How do credit scores work in Italy: Complete guide for expats

If you’re an expat in Italy, knowing how credit history is reported there is helpful. Having a stronger Italian credit report can help you get a better interest rate if you apply for a loan, mortgage or credit card. As your credit history is an important measure of your creditworthiness it can also be used when setting up long term utilities or phone contracts, or even getting approved to rent an apartment.

So – what is a good credit score in Italy and how can I check my credit history to know where I stand? This guide walks through the agencies which operate credit reports in Italy, and how to improve your score if you need to.

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Overview of the Italian credit system

Each country has its own credit system so if you’re a new arrival or expat you’ll want to get to grips with how credit scores and credit history work in Italy.

Having a local credit history in Italy is important as it’s one way your creditworthiness is established when you take out credit, or take on a contract like a rental agreement on a home, or a new phone or broadband agreement. Unfortunately when you move countries you might find you have to build your local credit history from scratch.

We’ll cover how to check an Italian credit report in this guide, as well as how you can improve your credit report to make it easier to manage your Italian finances.

This guide is for information only. If you need support with understanding your Italian credit score, get professional financial advice.

Understanding credit scores in Italy

Credit reporting in Italy may not work the same as in your home country. While in many countries there’s a unified credit score used for each consumer based on their broad spending and financial management habits, Italy has a more nuanced approach.

Instead of having a single assigned score, all important information about your financial history is kept in the Central Credit Register (CR) managed by the Bank of Italy. From here. Banks and other organisations can obtain a credit report based on the factors which are important in their decision making.

This can mean that there’s a different credit report produced about an individual applying for a credit card compared to someone applying for an apartment contract for example. While both reports draw on the same core data, they may not give equal weighting to the same factors, and so each report could be quite different. All that really matters is that the organisation checking your score – like a bank or a credit card company – agrees your report is adequate for the services they’re offering.

Information in the Central Credit Register is provided by banks, financial companies, and other intermediaries, and records things like loans you’ve taken out, repayments made (or missed), and other financial information which may be pertinent when assessing risk and creditworthiness. This can give a holistic view of your financial situation. Individuals are entitled to view their own data at any time, and can get reports through credit rating companies like Experian Italy.

Credit bureaus and credit reports in Italy

As we’ve seen, your credit history in Italy is stored by the Bank of Italy, but can be accessed either directly or through a credit rating and reporting company. Here are a few places to start if you’re interested in learning more about your own Italian credit history.

• Bank of Italy – Central Credit Register (CR) managed by the Bank of Italy
• Experian Italy – Credit rating company
• CRIF – Credit rating company

Why credit scores matter for expats in Italy

Italian credit reports can be used for the following:

• Mortgage applications and home buying requirements
• Credit card approvals and interest rates
• Personal loan access and terms
• Rental applications and security deposits
• Insurance premium calculations
• Employment background checks (where applicable)
• Utility deposits and service connections

If you don’t have a good Italian credit report you may find your opportunities for getting credit are limited, and interest rates are higher than you’d like when your applications are approved.

What affects your credit score in Italy?

The factors which impact your Italian credit score negatively depend on the report type being generated. Agencies do not share the exact metrics used by different banks or organisations asking for reports. However, the factors taken into account may include:

• Having little or no credit history – important for expat new arrivals in Italy
• Repeat credit checks – such as if you’re applying for many credit cards or other loan products all at once
• Bill payment history – keep up with your commitments for a better score
• Running close to your credit limits when spending on a credit card – or missing repayments entirely
• Borrowing more than you can repay – which can result in legal judgements against your name which damage your score significantly

Starting with no credit history as an expat

When you first move to Italy you will often find you have no credit history that’s visible to Italian credit agencies. That means you’ll need to build your credit score as quickly as possible through sensible steps and budget management.

