Codice fiscale — FAQ
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often.
- How is the codice fiscale calculated?
- It has 16 characters: 3 letters from the surname, 3 from the first name, 2 digits for the birth year, 1 letter for the month, 2 digits for the day (with +40 for women), 4 characters for the municipality or country of birth, and a final control character.
- Is a calculated code legally valid?
- The algorithm is official, so the calculation is correct in the vast majority of cases — but only the code assigned by the Agenzia delle Entrate and recorded in the tax registry is valid for legal purposes. The agency also handles omocodia (two people generating the same code).
- What is omocodia?
- The case where two different people would generate the same code. The Revenue Agency then modifies one code by replacing digits with letters (0→L, 1→M … 9→V) and recalculating the final character. Codes with letters in digit positions are valid omocodia variants.
- What do the last 5 characters before the final letter mean?
- Positions 12–15 are the cadastral (Belfiore) code of the birthplace: a letter plus three digits for Italian municipalities (H501 = Rome), or a Z-code for foreign countries. Position 16 is the checksum character.
- Can someone read my personal data from my code?
- Partially, yes: sex, day and month of birth, year (without century) and birthplace are openly encoded. Your full name is not recoverable (only consonant hints), and the code contains no address, income or contact data.
- How do I get an official codice fiscale as a foreigner?
- Free of charge, either at the Italian consulate covering your area (form AA4/8) or in person at any Agenzia delle Entrate office in Italy — usually same-day. No paid intermediary is ever required.
- Is this tool safe to use?
- Yes: both the calculator and the verifier run entirely in your browser. No personal data is transmitted, logged or stored — there is no server receiving your details.
- Why does the verifier say my code is invalid?
- Most often it's a transcription issue: the letter O instead of the digit 0, a wrong month letter (June is H), or a missing +40 on the day for women. If the structure is fine but the final character doesn't match, one of the 15 preceding characters is wrong.
Didn't find your answer? Try the calculator, verify a code, or read how to get the official code.