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Publication: 9 April 2026
What is it?
Parental leave is an optional period of time off work available to parents, allowing them time to care for their child during the first years of the child's life (or entry into the family/Italy in the event of adoption or foster care) and fulfil their emotional and social needs.
Who is aimed at?
Parental leave is offered to workers enrolled in the Separate Pension Scheme, provided that:
- are not pensioners;
- are not enrolled in other compulsory social security schemes;
- have paid the increased contribution (0.72%) referred to in Article 59, paragraph 16, Law no. 449 of 27 December 1997.
How does it work?
Parental leave can be taken within 12 years of age (or from the entry into the family/Italy in the event of adoption or foster care) of the minor.
Each parent is entitled to three months of paid parental leave, non-transferable to the other parent. Parents are also entitled to a further three months paid as an alternative between them, for a maximum total paid period between the parents of nine months (Message of 4 August 2022, No. 3066 (in Italian)).
In the event of multiple births, the right to parental leave is granted for a maximum of nine months for each child.
Parental leave may be taken continuously or in a split form by days, but not on an hourly basis. Days are counted in the same way as for dependent workers.
In the event of adoption and pre-adoptive foster care, each parent is entitled to three months of paid parental leave, non-transferable to the other parent. Parents are also entitled to a further three months paid as an alternative between them, for a maximum total paid period between the parents of nine months. Parental leave may be taken within the first 12 years from entry into the family (in the case of national adoption or foster care) or from entry into Italy (in the case of international adoption or foster care) of the minor. In the event of non-pre-adoptive foster care, workers enrolled in Separate Pension Scheme cannot take maternity/paternity leave and parental leave (INPS Circular No. 109 of 16 November 2018 (in Italian)).
The allowance is calculated, for each day within the eligible period, as 30% of 1/365 of the income received from contract work or similar activities in the same 12 months used as a reference to assess the contribution requirement.
The allowance can be claimed within one year from the end of the eligible period. The limitation period is discontinued if the applicant provides the Institute with a written document indicating a definite date (written payment claims, reminders and so on).
The allowance is paid directly by the INPS.
Periods of absence from work for which parental leave allowance is paid are covered by figurative contributions.
Claim
REQUIREMENTS
Workers enrolled in the Separate Pension Scheme (law of 8 August 1995, n. 335) can take parental leave provided that:
- they are enrolled in the Separate Pension Scheme as contract workers or similar categories;
- they are enrolled in the Separate Pension Scheme as professionals, as per Article 2, paragraph 26, law of 8 August 1995, n. 335;
- they still have valid employment during the period in which the parental leave has been claimed;
- they have paid contributions for at least one month at an increased rate in the 12 months preceding the start date of the eligible parental leave period (the automaticity of benefits referred to in Article 64-ter of Legislative Decree no. 151 of 26 March 2001 does not apply to parental leave, as clarified in paragraph 2 of INPS Circular No. 42 of 26 February 2016 (in Italian)), or – only in the event that parental leave is taken within the first year of the child's life or from when the child entered the family/Italy – they have paid contributions for at least one month at an increased rate, in the 12 months used as reference for the payment of maternity/paternity allowance (INPS Circular No. 42 of 26 February 2016 (in Italian));
- there is actual absence from work.
The duration of parental leave for both parents, even if taken in the form of other schemes or welfare funds, cannot exceed the total limit of nine months.
WHEN CAN I CLAIM?
The claim must be submitted before the start date of the claimed period of leave. If claimed after this time, only the days of leave after the claim date will be paid.
HOW CAN I CLAIM?
The claim for parental leave can be made to INPS on-line using the dedicated service.
By clicking on “Use service” on this page, you can:
- “Patronage Institutes Portal”: section reserved for patronage institutes, for consulting the claims submitted before publication in the new service “Maternity and paternity claims”;
- “Parental leave, maternity and paternity – Claim”: section reserved for citizens, for consulting the claims submitted before publication in the new service “Maternity and paternity claims”;
- “Maternity and paternity claims”: the new service for submitting claims for parental leave for citizens and patronage institutes. In this section you can check the status of the parental leave counters using the “Consult parental leave counters” card.
Alternatively, the claim can be made by:
- Calling the contact centre on 803 164 (free from Italian landlines) or 06 164 164 from mobile phones.
- On-line services offered by patronage institutes and intermediaries of the Institute.
For further information or clarifications, please refer to the INPS Circular, 16th November 2018, n. 109 (in Italian) and to the INPS Circular, No. 71 of 3 June 2020 (in Italian).
Processing times of the measure
The deadline to define the measure was set at 55 days by the Regulation for the definition of the terms to conclude the administrative proceedings adopted by INPS pursuant to Article 2 of Law 241/1990.