | Right to construct on or below another's land, retaining ownership of structure. Italian Civil Code, article 952 et seq. |
| Servitù | Easement / servitude | Right to use another's land for specific purpose (access, utilities, parking, light). Italian term is "servitù"; English term is "easement". |
| Servitù di passaggio | Right of way | Easement allowing passage across another's land. |
| Servitù di veduta | Right of light / right of view | Easement protecting right to light or view. |
| Ipoteca volontaria | Voluntary mortgage | Mortgage granted by owner to lender. |
| Ipoteca giudiziale | Judicial mortgage / charging order | Mortgage imposed by court order. |
| Iscrizione ipotecaria | Mortgage registration / registration of charge | Recording of mortgage in land registry. |
| Cancellazione ipotecaria | Mortgage discharge / release of mortgage | Cancellation of mortgage from registry. |
| Certificato di agibilità | Occupancy certificate / habitability certificate | Official certification that property is safe and fit for occupancy; required before use in Italy. |
| Certificato di destinazione urbanistica | Urban planning certificate / zoning certificate | Certification of planning and zoning compliance. |
| Conformità catastale | Cadastral compliance / cadastral match | Confirmation that property boundaries match cadastral records. |
| Conformità urbanistica | Planning compliance | Confirmation of zoning and planning law compliance. |
| Attestato di prestazione energetica (APE) | Energy performance certificate (EPC) | Certification of building energy efficiency (EU/Italian requirement; Law 90/2013 implementing Directive 2010/31/EU). |

## Italian Planning and Construction Terms

| Italian term | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Permesso di costruire | Building permit / planning permission | Official authorization to construct or modify. |
| Licenza edilizia | Building license / building approval | Official license authorizing construction. |
| Concessione edilizia | Building concession / development permission | Authorization to build on public land. |
| SCIA / segnalazione certificata | Certified notification / building notification | Simplified notification for minor works not requiring full permit (introduced by Law 326/2003). |
| DIA / Dichiarazione di Inizio Attività | Commencement of works notification / notification of work commencement | Notice that construction is beginning (older procedure, largely superseded by SCIA under DL 78/2010). |
| Piano regolatore | Master plan / local development plan / comprehensive plan | Long-term land use and development plan. |
| Destinazione urbanistica | Zoning / planning designation | Classification of land for permitted uses. |
| Zona residenziale | Residential zone | Area designated for residential use. |
| Zona commerciale | Commercial zone | Area designated for business use. |
| Zona industriale | Industrial zone | Area designated for manufacturing use. |
| Indice di edificabilità | Floor area ratio / building density index | Ratio controlling building density. |
| Volumetria | Building volume | Total cubic volume of building; often regulated. |
| Oneri di urbanizzazione | Development contributions / infrastructure charges / developer fees | Charges paid by developer for required infrastructure. |

## Italian Administrative and Cadastral Systems

| Italian term | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Agenzia delle Entrate | Tax Agency / Revenue Agency | Italian government agency maintaining land registry (catasto) and property records. |
| ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica) | National Institute of Statistics | Italian government agency publishing inflation indices used for automatic rent adjustment. Commonly referenced as "ISTAT indexation". |
| Agenzia del Territorio (historic) | Territory Agency (historic) | Former agency managing catasto and conservatorie; merged into Agenzia delle Entrate in 2012. |
| Conservatoria dei Registri Immobiliari | Land Registry Office | Office maintaining the trascrizione register (real estate transactions). Now part of Agenzia delle Entrate. |
| Notaio | civil-law notary | Public officer required for most Italian property transactions (Art. 2643 CC); not equivalent to the English "notary public" or "notary" (different scope). |
| Codice Civile (Libro III) | Book III of the Italian Civil Code | Book III "Della Proprietà" — primary source of Italian property law. Covers Arts. 810-1172 CC. |

Note: `Catasto`, `Visura catastale`, `Visura ipotecaria`, `Foglio`, `Particella`, `Subalterno` are defined in the Property Terms section above; not duplicated here.

