Cashless vending in Italy: what changes in 2026
From 5 March 2026, retail businesses must link POS terminals to electronic cash registers (RT). Vending operators often ask if this applies to them.
The Italian Revenue Agency's operational guide (February 2026) is clear: receipts certified via vending machines are excluded. Vending has its own electronic receipt regime (AdE Provision 61936/2017).
What this means for vending operators
- You can accept cashless payments without linking POS to an RT
- The obligation remains electronic receipt transmission from the machine itself
- If the same POS handles both vending and RT-certified sales → linking becomes mandatory
- Recommended: dedicated POS used exclusively for vending, declared as exempt
Why cashless still makes commercial sense
Even without a legal mandate, a machine without contactless in Italy loses 20–30% of potential sales. All Project Vending machines support MDB cashless, NFC/contactless and optional app payment.
FAQ
Is cashless mandatory on vending machines in Italy?
No legal mandate, but commercially near-essential: without contactless you lose up to 30% of potential sales.
Must I link POS to the cash register for vending?
No, if the POS is used exclusively for vending receipts. Yes, if the same POS also handles RT-certified sales.
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