Do you need to pay an Italian public authority while abroad, without SPID or CIE, or using a foreign card? Start with the payment notice: the official pagoPA website allows payment without an Italian digital identity if you have a compatible method. If you have no notice, contact the creditor organisation first.
This guide supplements our general pagoPA guide and helps you choose a route, check the result and keep proof of payment. Percorso Cittadino provides general information: we do not collect money, notices or card details, and we do not handle your application.
Before you start
- Notice available
- QR code or notice code and the creditor’s tax code
- Without SPID/CIE
- Use the pagoPA website; bank authorisation still applies
- Foreign card or account
- Check compatibility, restrictions and costs
- Unclear result
- Check before starting another attempt
Section 1
Choose a route for your situation
Your notice, payment tools and the terms that apply in your country matter; citizenship alone does not determine which method you can use.
| Situation | Available route | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| You have a notice but no SPID/CIE | Official pagoPA website | QR or notice identifiers, email, compatible method and bank authorisation |
| You have a notice and a foreign card | pagoPA website with a PSP accepting that method | Enabled card, sufficient funds or credit and issuer approval |
| You have a foreign bank account | Online banking if it offers pagoPA, or an account-based method offered at checkout | Supported service and bank; bank credentials and authorisation |
| You have SPID/CIE and want to use IO | IO app with your own profile | IO eligibility, the notice and an available method |
| You have no notice | Creditor’s portal or support service | Application references and the details that service requires |
| Someone else can pay for you | Your notice paid through an enabled channel | Correct notice details and agreement on who will pay |
Check whether your chosen method is available in your country, the currency of your card or account, and whether you can receive the bank’s authorisation request. Acceptance is not guaranteed for every card, bank or location.
Illustrative example: you live in Belgium, have a notice from an Italian municipality and do not have SPID. Start on the pagoPA website with the notice details, then check whether your card is accepted before confirming. This example does not establish that a particular Belgian bank is supported.
Section 2
Read the notice and check its details
An avviso is a paper or digital payment notice linked to a debt. Its QR code helps enter the details, but you still need to read the payment summary.
- Ente creditore — creditor organisation
- The body requesting payment. Check its name, contact details and the reason for payment.
- Codice Fiscale Ente Creditore — creditor’s tax code
- Identifies the organisation. It is not the personal tax code of the debtor or the person paying.
- Codice Avviso — notice code, and QR
- Identify the payment to retrieve. Copy the complete code or use the scanning feature in an enabled payment channel.
- Debitore or intestatario — debtor or addressee
- The person whose debt is being paid, even when someone else makes the payment.
- CBILL
- Some online banking services ask for the CBILL code printed on the notice to identify the creditor instead of its tax code. It does not replace the notice code and is not an IBAN.
- Importo, causale, scadenza — amount, reason, due date
- Check these on the notice and in the summary. If you do not recognise the debt or something is wrong, ask the creditor before authorising.
Section 3
Pay on the official website without SPID or CIE
Paying a notice without an Italian digital identity is separate from accessing the creditor’s restricted online services.
Open the official website
Type https://checkout.pagopa.it/ in your browser or follow the official link. This route does not require SPID or CIE sign-in.
Retrieve the notice
Use the QR scanning feature or enter Codice Avviso (notice code) and Codice Fiscale Ente Creditore (creditor’s tax code).
Read the summary
Check the creditor, amount, reason and addressee where displayed. If the notice is already marked as paid, stop the attempt.
Provide your email
After Vai al pagamento (continue to payment), enter an email address you can access and repeat it to confirm. The result will be sent there.
Choose the method and PSP
Compare the available options and fee. PSP means payment service provider: the organisation handling the transaction.
Authorise and wait for the result
Follow the approval steps on your bank’s or card issuer’s website or app. Return to the payment channel, read the result and keep the summary.
Section 4
Foreign cards, authentication and choosing a PSP
A card’s network alone does not guarantee that a payment will be accepted.
If your card is declined
- Check the attempt’s result first. Do not start several payments at once.
