AMA registration, the 60-day rule, the Athens restrictions and what they mean for property investors — explained in plain English by BUY GREECE, the brokerage with teams in Chicago and Glyfada, Athens.
Every short-term rental in Greece must display an AMA registration number (Property Registration Number) issued through the tax authority (AADE) — this applies to every listing on Airbnb, Booking.com and similar platforms. The key legal distinction is the 60-day rule: a stay of 60 days or longer is treated as a long-term lease under Greek civil law, falls outside the short-term rental regime, and does not require an AMA number. Since January 1, 2025, new short-term rental registrations have been suspended in the three central districts of Athens, a restriction extended into 2026. Properties bought under the current Golden Visa thresholds cannot be used for short-term letting at all.
Every short-term listing needs a per-property AMA number from the AADE registry, displayed on the listing itself — platforms remove listings without one.
Stays of 60 days or more are long-term leases under the civil code — outside the short-term regime, no AMA required. Monthly stays booked through platforms count as long-term rentals once they cross this line.
New short-term registrations are suspended in Athens' three central municipal districts since January 1, 2025 — extended into 2026. Existing registrations keep operating.
Since 2025, listings must meet minimum standards — liability insurance, natural light, ventilation, minimum size — with fines up to €20,000 for non-compliance.
Short-term income is taxed as rental income on a progressive scale, and running three or more properties is treated as business activity. A climate resilience fee applies to stays.
Homes bought under the current Golden Visa thresholds (Law 5100/2024) cannot be short-term let — long-term rental remains permitted.
Where short-term letting is restricted, long-term strategies keep performing — the data from our Greece market statistics:
Long-term rental yields on prime coastal assets — Glyfada to Vouliagmeni — with Athens South prices at €4,000/m², up 9.2% year on year.
The strongest measured villa yields in our dataset — island assets outside the restricted zones.
Islands with international airports have compounded 11.3% annual price growth since 2021 — see our sea view regions guide.
Greek residential pricing still sits well below comparable Mediterranean markets — the value case behind the rules.
Yes. Every property listed for short-term rental on Airbnb, Booking.com or any platform needs its own AMA number from the AADE registry, displayed on the listing. Operating without one risks fines up to €20,000.
A stay of 60 days or longer is legally a long-term lease, not a short-term rental — it falls under standard Greek lease law, needs no AMA registration, and sits outside the short-term tax regime. This is why monthly-stay bookings of 60+ days are treated differently from holiday lets.
Not city-wide. New short-term rental registrations are suspended in the three central municipal districts of Athens since January 1, 2025, and the restriction has been extended into 2026. Existing registered properties continue to operate, and the rest of Attica — including the Riviera — is unaffected.
No. Properties acquired under the current Golden Visa thresholds (Law 5100/2024) are barred from short-term letting — long-term rental is permitted. See our Golden Visa guide for the full rules.
Fines reach €20,000 for operating without registration or below the minimum standards, with higher penalties for repeat violations. Rules evolve quickly — our legal team confirms the current status for every property before clients buy. Ask us about a specific property.