Selling a Greek Property With Active AMA 2026: What Happens to Your Registration

Selling a Greek Property With Active AMA 2026: What Happens to Your Registration

If you are selling a Greek property that operates as a short-term rental with an active AMA (Αριθμός Μητρώου Ακινήτου) registration, you need to act before completion. Under Law 5170/2025, the AMA registration does not transfer to the buyer automatically. It remains attached to your Greek tax number (ΑΦΜ) after the sale, creating ongoing tax liability and potential penalties if you do not cancel it within 30 days of transfer. This guide walks through what seller and buyer must each do, what taxes apply to the sale and the non-resident considerations for UK, Irish and Australian owners.

Why AMA Does Not Transfer With the Property

The AMA is issued by AADE (the Greek tax authority) and registered on the myProperty platform linked exclusively to the ΑΦΜ (Greek tax number) of the owner or lawful operator. It is a personal registration, not a property right. When you sell the property, the legal ownership passes to the buyer but the AMA registration stays on your ΑΦΜ until you actively cancel it.

Law 5170/2025, Article 14, paragraph 3 requires the operator to cancel or modify the AMA registration within 30 calendar days of the property transfer date. Failure to cancel within 30 days can result in a continuing penalty of up to 1,000 EUR per month. Additionally, if the buyer starts renting without their own AMA, they face a 5,000 EUR fine per listing under the same law.

Timeline: What Happens at Each Stage of the Sale

Stage	Seller action	Buyer action	Deadline
Before preliminary agreement	Disclose AMA number and status of active bookings to buyer	Verify AMA on myProperty; check Airbnb and Booking.com for future bookings	Before signing preliminary agreement
Preliminary agreement	Include AMA number in agreement; agree who manages final-period bookings	Request contractual obligation clause for seller to cancel AMA	Date of preliminary agreement
Completion (συμβόλαιο)	Note transfer date in records; trigger AMA cancellation process	Begin AMA registration process on own ΑΦΜ if continuing STR	Completion date
Within 30 days of transfer	Cancel AMA on myAADE; save PDF confirmation	Submit new AMA application on myAADE	30 days from transfer
Within 60 days	File final E2 declaration covering STR income up to transfer date	Update Airbnb and Booking.com listings with new AMA number	60 days from transfer

How to Cancel AMA on myAADE

AMA cancellation is done exclusively online through myAADE (myaade.gov.gr). Log in with your TaxisNet credentials (or through your Greek tax representative if you are a non-resident), navigate to Μητρώο Βραχυχρόνιας Διαμονής (Short-Term Rental Registry) and select Διαχείριση Υπαρχόντων (Manage Existing Registrations). Find the AMA for the property sold, click Ακύρωση Εγγραφής (Cancel Registration) and select Μεταβίβαση κυριότητας (Property Transfer) as the reason. Enter the completion date from the notarial deed. Save the PDF confirmation: you will need it if AADE audits your E2 return for the year.

For non-resident sellers managing this remotely: your Greek tax representative (φορολογικός εκπρόσωπος) can complete the cancellation on your behalf using a power of attorney. If you do not have a tax representative, you must either travel to Greece to obtain TaxisNet credentials in person or arrange for a Greek lawyer to hold power of attorney.

Handling Active Bookings at Point of Sale

The most complex scenario is a sale where existing bookings extend past the completion date. Seller and buyer have three options. First, the seller fulfils remaining bookings before the completion date, ensuring no active reservations remain. Second, the seller and buyer agree that the seller will continue to manage existing bookings post-completion under the existing AMA until they expire, then cancel. Third, the buyer compensates guests from cancelled bookings directly, with cost agreed as part of the sale price negotiation.

On Airbnb, there is no mechanism to transfer existing bookings or listing history to a new account. The buyer must create an entirely new listing under their own Airbnb account, losing the existing reviews. This loss of review history can significantly affect search visibility in the first 3-6 months. If your Greek STR listing has a strong review score (4.7 or above), factor this into the negotiated sale price: a new listing has zero reviews and will earn 15-25% less ADR in its first year.