- Ask the issuer about online and international payment permissions, limits and available funds or credit.
- Make sure you can complete bank authorisation while abroad. Ask the bank or issuer for help with approval problems.
- If the attempt failed, you can choose another PSP from those offered, even if it is not your bank. Look for Modifica (change) beside the provider in the summary, where available.
- Consider another method actually offered at checkout and check its requirements.
Documented options include cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Satispay and account-based methods. The actual list depends on the notice and provider; each service has its own requirements and geographic availability. You do not need to open an account or activate an app merely because it appears in this list.
Section 5
Online banking, foreign accounts and costs
An account that supports bank transfers does not necessarily offer pagoPA or CBILL.
Sign in to your bank’s official website or app and look for pagoPA among its payment services. If you only see ordinary transfers, do not substitute a transfer to an IBAN found elsewhere. Ask the bank whether pagoPA is available for your account.
The pagoPA website may offer account-based methods such as MyBank and Fabrick Pay by Bank. They must be available for your payment and support your bank. Choosing a PSP other than your bank does not automatically make every foreign account compatible.
Before confirming, distinguish the amount due, the PSP fee and any additional bank or issuer charges. If your account uses a currency other than euros, check the exchange rate and any conversion fees in your provider’s terms. There is no single fixed cost for everyone.
Section 6
If you have not received a notice
The creditor organisation handles the underlying application and can explain how to obtain the payment details.
Identify the creditor and service
Open the official website of the organisation requesting payment and find the payment section for your application.
Check whether you can create a notice
Only some portals offer this feature. Check whether sign-in, debtor details or application references are required.
Enter accurate details only
Do not invent a personal tax code, a creditor tax code or a notice number. If a mandatory field does not fit your situation, ask for instructions.
Obtain and check the notice
Download the PDF if available and check the addressee, service and amount before choosing a channel. Contact the creditor if you cannot proceed.
Illustrative example: you need to pay an application fee but only have an email from the office. Do not construct payment codes yourself. Ask for the notice or a link to the official process. The details needed to generate it can differ between services.
Section 7
Paying for someone else and using IO
The person making the payment can differ from the debtor. Keep the notice’s original details.
A relative can pay your notice through an enabled channel. Check the creditor, addressee, amount and reason together, agree who will pay and keep the receipt. Making a payment does not automatically grant access to the debtor’s application or personal services.
IO requires an adult user, a compatible device and personal sign-in with SPID or CIE. Use Inquadra (scan) to scan or upload the notice, or enter its identifiers, then choose an offered method. You do not need to add the debtor’s profile: IO does not support managing other people’s profiles.
Illustrative example: a daughter pays a notice addressed to her father using her own IO sign-in. The debt remains her father’s; they agree who will pay and keep the proof. They do not share SPID credentials or banking codes.
Section 8
Successful, failed or uncertain results
A card transaction and a settled notice are different pieces of information. Check before trying again.
Collect the result
Read the final message, email summary and channel history. Note the date, channel and PSP.
Check the same notice
Even without IO, retrieve it on the pagoPA website using the QR or identifiers. An already-paid message means it is settled. Do not authorise a new payment just to check.
Resolve uncertainty
If you see an error or pagamento in corso (payment in progress), follow the message and contact the channel if needed. A missing email is not proof of failure.
Retry only after checking
If the attempt failed and the notice is still payable, check the due date and choose a compatible method. If it succeeded, keep the receipt.
Section 9
Find and keep your receipt
Keep the document provided by your payment channel, rather than relying solely on a bank balance screenshot.
- pagoPA or creditor website: a summary is sent to the email address entered during payment. Also check your spam folder and the address you used.
- Payment made in IO: the receipt is in Pagamenti (payments) and the message for that transaction, with a PDF download option.
- Website payment: if you paid after signing in to the pagoPA website with your digital identity and have IO, you can also find the receipt in Pagamenti (payments) in the app. If the notice is addressed to you and you have IO, you can find it in the same section even when someone else paid.
