Additional 2025 single SEZ tax credit: a guide to access and offsetting
The 2026 Budget Law introduces an additional tax credit for businesses that made investments in the single SEZ for Southern Italy in 2025 and did not benefit fully from the Transition 5.0 tax credit. This article provides a comprehensive guide to eligibility, how and when to submit the notification, and how to use the credit.
The Additional 2025 Single SEZ Tax Credit: Nature and Purpose
The 2026 Budget Law established an additional tax credit for businesses that made investments in the single SEZ for Southern Italy in 2025 and did not use the Transition 5.0 tax credit. This supplementary credit amounts to 14.6189% of the tax credit claimed in the supplementary notification.
Its introduction addresses the need to compensate partially for the relief not used in 2025. In that year, the resources available for the single SEZ credit were insufficient to cover 100% of the credits accrued, reducing the proportion available for use to 60.3811%. With the addition of this supplementary credit of 14.6189%, the total effective relief reaches 75% of the credit accrued.
This measure does not constitute a new standalone relief, but rather a corrective mechanism intended to ensure:
- Substantive fairness for businesses that had already made the investments.
- Credibility of the SEZ scheme so as not to discourage future investment.
Beneficiaries of the Additional Single SEZ Credit
The additional credit is available to economic operators that meet both of the following conditions:
- Having submitted the supplementary notification by the deadline of 2 December 2025, confirming that the investments in the single SEZ were made by 15 November 2025.
- Not having benefited from the "Transition 5.0" tax credit.
Types of Investment Eligible for Single SEZ Relief
The single SEZ tax credit, introduced by Article 16 of Decree-Law No. 124 of 2023, encourages investment in new capital assets – such as machinery, plant, equipment and property – intended for facilities located in the eight regions of Southern Italy eligible for derogations from State aid rules. These regions include:
- Basilicata
- Calabria
- Campania
- Molise
- Apulia
- Sardinia
- Sicily
- Abruzzo
Procedure and Time Limits for Notifying the Additional Credit
Interested businesses must submit the prescribed form electronically to the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate), as approved by Decree No. 56564 of 16 February 2026, during the period from 15 April to 15 May 2026.
Submission of this notification is an essential condition for recognition of the credit. Notifications received after the prescribed deadline will be automatically excluded.
A safeguard clause applies to notifications submitted on time (up to four days before the deadline) but rejected by the electronic system. In such cases, the notification is considered valid if resubmitted within the following five calendar days.
It is also possible to replace or cancel the data submitted within the prescribed time limits.
Use of the Additional Single SEZ Credit
The additional credit may be used exclusively by offsetting through form F24, which must be submitted through the electronic services of the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate).
- The start date for use is 26 May 2026, subject to receipt of the Agency's acknowledgement of acceptance.
- The deadline for use is 31 December 2026.
Extension of the Ordinary Single SEZ Credit for the Three-Year Period 2026–2028
The 2026 Budget Law also extended the single SEZ tax credit to the three-year period 2026–2028. For 2026 alone, an overall funding ceiling of EUR 2.3 billion has been set.
Businesses wishing to benefit from this extension must notify the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate), from 31 March to 30 May 2026, of the amount of eligible expenditure incurred from 1 January 2026 and that planned up to 31 December 2026.
In 2026, the credit is calculated by reference to investments made during the period from 1 January to 31 December, with a maximum limit of EUR 100 million per project. Investments below EUR 200,000 are excluded.
A crucial element of the 2026–2028 mechanism is mandatory certification by a statutory auditor entered in Section A of the register referred to in D.Lgs. 27 January 2010, n. 39. This certification confirms that the expenditure was actually incurred and is consistent with the company's accounting records.
Conclusions
The additional single SEZ tax credit represents an important corrective measure for businesses that invested in Southern Italy in 2025. Careful monitoring of deadlines and notification procedures is essential to access these benefits, which also include the extension of the ordinary credit until 2028, thereby supporting economic development in the regions concerned.
