Buying land and building a house in Greece: rules, permits and costs (2026)

Short answer: Yes, foreigners, Americans included, can buy land in Greece in their own name. In border areas such as the Dodecanese and Santorini, buyers from outside the EU first need a committee permit. The real question is whether you can build: outside a town plan, the general rule since June 2026 is a plot of at least 4,000 m² with 25 m of frontage on a legally recognised public road, and a house there is capped at 186 m², rising to 360 m² on very large plots. Building a standard new home costs roughly €1,700 to €2,000 or more per m² before land, on Greek industry estimates from late 2025 and 2026, plus permit and engineering costs. Have a Greek lawyer and a licensed engineer check the plot before you pay a deposit.

Last reviewed October 2026 against the Spatial Planning and Urban Planning Code (Law 5306/2026), Law 5317/2026, Law 1892/1990 and ELSTAT's construction cost index. General information, not legal or engineering advice.

Can foreigners buy land in Greece?

Yes. Greece has no general restriction on foreigners owning land or homes. You need a Greek tax number (AFM), a lawyer and a notarial deed, and the purchase can close by power of attorney.

The one hard limit is the border-area rule of Law 1892/1990. In the listed areas, a buyer whose citizenship is outside the EU and EFTA needs prior approval from a committee of the regional Decentralised Administration, and the Ministry of Defence member must vote in favour. A purchase signed without that approval is void. The list covers:

• the whole Dodecanese (Rhodes, Kos, Patmos, Symi and the rest), Lesvos, Chios and Samos with their small islands, and Samothraki;
• Santorini and Skyros, which the law names directly;
• the land borders: Evros, Rhodope, Xanthi, Kilkis, Florina, Kastoria, Thesprotia, Preveza and parts of Drama, Ioannina, Pella and Serres.

Crete, Attica, the Peloponnese, Mykonos, Paros and the main Ionian islands are not border areas. EU citizens are outside the rule. The 15% transfer tax for non-EU buyers announced in September 2026 would cover homes, not land, and is not yet law. More on ownership rules in can foreigners buy property in Greece.

Can you build on it? Inside or outside a town plan

Every plot in Greece is either inside an approved town plan or settlement (εντός σχεδίου) or outside one (εκτός σχεδίου). The answer to "can I build, and how much" depends on which.

Inside a town plan, the building terms of the zone decide: minimum plot size and frontage, the building coefficient (total floor area as a share of the plot), coverage (the share of the ground that buildings may cover) and height. These differ by area and come from the local decrees, not one national number. Whatever the local minimums, a footprint of at least 50 m² with sides of at least 5 m must fit on the buildable part of the plot. For example, a coefficient of 0.8 on a 500 m² plot allows 400 m² of floor area, and 60% coverage allows a footprint of up to 300 m² (an illustration, not a rule).

Outside a town plan, national rules apply. Since 8 June 2026 they sit in the Spatial Planning and Urban Planning Code, ratified by Law 5306/2026.

The 4,000 m² rule outside town plans

The general conditions for building outside a town plan are set by Article 251 of the Code:

For a house, Article 256 sets a smaller cap than the coefficient alone: 186 m² on the first 4,000 m², plus 0.018 m² for each extra m² up to 8,000 m², plus 0.009 m² for each m² beyond that, and never more than 360 m².

Our calculation from Article 256. On uninhabited islands the minimum plot is 20,000 m².

Why the road matters most

Area is not enough. In ruling 176/2023, the plenary of the Council of State, Greece's highest administrative court, held that a plot outside a town plan is buildable only if it fronts a legally existing common-use road, not a road created by the owners themselves. A plot reached by a private track or an easement can fail this test even at 4,000 m².

The government is preparing a decree to recognise rural roads using aerial photographs from 1977, reported in May 2026 to apply from 2027. We found no sign it had been issued as of October 2026. Until it is, an engineer has to establish the road's legal status for each plot, and that check comes before any price talk.

