Blog · October 20, 2026
Is the purchase tax on the price I pay?
Ask the Scout · Episode 10
The short answer
EP10 · Is the purchase tax on the price I pay? Usually not. When a private person buys a home from a private seller, they can ask the notary, in the deed of purchase, to work out the registration tax on the land registry (cadastral) value instead of the price. In the tax office's own example, that means about 10,000 euros of tax instead of 18,000.
In plain English
As of October 2026, per the Agenzia delle Entrate: this rule (prezzo-valore) covers homes and their annexes, the buyer must be a private person not acting as a business, and the real price must still be written in the deed. The cadastral value is the cadastral income (rendita) plus 5%, times 120 (110 for a main home). When the seller charges VAT, the tax is on the price. General info: for your own case, check with your notary or commercialista.
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Land registry value
- Home bought by a private person from a private seller
- You ask the notary for it in the deed
- Tax office example: about 10,000 euros of tax
Price paid
- When you do not ask for it
- When the seller charges VAT
- Tax office example: 18,000 euros of tax
- It is a home (residential property)
- You buy as a private person, not as a business
- You ask the notary for it in the deed of purchase
- The real price is still written in the deed
- The seller charges VAT
Transcript
Buyer: The purchase tax is on the price I pay, right?
Scout: Usually not. Buying a home from a private seller, there's another option.
Buyer: So what is the tax worked out on?
Scout: The land registry value. You ask the notary for it in the deed.
Scout: In the tax office example, that's about 10,000 euros of tax, not 18,000.
Scout: It works when a private person buys a home from a private seller.
Buyer: So the land registry value, not the price!
Scout: Right, as of October 2026. Check your own case with your notary.
Made with AI: the characters are animated and the voices are AI-generated.
Sources
- Agenzia delle Entrate, Casa: Imposte e agevolazioni
- Agenzia delle Entrate, guide L'acquisto della casa: le imposte e le agevolazioni (October 2025)
- Agenzia delle Entrate, Agevolazione acquisto prima casa – Che cos'è
Facts checked: 20 October 2026. General info, not legal or tax advice. Check your own case with a notary or commercialista.
More from Ask the Scout
- Can I pay for an Italian house in cash? (episode 8)
- 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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