Working Hours in Italy

The legal working week and day in Italy, how overtime is paid, which days are the weekend, normal office hours and the paid leave you are owed.

Working week 40 hours Working day 8 hours Overtime pay Agreed Weekend days Sat–Sun Business hours 9am–6pm Annual leave 20 days

Working week in Italy

40 hours

The normal working week is 40 hours, and collective agreements may set less. Including overtime the average must not exceed 48 hours over 4 months.

Working day in Italy

8 hours

The usual day is 8 hours. The law sets no daily maximum, but you must get 11 hours’ rest in every 24 and a break when you work more than 6 hours.

Overtime pay in Italy

Agreed

Collective agreements set the overtime premium, commonly 15% to 30% extra and more at night or on holidays. Overtime is limited to 250 hours a year unless an agreement says otherwise.

Weekend days in Italy

Sat–Sun

Saturday and Sunday are the weekend for offices. Sunday is the usual weekly rest day; many shops open on Sundays in cities, and some close on Monday morning.

Business hours in Italy

9am–6pm

Offices usually work 9am to 6pm with a lunch break, Monday to Friday. Small shops often close from about 1pm to 3:30pm.

Annual leave in Italy

20 days

Employees get at least 4 weeks of paid holiday a year, 20 days on a five-day week, and collective agreements often add extra paid hours off.

Checked 24 October 2026 against national labour laws and government sites. Laws change and this is a summary, not legal advice; check with the authority that applies to you.

Working days in Italy 2026

Business days and working hours by month, after weekends and holidays.

Minimum wage in Italy

The hourly and monthly minimum, in local money and US dollars.

Italian public holidays 2026

Every holiday with its date and long weekends.