- Online banking, other apps or physical locations: obtain the receipt from that channel’s provider, history or printed document. If the notice is addressed to you and you have IO, you can also find the receipt in Pagamenti (payments) in the app.
- If you pay for someone else without signing in, do not assume the receipt will appear in your IO account. Keep the summary and ask the channel you used if proof is missing.
Save the receipt, notice and application references in a clearly named folder, with a backup. Ask the creditor if you need other documents or confirmation that the payment has been allocated to your application. Retention periods depend on the matter; this guide does not set a universal deadline.
Section 10
Expired or already-paid notices
Do not change the identifiers to bypass a blocking message.
If the website says the notice has expired and can no longer be paid, contact the creditor to find out how to resolve the outstanding payment or obtain updated instructions. A printed date alone does not establish a procedure that works for every organisation.
If the notice is marked as already paid, someone else may have settled it. Do not pay again: retrieve the receipt and ask the creditor if you do not recognise the payment. Clarify any discrepancy in the application’s status with the creditor, using the proof you have.
Section 11
Refunds and temporarily held funds
First establish whether the payment completed or failed while leaving a hold on the method you used.
Refund for a completed payment
For a payment that was not due or was made twice, contact the creditor. Submit references and the receipt through its official channels. Its rules determine the process and deadlines.
Held funds after a failed attempt
The PSP handles the release or reversal; availability also depends on the bank or issuer. If the funds are still unavailable after several days, contact support for your payment method.
Before asking the creditor to refund money it may not have received, clarify the result with the provider. There is no guaranteed fixed release period. Keep the references for each attempt so the PSP and bank can distinguish them.
Section 12
Security, final checklist and support
Use official contact details and take your question to the organisation able to resolve it.
| Problem | Check | Who to contact |
|---|---|---|
| Missing notice or incorrect details | Service, addressee and application references | Creditor organisation |
| Declined card or unavailable bank approval | Restrictions, limits and authorisation | Bank or card issuer; PSP for its own terms |
| No pagoPA/CBILL in online banking | Services available for this account | Bank or app provider |
| Error on the pagoPA website or IO | Message, notice, date and channel of the attempt | pagoPA support; IO also offers in-app support |
| Error on another channel | History and instructions for the channel used | That channel’s support team |
| Failed result with funds held | Notice status and bank transaction | PSP and payment method support |
| Completed payment needing a refund | Receipt and reason for the request | Creditor organisation |
| Expired or already-paid notice | Message and available receipts | Creditor organisation |
Final checklist
- I checked the creditor, debtor, reason and amount.
- The method is available in my country and I can complete bank authorisation.
- I checked the PSP fee and any bank or currency conversion charges.
- We agreed who is paying and no simultaneous attempts are underway.
- I checked the result and kept the receipt and references.
- I send support only the necessary details through official channels, never passwords or one-time codes.
Section 13
Frequently asked questions
Ten answers to common questions, with relevant sources.
Can I pay from abroad without SPID or CIE?
Yes. The official pagoPA website lets you pay a notice without an Italian digital identity. You need the notice details and an available, compatible payment method; your bank’s authorisation still applies.
Should I put my tax code in Codice Fiscale Ente Creditore?
No. That field identifies the organisation receiving the payment. Copy the value from the notice. Obtaining a notice is a separate process: the creditor’s service may ask for different personal details.
Will a foreign card always work?
No. Check online and international payment permissions, issuer authorisation and the PSP’s terms. Before changing method or provider, check that the previous attempt has not succeeded and is no longer in progress.
- Problems paying with a foreign card (Italian)
- Checking whether payment succeeded (Italian)
- A payment attempt is already in progress (Italian)
Can I use any foreign bank account?
No. Your online banking must offer pagoPA; account-based methods offered on the website need to support your bank. A foreign IBAN or the ability to make bank transfers is not enough.
- Paying a notice from abroad without Italian citizenship (Italian)
- Paying from a bank account (Italian)
- Available payment methods (Italian)
What if I do not have a notice?
Find the relevant service on the creditor’s website. If it lets you create a notice, follow its instructions. If that option is unavailable or asks for details you do not have, contact the creditor. Do not invent identifiers.
