Illegal Buildings in Greece: Legalisation Guide and Fine Calculator

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Why Greece has so many illegal buildings

Building permits became mandatory in Greece in 1955. Adapting to the rule took decades, especially in rural areas and on islands like Samos. Through the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s a very large number of owners built houses, extensions and outbuildings without a permit. Enforcement was rare and there were no immediate consequences, so the practice spread across the country.

The familiar unfinished concrete skeletons are part of the same story: owners who ran out of money left buildings incomplete, partly because unfinished structures escaped property tax. Many permitted buildings also gained undeclared additions over the years — an extra floor, an enclosed veranda, a basement that became a flat.

By 2010 the scale of the problem forced the state to act. Since 2011 no property with an undeclared illegal construction can be sold, transferred, rented out or mortgaged without an engineer's certificate. That is why legalisation is usually the first step before selling a property on Samos or ordering a certified valuation.

The laws: 4014/2011 to 5106/2024

Four successive laws have given owners the chance to regularise illegal buildings by appointing a licensed engineer, submitting drawings and paying a calculated fine. All declarations run through the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) platform on gov.gr.

• Law 4014/2011 — the first large amnesty. Owners declared the illegal works, paid a fine and obtained a suspension of demolition. It was also the law that tied the engineer's certificate and survey plan to every property transaction.
• Law 4178/2013 — extended the framework and introduced the structured fine formula based on age, zone value and size.
• Law 4495/2017 — the framework in force today. It created the five categories, stricter checks and the Electronic Building Identity.
• Law 5106/2024 — the latest update: national electronic registry of illegal constructions, payment in instalments, reductions for low-income owners and people with disabilities, stronger environmental controls, under the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

The 31 March 2028 deadline

The confirmed deadline for legalising illegal constructions in Categories 1–4 is 31 March 2028. Every submission filed since October 2024 already carries a 40% surcharge on the fine. Waiting does not make it cheaper — the surcharge stays until the deadline.

Category 5 — large-scale illegal buildings and serious planning violations — has been closed since 2020. Thousands of private properties, and public buildings such as schools and municipal offices, are waiting for new legislation.

The five categories of illegal buildings

Article 96 of Law 4495/2017 sorts every illegal construction into five categories. The category decides whether a fine is calculated at all, how big it is, and whether the building becomes permanently exempt from demolition.

Category	What it covers	What you pay
1	Buildings and extensions completed before 9 June 1975.	Flat state fee of €250. No calculated fine.
2	Buildings completed before 1 January 1983. Many traditional stone houses on Samos fall here.	Fine calculated with the age coefficient 0.15 — among the lowest fines in Greece.
3	The minor violations the law lists one by one: compulsory open space reduced up to 20%, external insulation, balconies altered up to 20%, pergolas up to 50 m², sealed waste tanks, perimeter walls.	Flat state fee of €250. No calculated fine.
4	Excesses within the legal limits: coverage and floor area up to 40% and height up to 20% beyond the permit (capped at 250 m² for a dwelling), or any structure under 50 m² on a plot that already has a permit.	Fine calculated. The building is permanently exempt from demolition.
5	Large-scale illegal buildings or very serious planning violations.	Closed since 2020 — no submissions until new legislation. For building legally from scratch see building permits in Greece.

How the fine is calculated and paid

The fine is not a flat amount. The engineer calculates it for each property with the formula of Annex A of Law 4495/2017. The calculator at the top of this page uses the same formula; the binding figure comes from the TEE system after a site inspection.

• Zone value of the area (€/m²) — coastal and tourist zones cost more than remote rural land.
• Square metres of the illegal area — basements and storage count at 50%.
• Year of construction — the older the building, the lower the coefficient (0.15 for 1975–1982, up to 1.00 for 2004–2011).
• Use — a main and only residence is treated more favourably than a holiday home, tourism or commerce.
• Permit and location — no permit at all and land outside the town plan increase the fine.
• Social reductions — disability, large families, long-term unemployment, low income.
• Period coefficient — 1.40 for every submission from October 2024 to 31 March 2028 (the “40% surcharge”).

Paying the fine (article 101)

• The fine is paid in 100 monthly instalments. A state fee (article 99) of €250 to €6,000 is paid with the declaration.
• Single payment: 20% discount if paid by the end of the month after the submission.
• 30% upfront: 10% discount on the balance.
• Categories 1 and 3 pay only the flat €250 fee.

