A Greek civil law notary — a state-appointed legal professional required to notarise all property transfers, company formations, and significant legal acts in Greece.
The symvoliografos (Συμβολαιογράφος) is the Greek civil law notary — a state-appointed legal professional who authenticates and notarises significant legal documents including property transfer deeds, company formation documents, powers of attorney, wills, and marriage contracts. In Greece, as in other civil law countries, notarial authentication is mandatory for the legal transfer of real estate: you cannot buy or sell Greek property without a symvoliografos.
For property transactions, the symvoliografos performs several critical functions. They draft the final purchase deed (συμβόλαιο αγοραπωλησίας — symvolaio agorapolisias) based on the agreed terms and due diligence results. They verify the identities of all parties. They check the Ktimatologio or Hypothikofilakio extracts for title and encumbrances. They calculate and collect the applicable transfer taxes (the Φόρος Μεταβίβασης Ακινήτων — property transfer tax, or FMA, currently 3.09% of the objective value) on behalf of the state. After signing, they register the deed at the land registry.
Unlike in some Northern European countries, the Greek symvoliografos represents the state and the transaction — not either party exclusively. For this reason, most expat buyers in Greece also retain an independent Greek property lawyer (δικηγόρος — dikigoros) to represent their personal interests, advise on the terms of the transaction, conduct independent due diligence, and review the notarial deed before it is signed.
The cost of the symvoliografos for a property transaction is regulated by law and is based on the purchase price. Notarial fees are typically approximately 1%–2% of the property's objective value (antikeimeniko aksio), plus VAT. These fees are in addition to the property transfer tax and are payable by the buyer. Your symvoliografos should provide a written fee estimate before the signing date.
For Golden Visa purchases in Greece (minimum €250,000 investment threshold, varying by zone), the symvoliografos will also verify that the property meets the Golden Visa eligibility criteria and coordinate the timing with the immigration application. The deed must be signed within a specific window that aligns with the Golden Visa application timeline. Your immigration lawyer, property lawyer, and symvoliografos must be in close communication to ensure the process runs smoothly.
The symvoliografos is mandatory to authenticate the deed. A Greek property lawyer (dikigoros) is separate and highly advisable — they represent your interests, conduct independent due diligence, review the draft deed, negotiate contract terms, and manage your AFM, bank account, and power of attorney. Most experienced expat property buyers in Greece use both.
Many Greek symvoliografoi who handle international transactions are English-speaking, particularly in Athens, Thessaloniki, and major expat destinations such as Crete, the Ionian Islands, and the Cyclades. If the symvoliografos does not speak English, a certified interpreter must be present at the signing and the deed may be executed bilingually.
The main property transfer tax in Greece (Φόρος Μεταβίβασης Ακινήτων — FMA) is 3.09% of the objective value (antikeimeniko aksio) of the property. The objective value is set by the Ministry of Finance for each zone and may differ from the market price — transfers are taxed on the higher of the declared price and the objective value. VAT (24%) may apply instead of FMA for new-build properties from developers registered for VAT.
Browse our verified directory of English-speaking law firms across Greece. All listed firms offer English-language legal services to expats and foreign nationals.
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