How to build credit as an expat in Italy

There are steps you can take to ensure your Italian credit score improves, which can mean your future loans and credit cost you less. Here are some ways to build credit as an expat in Italy:

• Make regular payments – such as direct debits which show you can manage your money effectively
• Do not borrow too much, and repay credit cards regularly – avoid missing repayments or running up too much debt
• Check and correct errors in your score – check your credit score often and ask to see your credit file. If there are errors in the file you can ask the agency to correct them which can improve your score

Timelines for building credit in Italy as an expat

There’s no single timeline to build your credit score as it will all depend on your individual circumstance. However, here’s an overview of some common actions you might take to improve your Italian credit score, and the timings which may work for many expats:

Types of credit in Italy and their impact

There are some different types of credit which may influence your credit score in Italy in different ways:

Using credit scores in Italy for major purchases

Credit scores in Italy are used when you apply for financing of different types – here are some common occasions when your credit score may be important in dictating your approval rates of the credit interest rates you get:

Expats in Italy may find that large or regular payments such as a mortgage or car loan involve sending money from abroad to be received in Italy to cover your repayments. In this case, keep your costs low with international transfers from Wise. You get the mid-market rate with low fees – and there are progressive discounts on the costs when you send higher amounts, with a dedicated support team to help you through every step of the transfer.

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Credit score monitoring and improvement in Italy

It’s a good idea to ask to view your credit file from the Bank of Italy, and get reports from providers like Experian on a regular basis until your credit history in Italy is stable and established. Spotting and correcting errors or omissions in your report can help you improve your credit report in the end.

Credit in Italy for different expat situations

It’s common to require credit from time to time, but the reasons and types of credit needed by expats might vary a lot depending on your situation. For example:

• International students may want to apply for a student credit card, which will require a credit check or guarantor in many cases
• Temporary workers may need a credit check to access housing or get a phone for use in Italy
• Permanent residents may be concerned with long-term credit building to get cheaper access to long term products like mortgages
• Digital nomads may need to maintain credit across borders by building a history in Italy whilst also managing their credit history in their home country

While you’re thinking about managing your expat finances in Italy, why not take a look at Wise for low cost currency conversion, easy international transfers, secure card spending and no maintenance account fees.

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Common credit mistakes expats make in Italy

Let’s round out with a few common credit mistakes expats make in Italy so you can avoid the pitfalls:

• Not understanding the Italian credit system – credit scores and history work differently in Italy compared to many countries
• Failing to appreciate the need for a local credit history – even if you don’t want a loan you may need an Italian credit score to secure housing or get a phone
• Opening many accounts and cards all at once – applying for several credit cards can look irresponsible to agencies preparing your credit reports
• Putting too much on credit – moving country is costly, but maxing your cards can mean damaging your long term credit score

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Getting professional help and resources

If you’re struggling with your money in Italy you’ll need to take professional advice to help you get on top of things. Your own bank may be able to work with you to find a solution to your money worries. Or you may find support from lawyers or consumer associations in your local area.

There are also some helpful digital resources you may want to draw on to learn more and tap into support networks:

• Project Riparto – collaboration including the Ministry of Work and Social Policies, helping with consumer debt (in Italian)
• Adiconsum – consumer association which may help with debt counseling and resolution (in Italian)
• Movimento Consumatori – consumer association working against things like loan sharking (in Italian)

FAQ

How to check credit score in Italy?

Apply to check your details in the Central Credit Register (CR), managed by the Bank of Italy, online or in a Bank or Italy branch. Viewing your information does not cost anything but it may take 30 days for a report. Private credit agencies like Experian may be able to get information to you more quickly, depending on the specific report you require.

Useful resources

• Bank of Italy – Access to the Central Credit Register (CR) managed by the Bank of Italy
• Experian Italy – Credit rating company with details of service and links
• CRIF – Credit rating company with details of service and links
• Project Riparto – collaboration including the Ministry of Work and Social Policies, helping with consumer debt (in Italian)
• Adiconsum – consumer association which may help with debt counseling and resolution (in Italian)
• Movimento Consumatori – consumer association working against things like loan sharking (in Italian)