Cadastral category (categoria catastale): A/2, A/3, C/6 and the others explained
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What the cadastral category is, in simple termsWhere you find the categoryThe categories you meet most oftenWhy the category matters: income and taxesThe first home benefit and the categoryGarages and parking spaces: category C/6What to check in the land registry extract, appraisal report and floor planIn practiceFrequently asked questionsSourcesThe cadastral category is the code with which the Catasto classifies a property: A/2 for a civil-type dwelling, A/3 for an economy-type dwelling, C/6 for a garage or parking space. It does not tell you what the property is worth on the market, but the cadastral income (rendita catastale) and many taxes depend on it.
The category is shown in the land registry extract (visura catastale). Here you will find the most common categories, what changes for taxes, and what to check before buying.
What the cadastral category is, in simple terms
Every property unit has a category. It is a code made of a letter and a number. The letter indicates the group: A for dwellings and offices, C for commercial and service units. The number indicates the specific type.
The category does not say whether the home is beautiful or well kept. It says how the Catasto classifies it. From this classification, together with the class and the size, the cadastral income (rendita catastale) is calculated, that is the annual tax value of the property.
Where you find the category
The category appears in the land registry extract (visura catastale), the document that summarises the cadastral data of the property. For the owner, online consultation is free, while for others it is paid. If you do not know how to read it or how to download it, read the guide to the land registry extract.
In auctions the land registry extract is attached to the appraisal report (perizia), and the category appears there too. It is often missing from listings. If it is missing, ask for it and compare it with the land registry extract before doing any calculation.
The categories you meet most often
The Catasto uses groups from A to F. Here are the ones you encounter most in a sale or at an auction:
- A, dwellings and offices: A/1 luxury, A/2 civil, A/3 economy, A/4 popular, A/5 ultra-popular, A/6 rural, A/7 villas, A/8 mansions, A/9 castles, A/10 offices, A/11 typical dwellings.
- B, collective properties: intended for common use.
- C, commercial and service units: C/1 shops, C/2 warehouses and cellars, C/3 workshops, C/6 garages and parking spaces, C/7 canopies.
- D, special industrial and commercial properties.
- E, special properties.
- F, properties without income: F/2 unfinished buildings, F/3 under construction, F/4 under renovation.
Categories A/2 and A/3 are both dwellings. The Catasto distinguishes them by type and characteristics. Do not guess the category by looking at the flat: read it in the land registry extract and compare it with the appraisal report.
Why the category matters: income and taxes
Cadastral income is the starting point. For dwellings the size is measured in rooms (vani), for shops and garages in square metres. Since the income depends on the category, the category affects several taxes.
IMU example. The IMU is calculated like this: cadastral income increased by 5%, multiplied by a coefficient that depends on the category. For dwellings (except A/10) and for C/6 garages the coefficient is 160. For C/1 shops it is 55. For A/10 offices it is 80.
Example cadastral income: €500. Calculation: €500 × 1.05 = €525; €525 × 160 = €84,000. If your Comune applies the maximum rate of 1.06%, you pay €890.40 a year. You can find the exact rate on the website of the Comune or of the Ministero dell'Economia e delle Finanze.
For the main home the IMU is generally exempt, except for categories A/1, A/8 and A/9, which pay at a reduced rate with a deduction. The detail depends on the Comune: always ask how the IMU is applied in your case.
Price-value example. When buying a dwelling from a natural person who is not acting as a business, you can ask for the registration tax (imposta di registro) to be calculated on the cadastral value instead of the price. The cadastral value is income × 1.05 × 120, or × 110 if it is the first home (prima casa). With cadastral income of €500: €500 × 1.05 × 120 = €63,000. With 9% registration tax you pay €5,670. This applies to dwellings and their annexes, not to shops, offices, garages that are not annexes, or land. The request must be made in time, before the transfer decree (decreto di trasferimento) if you are buying at auction. You will find details and calculations in the guide on how the cadastral value is calculated.
