How Do I Register a Will in Greece?

Greece overhauled its will registration and publication system in November 2025, and the process is now significantly faster and more accessible than it has ever been. Whether you are registering a will while still alive to protect your wishes, or dealing with the publication of a deceased person's will to begin the inheritance process, understanding how the new system works saves considerable time and confusion.

The New Digital Registry: diathikes.gr

Since November 1, 2025, all wills in Greece are registered and published through a national digital platform called diathikes.gr, operated by the Greek notarial associations. The platform reduces will publication time from approximately 400 days under the old court-based system down to just 3 to 7 days, and in some cases publication can happen on the same day the application is submitted. This is a dramatic improvement from the previous system where wills waited in court queues for over a year.

Registering a Will While You Are Still Alive

If you own Greek property and want to register your will so it is on record and can be found easily after your death, you deposit it with a Greek notary who enters it into the diathikes.gr registry. The registry is connected to the European Network of Registers of Wills, meaning it can be searched internationally. The platform allows users to deposit handwritten, public, or sealed wills with a notary, replacing the less secure practice of storing them at home. Registering your will in this way ensures it cannot be lost, is easily located by heirs, and reduces the risk of disputes over whether a will exists.

The Three Types of Greek Will

Greece recognizes three types of valid will, each with different requirements.

A handwritten will, known as a holographic will, must be written entirely by hand by the person making it, dated, and signed. It does not require a notary or witnesses at the time of drafting but is more vulnerable to disputes and loss. Under the new rules, handwritten wills leaving assets to people outside the immediate family circle require a handwriting expert's report when published, to guard against forgery.

A public will is drafted before a Greek notary in the presence of witnesses. It carries the highest evidentiary value as a public document and is the most secure form of will in Greece. The notary keeps it on record and it is registered in the national registry.

A sealed will, known as a secret or mystic will, is written by the testator privately and then handed sealed to a notary in the presence of witnesses. It offers privacy while still benefiting from notarial safekeeping.

Publishing a Will After Death

When a person dies, their will must be formally published before it can take legal effect and before heirs can proceed with the inheritance. For deaths occurring from November 1, 2025 onwards, notaries have taken over the publication function from the courts, and the typical timeframe has collapsed to a matter of days. The notary publishes the will on the diathikes.gr platform, issues the official record of publication, and heirs can then proceed with the inheritance acceptance process.

If the deceased left a will held by a Greek consulate abroad, the consular authority can publish it directly and transmit it into the national registry. If you are living abroad and hold a handwritten will of a deceased person, you can present it to your nearest Greek consulate for publication rather than needing to travel to Greece.

What About Wills Made Abroad

A will made outside Greece can still cover Greek property, but it must go through a recognition process before Greek banks, land registries, and authorities will act on it. A foreign will needs to be apostilled, officially translated into Greek, and in most cases submitted through the Greek notarial system for formal recognition. The EU Succession Regulation allows non-Greek nationals to choose the law of their nationality to govern their estate, which can give foreign testators more flexibility when drafting wills that cover Greek assets, but the procedural steps in Greece still apply.

Why a Greek Will Matters for Anyone With Greek Property

Every person who owns Greek property should have a Greek will specifically covering those assets, even if they already have a will in their home country. Greek inheritance law includes forced heirship provisions that can override a foreign will when Greek assets are involved. A Greek will drafted with an understanding of Greek succession law gives you the best protection for your wishes and makes the process significantly easier for your heirs. GetGreece can assist with Greek estate planning and connect you with the right professionals through the Property Inheritance and Estate Planning service.