In Turin, those who do not present the ISEE pay the full rate, without exceptions, while in Rome the application must be renewed every year and remains subject to a valid ISEE certificate. The concessions for school canteens and transport are not a uniform national benefit (like the nursery bonus managed by INPS) because they are municipal services, and each body sets income ranges and deadlines on its own. The basic procedure, however, is repeated almost everywhere.
The first step is the ISEE
Without a valid ISEE certificate you cannot access the reductions, this is the basic condition required by practically every Municipality to apply the preferential rate. The DSU is submitted via the INPS Single ISEE Portal with SPID, CIE or CNS, or via a CAF. In the pre-compiled version, the Revenue Agency sends the income and asset data already in its possession directly to INPS. The declarant remains to authorize the procedure for each adult member of the household and verify the data before sending. The certification remains valid until December 31st and must be renewed every year.
Income ranges and deadlines
Once the ISEE has been obtained, the application must be submitted to the Municipality of residence via dedicated portals. The bands work in increasing brackets: in Sestri Levante, for example, an ISEE of up to 4,863.08 euros gives the right to free admission, between 4,863.09 and 6,160.33 euros the benefit drops to 70%, between 6,160.34 and 7,456.52 euros to 50%, while in Cesano Maderno, for 2026/27, the brackets for canteen and transport reach up to six bands, from a 70% reduction for an ISEE under 6,500 euros up to no concession over 35-45,000 euros depending on the service. In Rome, for school transport only, the monthly fee starts from the exemption up to 5,165 euros of ISEE and rises in brackets up to a maximum of 59 euros over 30,000 euros. The deadlines count as much as the ISEE, because they determine when the discount starts: many Municipalities apply the reduction from the beginning of the school year only to those who apply by the summer, while those who arrive later will only see it take effect in the following months, or risk losing it entirely. It is therefore advisable to move as soon as the deadlines open.
Where to get information
The official information can be found on the website of your municipality, School or Educational Services section: each institution publishes its own notice with forms, deadlines and ISEE bands updated year by year. It is best to always check the most recent resolution before applying, because the criteria may change from one school year to another.
