How to Register Your Child with a Free NHS Pediatrician in Rome
Your child is entitled to a free pediatrician through Italy's national health service from birth to age 14. You can register online in five minutes or in person at your local health authority. Here's how it works in Rome.
In a nutshell
The Pediatra di Libera Scelta (PLS) — Italy's free-choice pediatrician — is your child's personal family doctor, provided by the SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale — Italy's national health service) at no cost. It is mandatory from birth to age 6, and optional (but strongly recommended) from 6 to 14. This is not a private pediatrician: it is an NHS-contracted doctor who follows your child continuously, free of charge.
At a glance
| Cost | Free (covered under the LEA essential health services) |
| Timeline | Registration is immediate — online or at the ASL desk |
| Where | Online at fascicolosanitario.regione.lazio.it or in person at your local ASL choice/change desk |
| Documents | Child's Tessera Sanitaria (Italian health-insurance card), parent's ID (+ residence permit for non-EU citizens) |
| Changing pediatrician | Free and unlimited, at any time |
What the pediatrician actually does — and why it matters
The PLS is not just for emergencies. They provide ongoing, continuous care and handle:
- Regular well-child check-ups (called bilanci di salute)
- Diagnosis and treatment of common illnesses: fever, ear infections, bronchitis, chickenpox, and more
- Vaccinations directly at the clinic (an alternative to going to the ASL vaccination centre)
- Prescriptions for medication, lab tests, and specialist referrals on the NHS
- School certificates, sports fitness certificates for non-competitive activity (free), and clearance certificates after illness
- Hospital admissions when needed
Unlike a private pediatrician — who charges for every visit — the NHS-contracted PLS costs you nothing for routine clinic appointments.
Age limits
- 0–6 years: the PLS is mandatory. Children under 6 cannot be registered with the adult family doctor (MMG).
- 6–14 years: you can choose to stay with the PLS or switch to the adult MMG. Most parents keep the pediatrician given their specialisation in child health.
- 14–16 years: the switch to the MMG becomes mandatory. The ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale — your local public-health authority) sends an automatic letter listing available adult doctors.
Who can register
The right to a free pediatrician applies to all children resident or domiciled in Lazio, regardless of their parents' nationality:
- Children of Italian and EU citizens
- Children of non-EU citizens holding a valid permesso di soggiorno (residence permit for non-EU citizens)
- Children of asylum seekers and refugees
- Adopted children or children in foster care
- Children of undocumented parents: Italian law still guarantees access to a PLS. The ASL issues an STP card (Straniero Temporaneamente Presente — a health card for temporarily present foreigners) for the child, which provides continuous pediatric care with no reporting to immigration authorities.
Three ways to register
Online via the FSE (fastest option)
- Go to fascicolosanitario.regione.lazio.it
- Log in with SPID (Italy's digital identity for accessing online public services), CIE (Italian electronic ID card), or CNS as the child's guardian
- Go to "Scelta del medico" and select your child from the family members listed
- Browse available PLS pediatricians in your Municipio (district) — the system shows how many spots are still open
- Confirm your choice: the registration appears in the system within 24–48 hours
In person at the ASL desk
Bring your child's Tessera Sanitaria and your own ID to the scelta/revoca (choice/change) desk at your local ASL. Registration is immediate. You'll receive a provisional document valid from the same day; the updated health card with the pediatrician's name arrives by post within 30–60 days.
For newborns
After the birth declaration at the hospital (within 3 days) or at the Comune (city hall / municipality, within 10 days), the Comune forwards the data to the relevant ASL. The ASL automatically registers the newborn with the SSN and sends you a letter listing available pediatricians. Go to the ASL desk with the newborn's Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID — your personal 16-character code, used for almost everything) to make your choice.
