A clear, professional guide from a Sicilian architect—so your dream stays beautiful, feasible, and hassle-free
BUYING, BUILDING AND RENOVATING IN SICILY - A FULL GUIDE
This article is part of an ongoing guide for foreign buyers who want to buy, build, or renovate in Sicily with confidence.
Chapter 4
What the Catasto is (and what it is not)
This chapter explains what the Catasto is, why it matters, and why it does not prove planning legality. You’ll understand the concept of “stato legittimo” and the difference between registered data and what is actually authorised. Most importantly, you’ll learn what to request and verify to avoid surprises after purchase.
Identification and taxation vs planning legitimacy
If you are buying property in Sicily as a foreigner, sooner or later someone will send you a planimetria catastale and a visura catastale. At that moment, many buyers feel relieved. They think: “Perfect—this must be the official plan. So the property is legal.” And that is exactly where a costly misunderstanding begins.
In Italy, the Catasto (cadastral system) is essential, but it is not what many foreign buyers assume it is. It is a registry used primarily for identification and taxation. It helps define parcels, units and surfaces for fiscal purposes. It is important, but it is not designed to certify planning legitimacy.
A building can appear in the Catasto and still include works that were never authorised properly. That difference matters because you are not only buying a shape on a drawing—you are buying the right to use, renovate, extend, or sometimes rebuild a property. Those rights depend on planning and building legitimacy—what Italian professionals refer to as stato legittimo (legitimate status). And stato legittimo does not automatically come from the Catasto.
Why a property can be ‘in the Catasto’ and still be problematic
Put simply: the Catasto tells you what is registered for taxation; planning legality tells you what has been authorised under building and planning rules. Sometimes these two worlds match perfectly. Sometimes they don’t. When they don’t, it can affect your permit route, your scope, your timeline, your budget—and, in some cases, your ability to do what you want at all.
This mismatch is often not a dramatic fraud. It is ordinary life. A wall moved. A window changed. A terrace enclosed. A small extension added years ago. A rural outbuilding converted informally. Over decades, small changes accumulate. Some were permitted, some were not, some were partially documented, and some were never regularised. The Catasto may have been updated—or not. And even when it has been updated, that update does not validate the change from a planning perspective.
What ‘stato legittimo’ means in practice
Permit history and the approved state
The outcome you want is clarity: what was approved, what exists today, and what the implications are. If the property is fully aligned, excellent. If it is not aligned, there may still be solutions—depending on what the differences are, what constraints apply, and what local rules allow. The point is not to panic; the point is to know.
In Sicily, this matters even more because many desirable properties sit in sensitive contexts—countryside landscapes, coastal areas, historic centres, or zones with stronger constraints and stricter planning frameworks. In these contexts, documentation and legitimate status can define your timelines and your approval pathway.
Why ‘as-built’ must match what can be proven
You will hear phrases like “It’s all fine,” “Don’t worry,” “We can regularise later,” or “Everyone does it.” Sometimes the speaker is honest. Sometimes they are simply unaware. But your money does not respond to good intentions. Your project responds to documents, approvals and verifiable facts.
A professional rule: if it matters, get it in writing—or treat it as unknown.
What to do instead: request evidence for any point that affects price, scope, permits or timelines. Written clarity is not bureaucracy; it is protection.
What to request beyond the Catasto
Permit history and accesso agli atti
If you are thinking, “So what do I do with the Catasto then?”—the answer is: use it correctly. Use it to identify the property, verify identifiers (foglio/particella/sub), check that what is being sold matches what is registered, and support the notary track. But do not use it as a substitute for feasibility and legitimate status.
The safest mindset is this: treat the Catasto as a map, not as a certificate. It helps you locate and describe. It does not, by itself, protect you from planning risk. That protection comes from due diligence—documents, checks, and a clear written understanding of what you are buying.
Alignment check: approved vs existing vs registered
A practical way to think about this is an alignment check:
- Approved: what was authorised (permit history and drawings).
- Existing: what is actually on site today (as-built reality).
- Registered: what appears in the Catasto (cadastral plan/extract).
When these three are aligned, your project route becomes calmer. When they are not aligned, you can assess implications early—before deposits or binding steps—and decide whether to proceed, renegotiate, or walk away.
Milestones (this phase)
- Obtain the cadastral plan (planimetria catastale) and cadastral extract (visura catastale).
- Verify identifiers: foglio / particella / sub, and confirm they match what is being sold.
- Understand that Catasto is for identification/taxation—not proof of planning legality.
- Request permit history (original authorisations and later amendments) where available.
- Where needed, initiate accesso agli atti to reconstruct municipal records.
- Compare ‘as-built’ reality vs permits vs cadastral records to identify mismatches.
- Assess implications for your intended scope (renovate / extend / rebuild).
- Document conclusions in writing before you commit financially.
How Bureau69 Architects supports YOU
- Explain cadastral documents in plain English and what they do (and do not) prove.
- Reconstruct permit history and legitimate status through professional due diligence.
- Manage accesso agli atti requests and document retrieval workflows.
- Produce a clear written alignment note: approved vs existing vs registered.
- Map risks and potential solutions (where possible) before you commit to an offer or deed.
- Coordinate with your notary and advisers so technical findings translate into safe decisions.
If you have a specific property in mind, message me on WhatsApp for a pre-buy feasibility screening. If it looks viable, we’ll schedule a call and I’ll confirm next steps in writing.
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FAQ
What is the Catasto?
You know Sicilian cadastral registry is one of the oldest one, started during the Borbouns period? Italy’s cadastral registry for identification and taxation. It helps describe and identify a property, but it is not a planning-legality certificate.
Does the Catasto prove legality?
No. A property can appear in the Catasto and still include unauthorised works. Planning legality requires permit history and evidence of legitimate status.
What does ‘stato legittimo’ mean?
The legitimate status of a property, proven through planning/building documentation over time (authorisations and amendments) and verified against what exists today.
What if permit documents are missing?
A municipal records request (accesso agli atti) can be used to reconstruct permit history before you commit financially.
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