Inheriting Property In Greece: A Guide For Foreign Owners & Heirs

  • by Aggeliki Vourliotakis
  • Friday, 02 October 2026
Inheriting Property In Greece: A Guide For Foreign Owners & Heirs
Owning property in Greece while living abroad creates an important question that is often postponed: what will happen to the Greek property after the owner's death?

For international families, inheritance planning can become significantly more complicated when two different legal systems are involved.


Does Greece Have Inheritance Tax?

Yes.

Greek inheritance tax depends on the net value inherited and the relationship between the deceased and the beneficiary.

Children, parents, grandchildren, spouses and civil partners fall within Category A, but this does not mean that every inheritance between parent and child is automatically tax-free up to €800,000.

Important Distinction: Inheritance vs Parental Gift

The widely discussed €800,000 tax-free threshold relates to gifts and parental provisions to Category A beneficiaries under the relevant rules.

It should not be presented as the general inheritance-tax exemption.

Inheritance follows its own tax scale.

What If The Owner Lives & Dies Abroad?

This is where planning becomes particularly important.

Greek property can be subject to Greek inheritance procedures even where the owner was living abroad.

At the same time, the estate may also be subject to succession procedures in the deceased's country of residence or nationality.

This can create practical difficulties involving:
  • foreign wills;
  • probate procedures;
  • executors;
  • translations and legalisation of foreign documents;
  • recognition of foreign succession documents in Greece;
Should A Foreign Owner Have A Separate Greek Will?

This is particularly important for owners connected with countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia, where probate and executor structures can differ significantly from the Greek system.

Bare Ownership & Usufruct

Another estate-planning option used in Greece is the separation of ownership into:
  • usufruct (epikarpia)
  • bare ownership (psili kyriotita).
For example, a parent may transfer bare ownership to a child while retaining usufruct.

On the death of the usufructuary, the usufruct can consolidate with the bare ownership, giving the bare owner full ownership, subject to the applicable legal and tax rules.

This can be useful in estate planning, but the tax and legal consequences should be examined before the transfer takes place.

Plan Before There Is An Inheritance

For international property owners, the best time to review inheritance planning is usually before a cross-border succession occurs.

A coordinated discussion between the Greek accountant, Greek lawyer/notary and the client's adviser in the country of residence can prevent significant administrative complications for the heirs.

TaxWise Greece can assist international property owners with the Greek tax aspects of inheritance planning, including inheritance tax and the tax implications of transferring property between family members. Getting in touch with a tax professional before an inheritance takes place can help families understand their obligations and plan ahead.

 

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