CDU, cadastral visura, access to records, technician, notary or Dossier Immobile: what to ask whom?
Anyone buying a home in Italy gathers information from several sources. The Comune issues the zoning certificate (CDU) and keeps the building titles; the Agenzia delle Entrate provides the cadastral visura. A qualified technician checks the stato legittimo, the notary carries out the legal checks and signs the deed. Dossier Immobile brings together the data of the open public registers for one address, but replaces none of them.
The Comune: the CDU and the building archive
The CDU states the zoning of a piece of land. The Comune issues it within thirty days of the request and it is valid for one year, if the planning instruments do not change. It is mandatory in deeds on land, not for most houses (art. 30 D.P.R. 380/2001). Fees and revenue stamps vary from one Comune to another.
A house’s building titles are in the Comune’s building archive. Access to records requires a direct, concrete and current interest (art. 22 L. 241/1990), and the answer can take about thirty days: a delegation from the seller is often useful.
A purchase involves other steps too, such as the checklist before an offer and the home buyer’s glossary. What a dossier on an address costs is on the Dossier Immobile pricing page. You can work out the taxes you would pay with the free purchase tax calculator.
The Agenzia delle Entrate: the cadastral visura
The online consultation of the cadastral visura is free, also for properties of other holders, with SPID, CIE or CNS; you need the sheet and parcel number. Floor plans are reserved to those entitled, and the mortgage register search, for mortgages and seizures, is a separate service.
The technician and the notary
A qualified technician (geometra, architect or engineer) compares the actual state of the house with the building titles and the cadastral floor plan: it is the technician who checks the stato legittimo. The notary carries out the legal and register checks and signs the deed; the notary can also be involved before the offer. Both set their fee by agreement: ask for a written quote.
Planning and cadastral compliance
Dossier Immobile
For one address the dossier brings together the data found in the open public registers: the parcel, natural and environmental hazards, constraints and the plan zone where it is open data, taxes and general information on what the law says about the deed, with the source and date of every item. The preview is free; the full dossier costs €29 including applicable VAT and is usually ready within a minute of payment.
The dossier is not a certificate, a survey or a valuation, and does not replace the CDU, the visura, access to records, the technician or the notary.
Side by side
| What | Who provides it | What it costs | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDU | the Comune | the Comune’s fees | within 30 days |
| Cadastral visura | the Agenzia delle Entrate | free online with SPID, CIE or CNS | immediately |
| Access to records | the Comune’s building archive | set by the Comune | about 30 days |
| Check of the stato legittimo | a qualified technician | by quote | by agreement |
| Deed | the notary | by quote | at the signing of the deed |
| Dossier Immobile | Dossier Immobile, from the open public registers | free preview; €29 including applicable VAT | usually within a minute |
What you need and when
- Before a viewing or an offer: the visura and Dossier Immobile, to see hazards, constraints and data on the area early.
- Before signing the offer: the building titles from the seller or through access to records, and if needed a technician’s check.
- For land: the CDU, to attach to the deed.
- For the deed: the notary.
Does Dossier Immobile replace the CDU or the visura?
No. The Comune issues the CDU and the Agenzia delle Entrate the visura; the dossier brings the data of the open public registers together so you can see early what needs checking.
What does a cadastral visura cost?
The Agenzia delle Entrate’s online consultation is free, with SPID, CIE or CNS, also for properties of other holders.
When do I need a technician?
A qualified technician checks the stato legittimo of the house on the Comune’s records: it is worth asking before the offer. The notary tells you what your case requires.
Sources
- D.P.R. 380/2001, art. 30
- Law 241/1990, art. 22 (access to records)
- Agenzia delle Entrate: the cadastral visura (2025 guide)
- Edilizia.com: access to records
Dossier Immobile is a private service by SRI Group BV (VAT BE1037052239), not connected to any public authority: it brings together public data, with the source and date of every item.
Updated on