Housing Suitability Certificate in Rome: How to Get It for Family Reunification
Bringing your family to Italy means proving your home is big enough. Here's how the process works in Rome, what it costs, and what to bring.
In a nutshell
The housing suitability certificate (certificato di idoneità alloggiativa) is an official document confirming that your home meets the minimum size and hygiene standards for the number of people who will live there. In Rome it is issued by the Municipio (district office) where the property is located — not the one where you are registered — and costs €32 in revenue stamps (marche da bollo). Allow 30–60 days.
If you are starting a family reunification process as a non-EU citizen, this certificate is mandatory: without it, the Sportello Unico Immigrazione (one-stop immigration desk at the Prefettura — the regional state-government office representing the central government) cannot process your application for a nulla osta (entry clearance).
At a glance
| Cost | €32 in revenue stamps (2 × €16) + possible secretarial fees at the Municipio (€0–26) |
| Timeline | 30–60 days from submission; certificate is typically valid for 6 months to 1 year |
| Where in Rome | Municipio where the property is located (Rome has 15 districts; general enquiries: 060606) |
| Documents | Valid ID, Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID), permesso di soggiorno (residence permit), proof of right to occupy the property, land-registry extract and floor plan |
When you actually need it
| Procedure | Required? |
|---|---|
| Nulla osta for family reunification | Yes |
| Family cohabitation (relative already in Italy) | Yes |
| Converting a study permit to a work permit | Yes |
| EU long-term residence permit | Yes |
| First entry for work (Decreto Flussi quota) | Yes |
| Renewal of subordinate employment permit | Sometimes |
| Registering residency (iscrizione anagrafica) | No |
Don't confuse this with the agibilità or abitabilità certificate — those relate to the building as a whole and are requested by the property owner. The housing suitability certificate is specific to your household, and you request it yourself.
Minimum floor space required
The minimum thresholds are set by the DM Sanità 05/07/1975 and the Rome Municipal Hygiene Regulations.
| Number of occupants | Minimum usable floor space |
|---|---|
| 1 person | 28 m² total |
| 2 people | 28 m² |
| 3 people | 38 m² |
| 4 people | 48 m² |
| 5 people | 58 m² |
For each person beyond two, add 10 m².
Room dimensions also matter: a single bedroom must be at least 9 m², a double bedroom at least 14 m², and a living room at least 14 m². Ceiling height in habitable rooms must be at least 2.70 m.
The property must have openable windows for natural ventilation, a bathroom with toilet, washbasin, shower or bath, and hot water, plus connections to the sewage system and compliant electrical and plumbing installations. Basement rooms do not qualify as main living space.
Usable floor space is measured as internal walkable area — walls, balconies, and terraces don't count. Check the land-registry floor plan (planimetria catastale), not the rental contract, for the accurate figure.
Documents you need
About you:
- Valid ID (passport or residence permit)
- Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID — your personal 16-character alphanumeric code)
- Valid permesso di soggiorno (residence permit for non-EU citizens) or renewal receipt
- Completed and signed application form from the Municipio
About the property:
- Proof of right to occupy: a rental contract registered with Agenzia delle Entrate (Italy's tax-revenue agency), a deed of ownership, a registered loan-for-use agreement (comodato), or a hospitality declaration signed by the owner with a copy of their ID
- Up-to-date land-registry extract (visura catastale) — downloadable via SISTER on the Agenzia delle Entrate website (€1.35)
- Land-registry floor plan at scale 1:100 or 1:200 — downloadable online (€1.35)
- Agibilità certificate if available
Revenue stamps (marche da bollo):
- 1 × €16 on the application
- 1 × €16 on the certificate when collected
Individual Municipi may have slightly different requirements — always check the website of your specific district before going in person.
Step-by-step process
Step 1 — Find the right Municipio. You apply at the district office where the property physically sits, not where you are registered. Rome has 15 Municipi; find the right one by address on the Roma Capitale website. General enquiries: 060606.
Step 2 — Check the floor space first. Before spending money on stamps and gathering documents, verify on the land-registry floor plan that the usable area is sufficient for the number of people who will live there. If it isn't, there's no point applying.
Step 3 — Fill in the application form. The form is available on the Municipio website or at the counter. You'll need to declare your personal details, the property address, and the current and post-reunification household composition.
Step 4 — Submit the application. Depending on the Municipio, you can apply in person at the counter (often by appointment), by PEC (certified email — legally valid in Italy), by registered post, or via an online portal. Check the submission method on your district's website.
Step 5 — Possible inspection. The Municipio or the local ASL public-health office (SISP — Servizio Igiene e Sanità Pubblica) may carry out an on-site inspection of the property. This doesn't always happen.
Step 6 — Collect the certificate. After 30–60 days you can pick it up at the counter or receive it by PEC or registered post. Check the validity date immediately — it is usually 6 months or 1 year.
Step 7 — Attach it to your nulla osta application. Once you have the certificate, log into the ALI 2.0 portal (nullaostalavoro.dlci.interno.it) and attach it to your family reunification application (form S) or cohabitation application (form T). The Sportello Unico Immigrazione — located at the Prefettura di Roma, Via Ostiense 131/L — has 90 days to respond.
Mistakes to avoid
- Going to the wrong Municipio. Jurisdiction follows the property address, not where you live. If you've gone to the wrong office, the application will be rejected and you'll have to start again.
- Forgetting the land-registry floor plan. It is almost always required because it provides an objective measurement of usable floor space. You can download it with SPID (Italy's digital identity for online public services) or CIE (Italian electronic ID card) via the Agenzia delle Entrate portal for €1.35.
- Submitting an unregistered rental contract. If your lease is unregistered (off the books), you cannot obtain the certificate. Register the contract first with the Agenzia delle Entrate — without registration the document has no legal standing.
Special cases
Children under 14: the housing suitability certificate is not required for them — a declaration by the applying parent is sufficient.
Shared housing: the certificate is issued only if the portion of the property available exclusively to you meets the minimum thresholds. A shared room rarely satisfies the requirements for family reunification.
ATER social housing: even a council flat must meet the minimum parameters. ATER tenants must also obtain prior authorisation from ATER before hosting family members.
Moving home after the certificate is issued: if you change address before the nulla osta arrives, you must apply for a new suitability certificate for the new property.
Expired certificate: if the validity lapses before you use it, you must submit a new application. Some Municipi issue duplicates at reduced cost if the property conditions haven't changed.
Spouse of an Italian citizen: the housing suitability certificate is not required for a residence permit as the family member of an EU citizen.
Official sources
- Roma Capitale — Housing suitability certificate
- Rome district map
- D.Lgs. 286/1998 — Italian Immigration Consolidation Act (Normattiva)
- DPR 394/1999 — Implementing Regulation for the Immigration Act (Normattiva)
- ALI 2.0 portal — Immigration nulla osta
- Prefettura di Roma
- ASL Roma 1
- ASL Roma 2
- ASL Roma 3
Legal references: D.Lgs. 286/1998 artt. 29, 5-bis, 22; DPR 394/1999 art. 29; DM Sanità 05/07/1975; Legge 94/2009; Regolamento d'Igiene Comune di Roma.