Support Administrator in Rome: how to apply, step by step
Do you have an elderly or vulnerable family member who can no longer manage their bank account, pension, or medical decisions on their own? Italy's Amministratore di Sostegno is the right tool — here's how to get one appointed at Rome's civil court.
In a nutshell
The Amministratore di Sostegno (AdS) — Italy's court-appointed "support administrator" — is a person named by a judge to help someone who, due to illness, old age, or disability, can no longer manage their own affairs: bank accounts, pension payments, utility bills, contracts, medical decisions. Unlike full legal incapacitation (interdizione), the person being helped does not lose their legal capacity: the AdS steps in only where needed, fully respecting the person's autonomy and dignity. The legal basis is Legge 6/2004.
At a glance
| Cost | No court filing fee. Marca da bollo (revenue stamp): €27. No lawyer required. Free legal aid available if ISEE (income-and-wealth indicator used to qualify for means-tested benefits) is below €12,838.01. |
| Timeline | Emergency appointment: 7–30 days. Standard procedure: 60–120 days. |
| Where in Rome | Tribunale Ordinario di Roma (Rome Civil Court), Viale Giulio Cesare 54 — Cancelleria Volontaria Giurisdizione (Voluntary Jurisdiction Registry), ground floor. Mon–Fri 9:00–12:30. |
| Documents needed | Medical certificate, ID documents of the person being helped, household registration (stato di famiglia), list of assets, ISEE certificate (if applying for free legal aid). |
What a Support Administrator actually does
The judge's decree sets out the exact scope of the appointment. The AdS can either assist the person for certain acts (both sign together), or substitute them where they genuinely cannot act alone (the AdS signs instead). Everything outside the decree's scope remains fully in the hands of the person being helped.
Every 12 months the AdS must file a financial report and a personal update with the judge. Fail to do so and the judge can remove them from the role.
The AdS is Legge 6/2004's answer to a straightforward question: how do you protect a vulnerable person without stripping away their legal identity? That's why courts today overwhelmingly prefer this tool over full incapacitation (interdizione), which is now reserved for extreme cases only.
Who can file the petition
You don't have to wait for a crisis. A petition to the Giudice Tutelare (the guardianship judge) can be filed by:
- the person themselves (even in advance, to name a preferred AdS while still fully capable)
- the spouse, live-in partner, or civil-union partner
- relatives up to the 4th degree: parents, children, siblings, aunts/uncles, nieces/nephews, first cousins
- in-laws up to the 2nd degree: parents-in-law, siblings-in-law, sons-/daughters-in-law
- the Public Prosecutor
- health and social-service workers responsible for the person's care (they are legally obliged to report to the Public Prosecutor when they spot the need)
How the process works
Step 1 — Gather the documents. You need a medical certificate describing the condition and the reduction in the person's ability to manage their affairs. This can be written by the person's GP (medico di famiglia), a specialist, or an ASL (Azienda Sanitaria Locale — your local public-health authority) geriatrician, often at no charge. Add the person's ID and Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID — your personal 16-character code, used for almost everything), the household registration document (stato di famiglia), a list of their main assets (home, bank accounts, pension), and — if you're requesting free legal aid — the ISEE certificate.
Step 2 — Fill in the petition form. The official form is available on the Rome Civil Court website. You'll need to state: the person's personal details, your relationship to them, the condition limiting their autonomy, the name of the person you're proposing as AdS, and the list of acts for which assistance or representation is needed. A lawyer is not required: you can file the petition yourself or with the help of a Patronato (free union-run office helping with social-security and immigration paperwork) or CAF (free assistance offices for tax forms and benefits applications), such as ACLI or INCA.
Step 3 — File at the registry. Take the petition to the Cancelleria della Volontaria Giurisdizione at the Tribunale Ordinario di Roma, Viale Giulio Cesare 54, ground floor. Opening hours: Mon–Fri 9:00–12:30. Bring the €27 marca da bollo. No standard court filing fee applies.
Step 4 — The judge hears the person. The judge is legally required to interview the person who will be helped — in person. If they cannot travel, the judge will come to their home, care facility, or hospital. This is the moment where the person's real situation and, above all, their wishes are assessed.
Step 5 — The appointment decree. The judge issues a decree naming the AdS, setting the duration of the appointment, and listing precisely which acts the AdS may perform. The AdS then takes an oath before the judge, and the decree is registered at the Anagrafe (civil-registry office at the Comune — city hall/municipality) of the municipality where the person being helped is registered.
Mistakes to avoid
- Signing documents on behalf of the person before the official appointment. Until the decree is issued, any signature made in their name has no legal force and may constitute a criminal offence.
- Using the person's bank account for personal expenses. The assets of the person being helped must be managed exclusively in their interest. The judge reviews this every year through the mandatory financial report.
- Selling property or carrying out major transactions without the judge's authorisation. Mortgages, real-estate sales, accepting or renouncing an inheritance, initiating litigation — all of these require a specific authorisation from the judge. Without it, the transaction can be annulled.
Special cases
Person in a nursing home or hospital. If they cannot come to court, the judge travels to their home, care facility, or hospital for the hearing. Attach a medical certificate confirming they are unable to travel when you file the petition.
Family members can't agree. If relatives disagree on who should be the AdS, the judge hears everyone involved. If the disagreement cannot be resolved, the judge often appoints a neutral third party — typically a lawyer registered on the Rome Civil Court's dedicated list.
Elderly person living alone, no family. The referral usually comes from the municipality's social services (Servizi Sociali del Municipio) or the person's GP. The judge will appoint a volunteer AdS (from an association or professional registered on the court's lists) or a public AdS.
The person objects to the appointment. The judge assesses whether the person genuinely understands their situation. If their objection is informed and no serious risk exists, the petition may be rejected. In critical situations the judge can still appoint an AdS with the minimum powers strictly necessary.
Designating your own AdS in advance. Italian law lets you state in writing — while you are still fully capable — who you would want as your Support Administrator if you ever lose capacity in the future. You can do this via a notarised deed or an authenticated private document. The judge is bound to honour your choice, barring serious reasons to deviate.
Official sources
- Ministry of Justice — Cartabia Reform
- Ministry of Justice — Family and Minors
- Rome Civil Court
- Legge 6/2004 — Normattiva
- Roma Capitale — Social services
- Regione Lazio — Health (ASL and districts)
Legal references: Legge 9 gennaio 2004 n. 6; Codice Civile artt. 404–413, 374–376; Codice di Procedura Civile artt. 712, 720-bis; DLgs 10 ottobre 2022 n. 149 (Riforma Cartabia); Legge 22 dicembre 2017 n. 219 (DAT).