Blog · October 18, 2026
Can I pay for an Italian house in cash?
Ask the Scout · Episode 8
The short answer
EP08 · Can I pay for an Italian house in cash? No. In Italy, paying another person in cash is banned from 5,000 euros up, so the price of a house goes through a bank, for example a bank transfer. In the deed of purchase, buyer and seller must also declare exactly how the price was paid, and the notary checks that the payments can be traced.
In plain English
Rules as of October 2026: the cash limit is in Legislative Decree 231/2007, art. 49, and the payment declaration in the deed is in Decree-Law 223/2006, art. 35, paragraph 22. Normattiva shows that paragraph repealed from 1 January 2027 by D.Lgs. 141/2026, a new consolidated tax code, so check the rule in force when you buy. General info: for your own case, check with your notary.
Ask the Scout #8 by Piedmont Scout #MoveToItaly #Piedmont #ItalyRealEstate
- Paying the seller in cash, 5,000 euros or more
- Paying through a bank, for example a bank transfer
- Declaring in the deed exactly how the price was paid
- Pay through a bank
Cash between people is banned from 5,000 euros up
- Declare it in the deed
Buyer and seller state exactly how the price was paid
- The notary checks
That every payment can be traced
Transcript
Buyer: I'll just pay the seller in cash. Simple, right?
Scout: Not in Italy. Cash between people is banned from five thousand euros up.
Buyer: Then how would anyone know how I paid?
Scout: In the deed, buyer and seller must declare exactly how the price was paid.
Scout: So the money goes through a bank, for example a bank transfer.
Scout: And the notary checks that every payment can be traced.
Buyer: So no cash, just traceable payments!
Scout: Right, as of October 2026. For your own case, check with your notary.
Made with AI: the characters are animated and the voices are AI-generated.
Sources
- Normattiva, Decreto-legge 4 luglio 2006 n. 223, art. 35 (text in force on 18-10-2026)
- Normattiva, Decreto legislativo 21 novembre 2007 n. 231, art. 49 (limits on cash)
- Consiglio Nazionale del Notariato, I nuovi controlli
Facts checked: 18 October 2026. General info, not legal or tax advice. Check your own case with a notary or commercialista.
More from Ask the Scout
- Is the purchase tax on the price I pay? (episode 10)
- What if I back out after paying the deposit? (episode 6)
- What is the energy letter (A to G) on an Italian listing? (episode 5)
Related guides
- Is it safe to buy Italian property online?
- Buying a second home in Piedmont: where to start
- How Piedmont Scout works
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