Hyper-depreciation 2026: up to 180% for Industry 4.0

TL;DR:

• Incentivized investments 1/1/2026 – 9/30/2028
• Increase: 180% up to 2.5 million
• Then 100% up to 10 million and 50% up to 20 million
• 4.0 assets: tangible and intangible with updated lists
• Technical requirements, documents and governance required

What is hyper-depreciation 2026 and why does it return?

From 2026, the regulation of the increase in depreciation for investments in new capital goods functional to the technological and digital transformation of companies according to the Industry 4.0 model is proposed again. The economic sense is clear: it is not a cash contribution, but a greater tax deduction over time, which reduces taxable income and improves the return on investment.

With hyper-depreciation, the benefit materializes through depreciation quotas or deductible fees, so it depends on taxable income and tax absorption capacity. If the company is at a loss, the effect can slide.

What is the time window for investments?

Investments made by companies from January 1, 2026 to September 30, 2028 fall within it. This creates a useful multi-year window but requires different programming: the choice is not to put things in order today, it is to structure a capex plan with technical milestones (delivery, putting into service, interconnection) compatible with the window.

For complex investments, delays are not an exception but a variable to be managed. Planning deliveries and tests with realistic buffers is part of the incentive, not a detail.

Which assets fall within it and where are the lists found?

The lists of incentivized tangible and intangible assets are updated and inserted as attachments to the law. In practice, 4.0 assets fall within it: machinery, plants, robots, automation systems and also software and digital solutions, provided they are consistent with technical and integration requirements.

Many companies invest in pieces of digitalization (a software, a MES, a sensor) without an overall design. Hyper-depreciation rewards those who reason by architecture: interconnection, data, control and predictive maintenance.

What are the territorial and production requirements (EU/EEA)?

The increase is valid for investments in assets destined for production facilities located in Italy. Furthermore, the asset must be produced in one of the member states of the European Union or in states adhering to the Agreement on the European Economic Area.

This point affects procurement and contracts: it is not enough to choose the best asset, it is also necessary to verify the production chain and the documentation that demonstrates it. Inserting contractual clauses on origin and technical documents avoids discovering afterwards that the asset is not compliant.

What are the rates (180% / 100% / 50%) and how do they impact?

The increase in the acquisition cost to be considered for the purposes of deductible quotas follows three brackets:

• 180% for investments up to 2.5 million euros
• 100% over 2.5 million and up to 10 million
• 50% over 10 million and up to 20 million

Investment of 1,000,000 euros. With a 180% increase, the tax-deductible cost becomes 2,800,000 euros total to be depreciated according to ordinary rules, increasing the annual deduction compared to standard depreciation.

Two possible plans: Plan A with 2.4 million all at 180% (more intense benefit). Plan B with 2.6 million where a piece slides into the next bracket (different marginal benefit). This makes the segmentation of investments and the completion timing important.

Leasing and accounting: how is it reflected in the fees?

The rule also considers deductible financial lease fees, i.e., leasing. In the company it is a central issue because many 4.0 investments are financed precisely in this way. It is necessary to align three levels: technical (asset and requirements), accounting (entry and depreciation plan/fees), and financial (duration, down payment, any bank constraints).

For significant capex projects, the incentive should not be read alone: it integrates with the cost of capital and with the investment capacity.

What documents are needed and what errors are seen most often?

4.0 projects require documentary discipline: technical data sheets, interconnection tests, contracts, invoices, and a consistent file that tells the story of the asset. The typical errors are three: technical documentation not aligned with the delivered asset, interconnection declared but not demonstrable, absence of governance (no one is owner of the 4.0 file).

In case of inspection, it is not enough to have the asset in production. It is necessary to demonstrate requirements, times and consistency between documents, accounting and use in the company.

How to set up a 4.0 governance: checklist from CFO and operations

The true advantage of hyper-depreciation is obtained when the company avoids rework and delays: the tax part is a multiplier, not the main engine.

• An internal manager for the incentives file (not on rotation)
• An investment Gantt: order, delivery, putting into service, interconnection
• A contractual check on EU/EEA origin and specifications
• A tax simulation to verify absorption over the three-year period
• A treasury check: fees/leasing and tax deadlines

Structure the 4.0 capex plan with solid documentary governance

Hyper-depreciation rewards those who do well, not those who save the most. If you invest in 4.0 but documentary governance is approximate, the tax benefit is seen (today on the balance sheet) but the audit (in 3-5 years) may require costly rework. It is better to invest resources in governance today rather than managing recoveries of tens of thousands in two years.

Gruppo AQ offers:

• Capex plan structuring (rate segmentation, delivery timing)
• 4.0 documentary governance (compliant file, pre-order checks)
• Leasing + tax integration (financial simulation + tax effect)

Contact Gruppo AQ to support your operations: we start from a kick-off with the CFO and procurement to align vision and timing.

In short

• Incentive for new 4.0 capital goods
• Window: 1/1/2026 – 9/30/2028
• Brackets: 180%, 100%, 50% up to 20 million
• Production structures in Italy and assets produced in EU/EEA
• Documentary governance essential to not lose the benefit

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Did you know that

• Hyper-depreciation increases the deduction, it does not give an immediate cash flow
• The benefit depends on the ability to have taxable income to absorb
• The segmentation of investments can change the marginal benefit
• The EU/EEA origin becomes a contractual requirement, not just a technical one
• Leasing is often the key tool to make the plan sustainable
• An incomplete file can cancel a tax advantage already accounted for

FAQ

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Sources

• Law December 30, 2025, n. 199 (2026 Budget) – Paragraphs 427-436
• Technical report – 2026-2028 window and 180/100/50 brackets for 4.0 assets