ASL registration desks in Rome
ASL Roma 1 (Municipalities I, II, III, XIII, XIV, XV)
Main number: 06 68351
- District 1 — Borgo Santo Spirito 3, 00193 — tel. 06 68352301
- District 2 — Via Padova 96, 00161 — tel. 06 77302501
- District 3 — Via Monte Pertica 12, 00141 — tel. 06 68354401
- District 13 — Via Boccea 271, 00167 — tel. 06 68352204
- District 14 — Via Stresa 14, 00135 — tel. 06 68352340
- District 15 — Via Cassia km 17,400, 00123 — tel. 06 68354802
ASL Roma 2 (Municipalities IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX)
Main number: 06 51001
- District 4 — Via dei Crispolti 142, 00158 — tel. 06 41435150
- District 5 — Via dei Castani 132, 00172 — tel. 06 51008407
- District 6 — Via di Torre Spaccata 157, 00169 — tel. 06 51005612
- District 7 — Via Monza 2, 00182 — tel. 06 51009160
- District 8 — Largo delle Sette Chiese 25, 00145 — tel. 06 51005307
- District 9 — Via Ignazio Silone 1, 00143 — tel. 06 51005440
ASL Roma 3 (Municipalities X, XI, XII)
Main number: 06 56481
- District 10 — Via Cardinal Ginnasi 4, 00121 Ostia — tel. 06 56487541
- District 11 — Via Portuense 575, 00148 — tel. 06 56484201
- District 12 — Circ.ne Gianicolense 87, 00152 — tel. 06 56482640
To search for a specific PLS with open spots: salutelazio.it → "Trova il tuo medico", or the SaluteLazio app (iOS/Android).
What to do when the pediatrician is full
Each NHS pediatrician can have a maximum of 800 children on their list. Once they reach that cap, they stop accepting new registrations until spots open up.
In Rome, central municipalities (I, II, VII) tend to have fewer openings; the outer districts usually have more availability. Practical tip: when you search, identify 3–4 pediatricians as backup options so you can quickly find one with space.
Mistakes to avoid
- Confusing the PLS with a private pediatrician. If a pediatrician charges you for a routine clinic visit, they are operating privately — they are not your NHS-contracted PLS. Your PLS never charges for standard appointments.
- Not updating your address when you move. If you change district or ASL, update your domicile with the ASL and consider switching to a closer pediatrician. The change is free.
- Waiting until the pediatrician's list is full before looking for alternatives. Run the search on FSE Lazio as soon as the child is registered with the SSN, so you have time to compare options.
Special cases
Child turning 6: keep the PLS or switch to an adult doctor? The ASL contacts you at the sixth birthday. In most cases it makes sense to keep the PLS until age 14: the doctor already knows the child's medical history, manages adolescent vaccinations like HPV, and is trained in developmental health issues.
Children with chronic illness or disability. They can request an exemption to choose a pediatrician who specialises in their condition, even outside their home municipality. Submit the request to the local UOC (district health unit) along with the specialist's documentation.
Pediatrician going on retirement or parental leave. The ASL appoints a temporary substitute and notifies parents. You can still change PLS at any time, without waiting for the substitution to end.
Child living in a different municipality from their official residence. You can request an exemption to register with a PLS in the municipality where the child actually lives (for example, if they are staying with grandparents). Submit a written request with reasons at the ASL desk.
Sports fitness certificates. The certificate for non-competitive sport is free under the NHS (DM 24/04/2013). The certificate for competitive sport is paid and requires a specialist sports-medicine examination.
Official sources
- Salute Lazio — Regional health portal
- Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico Lazio (FSE) — Electronic health record
- ASL Roma 1
- ASL Roma 2
- ASL Roma 3
- ASL Roma 4
- ASL Roma 5
- ASL Roma 6
- Regione Lazio — Health for residents
- Ministry of Health — Free-choice pediatrician
- SISAC — National collective agreements
Legal references: Legge 23/12/1978 n. 833 (establishment of the SSN); DPR 28/07/2000 n. 272; current ACN on free-choice pediatrics; DPCM 12/01/2017 (LEA); DM Salute 24/04/2013 (sports certificates); D.Lgs. 286/1998 art. 35; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, New York 1989.