2,300 euros for registration, 800-1,500 euros for the notary, plus translation of every single document from Ukraine - and that’s before your first client walks through the door. One entrepreneur on an expat forum for Ukrainians in Italy put it this way: “I thought the hardest part would be the business plan. Turns out the hardest part was collecting 12 documents from Ukraine, getting everything translated, getting everything certified at the court, and doing it all before the notary appointment.” If you’re planning to start a business in Italy, here’s what you actually need to translate, where to get it certified, and how much it’ll cost.
Which business structure to choose¶
Italy has several legal forms for businesses. Your choice depends on the scale, number of founders, and how much you’re willing to invest upfront.
Ditta Individuale (sole proprietorship)¶
The simplest form - similar to being a sole trader. One founder, minimal bureaucracy, no notary needed. You get a Partita IVA (business tax number) through the Agenzia delle Entrate and register with the Camera di Commercio (Chamber of Commerce).
The downside - unlimited liability. If things go south, your personal assets are on the line.
S.r.l. (Società a Responsabilità Limitata)¶
Italy’s equivalent of an LLC. The most popular form among foreign entrepreneurs. Minimum share capital is technically 1 euro (yes, one euro), but realistically you’d want at least 10,000 euros for a functioning business.
Registration goes through a notary - that’s mandatory. Liability is limited to your investment, so your personal assets stay protected.
S.r.l.s. (Società a Responsabilità Limitata Semplificata)¶
A simplified version of the SRL. Share capital from 1 to 9,999 euros. Notary services are free (the articles of association use a standardized template approved by Italy’s Ministry of Justice). Great for bootstrapping on a tight budget.
Limitations: only individuals can be shareholders (no corporate entities), and you can’t modify the standard articles template.
S.p.A. (Società per Azioni)¶
A joint-stock company. Minimum capital of 50,000 euros. For most Ukrainian entrepreneurs, this is overkill.
| Structure | Min. capital | Notary | Liability | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ditta Individuale | €0 | No | Unlimited | Freelancers, small businesses |
| S.r.l.s. | €1 | Free | Limited | Startups on a tight budget |
| S.r.l. | €1 (recommended €10,000) | €800-1,500 | Limited | Medium business, foreign investors |
| S.p.A. | €50,000 | €2,000+ | Limited | Large-scale operations |
Permits and permesso: what you need to open a business¶
For citizens of non-EU countries (Ukraine isn’t in the EU), there’s a key legal requirement - the condizione di reciprocità (reciprocity condition). Your home country must recognize equivalent civil rights for Italian citizens. Ukraine meets this condition, so Ukrainians have full rights to open businesses in Italy.
If you’re under temporary protection¶
The permesso di soggiorno per protezione temporanea (extended until March 4, 2027 under Decreto-Law 201/2025) gives you the right to work in Italy, including self-employment (lavoro autonomo). You can register a Ditta Individuale or become a founder of an SRL without a separate work permit. More on temporary protection in Italy and required documents.
If you have a work visa or other permit¶
For self-employment (lavoro autonomo) you need a permesso di soggiorno per lavoro autonomo. If you have a different type of permesso (study, family reasons), you’ll need to change it or get a separate authorization.
Non-EU residents applying for a business visa from abroad need to prove financial capacity - a minimum of 17,493 euros.
Mandatory steps before registration¶
- Get your Codice Fiscale - Italy’s tax identification code
- Have a valid permesso di soggiorno with lavoro autonomo rights
- Open an Italian bank account for depositing share capital (for SRL)
- Find a commercialista (accountant-consultant) - you can’t do business in Italy without one, they guide you through the entire process
Which documents need translation¶
No Italian notary will accept a foreign document without an official translation. Here’s the full list of what you’ll need for company registration.
Documents for company registration¶
| Document | Translation needed? | Translation type |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Yes (for the notarial deed) | Traduzione giurata |
| Codice Fiscale | No (issued in Italy) | - |
| Permesso di soggiorno | No (issued in Italy) | - |
| Criminal record certificate | Yes + apostille | Traduzione giurata with asseverazione |
| Birth certificate | Yes + apostille (if notary requires it) | Traduzione giurata with asseverazione |
| Articles of association of foreign company (if founder is a legal entity) | Yes + apostille | Traduzione giurata with asseverazione |
| Board minutes, powers of attorney | Yes + apostille | Traduzione giurata with asseverazione |
| Diploma / qualification docs (for licensed activities) | Yes + apostille | Traduzione giurata with asseverazione |
How traduzione giurata works¶
Traduzione giurata is a sworn translation done by an official translator who confirms the accuracy under oath before the court clerk (Tribunale). The translator signs and stamps the document, and the court certifies it.
For business-related documents, you also need asseverazione - a procedure that gives the translation full legal force in Italy. Without it, the notary won’t accept your documents for drafting the atto costitutivo (the company’s founding deed).
Apostille: the right order of operations¶
Ukraine is a member of the Hague Convention, so all official documents need to be apostilled in Ukraine before translation. The apostille goes on the original document at the Ministry of Justice or Ministry of Education (for diplomas).