The fine and the state fee go to the state. The engineer's fee is separate and is quoted after the inspection.

Legalisation step by step

You do not deal with the TEE, the planning office or any government platform. Our licensed civil engineers handle the file from the first visit to the certificate.

1. Site inspection and document checkDeeds, permits, old drawings and ownership history are reviewed on site. We identify every illegal element and its category.
2. Survey and measurementGPS measurement in EGSA 87 and, where needed, LIDAR 3D scanning, producing as-built drawings of the building exactly as it stands.
3. Fine calculationThe exact fine with every reduction you are entitled to — age, use, social criteria.
4. File preparationFloor plans, sections and elevations, technical report, structural vulnerability form and the declarations for the TEE.
5. Submission and paymentWe file the declaration and you pay the fee and the fine, in one payment or in instalments. We handle all follow-up with the authorities.
6. Certificate of completionOnce the required payments are made, the certificate is issued. The property can be sold, transferred or mortgaged.
7. Electronic Building Identity and CadastreAfter legalisation we file the Electronic Building Identity the notary needs, and register or correct the property in the Hellenic Cadastre if required.

Illegal buildings on Samos

Samos has an unusually high share of properties with illegal works. The fast building of the 1970s and 1980s, tourist accommodation, holiday homes on agricultural plots and limited enforcement at the time produced a large number of homes with undeclared additions or no permit at all.

Many traditional stone houses in the mountain villages were completed before 1975 or 1983, which places them in Category 1 or 2 — a flat €250 fee, or one of the lowest fines in Greece.

A significant number of plots on Samos touch forest land, stream buffers or the shoreline zone, where construction was never allowed. These cases need experienced handling and in some instances cannot be fully legalised. We know every village boundary, protection zone and forest map on the island and tell you what is achievable before you spend anything. If you are looking to buy a property on Samos, our listings team checks legal compliance before a property is published.

Can you sell a property with illegal buildings in Greece?

No — not without a certificate. Since 2011 the law blocks the sale, gift, parental transfer and mortgaging of any property with undeclared illegal works. Before signing, the notary will ask for:

• The certificate of completion of the legalisation under Law 4495/2017, proving the fine has been paid and the declaration finalised;
• The engineer's certificate (article 83) confirming the property has no illegal works, or that all works have been declared;
• The Electronic Building Identity, mandatory for transfers since 2022 — see our guide to the Electronic Building Identity.

If you are the buyer, an independent pre-purchase inspection is the best protection against an expensive surprise: we identify every illegal element, quantify the cost and confirm whether full legalisation is possible before 31 March 2028. After legalisation, our certified valuers can issue a formal valuation for a mortgage, sale or inheritance.

Services and fees

Service	Fee	Who needs it
Site inspection and fine calculation	Quoted after inspection	Owners who suspect or know of illegal works
Full legalisation service (Categories 1–4)	Quoted after inspection	Properties with undeclared buildings or extensions
Pre-purchase building inspection	Quoted after inspection	Buyers checking legal status before purchase
Survey topography plan (EGSA 87)	Quoted after inspection	Mandatory document in the legalisation file
Electronic Building Identity	Quoted after inspection	Required for the transfer after legalisation
Certified property valuation	On request	Sale, mortgage or inheritance after legalisation
Building permits and new construction	On request	Building legally from scratch on Samos

Fees depend on the number and type of violations, the floor area and the documents available. We give a written quote after the site inspection. The state fine and fee are separate and go to the state.

Frequently asked questions

Can all illegal buildings in Greece be legalised?

No. Only constructions completed before 28 July 2011 qualify under Law 4495/2017. Buildings inside forest land, archaeological zones, stream buffers or the shoreline zone face additional restrictions and in many cases cannot be fully regularised. We assess your property and give you a clear answer before you incur any cost.

What is the deadline for legalising illegal buildings in Greece?

31 March 2028 for Categories 1–4. A 40% surcharge applies to every submission filed since October 2024 and does not decrease as the deadline approaches.

What happens if I miss the 31 March 2028 deadline?

The property can no longer be sold, transferred, gifted or mortgaged, and the authorities can impose the full construction and retention fines and order demolition. Acting before the deadline protects both your legal and your financial position.

How is the fine for an illegal building calculated?

With the formula of Annex A of Law 4495/2017: zone value × square metres × 0.15 × the coefficients for permit, location, use, excess, social criteria and year of construction, × 1.40 for the current period. Basements and storage count at 50%. Categories 1 and 3 pay only a flat €250 fee. Use the calculator at the top of this page for an indicative figure.

