Italy ID Card Photo — at home in 60 seconds
Carta d'Identità Elettronica (CIE)
Take it with your phone against a plain, light wall. We crop it to the exact size (35×45 mm) and check the head size, position and background against the published rules.
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo. Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
Quick answer
An Italy ID Card Photo must be 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in), with the head filling 70–80 % of the photo height, with a background that is light blue (celeste), beige, light brown, light grey, or white, taken within the last 6 months. A photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets these rules.
- Printed photo
- 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
Verified October 3, 2026 from cartaidentita.interno.gov.it (Ministero dell'Interno).
Photo requirements
Summarised from the official sources below.
- Printed photo
- 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
- Head size (chin to top of head)
- 70–80 % of the photo height
- Eye line from the bottom
- 23–31 mm (51.1–68.9 %)
- Background
- Light blue (celeste), beige, light brown, light grey, white. Uniform and uniformly lit; preferably celeste, beige, light brown, light grey or white for contrast.
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible, looking at the lens, face frontal, head vertically centred.
- Glasses
- No coloured lenses; lenses must be transparent so eyes are clearly visible; no reflections.
- Head covering
- Not allowed except for religious, cultural or medical reasons; face must be clearly shown.
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Online application
- Agenda CIE (prenotazionicie.interno.gov.it) - the fototessera can be uploaded in digital format when booking.
More rules (9)
- height minimum 45 mm, width 35 mm
- if trimmed, both ear lobes must remain visible; do not crop to remove background or straighten the head
- no retouching, colouring or tampering
- not folded, stapled or written on
- printed on high-quality paper
- head and top of shoulders visible; only the subject
- no shadows on face/background, no over/under-exposure, no flash reflections
- natural colours
- same format as the passport photo
Print at home or at a kiosk
Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size), never “Fit to page”, on photo paper. Each sheet has a 50 mm ruler so you can check the size.
How to take it at home
- Stand about half a metre in front of a plain, light wall, facing a window.
- Hold the phone at arm’s length or ask someone to help. The live guide checks distance, light and head position.
- Get your digital file and print sheet. Print at 100% or upload the file.
Price
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo.
Photo Acceptance Guarantee — rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
Why people choose Ovalight
Made for the moment you need a photo that just works.
- Money back if it’s rejected Rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
- Free to try Take and check your photo for free. You pay once, only when you like the result.
- Your photo stays on your phone Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
- Checked against the official rules Every rule comes from the issuing authority’s own website, last verified on October 3, 2026.
- Free retakes for 24 hours Not happy with it? Retake the same document up to 3 times within 24 hours.
- Secure payment, no subscription Pay once through Stripe. We never see your card details.
Official sources
Verified on October 3, 2026
- Modalità di acquisizione delle foto — cartaidentita.interno.gov.it (Ministero dell'Interno)
- Rilascio e rinnovo in Italia — cartaidentita.interno.gov.it
Questions
What size is a Italy ID Card Photo?
Printed: 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in).
Can I take my Italy ID Card Photo at home?
Yes. The photo is not taken at the office and no registered photographer is required, so a photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets the rules on this page.
What background is required?
Light blue (celeste), beige, light brown, light grey, white. Uniform and uniformly lit; preferably celeste, beige, light brown, light grey or white for contrast.
Can I smile?
Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible, looking at the lens, face frontal, head vertically centred.
Can I wear glasses?
No coloured lenses; lenses must be transparent so eyes are clearly visible; no reflections.
Can I wear a head covering?
Not allowed except for religious, cultural or medical reasons; face must be clearly shown.
How recent must the photo be?
Taken within the last 6 months.
Can I print the photo at home?
Yes. Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size) on photo paper, at home or at a pharmacy or kiosk, and check the size with the 50 mm ruler.
More Italy documents
Other documents that use 35×45 mm
Ovalight is an independent service. Only the authority that issues your document decides whether to accept a photo.