Here’s the correct sequence:
- Obtain the document in Ukraine (or through someone with power of attorney)
- Get the apostille on the original
- Bring it to Italy and get the traduzione giurata with asseverazione
- Submit to the notary or Camera di Commercio
How much it costs: registration and translation¶
Business registration costs¶
| Expense | Ditta Individuale | S.r.l.s. | S.r.l. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notary | Not needed | Free | €800-1,500 |
| Registration fee | ~€88 | ~€309 | ~€400 |
| Stamp duty (imposta di bollo) | ~€18 | ~€65 | ~€156 |
| Annual Chamber of Commerce fee | ~€90 | ~€90 | ~€90 |
| Commercialista (accountant, per year) | €500-1,500 | €1,000-3,000 | €1,500-4,000 |
| Total to get started | ~€700 | ~€1,500 | ~€3,000-6,000 |
Document translation costs¶
Traduzione giurata from Ukrainian to Italian costs 30-80 euros per page on average. Ukrainian isn’t the most common language pair in Italy, so prices tend to be higher than for English or French.
| Service | Cost |
|---|---|
| Translation per page (standard ~200 words) | €30-80 |
| Asseverazione at the Tribunale | ~€80 + VAT (per document up to 7 pages) |
| Marca da bollo (revenue stamp) | €16 per every 4 pages |
| Apostille in Ukraine | ~300-500 UAH per document |
For a typical package of 4-5 documents (passport, criminal record certificate, birth certificate, diploma, power of attorney), budget 500-1,200 euros for translations and certifications.
If you need a certified translation from Ukrainian to Italian, ChatsControl can prepare the initial translation with AI quality checks, which a translator then adapts for asseverazione at the court.
Digital tools: you can’t start without them¶
Italy somehow manages to combine paper-heavy bureaucracy with mandatory digitalization. Running a business requires four digital tools.
SPID (Sistema Pubblico di Identità Digitale) - your digital identity for accessing government portals like Agenzia delle Entrate, INPS, Camera di Commercio. You need a permesso and Codice Fiscale to get one. Available through providers like Poste ID, Lepida, or Namirial - free or 10-20 euros.
PEC (Posta Elettronica Certificata) - certified email, basically a digital registered letter. Mandatory for every business in Italy. You’ll receive official communications from the tax authority, Camera di Commercio, and courts through PEC. Cost: 5-30 euros per year.
Firma Digitale - an electronic signature with the same legal weight as a handwritten one. You need it to submit documents to the Camera di Commercio through the ComUnica system. Cost: 30-80 euros (on a USB token or smart card).
Codice Destinatario - a code for Italy’s electronic invoicing system (fatturazione elettronica). Paper invoices between businesses have been banned in Italy since 2019 - everything goes through SDI (Sistema di Interscambio). Your commercialista will help you set this up.
Step-by-step SRL registration process¶
The SRL is the most popular choice among foreign entrepreneurs. Here’s what the process looks like from start to finish.
- Codice Fiscale - get it through Agenzia delle Entrate or automatically when you apply for your permesso
- Bank account - open one to deposit the share capital (minimum 25% before registration)
- Documents from Ukraine - apostille them in Ukraine, then traduzione giurata with asseverazione in Italy
- Notary - they’ll draft the atto costitutivo (founding deed) and statuto (company bylaws)
- Signing - in person before the notary. If you don’t speak Italian, the law requires a certified interpreter (interprete) to be present, and the notarial deed must be bilingual. That’s an extra 200-500 euros
- Registro delle Imprese - the notary files documents with the Camera di Commercio within 20 days
- PEC and SPID - set these up for access to government services
- Partita IVA - register through Agenzia delle Entrate (free)
- INPS - register for social security contributions
- Start working - and don’t forget about quarterly advance tax payments (acconti)
The whole process from gathering documents to actually operating takes 2 to 6 weeks - depending on how fast you get translations done, the notary’s schedule, and how quickly you can apostille documents in Ukraine.
FAQ¶
Can I start a business in Italy under temporary protection?¶
Yes. The permesso per protezione temporanea gives you the right to lavoro autonomo (self-employment). You can register a Ditta Individuale or become an SRL founder. Temporary protection for Ukrainians runs until March 4, 2027. For long-term planning, it’s worth looking into switching to a different permesso type - like permesso per lavoro autonomo.
How much does it cost to translate founding documents for an Italian business?¶
For a typical package (4-5 documents) - 500 to 1,200 euros, including traduzione giurata, asseverazione, and marche da bollo. One page of Ukrainian-to-Italian translation runs 30 to 80 euros depending on complexity.
What’s the difference between SRL and SRLS for a foreign founder?¶
SRLS is a simplified version with free notary services and a fixed articles template. Capital from 1 to 9,999 euros. A standard SRL gives you more flexibility: you can customize the articles, add legal entities as shareholders, and set up a more complex governance structure. Notary for a standard SRL costs 800-1,500 euros. For a serious business with growth potential, most advisors recommend the standard SRL.
Do I need an apostille on Ukrainian documents for business in Italy?¶
Yes. Ukraine is a Hague Convention member, so all official documents (criminal record certificate, birth certificate, diploma, powers of attorney) must be apostilled before translation. Without an apostille, the traduzione giurata won’t carry legal weight for the notary.
Do I have to speak Italian to register a business?¶
Not technically, but it’ll cost you more if you don’t. By law, if you don’t speak Italian, a certified interpreter (interprete) must be present when signing the notarial deed, and the deed itself must be bilingual. That adds 200-500 euros. Plus, day-to-day communication with your commercialista, bank, and government offices requires at least basic Italian - or a permanent interpreter.