- Paying without having received a notice (Italian)
- Paying a notice from abroad without Italian citizenship (Italian)
Can I pay a relative’s notice?
Yes. You can pay a notice addressed to someone else while keeping the details of their debt unchanged. Agree who will pay and share the receipt to avoid paying again. Using IO requires your own personal sign-in.
- A receipt for a payment made by someone else (Italian)
- Who can use IO (Italian)
- How to pay with pagoPA (Italian)
What does pagamento in corso mean?
It means a payment is in progress, so you do not yet have a result on which to base another attempt. For this message on the pagoPA website, support advises waiting 30 minutes and checking again. Contact support if it persists or payment is urgent.
Does a debit on my card prove that I paid?
Not on its own: it may be a temporary hold. Check the notice’s payment status and keep the summary. If the attempt failed and the money remains unavailable, ask the PSP and your card or bank support team.
Will I always find the receipt in IO?
No. If you paid in IO, find the receipt in Pagamenti (payments). If you paid on the pagoPA or creditor website, you receive an email summary. You can also find the receipt in IO if you have the app and paid after signing in to the pagoPA website with your digital identity. If the notice is addressed to you and you have IO, you can find the receipt in the app even when someone else paid. If you pay for someone else without signing in, keep the email summary and contact the channel you used if the receipt is missing.
Who handles a refund for a payment that was not due?
The creditor organisation sets the refund process and deadlines. This differs from releasing a hold after a failed attempt, which the PSP handles with processing times also depending on your bank or card issuer.
Section 14
Sources and related guides
Editorial review completed. Official instructions were consulted on 17 September 2026; check current terms before paying.
The support articles listed here were read. Checkout is provided as an official operational link: its interface and payment processing were not tested. Not every card, bank, fee or individual authority’s procedure was checked. The Bank of Italy source provides general cost context, not a pagoPA procedure.
Browse official sources and their scope
- Paying a notice from abroad without Italian citizenship (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Notices, payment without a digital identity and participating banks. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- How to pay with pagoPA (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Steps, notice identifiers, bank authorisation and CBILL in online banking. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Problems paying with a foreign card (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Card restrictions and choosing another provider or method. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Paying without having received a notice (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Creating notices where the creditor offers this service; help choosing the correct payment. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Finding a payment receipt (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Email summaries, channel receipts and the conditions for visibility in IO. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- A debit after an unsuccessful payment (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Checking the result, temporary holds and the roles of the PSP and issuer. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Payment fees (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Provider fees to check before confirming. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Requesting a refund (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Refunds for completed payments: contact the creditor. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- A receipt for a payment made by someone else (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Someone else paying a notice addressed to the debtor. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Checking whether payment succeeded (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Checking a notice on the pagoPA website without IO. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- A payment attempt is already in progress (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. The payment-in-progress message on pagoPA and support. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- An expired notice (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. A notice reported as no longer payable: contact the creditor. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- A notice already marked as paid (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. A notice settled by you or someone else and clarification from the creditor. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Contacting pagoPA support (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Support for the pagoPA website, IO and other channels. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Avoiding phishing impersonating pagoPA (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Checking addresses, urgent demands and the creditor. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Available payment methods (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Cards, accounts and apps: availability varies by notice and provider. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Choosing a payment provider (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Selecting a PSP offered for the chosen method. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Paying by credit or debit card (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Checking the amount and authorising with the issuer’s website or app. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Paying from a bank account (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Account-based methods and possible additional bank charges. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Requirements for signing in to IO (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. A compatible device and SPID or CIE sign-in. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Who can use IO (Italian)PagoPA S.p.A.. Adult users and personal profiles, distinct from paying for others. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Understanding cross-border payment costs (Italian)Banca d’Italia. General context on costs, currencies and provider terms. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Content read; no transactions performed.
- Official website: pay a noticePagoPA S.p.A.. Official destination linked from pagoPA’s instructions. Consulted: 2026-09-17. Destination opened; interface not verified.