Smaller old plots: a closing exception

Plots smaller than 4,000 m² outside town plans were buildable for decades under exceptions (750 m², 1,200 m² and 2,000 m² plots that existed on set dates). Those exceptions ended in December 2020 with a transition period. Law 5317/2026 moved the last filing date to 30 June 2027, but only for plots where a pre-approval or a written certificate from the building office was applied for in time, and a house there is capped at 186 m² or less. Do not pay a "buildable" price for a small plot outside a town plan without an engineer's written confirmation that it still qualifies.

Other checks before you buy a plot

• Forest maps: land marked as forest can be closed to building, and pending objections can block a sale. A reform to unblock sales was drafted in April 2026 but is not law.
• Archaeology: in Zone A of an archaeological site building is banned outright; in Zone B it is allowed only on special terms (Law 4858/2021). Finds during works can stop a project.
• The coast: the seashore and the beach zone next to it, which can reach up to 50 m inland, are public, and private building there is prohibited (Law 5092/2024).
• Local freezes: some areas have extra controls, such as permit checks in the Santorini caldera, extended to 31 December 2026.
• Existing structures: every transfer, bare land included, needs an engineer's certificate on unauthorised works, valid for two months (Law 4495/2017, Art. 83). Legalisation of categories 1 to 4 is open to 31 March 2028.
• The Cadastre: about 99% of Greece now has cadastral data and a property code (KAEK). Check the cadastral sheet and diagram against the land on the ground.
• Water and power: a borehole or well needs a water-use permit from the Decentralised Administration, and utilities connect buildings that hold a permit. Ask what connection to a remote plot will cost before you buy.

How the building permit works

1. Buildability check. A licensed engineer reviews the title, cadastral extract, topographic survey on the national grid, road frontage, forest and archaeology status.
2. Pre-approval, where needed. It fixes the planning rules in force at the time and is required where other agencies must also approve. It has a six-month processing deadline and is valid for one year.
3. The permit. Only engineers can file, on the Technical Chamber of Greece e-Adeies platform, with the architectural, structural, mechanical, energy and fire studies. A permit is issued after the platform's checks and is valid for four years.
4. Construction. Works run under a supervising engineer; contributions and fees are paid before the permit is issued.

Timing varies by building office: a 2025 Interior Ministry review found the average permit took more than three months in 23% of offices, and complex files far longer. Permit work is due to move from municipal offices into the Hellenic Cadastre, with a pilot planned from mid-2026 and full operation from early 2027.

All-in permit costs (engineers, studies, contributions and supervision) run about €100 to €150 per m² (Spitogatos, 2026). Outside town plans there is also a Green Fund fee of 5% of the contract budget, or 5‰ on a detailed budget, between €250 and €5,000.

How much does it cost to build a house in Greece in 2026?

Greece publishes no official cost per m². ELSTAT's index of construction costs for new homes stood at 127.6 in Q2 2026 (2021 = 100), up 4.0% in a year, so building costs are about 28% above 2021. The per-m² figures come from industry estimates, and none includes land:

A worked example (our calculation): the largest house allowed on a 4,000 m² plot, 186 m², at €1,700 to €2,000 per m² costs about €316,000 to €372,000 to build, plus about €19,000 to €28,000 in permit and engineering costs. Land, pool, landscaping, utility connections and furniture come on top, and so does VAT where a quote excludes it. Island and high-specification villas usually cost more, but we found no reliable published figure for them; get two or three itemised quotes.

Taxes and running costs

• Buying the land: 3.09% transfer tax on the higher of the price and the tax value, plus notary (about 0.8% to 1.2%), lawyer (about 1% to 2%) and Cadastre (about 0.5%) fees. These fees are indicative; ask for quotes.
• Building it yourself: contractor invoices and materials carry 24% VAT, which a private owner cannot reclaim. The developer VAT suspension, which runs to 31 December 2026, applies to new homes bought from developers, not to a self-build.
• Yearly ENFIA: small on land outside town plans. A 4,000 m² farmed plot with a location coefficient of 1.2 pays about €10 a year, and more once a house stands on it (Law 5219/2025; our calculation).
• Selling later: the 15% capital gains tax for individuals is suspended until 31 December 2026, with no extension enacted as of October 2026.
• Golden Visa: the 120 m² minimum applies to built homes and to property with an issued building permit. Ask your lawyer whether a specific land-and-build plan qualifies before you rely on it.

