Foreign articles of association and incorporation documents: sworn translation for Italy
Articles, memorandum, estatutos, certificate of incorporation: what they are, why they differ, and when the file is translated for a notary, bank or register.
October 12, 2026 · 3 min
If a company formed abroad must appear in an Italian deed — bank, notary, Companies Register, corporate transaction — the recipient usually asks for articles of association and the incorporation deed, not a one-page certificate. The two documents are not the same, and names change: articles of association, memorandum of association, certificate of incorporation, estatutos, atto costitutivo.
This guide explains the conceptual difference and when a sworn translation into Italian may be needed. It is not corporate advice and does not replace the notary or the Chamber of Commerce.
Note
ItaloDocs is a private translation service. It does not incorporate companies or file documents with the Registro delle Imprese. It translates the company file you already have, when the recipient asks for Italian in sworn form.
Incorporation deed, articles, certificate of incorporation: not synonyms
| Common label | What it usually describes (no legal equivalence) |
|---|---|
| Atto costitutivo / deed of incorporation / memorandum of association | The instrument by which the company comes into being: founders, objects, initial capital, seat. |
| Statuto / articles of association / bylaws | Internal rules: organs, majorities, share transfers. |
| Certificate of incorporation / registry extract | Proof of registration. It does not replace the articles. |
Do not assume a perfect match across countries. In Spain the escritura and estatutos may be one notarial instrument. In the UK, articles and the certificate of incorporation are separate. The Italian recipient names which pieces it wants, using the home-jurisdiction titles.
Where they may be requested in Italy
- notary;
- bank or intermediary (KYC);
- Companies Register — the Rome Chamber of Commerce indicates form S1 for a foreign company establishing a secondary office in Italy;
- due diligence;
- administrative identification of the foreign company.
Article 2508-bis of the Italian Civil Code, for the secondary office of EU capital companies, provides that documents in a foreign language must be accompanied by a sworn translation. That is a precise statutory example — not a universal bank rule.
Apostille, legalisation, translation
MAECI applies to documents issued by foreign authorities the pair legalisation or Apostille + translation into Italian, unless a more favourable convention applies (Hague Convention). A private, unauthenticated constitution may not be a ‘public document’: often the Apostille goes on the notarial certified copy or the registry extract. Sequence: document, Apostille and translation.
Send the complete company file for a quote.
FAQ
Must articles and the incorporation deed both be translated?
Only if the recipient asks for both. In some countries they are one instrument.
Is the certificate of incorporation enough?
Often not: it identifies the company; it does not set internal rules.
Does ItaloDocs incorporate the company in Italy?
No. It translates the foreign documents already formed.