The first home benefit and the category
The first home benefit applies to dwellings that do not fall into categories A/1, A/8 and A/9. The requirement must be checked in the land registry extract, together with the others (residence, no other home in the same comune, and so on). If the category is one of the excluded ones, the benefit does not apply, even if the property really is your home.
The benefit also covers one annex for each of the categories C/2, C/6 and C/7. So a C/6 garage bought together with the home can fall within the benefit, once per category.
Garages and parking spaces: category C/6
A garage or parking space is generally in category C/6. Before buying one, check three things.
- If it is an annex: a garage sold together with the home is linked to the dwelling. Check the annex restriction provided by the civil code (art. 817).
- If it is a separate lot: the price-value does not apply to garages that are not annexes. What counts is the award price or the purchase price.
- If there are planning restrictions: parking restrictions set by urban plans are read in the appraisal report.
What to check in the land registry extract, appraisal report and floor plan
Before trusting the category, carry out these checks.
- Does the category in the land registry extract match the one in the listing or the appraisal report?
- Does the actual use match the category? A garage used as a room, or a dwelling used as an office, is a sign to clarify.
- Does the cadastral floor plan match the actual state of the rooms? Compare the rooms, windows and bathrooms.
- In notarial deeds the declaration of cadastral conformity is mandatory, under penalty of nullity (art. 29, comma 1-bis, of law 52/1985). The topic is explained in the guide on cadastral conformity.
In a transfer decree from an auction this nullity does not apply. However, if the floor plan does not match, the successful bidder will have to update the cadastre, usually with a DOCFA filing prepared by a technician. The topic is covered in the guide on how a cadastral discrepancy is fixed.
For a zone comparison use the OMI property values (quotazioni OMI) of the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate): they give a range of values by zone and type. These are indicative values, not market prices. They serve to say «I compare the appraisal report with the range for the zone», not to declare a discount.
In practice
- Find the category in the land registry extract, in the listing or in the appraisal report, and compare the three documents.
- Check that the category matches the actual use and the floor plan.
- For a garage, ask whether it is an annex of the dwelling or a separate lot.
- Calculate the IMU with the income and the coefficient of the category, and check the rate of your Comune.
- If the category does not add up, ask the notary or the professional assisting you to check it before the purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Does the cadastral category say how much the house is worth?
No. The category says how the property is classified in the Catasto. The price depends on the area, the condition and demand. For the value, the appraisal report is the document to read at an auction, and for an ordinary sale the comparison with the OMI property values.
If the category in the land registry extract is wrong, can I ask for a discount?
At auctions there is no guarantee for defects: the forced sale takes place in the state in which the asset is found, as described in the appraisal report. In an ordinary sale the matter should be assessed with the notary, case by case.
Is a garage always in category C/6?
Generally yes. If you find a different category in the land registry extract, ask for an explanation and check the floor plan. A garage with a different category can affect taxes and benefits.
Sources
In the same chapter
- APE (attestato di prestazione energetica): what it isThe APE is the document that shows how much energy a home consumes and gives it an energy class from A4 to G. Here is when you need it, how to read it and how long it lasts.
- Certificate of habitability (certificato di agibilità): when it is neededThe certificate of habitability confirms that a home is fit for use. Here is when it is needed, how to check it before buying and what to do if it is missing.
- Cadastral code of the municipality (codice catastale del comune): what it isThe cadastral code is a four-character code that identifies the municipality (comune) in the land registry, and you need it to look up a land registry extract. Here is where to find it.
- Foglio, particella and subalterno: how to find themFoglio, particella and subalterno are the numbers that identify the property in the land registry (catasto): you find them in the notarial deed, the land registry extract and the auction appraisal report.
- Mortgage on a home: what it is and how it is cancelledThe mortgage is the guarantee the bank registers on the home for the loan. It is closed after the final payment, but it should be checked with a mortgage search: here's how.
- Mortgage Search (Ispezione ipotecaria): How to Request It and What It ShowsThe mortgage search (ispezione ipotecaria) shows mortgages, seizures and transcriptions on a home: here is how to request it and what to check before signing.
General information, not legal or tax advice: the law and the notice of sale prevail.
