EU Residency by Investment

What are the current property laws in Greece? A dated tracker of every change that affects buyers

Greek property law moved more in 2024–2026 than in the previous decade: Golden Visa tiers, short-term rental rules and freeze zones, an EU-wide registration regime, an inheritance reform, tax suspensions with hard end dates. This page logs each change with its date, what it does and what it means for an international buyer. Updated monthly by BUY GREECE; last reviewed 19 August 2026; free to cite under CC BY 4.0.

Open the Greek Property MonitorAsk about a specific property

The change log, newest first

Each entry gives the date a measure took effect, what it does, and the practical consequence for a buyer or owner. Where a rule has an end date, it is listed again under deadlines below. Figures and zone lists are as in force on 19 August 2026.

19 August 2026 — tracker reviewed, no new measures since March

Monthly review. The Athens short-let freeze, the Thessaloniki extension, the EU registration regime and the two tax suspensions all remain as logged below. Next scheduled review: 19 September 2026.

20 May 2026 — EU Regulation 2024/1028 applies across all 27 member states

Every short-term rental listing in the EU must display a valid registration number (in Greece, the AMA); platforms such as Airbnb, Booking and Vrbo must share host identity, revenue and night-count data with national authorities and delist unregistered properties automatically. For an owner: Greek rental income is now visible to AADE and, via DAC7, to your home tax authority; declare it on both sides and use the foreign tax credit.

1 March 2026 — short-let freeze extended to central Thessaloniki

No new AMA registrations in Thessaloniki's 1st municipal community (the historic and commercial centre around Aristotelous, Egnatia and Tsimiski). Existing registrations continue. For a buyer: a flat in the centre is a long-let asset; an AMA is issued to the owner and does not transfer on sale.

1 January 2026 — rental tax cut, Athens freeze extended, two suspensions renewed

The rental income bracket from €12,001 to €24,000 drops from 35% to 25% for the 2026 tax year (15% to €12,000, 35% to €35,000, 45% above remain). The freeze on new AMA registrations in Athens' 1st, 2nd and 3rd municipal districts is extended through at least 31 December 2026. The suspension of capital gains tax on resale by individuals and the suspension of 24% VAT on new builds are both extended to 31 December 2026. For a buyer: yield maths improved slightly; the central Athens short-let door stays shut; sellers and new-build buyers have a date on the calendar.

1 November 2025 — inheritance law reform in force

Inheritance contracts between an owner and heirs become binding; compulsory heir shares are revised (a surviving spouse takes 33% where there are children); default co-ownership among heirs is abolished; unmarried partners gain a right to stay in the shared home for up to three years and, in some cases, to inherit where no relatives exist. For a buyer: succession planning across two countries is finally practical, and it applies to foreign owners of Greek property.

1 October 2025 — Law 5170/2025: compliance standards for every short let

Mandatory for every short-term rental: fire extinguishers (one 6 kg unit per 100 m²), smoke detectors in bedrooms and kitchen, emergency lighting and signage, an electrical safety certificate, civil liability insurance from a Bank-of-Greece-registered insurer, pest-control certification, natural light and ventilation minimums, and an energy performance certificate; joint inspection teams enforce it. A climate resilience fee of €8 per night applies to short-let bookings. For an owner: budget roughly €800–1,500 up front and €300–600 a year for a typical apartment; compliance must be in place before listing.

1 January 2025 — Athens central districts closed to new short-let registrations

New AMA registrations frozen in Athens' 1st municipal district (Plaka, Monastiraki, Syntagma, Omonia, Kolonaki, Exarcheia, Koukaki, Ilisia, Neapoli), 2nd district (Mets, Neos Kosmos, Agios Artemios, Pagrati) and 3rd district (Petralona, Thiseio, Gazi, Votanikos, Metaxourgio, Rouf), initially for one year and since extended. Existing registrations continue for the registered owner. For a buyer: the freeze is geographic and specific; the Riviera, the northern and western suburbs and the islands are unaffected.

2024 — Law 5100/2024: the Golden Visa goes to three tiers

Minimum investment €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 residents; €400,000 everywhere else; €250,000 for listed-building restorations and commercial-to-residential conversions anywhere. One property only, at least 120 m² (except the €250,000 route), no short-term letting, renewable five-year permit, no minimum stay, family included. For a buyer: check the tier of the exact address before anything else; older articles quoting €250,000 or €500,000 as the general threshold are out of date.

What is in force right now (August 2026)

Golden Visa

€800,000 / €400,000 / €250,000 by zone under Law 5100/2024; single property, 120 m² minimum, no short-term letting; five-year renewable permit; no minimum stay; spouse, children under 21 and dependent parents included; citizenship only after seven years of actual residence and a language test.

Short-term rentals

AMA registration required for every short let; Law 5170/2025 compliance standards; €8 per night climate fee; the 60-day rule separates short stays from long lets; no new registrations in Athens' 1st–3rd districts or central Thessaloniki through at least 31 December 2026; an AMA is personal to the owner and does not transfer on sale; EU Regulation 2024/1028 data-sharing and delisting in force since 20 May 2026; Golden Visa property may not be short-let at all.

Tax

Transfer tax 3% on resales (3.09% with the municipal surcharge); 24% VAT on new builds suspended to 31 December 2026; capital gains tax on resale by individuals suspended to 31 December 2026; rental income taxed 15% to €12,000, 25% to €24,000, 35% to €35,000, 45% above; ENFIA unchanged for 2025–2026; a 30% VAT reduction on border islands under 20,000 residents.

Ownership and succession

Non-EU citizens buy freely outside designated border areas; no residency requirement to own; the reformed inheritance law (from 1 November 2025) applies to Greek property regardless of the owner's nationality; the digital Hellenic Cadastre now covers most of the country.

Deadlines on the calendar

31 December 2026 — three things expire unless extended

The capital gains tax suspension for individual sellers, the VAT suspension on new builds, and the current term of the Athens short-let freeze. All three have been extended before. Nobody should plan on it happening again; sellers and new-build buyers who want the current terms should close before the date.

How to use and cite this tracker

This page is published by BUY GREECE LLC, the US real estate company with offices in Chicago, Illinois and Glyfada, Athens, and reviewed by Kirill Samarits, Founder and CEO. It is reviewed monthly; this URL always carries the current version and the review date is in the first entry. The text is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: cite as BUY GREECE Greek property law tracker, with the review date, and link to this page. It is information, not legal or tax advice; Greek law changes and specific decisions need a licensed Greek lawyer or accountant. Corrections and additions are welcome through the contact page and are answered by a person.

Questions buyers ask

Is the Greece Golden Visa still €250,000?

Only for listed-building restorations and commercial-to-residential conversions. Standard residential purchases need €400,000 in most of Greece and €800,000 in Attica, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, Santorini and the larger islands.

Can I buy an apartment in central Athens and run it on Airbnb?

Not in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd municipal districts through at least the end of 2026: new registrations are frozen and the seller's AMA does not come with the flat. Outside those districts, and on the Riviera, in the suburbs and on the islands, yes, with an AMA and Law 5170/2025 compliance.

Is there capital gains tax when I sell property in Greece?

Not for individuals while the suspension holds, currently to 31 December 2026. After that the 15% rate returns unless the suspension is extended again.

How often is this page updated?

Monthly, and sooner when a measure takes effect. The first entry in the log always carries the last review date; if it is more than six weeks old, ask us before relying on it.