How much does a banker's draft cost in Italy?
A banker's draft in Italy usually costs only a few euros: in the 2026 bank fee schedules checked for this guide, the issue fee ranges from EUR 0.26 to EUR 7.50, with EUR 3.50 as the observed mid-range price.
Verifiable answer
A banker's draft in Italy usually costs only a few euros: in the 2026 bank fee schedules checked for this guide, the issue fee ranges from EUR 0.26 to EUR 7.50, with EUR 3.50 as the observed mid-range price.
- How much does a banker's draft cost in Italy?
- €3.50 / issue
- €0.26 – €7.50
- Italy
- 4 September 2026
- Confidence: High
- Bank fee for a single banker's draft issue; Branch delivery where included in the fee schedule; Differences between tariffs applied by different banks; Link to the account or accessory service where the tariff is listed
- The face value of the draft, which is the payment to the beneficiary rather than a cost; Optional postal charges for home or third-party delivery; Postal money orders issued by Poste Italiane; The cost of a current account needed to access the service; Fees for recall, blocking, loss or unpaid instruments
- Bank issuing the draft; Current-account package or convention applied; Branch delivery or postal delivery; Whether the bank groups banker's drafts with payment order cheques; Later operations such as recall, blocking or copy requests
- 3 sources
Short answer
There is no single national tariff for an Italian banker's draft. The cost depends on the bank's fee schedule for the account or accessory service, and postal delivery can add separate charges.
A banker's draft is used when the recipient wants stronger assurance than an ordinary personal cheque. It is issued by the bank, not directly by the customer, and assumes the funds are already available. That is why it still appears in important or formal payments, even though instant transfers and digital tools have reduced its everyday use. The price is less uniform than many customers expect. There is no national tariff: each bank lists it in its own fee schedule, often among services linked to a current account. In the documents checked for this guide, the lowest observed fee is EUR 0.26 for issue and branch delivery, the mid-range observed fee is EUR 3.50 and the high observed fee is EUR 7.50. The total can change if the draft is mailed, if the account belongs to a particular package, or if the bank applies a preferential convention. For that reason the guide publishes a verified range rather than a single official price.
What is included
- Bank fee for a single banker's draft issue
- Branch delivery where included in the fee schedule
- Differences between tariffs applied by different banks
- Link to the account or accessory service where the tariff is listed
What is not included
- The face value of the draft, which is the payment to the beneficiary rather than a cost
- Optional postal charges for home or third-party delivery
- Postal money orders issued by Poste Italiane
- The cost of a current account needed to access the service
- Fees for recall, blocking, loss or unpaid instruments
How the price breaks down
| Item | Type | Frequency | Typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issue at the lowest observed tariffPrice listed by Intesa Sanpaolo for issue and branch delivery in the checked fee schedule. | Optional | one-off | €0.26 |
| Issue at a mid-range tariffBanco BPM fee for a single banker's draft or payment order cheque issue. | Optional | one-off | €3.50 |
| Issue at the high observed tariffUniCredit fee for issuing the banker's draft; any postal delivery is charged separately. | Optional | one-off | €7.50 |
What the price depends on
- Bank issuing the draft
- Current-account package or convention applied
- Branch delivery or postal delivery
- Whether the bank groups banker's drafts with payment order cheques
- Later operations such as recall, blocking or copy requests
Hidden costs
- The tariff may be listed in a separate accessory-services document rather than the main current-account sheet.
- Postal delivery, if requested, can cost more than the basic issue fee.
- Some banks list banker's drafts and payment order cheques in the same tariff line.
- The fee is small, but the operation may still require branch time and immediately available funds.
- Preferential conditions or conventions can make two accounts at the same bank hard to compare.
Three realistic scenarios
Lowest observed tariff
€0.26
Issue with branch delivery under the Intesa Sanpaolo fee schedule checked for this guide.
Mid-range tariff
€3.50
Issue under the Banco BPM fee schedule, useful as a practical middle reference.
