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Bussola dei titoli edilizi

Which building title? The compass of permits

In forceEdilizia & TitoliCircolare/Linea guida● Verified

Summary

TAV. 00

An orienting guide to understand which building title is needed for a given work: from free building to the building permit, through CILA and SCIA. It does not replace the professional's assessment, but lines up the 'ladder of titles' of D.P.R. 380/2001.

Scope of application

TAV. 01

A synthesis tool on the building titles of D.P.R. 380/2001. It is for orientation: the legal qualification of the works, and thus the required title, is up to the professional and may vary according to regional laws and the constraints on the property.

In depth

TAV. A

The principle: from less to more

Building titles form a ladder: the more a work affects the building and the territory, the 'heavier' the required title. Knowing the ladder avoids two mistakes: asking too much (a permit where a CILA is enough) or too little (a CILA where a permit is needed). All the titles come from D.P.R. 380/2001.

The ladder of titles
Free works
CILA
SCIA
Alt. SCIA
Permit
← lower impacthigher impact →

The five titles compared

Which title, when
TitleWhen, in brief
Free buildingordinary maintenance and minor works, without an act
CILAminor non-structural works (residual)
SCIAstructural extraordinary maintenance and light renovation
Alternative SCIAheavy renovation and new construction implementing plans (in place of the permit)
Building permitnew construction, urban and heavy renovation
Orienting editorial summary; the qualification must be checked case by case and under regional laws.

The question to ask

How to find your way
  1. 01
    1. Is it free?Is the work in the Glossary of free building and does it not touch structures or constraints? Then it is free building.
  2. 02
    2. Structures?Does it touch the structural parts, or is it restoration or light renovation? Then SCIA.
  3. 03
    3. Heavy?Is it new construction or heavy renovation? Then a building permit (or the alternative SCIA, where allowed).
  4. 04
    4. The restNone of the above, but not free? Then CILA (residual).
  5. 05
    5. End: agibilitàOnce works are done, can the building be used? It closes with the fitness-for-use report.
CAUTION

This is a compass, not a rule: it points to the likely title, but the legal qualification of the works is up to the professional, also in light of regional rules and the constraints on the property.

Go deeper

Each title has its own page: Free building, CILA, SCIA, the SCIA alternative to the permit, the Building permit and, closing the cycle, Agibilità.

Key points

TAV. K
  • Building titles are a ladder: the more a work affects, the heavier the title.
  • From less to more: free building, CILA, SCIA, alternative SCIA, building permit.
  • A guided decision avoids asking too much or too little.
  • Once works are done, the cycle closes with the fitness-for-use report (agibilità).

Frequently asked questions

TAV. Q
How do I know which title is needed?

Start from the work: if it is minor and without an act it is free building; if it touches the structures it is SCIA; if it is new construction or heavy renovation it is a permit (or the alternative SCIA); the rest is CILA. The final qualification is up to the professional.

Can I choose a heavier title 'to be safe'?

Generally no: each work has its own title. In some heavy cases the law lets you choose the SCIA alternative to the permit, but it is not a free choice for every work.

Is agibilità one of the titles?

No: it does not authorise building, it certifies that the finished building can be used. It closes the cycle opened by the other titles.

Glossary

TAV. G
Titolo abilitativo
Act or report that legitimises a building intervention.
Scala dei titoli
Increasing order of the titles according to the impact of the works.
Qualificazione dell'intervento
Legal classification of the works, on which the required title depends.

Details

Body
D.P.R. 380/2001 (Testo Unico dell'Edilizia)
Type
Circolare/Linea guida
Level
Nazionale
Read the official text (free) ↗
normattiva.it ›
Last verified: 20 Jun 2026
Editorial status: Verified

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