Rental Contract Types in Rome: Which of the 5 to Choose
4+4, 3+2, temporary, student, and short-term tourist lets each follow different rules. Pick the right one and save on taxes.
In a Nutshell
Italy doesn't have one standard rental contract — it has five, each with its own duration, rent rules, and tax treatment. In Rome, picking the right type can make a real difference for both landlord and tenant. Every rental contract must be written and registered with Agenzia delle Entrate (Italy's tax-revenue agency) within 30 days of signing. An unregistered contract is legally void.
At a Glance
| Registration cost | 2% of the annual rent + €16 revenue stamp every 4 pages (waived under the flat-tax regime) |
| Durations | 4+4, 3+2, temporary up to 18 months, student 6–36 months, tourist max 30 days |
| Where in Rome | Agenzia delle Entrate (7 offices) or online with SPID (Italy's digital identity for accessing online public services) via RLI Web |
| Core documents | Photo ID, Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID — your personal 16-character code), cadastral survey, APE energy certificate |
The 5 Contract Types
1. Open-Market 4+4 Contract
The most common residential lease. It runs for 4 years and renews automatically for another 4. The rent is freely negotiated between the parties.
At the first renewal (year 4), the landlord can decline to renew only for specific reasons defined by law: personal use or use by a second-degree relative, sale of the property, full renovation, or the tenant having another suitable home available. At the second renewal (year 8), the landlord can exit freely with 6 months' notice.
Tax treatment for the landlord: ordinary IRPEF (Italian personal income tax) or the 21% flat tax (cedolare secca — a substitute flat-rate tax replacing IRPEF and registration tax on rental income). This contract gives the most freedom on rent but offers tenants stronger renewal protections.
2. Agreed-Rent 3+2 Contract (Canone Concordato)
Runs for 3 years + automatic 2-year renewal. The rent is not freely set: it must fall within the bands established by the Territorial Agreement for the Municipality of Rome (Accordo Territoriale del Comune di Roma), which fixes minimum and maximum amounts by zone (historic centre, semi-central, outer suburbs, fringe areas) and property characteristics.
To access the tax benefits, the contract must be certified (asseverazione) by a signatory association: on the tenant side — SUNIA, SICET, UNIAT; on the landlord side — Confedilizia, ASPPI, Confabitare.
Because Rome is classified as a high housing-pressure city, the tax advantages are significant: 10% flat tax instead of 21%, a reduced IMU (Italian property tax) rate set by the municipality, and a 30% reduction of the taxable base for IRPEF purposes. Tenants also benefit from IRPEF deductions that vary with income.
3. Temporary Contract (Transitorio)
For documented short-term needs: a fixed-term job, a work secondment, waiting for another home, or family circumstances. Duration: 1 to 18 months. It cannot be renewed — if it is, it converts automatically into a 4+4 by law.
The temporary reason must be stated in the contract and backed by documentation (e.g. a fixed-term employment contract or a transfer letter). In Rome, because of the high housing-pressure classification, the rent must respect the Territorial Agreement bands. Tax: 21% flat tax (10% if the rent falls within the agreed-rent bands).
Warning: if the temporary need is not genuine, the contract is void or will be converted into a 4+4 by a court.
4. Student Rental Contract
Reserved for students enrolled at a university or postgraduate programme in a city other than their registered home address. Duration: 6 to 36 months, renewable at expiry. In Rome, the rent follows the Territorial Agreement. Flat tax: 10%.
The contract can be in the student's name, jointly in the names of several students, or in a parent's name. To sign, you'll need a photo ID and a current university enrolment certificate (provisional enrolment is acceptable). The student can give notice with 1–3 months' advance warning, as specified in the contract.
5. Short-Term Tourist Let (Locazione Breve)
For stays under 30 days for tourism purposes. Registration with the Agenzia delle Entrate is not required as long as each individual stay is under 30 consecutive days. The guest cannot register their residency at the property. Flat tax: 21% (26% from the second property used for short lets).
Mandatory requirements: submit the guest registration form (schedina alloggiati) to the Questura (police headquarters — also issues residence permits) within 24 hours via the Alloggiati Web portal; display the CIN (Codice Identificativo Nazionale — national short-let identification code, mandatory from 2025); and collect the tourist tax (tassa di soggiorno) to remit to the Municipality of Rome (€4–10 per night depending on the property category). Ancillary services such as cleaning and linen are permitted, but full hotel-style services are not.
Comparison Table
| Type | Duration | Rent | Flat tax | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-market 4+4 | 4+4 years | Free | 21% | Everyone, long-term |
| Agreed-rent 3+2 | 3+2 years | Territorial Agreement bands | 10% | Everyone — especially good value in Rome |
| Temporary | 1–18 months | Agreed-rent bands in Rome | 21% (10% if agreed-rent) | Documented short-term needs |
| Student | 6–36 months | Agreed-rent bands | 10% | University students away from home |
| Short-term tourist | Max 30 days | Free | 21% / 26% | Tourists; no residency allowed |
Documents You Need to Sign
For every contract type you'll need: valid photo ID for both landlord and tenant, Codice Fiscale for both, a cadastral survey of the property, a valid APE (Attestato di Prestazione Energetica — energy performance certificate, valid for 10 years), and a declaration of compliance for electrical and plumbing systems (D.M. 37/2008). For agreed-rent, temporary, and student contracts, you also need a certification of compliance from a union or association.
As a tenant, it's also worth asking for the habitability certificate and the building's condominium regulations.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Verbal agreements. Legally void under Legge 431/1998 art. 1 c. 4. Only a tenant can petition a court to have one recognised — but it's a slow and uncertain process.
- Temporary contract without a genuine temporary need. If the short-term reason is not real and documented, the contract converts to a 4+4. The tax saving isn't worth the legal risk.
- Agreed-rent contract without certification. Without the association's compliance stamp, you get neither the 10% flat tax nor the IMU reduction.
- Missing or unattached APE certificate. Makes the rent clauses voidable and carries a fine of €300 to €3,000.
Special Cases
Renting to a non-EU foreigner: The landlord must file a property transfer notice (comunicazione di cessione di fabbricato) with the Questura within 48 hours of handing over the keys.
Subletting: Forbidden without the landlord's written consent. An unauthorised sublet is grounds for immediate contract termination.
Multiple tenants (flatmates): The contract can be jointly in all tenants' names — they are jointly and severally liable for rent and damages. Alternatively, a separate contract can be drawn up for each room.
Furnished vs unfurnished: The contract type doesn't change, but market rent does. For furnished properties, attach an inventory with photos.
Official Sources
- Agenzia delle Entrate — Registering rental contracts
- Agenzia delle Entrate — Flat-tax regime (cedolare secca)
- Normattiva — Legge 431/1998
- Normattiva — Legge 392/1978
- Municipality of Rome — Territorial Agreement on agreed rents
- SUNIA — Tenants' union
- Ministry of the Interior — Alloggiati Web
Legal references: Legge 9/12/1998 n. 431, Legge 27/07/1978 n. 392, DM 16/01/2017, DL 50/2017 art. 4, DLgs 23/2011 art. 3, DL 145/2023 art. 13-ter, Codice Civile artt. 1571–1614.