Building Permit for a New Project in Greece: From the Land to the Permit (οικοδομική άδεια), Who Files, Which Checks and What Timelines

An Israeli developer looking at land in Greece usually asks two questions: how much can be built on it, and how long it will take to get a permit. The answer to both depends on the checks carried out before signing for the land, not after. This guide walks through the path from the land to the building permit (οικοδομική άδεια) for a new building: who files, what is checked, which additional approvals may be required, and what the law says about timelines and the validity of the permit.

The guide deals with new construction. Renovating an existing property is subject to different rules, which we set out in the guide to renovating an old property in Athens and Thessaloniki.

1Who issues a building permit in Greece, and where is it filed?

The permit is issued by the building service (Υπηρεσία Δόμησης, ΥΔΟΜ), and filing is done only electronically in the e-Adeies system of the Technical Chamber of Greece (Τεχνικό Επιμελητήριο Ελλάδας, ΤΕΕ). The legal framework is Law 4495/2017, mainly Articles 35 to 42. According to the Greek government's procedures portal, the permit is also accessible through gov.gr, and if the electronic system is not working, the file can be submitted at a citizen service centre (ΚΕΠ), which forwards it to the building service.

It is important to know that this structure is in the process of changing. In November 2025 the Greek government approved a bill that transfers the issuing of building permits and the supervision of construction from the municipalities to a new body to be established within the Hellenic Cadastre (Ελληνικό Κτηματολόγιο). According to the reports, the original timetable included partial operation in June 2026 and full operation at the beginning of 2027. As of November 2026 we have not verified the status of the legislation and its actual implementation, so in every project you need to check which body is competent in the area where the land is located.

2Who files the application: the owner or the engineer?

The application belongs to the owner or to whoever has a lawful right in the land, but only an engineer enters the file into the system. According to the procedures portal, the engineer logs in with their access credentials for the ΤΕΕ systems, and the application is accompanied by declarations on the appointment of the designers, the acceptance of responsibility and the supervision. In practice, a foreign developer cannot file an application themselves, and choosing the engineer or the design firm is one of the first legal decisions in the project.

It is therefore worth setting out the relationship with the engineer in a written agreement: the scope of design and supervision, the timetable, liability for design errors, professional liability insurance, and what happens if the engineer stops working on the project. The difference between the roles of the engineer, the lawyer and the notary in a Greek transaction is explained in the guide to the notary, the lawyer and the engineer.

3What should be checked in the land before buying it for a project?

You check whether it may be built on, how much and what. In Greece the first distinction is between land within an approved town plan (εντός σχεδίου) and land outside the town plan (εκτός σχεδίου). Within the plan, the building rights derive from the building terms of the area (όροι δόμησης): the building coefficient (συντελεστής δόμησης), that is, the ratio between the permitted built area and the plot area, the coverage percentage (κάλυψη), the permitted height and setbacks from the plot boundaries. Outside the plan the rules are stricter, and according to a professional guide from 2025 the minimum plot area for building is generally 4,000 sq m, with a frontage of at least 25 metres onto a recognised public road and few exceptions.

Beyond the building rights, there are several checks, each of which can on its own stop a project:

On building violations in an existing property and the engineer's certificate required in every transaction, see the guide to building violations in Greece. On the purchase restrictions in border areas, see the guide to buying in border areas.

4Which additional approvals may be required?

Article 40 of Law 4495/2017 requires the file to include the approvals of other services and bodies, “where they are required”. The law itself does not list them, because they depend on the location and type of the project. In new residential projects, the common questions are these:

• Antiquities. The code for the protection of antiquities was ratified by Law 4858/2021. On an archaeological site or near a monument, approval of the regional antiquities service (Εφορεία Αρχαιοτήτων) is required, and according to decisions published on the Ministry of Culture's website, the approval may be subject to conditions and supervision, and progress on the works may depend on the results of trial excavations.
• Forest. If there is doubt about the plot's classification, the check with the forest service and the forest maps should be closed before the purchase.
• Protected areas, coasts and streams. Under Article 36 of the law, works near the coast or a defined stream, and works in traditional or historic areas, fall into the strictest permit category.
• Infrastructure. The documents for the file also include a gas plan approved by the gas supplier, if gas is used, and drainage and plumbing plans.

