Greek construction law was regulated inconsistently for many years before being uniformly codified for the first time in 1999/2000 in the “General Building Code” (ΓΟΚ).
This was subsequently replaced by the New Building Code (Law 4067/2012, “ΝΟΚ”), which has formed the current statutory basis since April 2012 and has since been repeatedly amended – most recently by Law 5301/2026.
The purpose of construction law is to establish standard requirements for the construction and functional design of residential areas, with a focus on quality of life through efficient, people-friendly and at the same time environmentally sound development.
Land Use Plan and Development Plan
Urban planning begins with the approval of a land use plan, which sets out the intended use of land according to the needs of the municipality; in this context, land outside the built-up area can be incorporated into the development plan, which regularly leads to an increase in value for the affected landowners. Owners of land brought within the plan are frequently obliged to pay a development contribution and/or to surrender part of their own land, in order to finance the necessary infrastructure (roads, electricity and water connections).
On the basis of the land use plan, the development plan sets out the permissible development of plots as well as the use of open spaces and common areas, taking into account environmental protection, the economy, traffic, and healthy living and working conditions.
Developability and Buildability (“artiotita”)
Whether a plot may be developed depends on the principles of buildability (artio) and developability (oikodomisimo) – still governed under the same terms in the ΝΟΚ (Art. 7): a plot is developable if it meets the statutory minimum area and dimension requirements, which vary by region; it is buildable if it is, in addition, suitable for economically sensible development.
Building Permit Procedure
The competent authority for building permits is the municipality. The developer typically instructs a civil engineer, who advises on the relevant building regulations, permissible building types and uses, and compiles the building application; processing time varies, depending on the complexity of the project and the workload of the authority, between around two weeks and four months.
The building factor (syntelestis domisis), which determines the maximum permissible building area, continues to be of central importance; within the development plan it is significantly higher than outside it, and in densely built-up urban centres can be as much as 2.4. Outside the development plan, a minimum area of 4,000 m² is generally required for developability – subject to regional and site-specific special rules – while within a building zone outside the development plan (entos zonis oikismou) as little as 2,000 m² may suffice in some cases; further factors such as boundary setbacks, the site coverage ratio (usually up to 70%) and the permissible building height depend on the location, type and use of the plot.
Note: Since the building code has been repeatedly amended since 2012, and individual figures (in particular minimum areas, building factors, and special rules for tourism and commercial buildings) can vary considerably by region and by site, we recommend a current review for each specific building project based on the applicable version of Law 4067/2012 as well as any relevant special development plans.
FAQ
Important update: Greek construction law was originally governed by the General Building Act of 1985 (ΓΟΚ, Law 1577/1985), which was amended in 2000. Since 2012, the New Building Code (Νέος Οικοδομικός Κανονισμός, ΝΟΚ – Law 4067/2012) has applied, replacing the former ΓΟΚ and since amended on several occasions (including provisions on accessibility, and, in 2023, an updated building-services code). The purpose of these rules is to safeguard quality of life through planned residential areas while at the same time protecting the natural environment.
- Land use plan: it sets out the general type of land use for a municipality (e.g. residential or commercial) and decides which areas outside the built-up zone are incorporated into the development plan.
- Development plan: it is based on the land use plan and regulates in detail the subdivision of plots, the floor area ratio, and the use of open spaces and common areas.
When agricultural land is upgraded to building land, owners often have to make contributions:
- Development contributions (money): to cover the cost of infrastructure (roads, electricity, water).
- Land contribution (land): to create common areas. In some cases, this can also lead to compulsory expropriation.
A plot may only be developed if it meets both criteria:
- Buildable (artio): the plot meets the statutory minimum dimensions and area requirements, which vary by region.
- Developable: it offers a suitable area that allows economic use of the planned structure.
Since the administrative reform, responsibility for granting permits lies with the municipal building offices (Υπηρεσίες Δόμησης, ΥΔΟΜ) at municipal level.
- Procedure: an appointed civil engineer compiles the building application and the technical documents and now generally submits them electronically via the e-permit system (e-Άδειες).
- Duration: between 2 weeks and 4 months, depending on complexity and the workload of the authority.
- Validity: a permit is mandatory for every structure (new construction or conversion).
This is the key figure for the maximum permissible building area.
- Calculation: plot area × building factor = maximum building area.
- Example: a plot of 200 m² with a building factor of 1.2 permits a building of 240 m².
- In urban centres this factor can be as high as 2.4; outside the built-up area it is significantly lower.
A strict distinction is drawn as to whether the land is located within a special building zone or in the open countryside:
- Within a building zone (Entos Zonis): a minimum area of 2,000 m² is required.
- Open countryside: a minimum of 4,000 m² (4 stremmata) is required.
- Living space: with 4,000 m² in the open countryside, 200 m² of living space may generally be built. For every additional 2,000 m² of land, the permissible living space increases by 20 m².
In addition to area, further parameters must be observed:
- Site coverage ratio: usually 70% or less (the proportion of the plot that may be built on).
- Setbacks: prescribed minimum distances from neighbouring plots.
- Maximum height: the permitted ridge or eaves height of the building.
As of June 2026. All information on these pages is provided without guarantee or liability.