Notary Fees in Greece: How Much Does a Property Buyer Pay in 2026?

What does a Greek notary actually do?

A Greek notary, known as a συμβολαιογράφος (symvolaiográfos), is a public official entrusted with preparing and authenticating legally significant documents.

In a property purchase, the notary plays a central role in completing the formal transfer.

The responsibilities typically include preparing the purchase deed, coordinating required documentation, dealing with the applicable transfer-tax procedure and arranging the execution of the final contract.

The Greek government's digital property-transfer service also allows the notary to coordinate the electronic transaction file, retrieve documentation and submit the signed deed for registration through the applicable procedure.

Sources: Hellenic Notary Association — The Greek Notariat and Gov.gr — Property Transfer.

Is the notary the buyer's lawyer?

No. Their roles are different.

The Hellenic Notary Association describes the notary as an independent and impartial public official serving the legality of the transaction and the interests of all parties.

A lawyer independently retained by the buyer represents that buyer's particular interests.

A notary's involvement does not automatically mean that a complete buyer-side legal investigation or engineering inspection has been performed.

What this means for a buyer: Paying the notary does not mean you have also paid for independent legal representation or technical due diligence.

How are notary fees calculated in Greece?

Greek notary fees are regulated.

The main framework is Joint Ministerial Decision 111376/31 December 2011, published in Government Gazette B' 13/11 January 2012, as amended by Decision 72386/2015.

The latter amendment reduced the first fee bracket from 1% to 0.80%.

Source: Official notarial fee decision, including subsequent amendments — Notarial Association.

The statutory fee brackets

For ordinary notarial deeds involving a monetary value, the proportional fee is calculated according to the following brackets:

The rates apply progressively to the relevant portions of value.

For example, a €250,000 transaction does not attract 0.70% on the entire €250,000. The first €120,000 is calculated at 0.80%, and the remaining €130,000 at 0.70%.

The schedule also includes a fixed charge of €20.

The legislation permits a specific written fee agreement for amounts exceeding €20 million, but that exception is not relevant to ordinary residential purchases.

Is VAT added to the notary's fee?

Yes. Notarial services are ordinarily subject to VAT.

The standard Greek VAT rate in October 2026 is 24%, which is the rate used in this guide's calculations.

Greek VAT legislation provides for particular reduced-rate cases, so the applicable rate should be checked on the actual invoice rather than assumed universally.

Source: AADE — Basic VAT Rates.

The basic planning formula is:

Notary fee = Progressive statutory fee + €20 fixed charge + applicable VAT

This does not yet include document copies, additional deed sheets or other chargeable work.

Worked example: Buying a €250,000 apartment

Consider an individual foreign buyer purchasing a resale apartment.

Illustrative example

Assumptions:

• Agreed purchase price: €250,000
• Value used for the notarial fee: €250,000
• Standard statutory fee schedule
• Standard VAT rate: 24%
• No additional notarial deeds or special arrangements

Step 1 — Calculate the proportional fee

Step 2 — Add the fixed charge and VAT

Estimated basic fee: €2,343.60.

This is an illustrative calculation from the statutory schedule, not a quotation from a notary.

It excludes additional sheets, certified copies, separately chargeable acts, disbursements, property transfer tax, land-registration charges, legal fees, engineering costs and any brokerage commission.

What would the basic fee be at other property values?

Assuming that the agreed purchase price and the value used for calculating the notarial fee are identical:

Illustrative residential purchase calculations using the statutory schedule and €20 fixed charge. Additional charges are excluded.

The effective percentage becomes lower as the transaction value rises through the progressive brackets.

This is why a blanket statement such as "notaries charge 1% of the property price" is not an accurate explanation of the statutory calculation.

What this means for a buyer

The progressive fee can be estimated before requesting a quotation.

Use the calculation as a benchmark, then ask the notary to explain any difference between the benchmark and the final itemised amount.

Is the notary's fee based on the purchase price or Objective Value?

This is an important question that buyers often overlook.

The statutory fee decision establishes the calculation basis as the total value declared in the deed or a higher value determined by the competent authority, whether provisionally or finally.

For a conventional transaction subject to the Greek objective-value system, this often means that the notary's percentage is effectively calculated on the higher of the contractual price and the applicable Objective Value.

Source: Joint Ministerial Decision 111376/2011, Article 1.

Objective Value (αντικειμενική αξία) is an administrative tax-valuation figure. It is not evidence of the property's market price.

Worked example: When Objective Value is higher

Consider another hypothetical apartment:

If the fee were calculated on €250,000, the basic amount including 24% VAT would be €2,343.60.

On €300,000, the corresponding calculation is:

The higher statutory calculation value increases the basic notary fee by €434, even though the negotiated purchase price remains €250,000.

Illustrative example. Actual calculation depends on the legally applicable transaction value and property circumstances.

Does a negotiated discount reduce notary fees?

Not always.

If the amount used to calculate the notarial fee remains higher than the negotiated price, reducing the purchase price may not reduce the notarial fee.