## Italian Legislation and Regulations

| Italian reference | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Codice Civile | Italian Civil Code | Primary source for property, contract, and lease law. |
| Articolo 810 CC | Article 810 Civil Code | Defines ownership. |
| Articolo 952 CC | Article 952 Civil Code | Right of superficies. |
| Articoli 978-1020 CC | Articles 978-1020 Civil Code | Usufruct (the general regime begins at Article 978). |
| Articolo 1385 CC | Article 1385 Civil Code | Earnest money (caparra confirmatoria) — serves as confirmation and liquidated damages. |
| Articolo 1386 CC | Article 1386 Civil Code | Penalty deposit (caparra penitenziale) — right of withdrawal. |
| Articolo 1395 CC | Article 1395 Civil Code | Earnest money terminology. |
| Libro III, Titolo VII, Capo II CC (artt. 1117-1139) | Book III, Title VII, Chapter II, Civil Code (Articles 1117-1139) | Condominium law. Note: Articles 1100-1116 cover general co-ownership (comunione). Condominium regime amended by Law 220/2012 (effective June 2013). |
| Legge 431/1998 | Law 431/1998 | Residential lease law; introduced fixed-term renewable leases and protected tenancy framework. |
| Legge 220/2012 | Law 220/2012 | Condominium law reform (effective 18 June 2013); amended Articles 1117-1139 CC and introduced the modern figure of the amministratore professionale. |
| Legge 90/2013 | Law 90/2013 | Converted Decree-Law 63/2013; implemented the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EU Directive 2010/31/EU); established energy performance certificates (APE). Not to be confused with "Decreto del fare", which was a different package (Decree-Law 69/2013). |
| Decreto Legislativo 30 maggio 2008, n. 102 | Legislative Decree 102/2008 | Energy services directive implementation. |
| Articolo 3, Legge 9 gennaio 1989, n. 392 | Article 3, Law 392/1989 | Protections for residential tenants (lease renewal, rent caps). |
| Legge 326/2003 | Law 326/2003 | Simplified building notification (SCIA) procedure. |
| Decreto Legge 70/2011 (Decreto Sviluppo) | Decree-Law 70/2011 ("Decreto Sviluppo") | Development Decree addressing construction simplifications, SCIA rules and cadastral procedures (not a condominium reform). |
| Norma Tecnica UNI 10200 | Technical Standard UNI 10200 | Italian standard for technical building and condominium classification. |

## Italian Rent Regulation and Taxation

| Italian term | English equivalent | Note |
|---|---|---|
Note: `Cedolare secca` and `Aggiornamento ISTAT` are defined in the Property Terms section above; not duplicated here.
| Canone libero | Free market rent | Rent negotiated freely between parties (not subject to maximum caps). Under Italian law (Law 431/1998), most residential leases now use free market rates. |
| Canone convenuto | Agreed rent / negotiated rent | Rent agreed between parties at signature. |
| Tabella dei canoni | Rent tables / reference rental values | Reference rental tables published by some municipalities; not legally binding but used for guidance. |
| Aumento annuale | Annual increase / annual adjustment | Year-on-year change in rent, often tied to ISTAT. |

## Notes

- **Caparra concepts**: Italian law distinguishes two deposit types:
  - *Caparra confirmatoria* (article 1385 CC): Earnest money serving as both confirmation of agreement and liquidated damages (usually non-refundable if buyer withdraws).
  - *Caparra penitenziale* (article 1386 CC): Right-of-withdrawal deposit (either party can withdraw; the withdrawing party forfeits/repays the deposit).
  These civil law concepts have no exact common-law equivalents. In English translations, use the English descriptions; retain the Italian term in parentheses on first use.

- **Condominium (condominio)**: In Italian law, this refers to the co-ownership regime of a multi-unit building, not a specific building type. Governed by Title VI-bis, Book III, Italian Civil Code (articles 1100-1139). A condominium has mandatory common areas (stairs, roof, walls, grounds) and optional common areas. Each unit owner is liable for common charges proportionately (tabelle millesimali).

- **Nuda proprietà and usufrutto**: Unique civil law concept allowing split ownership: one party holds bare title (nuda proprietà), another has usufruct (right to use and receive income). Not present in common law. Always translate accurately and explain on first use.

- **Superficies**: Civil law right to construct on or below another's land. Rare in common law; UK has "fee farm rent"; US has "easement for building". Italian Code, article 952 et seq.

- **Easement (servitù)**: Italian law uses "servitù"; English uses "easement". Both refer to rights benefiting one parcel and burdening another (access, utilities, parking, light/view). Italian servitù are codified in articles 1027-1099 CC.

- **ISTAT indexation**: ISTAT (Istituto Nazionale di Statistica) publishes monthly inflation indices. Italian leases typically index rent to "FOI" (Indice dei prezzi al consumo per le famiglie di operai e impiegati = consumer price index for worker families) or other indices. Always specify which ISTAT index if mentioned.

- **Energy Performance Certificate (APE)**: Italian acronym is APE (Attestato di Prestazione Energetica). Required for all buildings in Italy since January 2008 (Law 90/2013, implementing EU Directive 2010/31/EU). Must be provided at lease signature or before property sale.

