IT Wallet: The Italian digital wallet

The Italian digital wallet system, IT Wallet, will become available in the next few months. IT Wallet is the Italian version of the EU Digital Identity Wallet (EUDI Wallet), an electronic wallet that will contain all digital documents used to identify European citizens. The EUDI Wallet project is part of the revamping of the eIDAS Regulation[1] introduced by the recently approved eIDAS II.[2]

The provisions governing the IT Wallet were recently introduced by  Law Decree no. 19 of March 2^nd, 2024 as converted into law by Law no. 56 of April 29, 2024.  

How IT Wallet works

IT Wallet lets users store and use electronic identification documents. There will be a public version (available through the IO App[3], which will rely on an  IT infrastructure to be developed), and private companies that register with the Italian Digital Agency (“AgID”) will also have the opportunity to offer private versions of IT Wallet. Access to and use of the public IT Wallet is free of charge for citizens and businesses.

Technical guidelines issued by the Italian prime minister (or by an authority in charge of technological innovation, if one is appointed) will determine the characteristics and functions of IT Wallet. Among other things, these guidelines will cover:

• The technical characteristics of (public and private) IT Wallets and services available through IT Wallet;
• the procedure for private IT Wallet providers to register with the AgID;
• the list of services available to public administrations and registered companies via the IO App;
• technical standards that ensure the interoperability of IT Wallet solutions with public administration and registered private provider databases and IT systems, including with the IO App; both public and private IT Wallets must be compatible with existing digital identification systems;
• security measures to ensure appropriate reliability, availability, and security;
• modalities to render the source code public;
• availability of the source code for IT Wallet’s public and private solutions.

In the meantime, the IO App will immediately begin hosting some IT Wallet functions. National health cards, Italian driver’s licenses, and EU disability cards will all be accessible on the IO App. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation and the National Pension Institute (INPS) will make the necessary data available on the National Digital Data Platform (i.e., the IT infrastructure that makes public databases interoperable).

Digital versions of documents available through IT Wallet will be equivalent to physical documents. For example, the system will connect with the national registry to confirm that a driver’s license holder is qualified to drive. Additionally, the digital driving license can serve as an identification card for legal purposes.

Next steps

In addition to technical guidelines, the Italian prime minister shall issue a decree regarding the following:

• The go-live date for the public IT Wallet and the start date for registered companies to begin offering private IT Wallets;
• the deadline for public administrations to make individuals’ electronic data and digital documents available;
• services that may be offered by private IT Wallet providers for a fee and guidelines for such fees.

[1] Regulation (EU) No. 910/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of July 23, 2014 on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market and repealing Directive 1999/93/EC.

[2] Regulation (EU) 2024/1183 of the European Parliament and of the Council of April 11, 2024 amending Regulation (EU) No. 910/2014 as regards establishing the European Digital Identity Framework.

[3] The IO App is a mobile application developed and owned by PagoPa S.p.A (a state-owned company) that citizens use to access public Italian digital services.