How To Register A Car In Greece
Buying a car anywhere in the world usually requires you to pay insurance, register, and pay taxes. The same is the case in Greece. Like any other process here, this one is also full of bureaucracy. You don’t need to fret over it; this guide will make the whole process simple and easy for you, and you will be able to drive your car in no time.
Registering a car usually requires you to be a citizen of Greece. But even if you are an EU citizen, you can register. Otherwise, you will need to show a residency permit for staying for more than six months. The process can be done in even a week if you’re lucky.
If you move to Greece from any other country in the EU for more than six months and bring your car along, you will have to register the car in under six months of your stay here. The details of this are mentioned separately.
Five Steps To Register Your Car In Greece
Take Your Car To A General Car Inspection
You could skip this step if you got a used car with a valid certificate. Otherwise, scroll on and read through.
To register a new car, you will need to go to get the car inspected so that the relevant authorities can declare it clean and safe to be used.
The whole process takes about half an hour for them to tell you if your car is in good shape or not. If they refuse to give you the inspection certificate, you will have a few weeks to get things back in order and revisit them.
A dealership might even decide to do this for you, which will be helpful to you. They may charge you a small fee, but it will be worth the hassle you would have avoided. The certificate will get mailed to you along with the registration documents. You will have to drop by every year or so, depending on your car’s condition.
Where can you go to get your car inspected?
As mentioned before, some places available for inspection include private authorities and car dealerships. You can get an appointment with your choice of the inspection agency. Do not go there without one.
Make An Online Appointment To Register Your Car
Once you have your certificate on you, book an appointment with the car registration office. This should be the first thing you do once you have it on you; otherwise, things might get delayed. The registration office and process might differ based on the type of vehicle you own, i.e. new or old. Keep an eye out for that.
Purchase Car Insurance
All residents in Greece that own a car must have car insurance. Several types of insurance are available here, including basic, partial, and complete cover. You can choose the one you want according to your budget.
The insurance cost also varies according to your age, your vehicle’s age, and the type of insurance you want. The average insurance in Greece is calculated according to the logistics present.
Once your car is insured, you will get an insurance number from your provider, which will be needed when registering your car.
Purchase Your License Plates Online
In Greece, you will need license plates on the front and back of the car. If you do not have them, you must get them as soon as possible. There is an option for you to get your plates made online for a better price as compared to the registration office. Sitting at home, you can order these.
When buying your license plates online, you will have the option to reserve the number of your liking. This will have a few letters before it based on what city you reside in. There are three letters before the numbers in Greece, for example, AAA-1000. The numbers range from 1000-9999. A blue strip is on the left side, representing Greece, and the European flag in yellow colour is shown on it as well. Motorcycles have different shaped license plates.
If you don’t want to order one online, you can go to the many shops available in and around the registration office. These will cost you about 20 euros for one plate.
Register Your Car At The Registration Office
You can go to the registration office if you are done with all the steps mentioned above.
Documents Required To Register A Car In Greece
The documents you need to bring into the registration office depend on what type of vehicle you own(now, used or imported).
The mandatory documents need are:
- Original passport
- Certificate of ownership
- Current driver’s license with translation
- A Greek residency permit
- Copy of the rental or mortgage agreements for your apartment
- Tax returns for the past few years
- Vehicle inspection certificate (is your car used)
- European Certificate of Conformity (EOC) if you bought a new car
An official will look at all of your documents, and if everything looks in check, you can apply for your registration. The price of this depends on what region you are in. the average price is somewhere around 40 euros. Keep cash with you, as they might sometimes not take credit cards.
You would also want to ask for an emission sticker which needs to be on the windshield of your car.
Once the payment is cleared, you will get your registration certificate. The officials will place stickers on your license plates for the next inspection.
How Much Does The Whole Process Cost?
There are no standard average prices that are applicable throughout Greece. These vary according to what region you are in.
There is the vehicle inspection, emission sticker, license plates and registration fee. We can say that the total might come to somewhere around a hundred euros. The car insurance is separate, and the cost of that depends on what plan you go for.
Can You Register A Car In Greece Online?
Yes, you have had that option in recent years. There are a few exceptions to this, which include:
- The car’s first registration to be under five years ago
- The new owner should have a digital ID card.
The details are mentioned on the official government website, which you can look at. You can translate the Greek page to English and go through it.
With all this done, you have now registered the car, and you can take it out for a spin. Enjoy your ride!