Indirizzo vs. domicilio
In Italian, while both indirizzo and domicilio can relate to a location, they are not interchangeable. Indirizzo is the general term for a physical address, whereas domicilio has a more specific legal or commercial meaning, often distinct from where one actually lives.
Indirizzo
A1This is the most common and general word for address. It refers to the physical location of a house, apartment, office, or any building, including the street name, number, city, and postal code. It is the standard address you would use for mail, invitations, or simply telling someone where a place is. It's also used for electronic addresses, like an indirizzo email (email address).
Mi puoi dare il tuo nuovo indirizzo per favore?
(Can you give me your new address, please?)
Ho spedito il pacco all'indirizzo che mi hai dato.
(I sent the package to the address you gave me.)
Qual è l'indirizzo del ristorante dove andiamo stasera?
(What is the address of the restaurant where we are going tonight?)
Sul biglietto da visita c'è l'indirizzo del nostro ufficio.
(The address of our office is on the business card.)
L'indirizzo per la spedizione è diverso da quello di fatturazione.
(The shipping address is different from the billing address.)
Devi scrivere il tuo nome e indirizzo sul modulo.
(You have to write your name and address on the form.)
Domicilio
A2This is a more formal and specific term. In a legal context, domicilio refers to the place where a person has established the main center of their business and interests, which is not necessarily where they live (their residenza). More commonly, it is used in the context of services provided at one's home, in phrases like a domicilio (at home) for deliveries or house calls.
Questo ristorante non effettua consegne a domicilio.
(This restaurant does not do home deliveries.)
Per le comunicazioni ufficiali, ho eletto domicilio presso il mio avvocato.
(For official communications, I have chosen my lawyer's office as my official address.)
Il medico effettua visite a domicilio per i pazienti che non possono muoversi.
(The doctor makes house calls for patients who cannot move.)
La sua residenza è a Roma, ma il suo domicilio fiscale è a Milano.
(His residence is in Rome, but his fiscal domicile is in Milan.)
Offriamo un servizio di pulizia a domicilio.
(We offer a home cleaning service.)
Molti supermercati ora offrono la spesa a domicilio.
(Many supermarkets now offer grocery delivery to your home.)
Summary
In short, use indirizzo for any general-purpose address (where you live, where to send a letter, a business location). Use domicilio in formal or legal contexts to refer to the official center of one's affairs, or, most commonly, in the phrase a domicilio to describe services like home delivery or house calls.