Greece regulates charter under Law 4926/2022, which replaced Law 4256/2014. It moved most of the paperwork onto two government platforms and made the e-Registry the starting point for any boat that charters.
Registration and professional status
Article 2 creates the e-Registry of vessels, kept by AADE, the tax authority. Greek private pleasure craft are entered in it, and so are craft that want to operate professionally: Greek-flagged boats, EU and EEA-flagged professional boats, and non-EU professional boats over 35 m built of steel, plastic or aluminium.
Article 3 then sets two conditions for operating a professional boat: a certificate from the tax authority for starting professional operation, and the boat's entry in the e-Registry.
What kind of charter
- Full charter only. Article 3 bans part-charter of professional craft and carrying ticketed passengers or cargo. A full charter with several charterers is allowed if it lasts over 24 hours and the passengers don't exceed the berths.
- Passengers and berths. During a full charter, passengers may not exceed the berths, with exceptions for trips of up to 12 hours with no night aboard, and for craft up to 24 m carrying up to 12 passengers when the charter says so.
- Bareboat. Article 3(6) allows charter without crew for professional craft and Greek private craft, if the nautical documents and certificates and the insurance are in force and the boat isn't under suspension, seizure or a sailing ban. No master or crew is required, the number aboard may not exceed the boat's certificate, and the lessee may not sub-let.
- Private boats. Operating a boat registered as private, or advertising it for charter, is banned.
The charter agreement and the passenger list
Article 18 sets up two platforms run by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy through gov.gr: e-Charterparty for Greek and EU-type professional craft, and e-CharterPermission for foreign-flag craft. Article 12 requires the charter data to be filed on the right one before a full charter; the paper agreement stays on board and is shown on request.
Article 13 sets the crew and passenger list: the boat's details, then each person's name, ID or passport number, nationality and date of birth, with embarkation and disembarkation dates and ports. It's filed before the charter starts and before the port authority's sailing permit, and the master keeps it up to date. The number aboard may never exceed the boat's certificates.
Foreign-flag permits
Article 8 lets foreign-flag craft over 35 m, professional under their flag state's law, charter in Greece with a specified period charter permission from e-CharterPermission. The maximum is 21 days a calendar year, extendable by up to 7, and the figure can be changed each January by ministerial decision. The boat needs a Greek inspection certificate for foreign professional craft, or a SOLAS safety certificate with a certificate of berths from a recognised organisation.
Minimum insurance
Article 17 requires insurance in force, with the certificate on board in Greek or English. For pleasure craft under 300 gross tons, the minimum cover is:
| Risk | Per person | Per event | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Injury or death, aboard or third parties | €150,000 | €700,000 | €2,100,000 |
| Property damage | €150,000 | €450,000 | |
| Marine pollution | €150,000 | €450,000 |
For surveyors and operators
A surveyor checking a Greek charter boat reads its certificates for the maximum persons aboard, the insurance certificate, and the equipment against Greek port regulation 20 where it applies. For keeping a boat in Greece, see buying or keeping a boat in Greece, and for handover checks, the charter handover checklist.