If you own a second home on Lake Garda — a villa, an apartment, a holiday residence — every year you must pay IMU (Italy's municipal property tax) in two instalments. Let's look at how it is calculated with the official formula, the up-to-date rates of the lower Lake Garda municipalities, an automatic calculator, some worked examples and the deadlines to meet.
Who has to pay IMU
IMU (Imposta Municipale Propria) is a tax on property ownership. The primary residence is exempt, unless it falls into the luxury cadastral categories A/1, A/8 or A/9 (villas and stately homes): in that case IMU is due even with registered residency.
Liable parties are the owner, the usufructuary, the holder of a right of habitation and, in the case of leasing, the lessee.
How IMU is calculated: the formula
The calculation starts from the cadastral income (rendita catastale) shown in the land registry record. A statutory 5% uplift and a multiplier are applied, giving the taxable base, to which the rate set by the municipality is applied.
Ordinary homes (A/2, A/3, A/4, A/5, A/6, A/7, A/11) and luxury ones (A/1, A/8, A/9) all use the multiplier 160. Villas generally fall under A/7 (small villas) or A/8 (villas).
IMU calculator
Enter your property's cadastral income and select the municipality: the calculator estimates your annual IMU and the two instalments. The rates of the lower Lake Garda municipalities are pre-filled; the result is indicative (see note).
IMU rates in the Lake Garda municipalities
Each municipality sets its own rates every year by 31 December. Below is the rate for the "altri fabbricati" category (second residential home) in the main municipalities on the Brescia shore.
| Municipality | Second home (altri fabbricati) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Desenzano del Garda | 1.06% | Resolution no. 59 of 20/12/2024 |
| Sirmione | 0.94% | Resolution 13/11/2024 · 1.06% if tourist accommodation |
| Padenghe sul Garda | 1.06% | Municipal rates 2025 |
| Moniga del Garda | 0.89% | Resolution no. 15 |
| Manerba del Garda | 1.10% | Resolution no. 47 of 15/12/2025 |
| Salò | 1.06% | Municipality of Salò · ordinary rate |
Rates based on the latest available municipal resolution (2025; Manerba del Garda 2026). Each municipality may change them yearly, with mandatory publication on the Ministry of Finance portal (finanze.gov.it): always check the updated schedule before each deadline.
Maximum rate
The law sets the ordinary maximum rate at 1.06% for second homes. Municipalities that applied the TASI surcharge in 2015 can, however, go up to 1.14%: on Lake Garda this is the case of Manerba del Garda, at 1.10%. For category D buildings, a fixed share of 0.76% is in any case reserved for the State.
Worked examples
The cadastral incomes shown are illustrative: your actual income may differ, always check it in the up-to-date land registry record.
The annual IMU is split into two equal instalments: half as an advance in June, half as a balance in December.
Reductions provided by law
50% reduction of the taxable base
Free loan-for-use (comodato) to children or parents: granting the property to a first-degree relative in a direct line as their main residence, with a registered contract, halves the taxable base. The lender must not own other residential properties in Italy (other than their own main home in the same municipality).
Properties of historical or artistic interest and uninhabitable or unusable properties that are in fact unused: 50% reduction of the taxable base.
25% reduction of the tax
For homes rented at an agreed rent (canone concordato, Law 431/1998), IMU is reduced to 75% of the calculated amount.
Pensioners resident abroad
Pensioners resident in a country with a double-taxation treaty with Italy, owning a single, non-rented property in Italy, benefit from a 50% reduction of the tax on that single property.
Deadlines and payment 2026
How to pay
Payment is made via the F24 form, "IMU and other local taxes" section. The main tax codes:
| Code | Property type |
|---|---|
| 3918 | Homes other than the main residence (second home) |
| 3912 | Luxury main residence (A/1, A/8, A/9) |
| 3925 | Category D buildings — municipal share |
| 3930 | Agricultural land |
Payable at banks, post offices and authorised tobacconists; VAT-number holders must use the electronic F24 in the case of offsetting.
IMU and selling the property
When you sell, IMU is paid pro-rata for the months of ownership: a month counts as whole if ownership exceeded 15 days. In the month of the notarial deed the amount is split proportionally between seller and buyer, who takes over the obligation from the day after the deed.
Before putting your Lake Garda property on the market it is worth knowing its current market value: the IMU you pay every year is one of the ownership costs that weigh on the decision to sell.
Request a free valuation →
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Frequently asked questions
Is the primary residence always exempt from IMU?
Yes, unless it is in the luxury categories A/1, A/8 or A/9. For ordinary homes used as the main residence with registered residency the exemption is total; appurtenances (one per category C/2, C/6, C/7) enjoy the same treatment.
How do I find my cadastral income?
For free on the Agenzia delle Entrate website, Consultazione rendite section, with SPID or CIE. It is also shown on your latest Italian tax return (form RB).
Does a foreign buyer of a villa on Lake Garda pay IMU?
Yes, regardless of nationality. If it is the only property in Italy and the owner is not registered as resident there, it is treated as a second home. Pensioners resident in a country with a double-taxation treaty get a 50% reduction on a single, non-rented property.
What happens if I pay late?
You regularise with the ravvedimento operoso: tax due + reduced penalty (based on days of delay) + statutory interest. From 1 January 2026 the statutory interest rate is 1.6% per year.
Do the rates change every year?
Each municipality can approve changes by 31 December, with mandatory publication on the MEF portal. Without a resolution the previous year's rates apply. Check the updated schedule before the June deadline.
The information in this article is for general guidance and is up to date as of the publication date. Municipal rates vary from year to year. For a precise calculation and specific situations (co-ownership, inheritance, loan-for-use) consult a chartered accountant or tax adviser (commercialista).