According to professional reports, a 2021 legislative amendment provided that approvals of third-party bodies for the permit will also be issued electronically through e-Adeies. Implementation varies from body to body, so it is worth asking the engineer in advance which approvals will be filed in the system and which will be required separately.

5What are the three categories of building permit in Greece?

Article 36 of Law 4495/2017 divides permits into three categories, according to area, location, use, size and environmental impact. The category determines the level of review and the accompanying approvals.

6What are the steps from the land to the permit?

The following steps are based on Articles 35, 38 and 40 of the law and on the description of the procedure in the government procedures portal. The actual order varies according to the category and the accompanying approvals.

1. Feasibility check before purchase. Building rights, forest classification, antiquities, ownership and registration, and existing construction. It is preferable for the check to be carried out by an engineer acting for you and not for the seller.
2. Topographic survey and coverage diagram. The topographic survey is linked to the national coordinate system and registered in the Hellenic Cadastre.
3. Pre-approval (προέγκριση). Under Article 35 it is generally optional, but it is mandatory for a new building or for additions that bring the built area above 3,000 sq m, and in other cases set out in the law. At this stage the building service checks the ownership documents, the topographic survey, the coverage diagram and the legality of the existing structures, and determines which plans and approvals will be required.
4. Plans and approvals. Architectural plan, structural plan, building services plans, energy performance plan, works schedule, drainage plan, fire safety plan and safety plan where required, and a construction waste management plan, together with the approvals of the other bodies.
5. Payments and filing. Under Article 40, proof of payment of the levies to the state, to the social insurance institution (e-ΕΦΚΑ) and to the municipality is attached, as well as proof of payment of the engineers' fees.
6. Issue and review. Under Article 38, in categories 1 to 3 with pre-approval, the permit is issued automatically after a complete filing, and the building service reviews the file within three working days. With automatic issue, the building service must review at least 30% of the permits by sample check, and a complaint requires a review in every category.
7. Commencement of works and supervision. Before the works begin, a notice of commencement of construction works is filed, and the supervising engineer oversees the execution.

7How long does it take to get a permit, and how long is it valid?

The law sets short deadlines for the administrative stages, but the actual timetable is determined mainly by the design time and by the approvals of other bodies. The project's financial planning should therefore be based on the engineer's estimate for the specific project, and not on the deadlines in the law.

8What does this mean for the land purchase contract?

It means that the planning risk should be written into the contract. When buying land for a project, the customary way to protect the developer is to tie payment to planning progress: a small first payment, and the main payment only after the checks have been closed, and sometimes only after pre-approval. Legally this is done through a preliminary agreement with conditions precedent, an option for the design period, or a “combination deal” (land-for-units deal) with the landowner.

• Representations by the seller on the building rights, the absence of forest classification and the absence of proceedings or building violations, with a compensation mechanism if it turns out otherwise.
• A condition precedent of pre-approval or of approval by the antiquities service, where there is concern about such a restriction.
• An obligation on the seller to cooperate in submitting documents and signing the topographic survey.
• A deadline for satisfying the conditions, and what happens to the money paid if they are not satisfied.

On a deal structure in which the landowner receives apartments instead of money, see the guide to combination deals and joint ventures with a landowner. On the agreement with the contractor, see the guide to the construction contract in a project abroad.

9And what needs to be checked on the Israeli side?

Israeli developers usually develop a project in Greece through a dedicated Greek company. The decision on the company structure, the relationship between the partners and reporting to the Israel Tax Authority should be made before the land is purchased. It is also worth reading the guide to the founders' agreement, the guide to development project financing, and, if you are raising money from investors in Israel, the guide to raising money from Israelis. On the sale of new apartments and VAT, see the guide to VAT on a new apartment in Greece.

10What should be done before signing for the land, and how do we support this?

Before signing, you commission a feasibility check by an engineer acting for you, check the ownership and registration in the Hellenic Cadastre, and translate the findings into conditions in the purchase contract. We review the deal structure and the contract, coordinate the legal due diligence with lawyers licensed in Greece and with the engineer, and make sure that the permit timetable fits into the financing and construction agreements.

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