Can I really charge without a VAT number?

Yes, through occasional work, which Italian law provides for non-habitual activity not organised as a business. You issue a receipt instead of an invoice. The practical limits are non-habituality and the 5,000 euro gross annual threshold, above which social security contributions apply.

Is the 5,000 euro figure gross or net?

Gross, and it covers all occasional work in the year, not just workshops. It is a personal threshold, not per client.

Why the 5-workshop cap?

Because occasional work assumes non-habitual activity. Publishing courses every month is hard to defend as occasional, and the cap stops people drifting over the line without noticing.

Do I need a certificate to teach my hobby?

No. An experiential workshop requires no qualification: what counts is being able to do the thing and explain it. It is different if you teach regulated activities, for example in food or sport.

Do I lose my reviews if I register a VAT number?

No. Profile, photos, reviews and history stay. The tax regime changes and the limits on the number of workshops and on the formats fall away.

Hobbyist or artisan? Which profile to choose before you sign up

It is the sentence we hear most: “I have done this for years but it is a hobby, I do not have a VAT number.” Behind it sits the belief that without one you cannot be paid to teach. That is not true: Italian law provides for occasional work precisely for this, and there is a dedicated path for people in that situation. It is called Apprentice.

Apprentice = no VAT number, up to 5 workshops per calendar year and up to 5,000 euro gross a year in fees, public group workshops only. Maker = with a VAT number, no cap on numbers, plus private sessions, groups on request and corporate work.

What you can do as an Apprentice

The path is built for people who want to try: a course now and then, on a Saturday, to see whether it works. It is not a stripped-down version, it is a size set by the real tax limits.

Up to 5 published workshops per calendar year. The sixth is blocked: not our rule, but the reflection of the threshold beyond which the activity stops being occasional.
Up to 5,000 euro gross a year in occasional-work fees, counting all clients, not just this activity. Above the threshold, contributions to the INPS gestione separata kick in.
Public group workshops only: private sessions and corporate work are out.
An occasional-work receipt instead of an invoice, with withholding tax where applicable.

A hand-painted ceramic jewellery dish in pink and orange, with rings and earrings resting on it — A piece made during a workshop on the platform. Photo: Creo Workshop, Borgomanero.

What changes with a VAT number

The Maker path is for those who already have a VAT number or decide to register one. The 5-workshop cap disappears and the higher-value formats open up: private sessions — couples, birthdays, hen parties — which pay better than public groups, corporate work for team building, and gift cards to sell before Christmas.

How to tell which side you are on

How many courses do you expect to run in a year? If the answer is “two or three, to try it out”, Apprentice. If it is one or two a month, five will not be enough.
How much do you expect to take? Do the rough sum: price times seats times number of dates. Above 5,000 gross you need a VAT number anyway, regardless of us.
Do you already have other occasional work? The 5,000 threshold is cumulative. If you are already using it elsewhere, you have little room left.
Do couples, companies and gift cards interest you? That part requires a VAT number.

This article explains how the platform works; it does not replace your accountant. Tax thresholds also depend on your overall situation: before you cross them, ask whoever handles your accounts what it means in your case.

Can you switch later?

Yes, and it is the natural route: start as an Apprentice to find out whether workshops work in your area, then register when the numbers justify it. Switching does not reset anything: profile, photos, reviews and customers stay. The tax regime changes and the limits fall away.

It is also why there is no point waiting to “be ready”. Nobody registers a VAT number for an activity they have not tried yet: you try it first, within the limits, and you decide with the numbers in hand instead of with guesses.

What each path costs

The profile is free in both cases, and in both cases we take no commission on workshop takings. There are two optional plans for extra tools: Apprentice Pro at 49 euro a year, a one-off payment that simply lapses at expiry, and Maker Pro at 9.90 euro a month or 95 euro a year. Neither is needed to sign up or to publish your first workshop.

Frequently asked questions

Can I really charge without a VAT number?: Yes, through occasional work, which Italian law provides for non-habitual activity not organised as a business. You issue a receipt instead of an invoice. The practical limits are non-habituality and the 5,000 euro gross annual threshold, above which social security contributions apply.
Is the 5,000 euro figure gross or net?: Gross, and it covers all occasional work in the year, not just workshops. It is a personal threshold, not per client.
Why the 5-workshop cap?: Because occasional work assumes non-habitual activity. Publishing courses every month is hard to defend as occasional, and the cap stops people drifting over the line without noticing.
Do I need a certificate to teach my hobby?: No. An experiential workshop requires no qualification: what counts is being able to do the thing and explain it. It is different if you teach regulated activities, for example in food or sport.
Do I lose my reviews if I register a VAT number?: No. Profile, photos, reviews and history stay. The tax regime changes and the limits on the number of workshops and on the formats fall away.

Apprentice without a VAT number or Maker with one: the full comparison is at the bottom of the page.

Find out which path suits you