Acknowledgement of debt and promise to pay (Italy)
Published byDocMuse
This document is in Italian
The PDF you download is in Italian — that is the language it has to be filed in, so it is not translated. Everything on this page is here to tell you what it says.
For someone in Italy who owes money to a private person or a business and wants to acknowledge it in writing: a loan received, an advance, an unpaid purchase. The document, in Italian under Italian law, names the parties with their codice fiscale and states the exact amount in figures and words, where the debt comes from and payment in one sum or by instalments. Under article 1988 of the Italian Civil Code it spares the creditor from proving the relationship behind the debt. The debtor alone signs it and hands it to the creditor.
- Made for use in Italy
- Last updated October 14, 2026
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When to use this document
- You owe money to a friend in Italy and want to put in writing how much you owe and how you will repay it.
- The person you owe asks for a signed paper confirming the debt before giving you more time.
- You received a loan with nothing in writing and want to make clear it is a debt, not a gift.
- You are looking for a written IOU with a promise to pay, possibly in instalments.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Debtor
- Debtor's codice fiscale (Italian tax code)
- Debtor's address
- Creditor
- Creditor's codice fiscale or VAT number (Italian tax code)
- Creditor's address
- Amount
- Amount in words
- Where the debt comes from (e.g. a loan received on … by bank transfer)
- Payment in one sum or by monthly instalments
- Payment deadline
- Number of instalments
- Amount of each monthly instalment
- Due date of the first instalment
- IBAN
- Additional terms
- City
- Date
Common questions
- What is a written acknowledgement of debt for in Italy?
- It reverses the burden of proof: the creditor no longer has to prove the relationship the debt comes from (a loan, a sale, an advance), which is presumed to exist until the contrary is proved (article 1988 of the Italian Civil Code). It creates no new debt: the debtor can still prove that the relationship never existed or has ended. State the exact amount and where the debt comes from, because an undetermined amount leaves the creditor to prove what is owed.
- Must an Italian acknowledgement of debt be handwritten or signed before a notary?
- No. Unlike France, Italy requires no wording handwritten by the debtor: the document is filled in and signed, and the debtor is the one who signs it. The acknowledgement takes effect when it reaches the creditor, who keeps the signed original. For a date that third parties cannot dispute, it can be sent by PEC or registered with the Agenzia delle Entrate (article 2704 of the Italian Civil Code).
- How does an Italian acknowledgement of debt affect limitation?
- It interrupts it: a new limitation period runs from the day of the acknowledgement (articles 2944 and 2945 of the Italian Civil Code). Someone who acknowledges in writing a debt that is already time-barred can lose the right to rely on limitation, because a waiver can follow from conduct incompatible with relying on it (article 2937); and what is paid voluntarily on a time-barred debt cannot be claimed back (article 2940).
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
DocMuse sells documents, not legal advice. Acceptance always depends on the recipient's rules and your local law.
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