# How to get SPID (Italy's digital identity): your options and what you need > SPID is the single key to the online services of the Italian public administration. Here is what to prepare, how to choose a provider from the official list, and which identity checks exist: in person, by webcam, or with the CIE or the health card. Source: https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/ottenere-spid Author: SimpleBuild, Build simple. Deliver value. Category: Accounts and online services Procedure verified on: 2026-09-30 To get **SPID** (Sistema pubblico di identità digitale, Italy's public digital identity system) you must be an adult and have a **valid Italian identity document**, the **tessera sanitaria** (health card), an **email address** and a **mobile number**. Then you choose one of the **digital identity providers** recognized by AgID (Italy's digital agency), register on its website and complete the **identity check**: in person, by webcam, or with the electronic identity card or the health card. The up-to-date list of providers, with each one's options, is on the official website [spid.gov.it](https://www.spid.gov.it/en/what-is-spid/how-to-choose-between-digital-identity-providers/). We don't recommend any particular one here: the credentials all have the same value. ## What it is and what it's for SPID is a single **username and password** that the Italian public administration uses to recognize you online. You use it whenever a website or app shows the **«Entra con SPID»** ("Sign in with SPID") button: for example for the [Fascicolo sanitario elettronico](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/fascicolo-sanitario-elettronico) (electronic health record), for the [cassetto fiscale at the Agenzia delle Entrate](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/cassetto-fiscale) (your tax records) or for your Comune's (town hall's) services. It also works with some private services and with public services in other European Union countries. ## Before you start Prepare these documents, as the official website indicates: - a valid **Italian identity document**: identity card, driving license or passport; - the **tessera sanitaria**, or the codice fiscale (Italian tax code) card (or the certificate assigning one of the two); - your **email address** and your **mobile number**, which must be yours and working. Some practical tips: - Have a **photo or scan** of the front and back of your document and health card ready: you may need it during online registration. If you don't know how to make one, there's a guide on [scanning a document with your phone](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/scansionare-documento). - Check your **document's expiry date**: with an expired document the application gets stuck. - If you already have the **Carta d'identità elettronica** (CIE, electronic ID card) with its PIN, you can use it for the identity check. It's also worth reading [how to activate the CIE with the CieID app](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/attivare-cie): the CIE itself is a digital identity, accepted by the same services. ## Steps to activate it 1. **Choose a provider.** Open the official page [How to choose between digital identity providers](https://www.spid.gov.it/en/what-is-spid/how-to-choose-between-digital-identity-providers/): for each provider you'll find the security levels offered, the identity check methods, whether some are free or paid, and how to contact support. 2. **Go to the website** of the provider you chose and start registering. 3. **Enter your personal details.** 4. **Create your SPID credentials**: username and password. 5. **Complete the identity check**, choosing one of the methods that provider offers. Once the provider has verified your identity, it tells you that SPID is active. How long it takes depends on the provider. ## Ways to verify your identity The official website lists these methods. Not all providers offer all of them, and some are free, others paid: check before you choose. - **In person**, at the provider's offices or at partner points, including some shops and businesses. - **In person at a public office**: some public administrations verify your identity for free at the counter. After the check you receive by email a file called the **pacchetto di attivazione** ("activation package"), which you use to complete the application online with one of the participating providers. The list of enabled offices is on the page [The PAs to obtain SPID](https://www.spid.gov.it/en/what-is-spid/how-to-activate-spid/the-pas-obtain-spid/). - **By webcam**, with an operator from the provider or with a video selfie, together with a small bank transfer from your account as extra proof. - **With the electronic identity card or electronic passport**, held against your phone using the provider's app. - **With the CIE, the tessera sanitaria (as a Carta nazionale dei servizi) or a digital signature**, using a smart card reader connected to your computer and the corresponding PIN. If you live abroad, choose an online method marked on the official website with the European Union or globe symbol. ## The three security levels The same SPID can work at different levels, depending on how sensitive the service is: - **Level 1**: username and password are enough. - **Level 2**: besides username and password you need a **one-time code** (OTP), sent by SMS or generated by an app on your phone. For example, the Fascicolo sanitario elettronico in Apulia requires level 2 SPID. - **Level 3**: you also need a physical device, such as a smart card or a digital signature device. In practice, for everyday use you need SPID at **level 2**, so a phone where you can receive codes or install the provider's app. ## If it still doesn't work - **You have a residence permit but no identity card**: SPID can't be requested with a residence permit alone. You need the identity card first. - **Registration gets stuck on the document**: check that it's Italian and valid, and that the details you entered exactly match the printed ones. - **You forgot your SPID password or changed phone**: you handle this with your provider. The official website has a page, [Get assistance from Identity Providers](https://www.spid.gov.it/en/get-assistance-from-identity-providers/), with each one's contact details. - **You get an SMS or email asking you to «update» your SPID by clicking a link**: stop. Only sign in from the provider's official website or app, and read [how to recognize a scam message](https://simplebuild.it/tutorial/riconoscere-email-phishing). - **You don't feel like doing it all online**: the in-person identity check, at the provider or at an enabled public office, is designed exactly for this. - If you need help preparing documents, email and phone, or guiding an elderly relative through the online procedure, a trusted technician can walk you through it step by step. The credentials, however, are always yours alone: never give them to anyone. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does SPID cost anything? Using it to access the online services of the public administration is free. To get it, some identity check methods are free and others are paid: it depends on the provider, and the official website suggests checking them before you start. ### Which SPID provider is the best? The official website explains that the credentials issued all have the same validity, whichever provider you choose. Pick the one that offers the identity check that's most convenient for you, using the official list on spid.gov.it. ### Can I get SPID with a residence permit? No. The official website explains that you can't apply for SPID with a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno), but you can use it to get an Italian identity card, which you then use for SPID. ### How long does it take? Issue times depend on the provider and on the identity check method: in the official list each provider states its own. ## Sources - [How to activate SPID (spid.gov.it)](https://www.spid.gov.it/en/what-is-spid/how-to-activate-spid/) - [How to choose between digital identity providers (spid.gov.it)](https://www.spid.gov.it/en/what-is-spid/how-to-choose-between-digital-identity-providers/) - [The PAs to obtain SPID (spid.gov.it)](https://www.spid.gov.it/en/what-is-spid/how-to-activate-spid/the-pas-obtain-spid/) - [What is SPID (spid.gov.it)](https://www.spid.gov.it/en/what-is-spid/) - [What are the differences between the three security levels? (SPID Help desk, in Italian)](https://helpdesk.spid.gov.it/knowledgebase.php?article=11)