Venice Access Fee: 2026 Rules, Exemptions and What We Know About 2027 (2026)

The Venice access fee is a day-tripper charge for the historic center on selected days. For 2026, however, the trial period is already over, and the city has not set any dates for 2027. This guide explains how the fee worked, who was exempt and what to watch before a 2027 trip.

Last updated: September 25, 2026

The Venice access fee at a glance

Is the Venice access fee in force right now?

No. The official access fee portal states that the 2026 trial has ended (checked September 2026). Since July 27, therefore, visitors can enter Venice without paying. As a result, a fall or winter visit in 2026 needs no booking and no QR code.

However, the same page adds that any use of the fee after 2026 is up to the city’s governing bodies. In other words, 2027 is still open. In September 2026, the Italian press reported a proposal from the city’s budget councillor: a fee of up to €30 in 2027. That is only a proposal, and the city has approved nothing, so do not plan around it yet.

How the Venice access fee worked in 2026

The City of Venice information page lists 60 non-consecutive fee days from April 3 to July 26, 2026 (checked September 2026). On those days, the fee applied from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Also, it covered the historic center only, and not the lagoon islands such as Lido, Murano and Burano.

• €5 if you paid by the fourth day before your visit, so early planners paid half.
• €10, however, if you paid in the last four days or on the day.
• Free after 4 p.m.: the official FAQ says the fee did not apply from 4 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. (checked September 2026).
• Proof: you then showed a named QR code to inspectors at the main arrival points.

In addition, visitors without a QR code or exemption risked a fine of €25 to €150, plus the fee.

Who was exempt from the Venice access fee

The rules separated people who were simply exempt from those who had to request an exemption. The exemptions page lists both groups (checked September 2026).

Exempt with no request

• Children under 14, although they still needed an identity document.
• Residents of the City of Venice and also of the wider Veneto region.
• Students of schools and universities in Venice, too.
• People with disabilities and their companions, with the European Disability Card.

Exempt, but you had to request it

• Guests staying overnight in the municipality, since they pay the tourist tax instead.
• People working in Venice, property owners who pay local property tax, and their close relatives.
• Finally, visitors of residents, patients and people with official business in the city.

Hotel guests, therefore, had to request a free exemption QR code for each day of the stay. Check-in alone, in fact, did not count.

What the Venice access fee means for a 2027 trip

So, until the city approves new rules, treat 2027 as unknown. Then, when a calendar appears, check the dates, the amounts and the rules for overnight guests. Above all, use only the official portal; third-party sites may add service charges.

Meanwhile, the best way to avoid both crowds and any future fee is to stay overnight. In fact, Venice after 4 p.m. and in the early morning is far quieter. For ideas, see our Venice travel guide and the best tours in Venice for a first visit. Also, winter visitors can read our guide to Christmas in Venice.

Venice experiences to book, fee or no fee

The fee never covered tours or museum tickets. Instead, it was a separate charge for entering the city. Also, on fee days, a paid tour did not replace the QR code. These experiences are popular with first-time visitors:

• A walking tour of hidden Venice, away from the busiest routes.
• A cicchetti and wine tour in the bacari, the traditional wine bars.
• A gondola ride, shared or private.
• A Murano and Burano boat tour to the lagoon islands.

Before you go, read about cicchetti in Venice and our list of day trips from Venice. Our Italy travel tips cover other local rules.

The access fee is separate from the city tax on overnight stays, which we compare city by city in our Italy tourist tax guide.

The access fee is not a museum ticket. For the basilica itself, see our guide to St. Mark’s Basilica tickets, with official prices, time slots and the free entrance for prayer.

Crowds are not only a Venice problem. Our guide to overtourism in Italy shows where it hits and where to go instead. To plan the visit itself, see 2 days in Venice.

Venice access fee: frequently asked questions

Do I have to pay the Venice access fee in fall 2026?

No. The official portal says the 2026 trial ended and that, from July 27, visitors can enter Venice without paying.

How much was the Venice access fee in 2026?

It was €5 if paid by the fourth day before the visit and €10 after that. It applied from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on 60 days between April 3 and July 26.

Will there be a Venice access fee in 2027?

Not decided as of September 2026. The city must approve any new calendar or amount, and higher figures discussed in the press are only proposals.

Did hotel guests have to pay the access fee?

No. Guests staying overnight in the municipality were exempt, but they had to request a free exemption QR code for each day.

Did the fee apply to Murano and Burano?

No. In 2026, it covered the historic center only, not the minor lagoon islands such as Lido, Murano and Burano.