Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in Italy (2026)
Employees in Italy get at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (4 weeks). Sick leave: paid.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
High confidenceYour number
20 days a year (160 hours)
Statutory minimum 20 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
This is the legal floor for Italy; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 20 days | 4 weeks |
At least 4 weeks a year (Legislative Decree 66/2003 art. 10). Collective agreements often give more.
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 20 days a year.
What the rules mean in practice
In Italy, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks.
In Italy, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks. The legal wording: At least 4 weeks a year (Legislative Decree 66/2003 art. 10). Collective agreements often give more.
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 20, the same as 8 and lower than 9. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 20 days is about 7.7% of a 260-day working year.
No service-based step is recorded here, so the 20-day minimum applies at every length of service; the official source has the full rule.
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for Italy lists 14 holidays, 7 of them on working days. An employee who has all 7 weekday holidays off on top of the 20-day minimum is away from work on at least 27 weekdays in 2026.
Sick leave: Sickness allowance through INPS and the collective agreement; not an accrued balance. LeaveCalc rates this entry High confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for Italy, with .ics downloads.
Sources
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in Italy
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in Italy?
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks). At least 4 weeks a year (Legislative Decree 66/2003 art. 10). Collective agreements often give more.
Does annual leave increase with length of service in Italy?
No service-based step is recorded here for Italy: the statutory minimum stays at 20 days a year. Check the official source for the full rule.
Is sick leave paid in Italy?
Yes. Sickness allowance through INPS and the collective agreement; not an accrued balance.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in Italy?
Public holidays are in addition to the annual leave minimum. In 2026 the calendar for Italy has 14 public holidays, 7 of them on working days.