Pursuant to Law 183/2011, certificates may not be submitted to public administration bodies or to private entities managing public services.

In particular, it is envisaged that “Certificates issued by the public administration concerning statuses, personal qualities, and facts are valid and may be used only in relations between private parties. In relations with public administration bodies and providers of public services, certificates and affidavits are always replaced by the declarations referred to in Articles 46 and 47 of Presidential Decree 445/2000” (self-certifications).

• Substitute declarations of certification (art. 46 Presidential Decree 445/2000), relating to statuses, personal qualities and facts expressly provided for by law;
• Substitute declarations in lieu of affidavit (art. 47 Presidential Decree 445/2000): relating to statuses, personal qualities and facts, including those concerning other persons, of which the interested party has direct knowledge and which do not fall among those covered by art. 46.