The new Venice entry fee: how to know if it applies to you (and how to pay if it does)

A quick, practical guide to figuring out the new Venice entry fee: how to know if it applies to you, how to pay it if it does.

Venice is a very delicate place, a city whose very survival is based on the delicate balance between the needs of people and the incredible natural position of the city.

The uniqueness of Venice is its blessing and its curse.

Visitors are a wonderful resource for Venice but also a very real danger, as the city is simply not able to survive the large number of tourists it, understandably, gets.

In an attempt to save the city from ‘fast tourism’ (the most dangerous for its delicate ecosystem) and encourage more sustainable longer stays, that spread out arrivals over longer periods of time, in 2024 the city has introduced an entry fee for day trippers.

The day tripper entry fee to Venice at present must be paid for stays on specific days.

If you have plans to be in Venice on these dates it is paramount that you check if you need to pay this fee or need to get hold of a document proving you are entitled to an exception.

I have just gone through the process, this is my experience booking the new Venice entrance fee / getting an exception.

Does the Venice entry fee apply to me? Dates of application

From April 2024, day visitors to the Ancient city of Venice are required to book and pay the Access Fee on specific dates, for entry between 8.30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

The Venice entry fee at present applies to the following dates:

From 18 April to 4 May 2025;
On 9,10,11,16,17,18,23,24,25,30 and 31 May 2025;
1,2,6,7,8,13,14,15,20,21,22,27,28,29 June 2025;
4,5,6,11,12,13,18,19,20,25,26,27 July 2025.

IMPORTANT: Always check the official site immediately before traveling should there be any changes to this schedule.

The fees applies to all visitors unless they fall into one of the categories entitled to an exemption (see below). If this is the case, you may still need to registered to gain access to the city; however, you will not incur into a charge.

Need to know: if traveling to Venice on days when the access fee applies, there is a very high chance that you need to pay the access fee of prove you have the right to an exception. The admin fine if case you are caught without the relevant documentation in order is between 50 and 300 Euro + 10 euro entry fee. So if you are traveling on these days, it is worth familiarizing yourself with this system

Do I qualify for an exception and how do I get one?

Not all categories of visitors are subject to the entry fee.

This is a quick summary of some of the available exceptions: always check the OFFICIAL SITE (provided below) to double check what applies to your specific circumstances.

At present, you don’t need to pay the Venice entry fee if you:

>>>> You have accommodation booked in the Municipality of Venice (check carefully the address of your accommodation and ask your host if in any doubt) THIS IS THE RELEVANT CATEGORY FOR MOST TOURISTS

You work or are a resident in Venice

You are a relative of a resident

You are participating in a sporting event

You are a student in Venice

You own property or hold a rental contract

You are on a school trip

You are under 14 (proof of age may be required)

Special provisions are in place for holders of the European Disability Card and accompanying person as well as members of the Armed Forces and the Police (including the Fire Brigade)

In most cases you may need to register on the portal to gain proof of exception. I strongly recommend to check the exact conditions of entry on the official site to be sure of what applies to you.

This is a screenshot with the official categories of people who can qualify for free entry into Venice. The official website to check exact requirements is this one >>> Comune di Venezia Entry Fee Exceptions

Each of these categories comes with a link that walks you through the process of getting the relevant documentation proving your exemption status.

I need to pay the Venice entry fee: how do I do it?

if you need to pay the Venice entry fee, this is how to do it:

Go onto the Venice City official website on >>> https://cda.ve.it/en/

Click on >> Payment of the fee Go to Access Fee

A calendar page will open: the days with access fees are black and with 5€ written underneath.

Click on the date that is relevant to you

Select the number of visitors and include any person under 14 traveling with you. They will not be charged. Please take note that proof of age may be required.

Fill in the data as required, making sure your email address is correct as this is how you will receive your receipt and QR code to enter. Click continue. A new page with summary of your booking request will appear

Check all data, then accept terms and conditions and click continue

You will be prompted to pay by Credit Card or Paypal.

Once you have booked, you will receive a QR code which is your proof of payment and access code into the ancient city.

Keep this with you as you will be asked for it by staff at the entry point of the ancient city upon arrival.

As you can see from the screenshots above, registering to visit Venice, either by paying the fee or obtaining your proof of exemption is pretty straightforward. I hope you found this quick overview helpful!

The Venice entry fee for kids

If you are visiting Venice with kids you’ll be happy to hear that kids under the age of 14 do not need to pay for access.

To gain free access into the ancient city of Venice for kids, you must however register them on the portal but this is easy.

When going though the process of paying for your fee, you will have the option to add registration for under 14 for free: do that + make sure you have proof of age handy when entering Venice.

This may be required in the case of under 14 who look a little older and may cause the security staff to question age.