- **Cedolare secca**: Flat-rate tax regime (Law 431/1998, updated). Allows landlord/tenant to opt out of normal income tax and capital gains tax; standard rate approximately 21% on declared rent (residential) or 26% (commercial). Major simplification but locks parties into declared rent.

- **Cadastral references**: Italian property identified by catasto entries:
  - *Foglio*: cadastral sheet/map number
  - *Particella*: parcel number within sheet
  - *Subalterno*: sub-unit number (for buildings)
  For example: "Foglio 42, Particella 156, Subalterno 5" identifies a specific apartment. Always provide the English labels but retain the numerical references.

- **Building permits vs. notifications**: Italian law distinguishes:
  - *Permesso di costruire*: Full building permit for major works; requires detailed application and approval.
  - *SCIA* (Certified notification): Simplified procedure for minor works; notification-based rather than approval-based (Law 326/2003).
  - *DIA* (older procedure, largely superseded): Notification of commencement of works.

- **Destinazione d'uso**: This term can mean either (1) land zoning (urban planning designation) or (2) permitted use within a lease. Context is critical. If referring to zoning, translate as "zoning" or "planning designation"; if lease-related, translate as "permitted use".

- **Condominium regulations**: Article 1118, Italian Civil Code, allows condominiums to adopt regulations governing use of common areas. These are binding on all unit owners.

- **Apportionment tables (tabelle millesimali)**: Required for all condominiums. Each unit is assigned a share expressed in "millesimi" (thousandths) reflecting its proportion of common areas and corresponding liability for common charges (spese condominiali). These tables are mandatory and very important for calculating charges.

- **Italian notary (notaio)**: In Italian law, property transfers require a notarial deed. The notary is an independent public official (not a lawyer, though trained in law). Their role includes verifying identities, ensuring legal capacity, and maintaining records. This is mandatory for property transfers and some other transactions.

- **Lease protections**: Law 431/1998 reformed residential tenancy law, introducing fixed-term renewable leases, protections against eviction without cause, and allowing "cedolare secca" tax regime. Always check which lease regime applies (protected vs. free market).

## Additional Lawlinguists-validated Italian Real-Estate Mappings

| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| compravendita immobiliare | sale and purchase of real estate |
| scrittura privata | private agreement / private writing |
| scrittura privata autenticata | authenticated private deed (with notarized signatures) |
| atto pubblico | public deed / notarial deed (Art. 2699 CC) |
| trascrizione | recording / registration (at the Conservatoria / Land Registry — essential for opposability to third parties; Art. 2643 CC) |
| trascrizione del preliminare | recording of the preliminary agreement (Art. 2645-bis CC — gives the purchaser priority) |
| contratto preliminare | preliminary contract / preliminary sale agreement (Art. 1351 CC) |
| compromesso | preliminary agreement (colloquial for contratto preliminare) |
| accettazione | acceptance |
| doppio del prezzo | double the price (in caparra confirmatoria forfeiture scenarios) |
| acconto | deposit on account of the purchase price (refundable if sale falls through — distinct from caparra) |
| vizi / difetti / gravami | defects / encumbrances |
| vizi occulti | latent defects (Art. 1490 CC) |
| garanzia per evizione | warranty against dispossession / warranty of quiet enjoyment (Art. 1483 CC) |
| garanzia per vizi | warranty against defects (Art. 1490 CC) |
| aliud pro alio | aliud pro alio (delivery of a completely different thing — entitles full rescission without time limit) |
| servitù prediale | predial easement |
| servitù di acquedotto | easement of aqueduct |
| servitù di elettrodotto | easement of power line |
| servitù apparenti / non apparenti | apparent / non-apparent easements |
| vincoli urbanistici | town-planning restrictions |
| vincoli paesaggistici | landscape restrictions |
| fascia di rispetto | buffer zone / setback |
| distanze legali | statutory setback distances (Arts. 873-899 CC) |
| occupazione acquisitiva / accessione invertita | reverse acquisition by public authority (now largely replaced by formal expropriation) |
| esproprio per pubblica utilità | expropriation for public purposes (DPR 327/2001) |
| indennità di esproprio | expropriation indemnity |
| rendita catastale | cadastral rent (notional taxable value) |
| valore venale | open-market value |
| valutazione peritale | valuation report / surveyor's valuation |
| APE (Attestato di Prestazione Energetica) | Energy Performance Certificate (EPC — mandatory for transfers and leases under Law 90/2013) |
| CDU (Certificato di Destinazione Urbanistica) | Town-planning destination certificate (mandatory for land transfers over 5,000 m²) |