A buyer should therefore establish the transaction's calculation value rather than simply multiplying the advertised price by an approximate fee percentage.

What this means for a buyer: Before finalising the purchase budget, ask which value the notary will use and why.

What additional charges can appear on the notary's bill?

The proportional fee and €20 fixed charge are not necessarily the entire amount.

The fee decision provides additional charges for document sheets and copies.

In particular, it specifies:

• €5 for each additional sheet of the relevant notarial act.
• €4 for each sheet of a copy issued immediately following preparation of the act, under the stated conditions.

These are statutory charges, not percentages of the purchase price.

The final invoice may also include other legally applicable charges for separate acts or document work, together with properly identified third-party expenses.

Source: Notarial Fee Decision — Articles 1 and 2.

Why can two similarly priced purchases have different notary bills?

A straightforward apartment transfer may involve fewer chargeable documents and acts than a transaction with complicated ownership arrangements.

Factors that can affect the overall amount requested include:

• The number and type of notarial acts required.
• The length of the deed and number of chargeable additional sheets.
• The number of certified copies requested.
• Whether an additional power of attorney or preliminary notarial deed is needed.
• Whether extra document services or separately chargeable procedures are required.
• Third-party charges collected as part of coordinating completion.

Not every item on a completion statement is necessarily remuneration retained by the notary.

A buyer should distinguish the notary's own professional fees from money collected or disbursed for other purposes.

How should you read a notary quotation?

Ask for the charges to be divided into identifiable categories:

This makes it easier to compare estimates and avoid confusing legal fees, government charges and notarial remuneration.

Does a notarised preliminary agreement create additional fees?

It can.

A buyer may encounter a reservation agreement, a private preliminary agreement or a formal notarial preliminary contract (προσύμφωνο).

These are not interchangeable documents.

Article 2 of the notarial fee decision contains a specific rule for preliminary contracts involving a deposit or payment before the final deed.

The proportional notarial fee is calculated with reference to the consideration paid under the preliminary arrangement. The provision allows the proportional fee to be credited against the fee for the final deed where the final contract is executed on time in fulfilment of that preliminary contract.

Source: Joint Ministerial Decision 111376/2011, Article 2(c).

What this means for a buyer

Before paying for a formal notarial preliminary agreement, ask:

"Will the proportional fee paid for this preliminary deed be credited towards the final purchase deed, and under what conditions?"

Do not assume a private reservation agreement automatically qualifies for the same treatment.

The notary and buyer's lawyer should clarify the nature of the preliminary arrangement, its legal effects and any relevant payment obligations before signing.

Who pays the notary's fees in a Greek property purchase?

In an ordinary Greek residential purchase, the buyer commonly bears the notary's fees and the costs associated with preparing the acquisition deed.

However, the allocation of transaction expenses should be established in the actual agreement rather than assumed to be identical in every transaction.

A buyer should confirm in writing which party is responsible for the notarial fees, ancillary acts, certified copies and any other relevant expenses.

This is particularly important where the seller requests an additional notarial act or the transaction involves unusual documentation.

Can a foreign buyer choose their own notary?

The Greek system allows parties to choose a notary, subject to the professional and territorial rules applicable to the notarial office.

In ordinary residential transactions, the buyer frequently arranges the notary, but the practical appointment should be agreed with the parties.

A foreign buyer can ask their lawyer to recommend a notary experienced in property transactions involving non-residents.

The ability to communicate clearly in English, coordinate documents remotely and explain the financial settlement process can be important practical considerations.

The notary remains an impartial public official, regardless of who arranged the appointment.

Source: Hellenic Notary Association — Institutional Role.

What should a foreign buyer establish before appointing the notary?

Confirm how documents will be exchanged, whether translations are required, how identification and authorisation will be handled, and what the signing arrangements will be if the buyer cannot attend personally.

If a power of attorney is necessary, ask whether its preparation, translation, certification and associated notarial work are included in the estimate.

Do not assume that a quote for preparing the purchase deed automatically includes every additional step required for an overseas buyer.

Has the notary's role changed under the new 2026 law?

Yes. Greek Law 5293/2026, published on 7 April 2026, established a new legal framework for notaries to act as a one-stop service in property transfers.

Article 15 describes an expanded coordinating role covering preparation of the deed, collection of documents, certain tax-related procedures, handling cadastral registration charges and submission of the deed for registration.

The law also provides for an optional arrangement under which a notary may handle the purchase consideration through a designated escrow account, subject to the relevant conditions and explicit agreement.

Sources: AADE — Circular O.3014/2026 and Law 5293/2026 — Article 15.

Does the one-stop system already operate everywhere in Greece?

The legislation distinguishes between establishing the legal framework and implementing it.

Under Articles 19 and 22, the commencement, geographical scope and operational arrangements for the new service are to be specified through a joint ministerial decision.

Consequently, buyers should not assume that every feature of the expanded one-stop service is available for every transaction simply because the law was published in April 2026.