Selling land in Greece

A seller needs a Greek tax number, tax clearance, the title deed and the engineer's certificate on unauthorised works, which is required even for bare land. Since Law 5293/2026, no topographic diagram has to be attached where the area has a working Cadastre and the sale does not change the boundaries. Buyers will ask for proof of buildability and road frontage, so an engineer's report before listing shortens the sale.

Frequently asked questions

Can foreigners buy land in Greece?

Yes. Foreigners can own land in Greece in their own name with a Greek tax number, a lawyer and a notary. In border areas such as the Dodecanese, Santorini, Skyros, Lesvos, Chios, Samos and Evros, buyers from outside the EU and EFTA need prior approval from a regional committee, and a purchase without it is void.

How much land do you need to build a house in Greece?

Inside a town plan, the minimum set by the local building terms, which differ by area. Outside a town plan, at least 4,000 m² with 25 m of frontage on a legally recognised common-use road, under Law 5306/2026. Smaller older plots qualify only under a transition rule that closes on 30 June 2027.

How big a house can you build on 4,000 m²?

186 m² outside a town plan. The cap rises with plot size, to 222 m² on 6,000 m² and 258 m² on 8,000 m², and never exceeds 360 m² (Law 5306/2026, Art. 256).

How much does it cost to build a house in Greece per m² in 2026?

Roughly €1,700 to €2,000 or more per m² for a standard new home, on Greek industry estimates from late 2025 and 2026, before land. Lower builder quotes from €1,150 per m² plus VAT exist, and one developer cited more than €2,500 in October 2026. Permits and engineering add about €100 to €150 per m².

How long does a building permit take in Greece?

It depends on the building office and the file. Where a pre-approval is needed, it has a six-month deadline; the permit itself is issued after the online checks once the file is complete. A 2025 government review found average times above three months in 23% of building offices, so plan for months, not weeks.

Do you pay property tax on land in Greece?

Yes, ENFIA applies to land, but on plots outside town plans it is very small: about €10 a year on a 4,000 m² farmed plot, more once a house is built. Plots inside town plans are taxed on their zone value.

Next steps

1. Compare with buying a new-build home: see our new developments in Greece, where you can check each building permit before you commit.
2. Read the full buying process in our guide to buying property in Greece, including buying by power of attorney.
3. Follow rule changes, including the road decree, in our Greek property law tracker.
4. Send us your plan: where you want to build and your budget. Every property we present goes through our six checks, including permits and a technical survey.

Sources

• Law 5306/2026 (Government Gazette A' 88, 8 June 2026), Spatial Planning and Urban Planning Code, Arts. 197, 201, 250, 251, 256 and 273
• Law 5317/2026 (Government Gazette A' 108, 10 July 2026), Art. 133
• Law 1892/1990, Arts. 24 to 26, as replaced by Law 3978/2011, Art. 114 (border areas)
• Council of State plenary ruling 176/2023
• Law 4495/2017, Art. 83, and Law 5270/2026, Art. 43 (unauthorised works)
• Law 5092/2024 (seashore and beach), Law 4858/2021 (archaeological zones), Law 5219/2025 (ENFIA)
• Hellenic Government, issue of building permits (e-Adeies), September 2026
• ELSTAT, construction cost index of new residential buildings, Q2 2026 (23 July 2026)
• Spitogatos, "How much does it cost to build a house", updated 18 March 2026; OT.gr, 26 September 2025; Naftemporiki, 24 January 2026; newmoney.gr, 7 May 2026; Capital.gr, 14 October 2026
• Chambers Global Practice Guides, Real Estate 2026: Greece

Reviewed by Kirill Samarits, Founder & CEO, BUY GREECE LLC, Chicago and Glyfada, Athens. General information, not legal or engineering advice; confirm your plot with a licensed Greek lawyer and engineer.