High observed tariff
€7.50
Issue under the UniCredit fee schedule, excluding any separate postal delivery charge.
How to spend less
- Search your own account fee schedule for the exact banker's draft issue line before going to the branch.
- Avoid mailing if the beneficiary can receive or collect the draft directly: postal charges can exceed the base fee.
- If traceability is the only requirement, ask whether the recipient accepts an instant transfer instead.
- Check whether your account package has better conditions than the bank's general accessory-services sheet.
- For high-value payments, arrange the operation with the branch in advance: the fee changes little, but you reduce the risk of a second visit.
Frequently asked questions
Is a banker's draft free in Italy?
Only if your account or convention says so. It should not be assumed. In the bank fee schedules opened for this guide, observed issue fees range from EUR 0.26 to EUR 7.50. The correct figure is the one in the fee schedule linked to your own current account or to the accessory service used by the branch.
Why is there no single national price?
Because a banker's draft is a banking service priced by each intermediary in its transparency documents. Unlike a stamp duty or an administrative fee, there is no statutory tariff that applies equally to every bank. The bank must publish its conditions, but prices, packages and conventions can differ.
Is the amount written on the draft a cost?
No. If you ask for a EUR 20,000 banker's draft, the EUR 20,000 is the payment to the beneficiary, not the service fee. The cost is the issue commission, plus any add-ons such as postal delivery or later operations. Separating the face value from the service fee is essential to read the bill correctly.
How is it different from an ordinary cheque?
An ordinary cheque is issued by the account holder and is paid if sufficient funds are available when it is presented. A banker's draft is issued by the bank after securing the funds, so it gives the beneficiary stronger assurance. That extra certainty is why it may still be requested in significant or formal payments.
Is an instant transfer better than a banker's draft?
It depends on what the recipient requires. An instant transfer can be more convenient and does not require collection of a physical instrument, but it is not always accepted as a substitute when the counterparty specifically asks for a banker's draft. Compare cost, proof of payment and the recipient's formal requirements.
Sources and methodology
How we worked it out
We looked for 2026 bank fee schedules and used only official provider documents. The minimum comes from Intesa Sanpaolo's accessory-services schedule, the mid-range figure from Banco BPM's fee schedule and the highest observed amount from UniCredit's Genius Care accessory-services document. We excluded Poste Italiane postal money orders because they are a different product with a different tariff structure and would broaden the guide beyond bank-issued drafts. We also excluded general explainer articles: for a banking service, the useful evidence is the transparency document that applies to the account.
Why this confidence level
Confidence is High because all figures come from official bank fee schedules updated or published in 2026. It is not higher for the typical price because the tariff is not administered: each bank may set different conditions and the reader's correct price remains the one in their own contract.
EUR 0.26 fee for issuing a banker's draft delivered at the branch
Fascicolo 919 - Conto corrente, operatività dedicata e servizi accessori (opens in a new tab)
Intesa Sanpaolo · Official tariff · Verified on 4 September 2026
Official fee schedule checked to verify the lowest observed price among the opened bank tariffs.
Authority4/5
EUR 3.50 fee for issuing a banker's draft or payment order cheque
Foglio informativo Banco BPM 64518 (opens in a new tab)
Banco BPM · Official tariff · Verified on 4 September 2026
2026 fee schedule used as the observed mid-point and to confirm the service is priced per issue.
Authority4/5
EUR 7.50 fee for issuing a banker's draft and possible postal charges if mailed
Servizi accessori al conto corrente Genius Care (opens in a new tab)
UniCredit · Official tariff · Verified on 4 September 2026
Official fee schedule opened through UniCredit's transparency portal; used for the high end of the range and for mailing add-ons.
Authority4/5
Revision history
First published on 2026-09-04 with fees checked against Intesa Sanpaolo, Banco BPM and UniCredit fee schedules.
- 4 September 2026
- 4 September 2026
- 4 March 2027