The final position must be checked against the relevant implementing decisions and the procedures operating at the time of the purchase.

Source: Law 5293/2026 — Article 19.

Does this mean the notary now replaces the lawyer?

No.

Expanding the notary's administrative and coordinating role does not turn the notary into the buyer's exclusively appointed legal adviser.

Buyer-side title investigation, advice on contractual risks and representation of the buyer's interests remain separate matters.

Nor should the new one-stop framework be interpreted as eliminating land-registration fees or other government charges.

For actions within the new framework, Article 15 refers to remuneration under Article 40 of the Greek Notaries Code. Buyers should request confirmation of any applicable fees rather than assume the new legislation establishes a universal new price.

What this means for a buyer

Before completion, ask the notary which digital or one-stop procedures are available for the property, who handles registration and how taxes, fees and purchase funds are to be paid.

The goal is to understand the actual process, rather than assume every transaction follows an identical administrative workflow.

Are land-registration fees included in the notary's fee?

No.

The notary's remuneration and the registration charges payable for recording the purchase are separate cost categories.

Following execution of the final deed, the transfer must proceed through the applicable registration process.

The government's digital property-transfer procedure provides for submission of the deed to the Hellenic Cadastre and subsequent payment of the corresponding registration fees.

Source: Gov.gr — Digital Property Transfer Procedure.

Even where the notary coordinates registration or collects the required payment, the underlying registration charges do not automatically become part of the notary's professional remuneration.

The same applies to transfer tax

Property transfer tax is another separate charge.

For an ordinary taxable resale transaction, the tax calculation follows the applicable property-tax legislation, not the notary's fee schedule.

A buyer may therefore have three distinct value-linked expenses:

1. Property transfer tax.
2. Notarial remuneration.
3. Property-registration charges.

They may use related valuation inputs, but they are not the same charge and should not be combined into one unexplained percentage.

What should you ask before accepting a notary's fee estimate?

A useful written quotation should allow the buyer to understand how the amount was calculated and what it excludes.

Use the following checklist:

• Calculation value: Which contractual or officially determined value forms the basis of the fee?
• Statutory brackets: Has the progressive fee schedule been applied correctly?
• VAT: What rate is being applied, and to which charges?
• Documents: What additional sheets, copies and other notarial acts are included?
• Other expenses: Which items are third-party payments rather than notary remuneration?
• Preliminary agreement: If one is required, how will its fee be treated at completion?
• Remote purchase: Are power-of-attorney and additional document requirements included?
• Registration: Who will submit the deed, who pays the registration fees and how is completion confirmed?
• Payment timing: When are the fees payable, and what happens if the transaction does not complete?

The notary should be able to identify the statutory basis for the principal charges and explain any additions.

A written estimate made before signing is more useful than an unexplained total presented immediately before completion.

What notary fees cannot tell you about a property

A correctly calculated notarial fee does not establish that the purchase price is reasonable or that the property is free from legal and technical problems.

Notarial documentation and the associated statutory procedures are essential parts of a lawful property transfer.

They are not substitutes for independent buyer-side assessment of ownership, encumbrances, building legality, cadastral consistency, physical condition or market-price evidence.

Those questions require their own documents, professionals and research methods.

Common questions

Are Greek notary fees negotiable?

For ordinary residential transactions, the main percentage-based remuneration is determined by a statutory schedule rather than an unrestricted commercial hourly rate. Buyers should ask for an itemised calculation and clarification of additional charges. The legislation contains a particular written-agreement exception for amounts above €20 million, which is not relevant to typical residential purchases.

Is the notary's 24% VAT the same as VAT on a new-build property?

No. VAT charged on a professional service is a separate matter from any VAT treatment applicable to the sale of newly built property. The two have different legal bases and should not be confused.

Can I calculate notary fees before choosing a property?

You can make a preliminary estimate from the statutory fee brackets and an assumed transaction value. A final calculation requires the applicable value, details of the notarial acts, document charges and VAT treatment.

Can a notary handle the property transfer if I am outside Greece?

The transaction may be arranged with appropriate authorisation and representation, subject to applicable legal requirements. The precise signing, identification and power-of-attorney procedures should be confirmed with the notary and the buyer's lawyer. Do not assume every stage can be completed online.

Related guides

• Costs of Buying Property in Greece — the wider acquisition-cost budget.
• Objective Value in Greece — why the statutory value may differ from the purchase price.
• Property Transfer Tax in Greece — how acquisition tax is calculated.
• Lawyer and Engineer Fees in Greece — separate professional charges.
• The Property Buying Process in Greece — the sequence from preparation to registration.
• What Does a Property Lawyer Check? — understanding independent buyer-side legal review.

Before committing to a property purchase, ask the notary for an itemised written estimate and confirmation of the value used for the fee calculation.

The Greek Property Report provides independent buyer-side property research. We do not sell property or receive commissions tied to a transaction. Our research can help organise market and administrative evidence, but it does not replace a notary's statutory functions or independent legal and technical advice.