Greece · Taxes · 4 min
Greece: 15% tax for non-EU buyers - what we know as of November 2026
A bill proposing a 15% tax was submitted to Parliament in early November 2026, but has not yet been passed. If adopted in its current form, the property transfer tax for tax residents of countries outside the EU and EEA will rise from 3% to 15% (from 3.09% to 15.45% including the municipal surcharge) for final contracts signed from 1 July 2027.
Key figures
Status: a bill, not a law
Greece's Ministry of Finance published the draft on 18 October 2026, with public consultation running until 1 November (GreekProps). In early November, the bill, titled "Strengthening Disposable Income, Savings and Investment," was submitted to Parliament with amendments (Bankingnews.gr). As of 5 Nov 2026, no vote had taken place: the final text may differ.
The measures were announced by the government at the Thessaloniki International Fair in September, and the bill sets them out in law (GreekProps). The government has signalled its intent, so passage should be treated as the baseline scenario rather than an unlikely outcome.
What is being proposed
For comparison, Greece's current property transfer tax is 3%, meaning the rate for a buyer from a non-EU country would increase fivefold.
- a 15% rate on the property's taxable value, replacing the standard 3% rate (PwC Greece);
- applies only to individuals who are tax residents of countries outside the EU and EEA;
- the criterion is tax residence, not citizenship: a third-country citizen who is a tax resident of Greece or another EU country is not covered by the provision;
- including the municipal surcharge, the effective rate is 15.45% instead of 3.09% (PwC Greece);
- there is an exemption for buyers entitled to first-home relief under Article 42 of the Property Tax Code: citizens of Greece, the EU and the EEA, ethnic Greeks and long-term residents (The Host Daily);
- residential property only; purchases by companies are not covered by the draft's wording (GreekProps);
- effective date: final contracts signed from 1 July 2027.
What remains unclear
The version submitted to Parliament refers to an increase "subject to the exemptions provided for" (Bankingnews.gr). Apart from the Article 42 exemption, the sources reviewed so far do not specify the full list of exemptions or explain how the provision relates to the Golden Visa. It is also unclear how preliminary contracts signed before 1 July 2027 but completed later will be treated: according to the draft wording, the key date is the final contract.
It is also unclear whether the rate will apply to a purchase through a legal entity ultimately owned by a non-EU resident. The draft refers to individuals, but the legislature could change the wording during revision. It would be risky to base a strategy on this before the law is published.
Finally, it is not known whether the 1 July 2027 date will remain in place: Parliament could move it in either direction during consideration. Until the final vote, calculations should be run under both scenarios - 3% and 15%.
Related measures in the same bill
The bill extends until 31 December 2027 the suspension of 24% VAT on new buildings with building permits issued from 2006 onward, as well as the suspension of capital gains tax on property sales (PwC Greece). While VAT is suspended, purchases from developers are subject to the property transfer tax - the tax affected by the proposed new rate for non-EU residents.
Example: for an apartment with a taxable value of €300 000, the difference between 3% and 15% is €36 000. For a property worth €400 000, it is €48 000. That is comparable to several years of rental income, making the date of the final contract part of the return calculation.
For sellers, the implications are also clear: demand from buyers in third countries may accelerate before July 2027 and then shift towards EU buyers. No one can reliably say how this will affect prices, and any forecasts on the subject are estimates, not facts.
What buyers should do
This article is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. The terms should be checked for each specific property before a transaction.
- if you are a tax resident of a country outside the EU, the window for paying the 3% tax runs until 30 June 2027, provided the bill is passed without changing the date;
- for a property under construction, check the expected date of the final contract against this deadline;
- do not base your calculations on exemptions until the law is published in the Government Gazette.
- if EU tax residency is a realistic option for you (through relocation, work or family), it affects the rate - but residency is determined under tax rules, not chosen simply for a single transaction.
What this means for buyers
- 15% (15.45% effective) is still only a bill, submitted to Parliament in early November 2026.
- The criterion is tax residence outside the EU/EEA, not citizenship.
- The key date is the final contract signed from 1 Jul 2027.
- For properties under construction, the completion date could determine whether the rate is 3% or 15%.
Current as of . This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
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