CIR (Regional Identification Code): what it is and how it connects to the CIN

If you run a hotel, a B&B or a short-term rental apartment, sooner or later you have come across the acronym CIR. For years it was the code used to identify your property at regional level and, in many cases, the number you had to enter in your listings. Then the CIN arrived, the national code, and the confusion grew: do you need both? Does one replace the other? In this guide we clarify what the CIR really is, why it changes from Region to Region and how it links to the CIN.

What the CIR is

CIR stands for Regional Identification Code (Codice Identificativo Regionale). It is the code that each Italian Region has historically assigned to accommodation facilities and to lodgings intended for short-term or tourist rental, in order to identify them uniquely within its own territory. In practice it is your property's "licence plate" at regional level: the Region issues it when you register the activity, and from that moment on it accompanies the property in its dealings with the local authority.

It came before the CIN. For a long time the CIR was the only official reference code and, in several Regions, the number that had to be displayed by law in the listings published on booking portals.

Why every Region has its own CIR (and why this creates confusion)

The critical point is this: there is no single national format for the CIR. Tourism is a regional matter, so over time each Region has built its own system, its own portal and its own code format. The result is a patchwork in which the same acronym, CIR, refers to things written in different ways depending on where you are.

That is why an operator working across several territories, or moving from one Region to another, struggles to find their bearings: the portal, the procedure and even the length of the code all change.

• Different Regions have different portals and tourism systems for issuing the CIR.
• The format of the code is not standardised: length and structure vary from Region to Region.
• The rules on where and how to state the CIR in listings were set by each individual Region.
• Anyone managing properties in more than one Region ends up with different codes and procedures for each location.

What the CIR was for

The CIR had a twofold function. On the one hand it served to identify the property at regional level, linking it to the Region's tourism registry. On the other, it had to be stated in listings and communications according to the rules of each individual Region: many administrations introduced the obligation to publish the CIR in every listing, precisely to counter irregular activity and make properties traceable.

In other words, the CIR was the means by which the Region kept the official list of those hosting tourists on its territory.

CIR and CIN: how they connect

Between 2024 and 2025 the Ministero del Turismo introduced the CIN, the National Identification Code, managed within the BDSR (the national Database of Accommodation Facilities). The aim is to unify at state level the codes that previously existed only on a regional basis, so that every property has an identifier valid throughout Italy.

Here lies the key connection: in many Regions the CIR is the starting point for generating the CIN. The national system takes the existing CIR and, on that basis, assigns the national code. From that moment the CIN becomes the national reference, to be displayed in listings and reported in documents. The CIR may remain relevant for regional obligations, but it does not replace the requirement to have the CIN.

• The CIR is regional; the CIN is national and unique across the whole territory.
• In many Regions the CIN is generated starting from the CIR already assigned to the property.
• Once you have obtained the CIN, that is the code to display in listings and documents.
• The CIR does not necessarily disappear: it may still be needed for obligations towards the Region.
• Having the CIR ready and correct makes obtaining the CIN simpler and faster.

The most common mistakes with CIR and CIN

The transition from a regional system to a national one has left room for various misunderstandings. Many operators still think the old code is enough, or do not know which portal to start from. Here are the pitfalls we see most often.

• Believing that the CIR alone is still enough today: you also need the CIN, which is the national reference.
• Not knowing which regional portal to use to check or retrieve the CIR.
• Confusing CIR and CIN in listings, stating the wrong code or both incorrectly.
• Reaching the CIN application without having the CIR ready, drawing out the timeframes.
• Reporting the code inconsistently across portals, contracts and invoices.

Where to find or apply for the CIR

The CIR is obtained and verified through your Region's system: depending on the territory it may go through the municipal SUAP or the regional tourism portal dedicated to accommodation facilities. Since the procedure changes from Region to Region, there is no single path valid for everyone: the most reliable approach is to start from your Region's official website and look for the section on accommodation facilities or short-term rentals.

For the CIN, on the other hand, the reference is single and national: the BDSR of the Ministero del Turismo. If you are unsure which code applies to you or how to obtain it, always check on your Region's official portal for the CIR and on the Ministero del Turismo's portal for the CIN, avoiding unofficial sources that often carry outdated information.

In summary

The CIR is the regional code by which your property has always been identified; the CIN is the new national code which, in many Regions, is born precisely from the CIR and becomes the reference to use in listings and documents. Keep your CIR in order, apply for the CIN through the official portal and always check your Region's rules. Once you have obtained the CIN, HotelOnlineAI helps you keep track of it: it stores it, validates its 18 characters and reports it where needed, from invoices to pre-arrival communications, so it stays consistent everywhere without having to copy it out by hand every time.