Short answer
The base fee is €100 for CILS B1 Cittadinanza (Siena)1, €80 for CERT.IT B1 (Roma Tre)2, and €65 for CELI 2 i Cittadinanza at Perugia, to which other centres add their own costs3,10. PLIDA B1 has no central price: each centre sets its own, for example €100 in Messina11,4. Centres abroad often charge more. If you fail, CILS B1 Cittadinanza and CERT.IT B1 make you pay the full fee again, while CELI 2 i and PLIDA B1 charge a reduced fee for the part you retake9,12,10,11.
Base fees side by side
| CILS B1 Cittadinanza | CELI 2 i Cittadinanza | PLIDA B1 | CERT.IT B1 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certifier's fee | €100, "in Italia e all'estero"1 | €65 at Perugia3 | Not published: each centre sets a price under a yearly ceiling; the ceiling amount is not published (unverified)11 | €80 for the whole exam2 |
| Centre examples | Stuttgart €1205 | Milan €90 (65 + 25 admin), Fermo €85 (65 + 20)6,7 | Messina €1004; Minneapolis US$2508 | Naples (CLA Federico II) €80, no extra admin fee listed13 |
| Stamp duty (marca da bollo) | Ca' Foscari (Venice) adds a €2 stamp duty on top of the fee14 | Included in the exam fee set in each centre's agreement10 | Not mentioned in the sources we read | Not mentioned in the sources we read |
| Retake after failing | The full fee again: there is no partial retake9 | Only the failed part (written or oral), at 70% of the fee; Milan €6310,6 | A partial fee for the failed skills; Messina €25 per skill; Minneapolis $70 per written skill and $85 for speaking4,8 | The full fee again: B1 has no partial pass and no single-section price12,2 |
| Refund | Not refundable at Siena's own centre; other centres set their rules, some say registration is binding15,5 | CVCL's refund rules were not read by us (unverified); Milan allows cancellation only before the deadline6 | Not refundable; withdrawing through the centre at least 15 days before gives a credit valid 18 months11 | No refunds2 |
Prices come from the certifier where it publishes one and from named centres otherwise. They change, so confirm the price with your centre before you pay.
What is not published
- PLIDA: the Dante does not publish a price or the ceiling it sets each year. We found no price for centres in Brazil or Argentina (unverified)11.
- CERT.IT: Roma Tre publishes no rule on whether accredited centres may add fees, and we found only one centre example (unverified)13.
- CELI abroad: the standard CELI 2, the route abroad, is priced by each centre in local currency. Perugia lists €120 for its generic CELI exams, but we did not confirm that this is the CELI 2 price (unverified)3.
- CILS in other currencies: centres abroad publish their own tables, and the one we found was hard to read, so we do not quote it16.
Other costs you may meet
- Standard CILS B1. If your centre offers only the standard CILS B1 (UNO-B1), Siena's fee is €90, or €22 per skill to retake one, because that level keeps passed skills for 18 months9,17.
- Administration fees. CVCL requires centres to show their administration fee separately from the exam fee10.
- Bank charges. The Naples CERT.IT centre says the candidate pays any foreign bank-transfer charges13.
- Urgent correction (PLIDA). The calendar marks it as available for every B1 session, but gives no terms. Minneapolis charges $4018,8.
- Membership (PLIDA). The 2017 regulation says candidates must be members of the Società Dante Alighieri; the 2025 registration guide says membership is not needed to open the online account. Ask your centre whether it is included in the price11,19.
- Certified copy at a consulate. For the application abroad, the consulate in Buenos Aires charges €10 to certify a copy of the certificate20.
How to keep the cost down
Fees are generally not refunded, so the cheapest exam is the one you pass on the first attempt. Take a timed practice test before you book, and check the format of your exam so that nothing surprises you. Compare centres: the same exam can cost different amounts at different centres. For retakes, the rules in the comparison of the four certificates matter as much as the base fee.
Details and official links for each exam are in the guides: CILS, CELI 2 i, PLIDA and CERT.IT. Not sure you need a certificate at all? See who is exempt and which certificates are accepted.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the CILS B1 Cittadinanza exam cost?
Siena's fee is €100. Centres abroad often charge more (for example €120 in Stuttgart), and some Italian centres add a €2 stamp duty. A retake costs the full fee again.
How much does CELI 2 i Cittadinanza cost?
Perugia's fee is €65. Other centres add their own costs, for example €90 in Milan and €85 in Fermo. Retaking only the failed part costs 70% of the fee.
How much does PLIDA B1 cost?
There is no single price. The Società Dante Alighieri sets a yearly ceiling that it does not publish, and each centre sets its own fee under it. Messina charges €100 and Minneapolis US$250. Ask your centre.
How much does CERT.IT B1 cost?
€80 for the whole B1 exam, with no refunds. The Naples centre lists the same amount with no extra admin fee.
Which B1 exam is the cheapest?
Among the published base fees, Perugia's €65 for CELI 2 i is the lowest, but the centre adds its own costs and the exam runs only in Italy. CERT.IT B1 is €80 and CILS B1 Cittadinanza €100 in Italy. PLIDA depends on the centre. Compare the total at your centre, including retake rules.
What is the stamp duty on the exam?
Some Italian centres add a marca da bollo of €2 to the CILS fee, as the University of Ca' Foscari in Venice does. For CELI, CVCL says the exam fee already includes stamp duty. We found nothing about stamp duty for PLIDA or CERT.IT.
What does it cost to retake the exam?
CILS B1 Cittadinanza and CERT.IT B1: the full fee again. CELI 2 i: 70% of the fee for the failed written or oral part. PLIDA B1: a partial fee for the failed skills, set by the centre.