How much does it cost to legalise an illegal building in Greece?

The cost has two parts: the fine and the state fee set by law (zone value, square metres, age, use and location), and the engineer's fee, which is quoted after the site visit once it is clear exactly what has to be declared. Categories 1 and 3 pay only the flat €250 state fee. The calculator at the top of this page gives an indicative figure in about a minute.

How much is the state fee (parávolo) for legalisation?

The article 99 state fee starts at €250 for small cases and for Categories 1 and 3, and rises to €6,000 for very large areas. It is paid when the declaration is submitted, is separate from the fine and is not refundable.

What documents are needed to legalise an illegal building?

Title deed, ATAK and E9 tax records, a survey plan georeferenced to EGSA '87, the building permit with its approved drawings if one exists, evidence of age (aerial photographs, old electricity bills, public records) and photographs. The engineer additionally prepares floor plans, sections, elevations, a technical report and a structural vulnerability sheet.

Can the fine be paid in instalments?

Yes. Under article 101 the fine is paid in 100 monthly instalments. A single payment within the month after submission earns a 20% discount, and paying 30% upfront earns a 10% discount on the balance.

Can I sell a property with illegal buildings?

Not until the works are declared. The notary requires the certificate of completion of the legalisation, the engineer's certificate under article 83 and the Electronic Building Identity before signing any transfer.

How long does legalisation take?

For straightforward cases in Categories 1–3, typically 4–8 weeks from the site visit to the certificate, provided the documents are available. Cases with missing permits, forest-map issues or age verification take longer. We confirm a realistic timeline at the inspection.

Do I need a new survey plan?

In most cases yes. A certified survey plan in EGSA 87 coordinates is a mandatory document in the TEE file. If your existing plan is old or has no coordinates, we produce a new one as part of the service.

I own an old stone house in a village. Is it illegal?

Most likely it has minor infringements: a storeroom converted into a room, an added bathroom, a roof that was extended. Old houses on Samos are rarely 100% within their permit. If the works were completed before 1975 they fall into Category 1 and pay only the flat €250 fee. Have it surveyed before you sell or transfer it.

What is the certificate of completion and what does it cover?

It is the document issued by the TEE system once the declaration is finalised and the required share of the fine has been paid. It certifies that the illegal works are legalised and that penalties are lifted, permanently for Categories 1 to 4 of article 96. No transfer can proceed without it.

Can a change of use from storage to dwelling be legalised?

Yes, provided the change was made before 28 July 2011 and the space meets the requirements. It is one of the most common cases in older houses: a basement or storeroom turned into a room. The fine is calculated on the difference in use and is usually lower than owners expect, especially for buildings completed before 1983.

What about buildings in forest land, a stream bed or the coastal zone?

They do not qualify. Law 4495/2017 expressly excludes structures in forest or forest land, in a stream bed, in the coastal and beach zone, in archaeological sites and in other protected areas. Before anything else we check the forest map, settlement boundaries and protection zones, so you know whether there is a route forward before you spend money.

I inherited a property with illegal buildings. What do I do?

Acceptance of inheritance is a notarial deed, so it requires an engineer's certificate like any other transaction. Any undeclared illegal part must be legalised first. Inherited files often lack titles and permits, so we handle the search in the planning authority archive and the evidence of age.

What is Category 5 and why is it closed?

Category 5 of article 96 covers large illegal buildings and serious planning violations that exceed the limits of Category 4. Its declarations have been closed since 2020 and have not reopened. If your property falls there, we examine whether individual parts can be placed in a lower category.

Do I need an Electronic Building Identity after legalisation?

Yes, for every transfer since April 2022. The Electronic Building Identity collects permits, drawings, legalisations and certificates into a single electronic file with a unique number. We prepare it immediately after the certificate of completion so the file reaches the notary complete.

Which engineer handles legalisation on Samos?

A licensed engineer registered with the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE). At Samos Housing the whole process is done in-house: a site visit wherever the property is (Vathy, Karlovasi, Pythagoreio, Marathokampos, the mountain villages), measurements, the fine calculation, the file, the submission and monitoring of the instalments. We do not subcontract.

Is legalisation the same as a building permit?

No. Legalisation regularises a structure that already exists without a permit. A building permit is required before any new construction or extension. In many cases, once legalisation is complete, a permit can be issued to extend or renovate the building further.