How long does it really take to be ready to host legally in Italy?

[Lamberto-and-Enrica0]

Hi everyone!

I’ve seen many new hosts asking how long it takes to get everything ready before opening a holiday home in Italy, so I thought I’d share a realistic 2024–2025 timeline based on what I’ve seen with many properties.

Even if the process looks simple on paper, the real preparation time is usually 3 to 4 weeks, because several steps depend on different offices and safety requirements.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

1️⃣ CIN – National Identification Code (7–14 days)

• Once all documents are correct, regional offices (like MOTouristOffice in Tuscany) take around a week to activate the structure, and the national CIN appears shortly after.

2️⃣ Police registration (Alloggiati Web) – 3 to 7 days

• You need the Questura credentials to register guest arrivals.
• Depending on the province, approval can be fast or a little slower.

3️⃣ Safety equipment – done before hosting

• Many new hosts are surprised to learn that Italy requires basic safety measures before listing, including:
  • certified fire extinguisher
  • smoke detector
  • CO detector (where needed)
  • emergency instructions
  • signage for exits
  • first aid kit
    
    These are simple but essential steps, and inspections are becoming stricter each year.

4️⃣ Optional (but increasingly common): Property compliance checks 

• In some regions or municipalities, additional checks (like SCIA) may be required depending on whether the activity is non-professional or professional.

🕒 Why starting early helps 

• Because each step depends on a different office, starting the process one month before hosting avoids stress and last-minute delays — especially before peak season.

Curious to hear from other hosts:

How long did your approval process take?
Faster? Slower? Any tips for new hosts?

Hope this helps someone preparing their home! 😊

[Elisa]

Hi @Lamberto-and-Enrica0 😊, 

Thank you for sharing this here.

It will be useful for other hosts, you detailed the process very well.

Did you know we also have an Italian community?

I recommend sharing it there too 👉 Forum globale ufficiale degli host di Airbnb. 

[Lamberto-and-Enrica0]

Hi @Simone1229 and @Elisa 😊
Thank you both for your thoughtful replies!

@Simone1229, you’re absolutely right — the CIN timeline varies significantly from region to region, and that’s one of the reasons so many new hosts feel confused.
In some areas it can be extremely fast (Piedmont is a great example), while others follow a stricter or slower verification path, like Lombardy or parts of Tuscany.
It’s exactly this regional diversity that makes sharing experiences so valuable. Thank you for adding your perspective — it helps paint a more accurate picture for everyone, especially international hosts.

@Elisa, thanks again for your support!
I’m really glad the post was helpful, and I appreciate you highlighting the Italian-language community as well — I’ll definitely take a look there.
What I love about this space is that each host brings a different piece of the puzzle, and together it becomes much clearer for anyone who’s just starting out.

If more hosts want to share their timelines from different regions, it could become a great reference thread for the Community. I’m happy to continue comparing experiences whenever it’s useful!

Thanks again to both of you — looking forward to learning from others too! 🙌

[Lamberto-and-Enrica0]

Thank you so much, Elisa! 😊
I really appreciate your kind words — I’m glad the post was useful to other hosts.

And yes, I didn’t know the Italian community was active on a dedicated forum like that.
Thanks for pointing me to it! I’ll definitely share the information there as well, since many new hosts in Italy face the same questions and timelines.

I’m happy to contribute wherever my experience can be helpful.
Thanks again for the guidance and for keeping this space so welcoming! 🙌

[Elisa]

Ciao @Lamberto-and-Enrica0 😊, 

Thank you for your kind reply as well!

You’ll love the Italian forum, and your help there will be greatly appreciated. Thank you again for bringing so much interesting content to our communities.

[Simone1229]

Hi @Lamberto-and-Enrica0 , I’m not completely in agreement only on the CIN issue — the process actually varies a lot from region to region. For example, in Lombardy it often takes around 60 days, while in Piedmont you can get it in just one day. It’s quite a complex topic, but it’s really helpful to share this kind of information with the international Airbnb community, since many hosts I work with are foreigners — English, German, and others — who can learn how the process works here in Italy.