The italian health insurance card

What is it?

The Italian Health Insurance Card - Tessera Sanitaria (TS) - is the personal document issued to all citizens, entitled to the benefits of the National Health Service (SSN).

It replaces the old green card that only contained the data of the tax code.

Since 2011, the TS has been equipped with a microchip and allows secure access to the online services of the Public Administration, in compliance with data protection regulation.

It is necessary to activate the Health Insurance Card (TS-CNS) according to the instructions in “Modalità di accesso con TS-CSN”.

What do I need it for?

Once issued, it can be used when going to a doctor, when buying medicines at the pharmacy, when undergoing specialist examinations at the ASL (Local Health Authority) or Hospital or as proof of tax code for all the cases provided for by law.

What encloses?

On the front side:

• The owner’s tax code
• Personal data
• Expiration date.

The reverse side is the European Insurance Card (T.E.A.M.).

In this case, the T.E.A.M. Health Card guarantees health assistance in the European Member States, Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein and Switzerland under the current rules of the above-mentioned countries

Expiration date

The card is valid for six years from the date of issue. Before the expiry date, a new card will automatically be sent to the address registered in the “Italian Tax Register” (Anagrafe Tributaria).

How to get it

The Health Card is free of charge and available to all citizens who:

• have the correct tax code assigned by the Agenzia delle Entrate (Revenue Agency)
• are registered with the competent ASL (Local Health Authority) which has transmitted the data to the "Health Card System".

Citizens, who have a valid tax code, must necessarily register with the competent ASL in order to obtain the Italian health card.

Citizens who do not have the tax code, can get it at any Office of the Agenzia delle Entrate click here to book an appointment by filling out the form AA4/8 properly,  and attaching a copy of a valid ID.
Citizens without a tax code can submit the request by email or Pec using the form AA4/8, duly filled in and signed, without going to the office. You can find here the mail and Pec addresses.
The form can be digitally signed and must be accompanied by the required documents, and in any case, a valid identity document. The certificate of attribution of the tax code will be sent to the taxpayer through the channel chosen for the request.

The delivery

The health card is sent by ordinary mail to the address of residence resulting in the Italian Tax Register, the databases of the Tax Authority. It is the address of residence that is transmitted by the municipalities to the Revenue Agency.