Greece’s finance ministry has published a draft bill that raises transfer tax on homes bought by individuals who are not tax residents of the EU or the European Economic Area (EEA), from 1 July 2027. Public consultation runs until 1 November 2026.
The Ministry of National Economy and Finance posted the bill on 18 October 2026. It turns into law the tax measures the government announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair in September. It is a draft bill, not law.
The transfer tax article
Article 16 of the draft is titled “Increased transfer tax rate for home purchases by tax residents outside the European Union”. It adds a new paragraph to the transfer tax rules of the Property Tax Code. The published summary of the bill says the higher rate applies to natural persons who are not tax residents of an EU or EEA state, from 1 July 2027.
Today the buyer pays 3% of the property’s taxable value, plus a municipal surcharge of 3% on the tax itself, according to AADE, the tax authority. That is about 3.09% in total. The draft 2027 budget put the planned new rate at 15%, as we reported on 8 October.
Three points follow from the summary’s wording:
- The test is tax residence, not nationality. A non-EU national who is tax resident in Greece or another EU state would not be caught on this wording.
- It covers natural persons, so purchases by companies are outside it.
- It concerns homes, not other types of property.
The summary does not say how Golden Visa applicants are treated, or what happens to preliminary contracts signed before 1 July 2027 but completed later. The final article text will settle both.
Two extensions that matter to buyers and sellers
- Capital gains tax. Article 13 extends the suspension of the tax on individuals’ property gains (Article 41 of the Income Tax Code) to 31 December 2027. The current suspension ends on 31 December 2026. Background: our capital gains guide.
- VAT on new buildings. Article 17 extends the suspension of VAT on property for 2027. The income tax reduction for building upgrade costs is also extended for 2027.
What it means for buyers
On the bill’s timetable, a non-EU tax resident who completes a purchase before 1 July 2027 pays today’s 3.09%. If the rate is set at 15%, a home with a taxable value of €400,000 would carry transfer tax of €61,800 instead of €12,360.
Sellers get another year without capital gains tax, and buyers of new-build homes keep the VAT suspension through 2027. Buyers should confirm how this applies to them with a Greek lawyer or accountant.
What happens next
Comments are open on the government’s consultation platform until 1 November 2026. The ministry will then send the bill to the Hellenic Parliament, where the text can still change.
