INI-PEC: how to find and verify the PEC address of an Italian company or professional

Copying a PEC address from an old email or from someone’s signature is convenient. We trust what we have already seen: it is a natural reflex, and familiarity feels like a guarantee.

With PEC, however, that is not enough. A communication only has legal value if it reaches the correct digital domicile, and the official one is listed in a specific public register.

What INI-PEC is

INI-PEC is Italy’s national index of certified email (PEC) addresses of companies and professionals. It collects the PEC addresses that companies file with the Companies Register and that professionals provide to their professional bodies.

It is established by the Italian Digital Administration Code (Article 6-bis) and run by InfoCamere for the Chambers of Commerce. The addresses it lists are digital domiciles: a PEC sent there has the same value as a registered letter with return receipt.

How to search for a PEC address on INI-PEC

The register is public and no registration is required. The steps are:

1. Open the official website inipec.gov.it and choose the PEC search.
2. Specify whether you are looking for a company or a professional.
3. Enter the tax code or VAT number: it is the most reliable criterion. Alternatively, you can search by name, province or professional body.
4. Complete the security check and open the result to review the details.

How to check it is the right address

• Search by tax code, not just by name: people and companies with the same name are more common than you think.
• Compare the address you found with the one in your address book. If they differ, use the one in the register.
• Note the date and time of your check, especially before sending a formal notice or a reminder.
• Keep the acceptance and delivery receipts: they prove the message was sent and delivered.

INI-PEC, INAD and IPA: which register to use

There are three official registers of digital domiciles, each for different recipients:

• INI-PEC: companies and professionals registered with professional bodies.
• INAD (domiciliodigitale.gov.it): private individuals, professionals not registered with a professional body and private entities that have chosen a digital domicile.
• IPA (indicepa.gov.it): public administrations and public service operators.

Why it matters for professional bodies, firms and SMEs

For professional bodies, keeping members’ PEC addresses up to date is an obligation: the bodies themselves send them to the index. An expired or missing address means communications that never arrive and members who miss important notices.

For firms and companies, checking matters whenever a communication must be legally reliable: payment reminders, contract terminations, disputes, sending contracts. Two minutes of checking avoid disputes and having to send things again.

One more thing: PEC is not a marketing channel

The addresses in public registers are meant for communications with legal value. Using them to send promotions to people who have not given their consent breaches privacy rules, even though anyone can look the address up.

Frequently asked questions

Is searching INI-PEC free?

Yes. The register is public and no registration is needed: just use the official website inipec.gov.it.

What if the PEC address I need is not there?

For a private individual, check INAD; for a public body, the IPA index. For a professional registered with a professional body, you can ask the body itself or the person directly.

Does a PEC sent to an address listed on INI-PEC have legal value?

Yes: under Italian law, sending a PEC to a digital domicile is, unless otherwise provided, equivalent to notification by post. Always keep the acceptance and delivery receipts.

Can I use INI-PEC addresses for marketing?

No. Public registers of digital domiciles are meant for communications with legal value: sending promotions requires the recipient’s consent.