Property Transfer Tax for the Buyer

The buyer pays Greek property transfer tax (Φόρος Μεταβίβασης Ακινήτων, ΦΜΑ) at 3% of the higher of the contract price or the AADE objective value (αντικειμενική αξία). The 3% rate has applied since 2014 (reduced from 10%). There is no exemption or different rate for STR properties. ΦΜΑ must be paid before the notarial deed is signed.

Capital Gains Tax for the Seller: Law 4172/2013 Article 41

Under Article 41 of Law 4172/2013 (Greek Income Tax Code), a 15% capital gains tax applies to the gain on properties acquired after 1 January 2013 and sold within 5 years of acquisition. The taxable gain is calculated as the difference between the sale price and the indexed acquisition cost (purchase price adjusted for inflation using the official AADE index). Properties acquired before 1 January 2013, or held for more than 5 years, are exempt from this CGT.

Example calculation: Athens studio acquired June 2022 for 120,000 EUR. Sold June 2026 (4 years later) for 185,000 EUR. Gain: 65,000 EUR. CGT at 15%: 9,750 EUR. If the seller waits until June 2027 (5 years from acquisition), the CGT exemption applies and the 9,750 EUR is saved. For non-resident sellers with multiple Greek properties, the timing of sales relative to the 5-year threshold is a meaningful tax planning decision.

Non-Resident Seller: Additional Considerations

Non-resident sellers face additional obligations that Greek-resident sellers do not.

First, a Greek tax representative is required for any non-resident with a Greek ΑΦΜ. The representative must sign the final E2 declaration for the year of sale. Ensure your representative has agreed to handle this before the transaction completes.

Second, a fiscal representative must also be appointed for the notarial deed if you cannot attend in person. Your Greek lawyer typically acts in this role under power of attorney.

Third, for UK sellers: the 1953 UK-Greece Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation remains in force post-Brexit. Greek CGT paid on the sale is creditable against UK tax on the same gain. UK residents report Greek property disposal on their UK Self Assessment, with the gain entered on the Foreign pages (SA106) or Capital Gains pages (SA108). From 6 April 2025, the Furnished Holiday Letting regime was abolished in the UK; all overseas properties are treated as ordinary foreign property for UK CGT purposes.

Fourth, for Australian sellers: Australia taxes worldwide capital gains for Australian tax residents. Greek CGT paid may be credited against Australian CGT on the same asset under the Australia-Greece tax treaty. The Main Residence exemption does not apply to Greek properties for Australian residents who do not live there.

What Happens if You Forget to Cancel AMA

If the 30-day deadline passes without cancellation, the AMA remains active on your ΑΦΜ. AADE may continue to attribute any STR income reported via DAC7 (the EU platform data-sharing directive) for that property to your tax number, even if the new owner is earning it under their own AMA. This creates a risk of AADE opening an enquiry for unreported income on your E1 or E2. Resolving it requires a letter to AADE from your tax representative, accompanied by a copy of the notarial deed, demonstrating that the property transferred on a specific date.

If you have already sold and missed the deadline, submit a late cancellation on myAADE selecting Μεταβίβαση κυριότητας and providing the deed. In many cases AADE accepts late cancellations without penalty if submitted within 90 days, provided a copy of the sale deed is attached. Consult a Greek accountant or tax lawyer for your specific situation.

Seller Checklist: Greek STR Property Sale with AMA

• Review active bookings on Airbnb and Booking.com before listing the property for sale.
• Disclose AMA number and booking status to prospective buyers during due diligence.
• Include AMA cancellation obligation in the preliminary agreement with a specific deadline.
• Arrange power of attorney for your Greek lawyer or tax representative if you cannot attend completion in person.
• Cancel AMA on myAADE within 30 days of the completion date.
• Save the PDF cancellation confirmation from myAADE.
• File the final E2 declaration for the year, covering STR income up to the transfer date.
• Assess whether the Greek CGT (15%) applies based on acquisition date and years held.
• Report the Greek disposal on your home country tax return in the same tax year.

For a guide on AMA registration for new buyers, see Greece Airbnb Registration 2026: Guide for Foreign Owners.