Booking Specialist Appointments in Rome with the ReCUP System
Phone, app, or in person: how to use the Lazio ReCUP booking system, what you need to bring, what the priority codes mean, and how to avoid the fine for missed appointments.
In a nutshell
ReCUP is the Lazio Region's unified booking system for specialist visits, diagnostic tests, and therapies at public and accredited private facilities. All you need are two things: the NRE code on the prescription your GP gave you, and your Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID — your personal 16-character code). You can book by phone, via app, or in person at a desk.
At a glance
| Cost | Call charged at local rate. Visit ticket: from €19.60 (or €0 if exempt). |
| Maximum wait times | Urgent (U): 72 hours · Short (B): 10 days · Deferrable (D): 30 days · Routine (P): 120 days |
| Phone | 06 9939 — Mon–Fri 7:30–19:30, Sat 7:30–13:00 |
| Online | prenotasmart.regione.lazio.it — SaluteLazio app (SPID / CIE) |
How it works: from prescription to appointment
The process is always the same — four steps.
Step 1 — Get your prescription from your doctor. Your GP or an SSN (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale — Italy's national health service) specialist issues an electronic prescription specifying the service needed (e.g. "cardiological examination"), the priority code (U, B, D, or P), and any exemption code. You receive a printed slip — the promemoria — with a 15-digit NRE number and a barcode. Keep it: it's your key to booking. Prescriptions for visits and tests are valid for one year.
Step 2 — Choose how to book. You have three main options:
- Phone 06 9939: call, give your Codice Fiscale and NRE, and an operator will offer you the first available slot near you. You receive an SMS with the location, date, and ticket amount.
- SaluteLazio app (iOS/Android) or the portal prenotasmart.regione.lazio.it: log in with SPID (Italy's digital identity for accessing public services online) or CIE (Italian electronic ID card), enter the NRE (or let it auto-fetch from your Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico — your online health record), then pick a facility and date. Available 24/7. Note: the app only handles first-time appointments with priority B and D and certain tests. For priority U or P, or for other service types, use the phone or go in person.
- ReCUP/CUP desk: go in person with your prescription, Tessera Sanitaria (Italian health-insurance card), and ID. Some accredited pharmacies ("Farmacup") offer the same service.
Step 3 — Pay the ticket. The ticket for a specialist visit in Lazio starts at €19.60 (the flat €5 booking fee was abolished in 2023). You can pay online after booking via the link in your SMS, through the IO app (pagoPA), at bank counters, at the post office, or at the facility's cashier on the day of the visit. If you have an exemption code you pay nothing.
Step 4 — Show up. Arrive 15 minutes early, and bring your Tessera Sanitaria, ID, proof of ticket payment (or the pagoPA code), and your prescription slip. If you can't make it, cancel at least 48 hours in advance via the app or by calling 06 9939 — cancellation is free. If you skip this, you risk a fine of €19.60 to €25, even if you were ticket-exempt.
Where to book in Rome
ReCUP covers outpatient clinics in all Rome's ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale — your local public-health authority) districts and the main hospital trusts: Policlinico Umberto I, Tor Vergata, Sant'Andrea, San Camillo-Forlanini, San Giovanni-Addolorata, Gemelli (CUP 06 88805454), Policlinico Umberto I (CUP 06 49978100), and specialist research hospitals (IRCCS) such as Spallanzani, Bambino Gesù, Regina Elena, and Santa Lucia.
If you prefer face-to-face help, CUP desks are located in all ASL districts (Roma 1–6) and hospital sites. For Farmacup pharmacies, look for the symbol in the window or ask the pharmacist.
Priority codes: your rights on waiting times
Every prescription carries a code telling you the maximum time within which the Region must guarantee your appointment:
| Code | Meaning | Specialist visit | Diagnostic test |
|---|---|---|---|
| U — Urgent | Non-deferrable problem | within 72 hours | within 72 hours |
| B — Short | Situation needing prompt attention | within 10 days | within 10 days |
| D — Deferrable | No immediate risk | within 30 days | within 60 days |
| P — Routine | Planned check-up | within 120 days | within 180 days |
If ReCUP cannot offer you a date within these windows you have the right to the guarantee pathway (percorso di garanzia): ask the operator or desk staff explicitly. In that case you may be directed to an accredited private facility at the same SSN ticket price, or in some cases — for priority B and U — to a hospital's private-practice service at a reduced or waived fee.
Mistakes to avoid
- Not cancelling your appointment. If your plans change, cancel within 48 hours via the app or by calling 06 9939. The fine applies even to exempt patients, and a no-show blocks a slot someone else needs.
- Confusing ReCUP with intramoenia CUP desks. ReCUP is for SSN services (with the standard ticket). Intramoenia is the private-practice service run by public doctors, with free-market fees (often €100–€250), and you book it through the hospital's own website. They are completely separate systems.
- Using paid private websites or call centres. ReCUP is free. Anyone charging you money to book an SSN appointment is defrauding you. If you have trouble with the language or the app, go to a Patronato (free union-run office helping with social-security and public-services paperwork) or a public library for free assistance.
Special cases
Priority U — how it actually works. Urgent appointments are not booked through the ReCUP app or phone line. Your GP can call the facility's CUP desk directly, or you can go in person to the CUP desk at the hospital named on your prescription slip.
You're a foreigner without a fixed address. You can still book. Just provide a mobile number (a family member's or friend's will do) to receive the confirmation SMS. You collect the report in person or through a written proxy.
Booking for a family member. You can book on behalf of a spouse, a minor child, or an elderly parent: all you need is their Codice Fiscale and their NRE number. Some functions of the SaluteLazio app allow family delegations through the Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico.
Collecting your results. After the visit, the report is uploaded to the Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico Lazio within 7–15 days. Log in with SPID or CIE to download it. You can also pick up a paper copy at the facility.
Official sources
- Salute Lazio — ReCUP Prenota Smart
- Salute Lazio — Booking a specialist visit
- Regione Lazio — ReCUP
- ReCUP Prenota Smart portal
- Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico Lazio
- Ministry of Health — National Waiting-List Plan
- ASL Roma 4 — How to book a visit
Legal references: DPCM 12/01/2017 (LEA), DM 12/03/2019 (Piano Nazionale Liste d'Attesa), DM Salute 02/11/2022 e 14/04/2023 (priority codes U-B-D-P), DL 07/06/2024 n. 73 conv. L. 107/2024, DGR Lazio 1056/2022, DGR Lazio 357/2023.