Greece Business Registration Guide 2026 — IKE, SA, OE/EE & ΓΕΜΗ

starting a business in Greece. The guide covers: the legal forms available in Greece (IKE — Ιδιωτική Κεφαλαιουχική Εταιρεία, the private limited liability company, the most popular form for startups and SMEs, minimum capital €0 (zero), limited liability, full flexibility in capital structure and shareholder agreements; SA — Ανώνυμη Εταιρεία (ΑΕ), the public limited company, minimum capital €25,000 (formerly €60,000 reduced by Law 4548/2018), suitable for large enterprises, listed companies, and regulated sectors; OE — Ομόρρυθμη Εταιρεία, the general partnership, unlimited joint liability of partners, no minimum capital; EE — Ετερόρρυθμη Εταιρεία, the limited partnership, with general partners (unlimited liability) and limited partners (liability limited to their capital contribution); AT — Ατομική Επιχείρηση, the sole proprietorship, full personal liability, simplest form for freelancers and small traders; the branch of a foreign company — υποκατάστημα αλλοδαπής εταιρείας, no separate legal personality); the registration steps (obtaining a tax ID — ΑΦΜ from the ΔΟΥ, registering with the ΓΕΜΗ — Γενικό Εμπορικό Μητρώο, the electronic commercial registry, the one-stop shop (ΥΜΣ — Υπηρεσία Μιας Στάσης) for company incorporation, the notarised deed requirement for SA and certain IKE forms, the publication in the ΓΕΜΗ bulletin and the Government Gazette — ΦΕΚ, the opening of a corporate bank account, the registration with EFKA for social security, the registration for VAT — ΦΠΑ, and the activation of the digital platforms TAXISnet and myDATA); the taxation by entity form (IKE and SA — taxed through the corporate income tax (Φόρος Νομικών Προσώπων) at the standard rate of 22% on worldwide profits, with the reduced rate of 10% for certain cooperatives and non-profits; OE and EE — taxed as partnerships at the partner level via the personal income tax scale (9-44% plus solidarity contribution); sole proprietorships — taxed through the personal income tax scale with business income taxed at progressive rates); the VAT registration (ΦΠΑ — Φόρος Προστιθέμενης Αξίας at 24% standard, 13% reduced, 6% super-reduced, the quarterly and monthly VAT return filing, the intra-community VAT — VIES registration); the accounting requirements (the double-entry books system for all incorporated entities (IKE, SA), the single-entry books for sole proprietorships and certain small entities, the mandatory electronic bookkeeping via myDATA, the annual financial statements filing with ΓΕΜΗ), and the digital transformation of business registration through the ΓΕΜΗ online platform.

Greece offers a streamlined company incorporation process, particularly for IKE, which can be completed in 1-3 days through the one-stop shop system. All amounts in Euros (EUR).

Legal Forms Overview

Choosing the right legal form is the most important decision when starting a business in Greece. The main options are:

IKE (Ιδιωτική Κεφαλαιουχική Εταιρεία): The most popular form for new businesses. Minimum capital: €0 (zero). Shareholders' liability is limited to their contribution. The IKE offers maximum flexibility — capital can be contributed in cash, in kind, or through labour/services (παροχή εργασίας). No notary is required for the standard incorporation (the statutes are private documents), and the incorporation cost is minimal (~€100-300). The IKE is taxed at the corporate rate of 22%.
SA (Ανώνυμη Εταιρεία — ΑΕ): The Greek public limited company. Minimum capital: €25,000 (reduced from €60,000 by Law 4548/2018). At least 25% must be paid up at incorporation. The SA requires a notarised deed of incorporation, registration with ΓΕΜΗ, publication in ΦΕΚ, and stricter corporate governance (board of directors, annual audit if exceeding certain thresholds). Suitable for large enterprises, holding companies, and regulated sectors (banking, insurance, energy). Tax rate: 22%.
OE (Ομόρρυθμη Εταιρεία — General Partnership): Two or more partners with unlimited joint liability. No minimum capital. The partners are personally liable for the partnership's debts. Taxed at the partner level — each partner's share of profits is taxed at the personal income tax rates (9-44%). Suitable for small professional firms and family businesses.
EE (Ετερόρρυθμη Εταιρεία — Limited Partnership): At least one general partner (ομόρρυθμος εταίρος) with unlimited liability and one or more limited partners (ετερόρρυθμος εταίρος) with liability limited to their capital contribution. No minimum capital. Taxed at the partner level.
AT (Ατομική Επιχείρηση — Sole Proprietorship): Owned and operated by a single individual. Full personal liability. No minimum capital. The simplest form — just register with the ΔΟΥ and EFKA. Income is taxed at the personal income tax rates (9-44%). Suitable for freelancers, artisans, and small retailers.
Branch (Υποκατάστημα Αλλοδαπής Εταιρείας): A foreign company can register a branch in Greece. No separate legal personality — the foreign parent is liable. The branch must register with ΓΕΜΗ and appoint a Greek legal representative. Taxed at 22% on Greek-source profits.

Registration Steps

Simplified process for IKE (the most common form):

Step 1 — ΑΦΜ: Obtain a Greek tax ID (ΑΦΜ) from your local ΔΟΥ for all founders who do not already have one.
Step 2 — One-Stop Shop (ΥΜΣ): File the incorporation application through the Υπηρεσία Μιας Στάσης (one-stop shop) at the ΓΕΜΗ office or via the online platform. The ΥΜS handles company registration with ΓΕΜΗ, VAT registration, EFKA registration, and the insurance fund registration in a single procedure.
Step 3 — Articles of Association: Prepare and submit the company's statutes (καταστατικό). For most IKEs, this is a private document (not notarised). For SAs and IKEs with in-kind contributions, a notary is required.
Step 4 — ΓΕΜΗ registration: The company is registered in the Γενικό Εμπορικό Μητρώο (General Commercial Registry). The ΥΜΣ issues a certificate of incorporation with the ΓΕΜΗ registration number.
Step 5 — VAT (ΦΠΑ): Registered automatically via the ΥΜΣ. The company receives its VAT number.
Step 6 — EFKA: Registered automatically. The company receives its employer's social security number.
Step 7 — Corporate bank account: Open a corporate bank account in the company's name (required for capital deposit for SAs and for daily operations).
Step 8 — myDATA and TAXISnet: Activate the company's myDATA account for electronic invoicing and the TAXISnet account for tax filing.

Timeline: The full incorporation of an IKE can be completed in 1-3 days through the one-stop shop. SA incorporation takes longer (2-6 weeks) due to the notary and publication requirements.

Taxation by Entity Form

IKE and SA: Taxed under the corporate income tax (Φόρος Νομικών Προσώπων) at 22% on worldwide profits. Dividends distributed to shareholders are subject to 5% withholding tax (which is the final tax for individual shareholders). Newly established companies do not benefit from reduced rates.
OE and EE (Partnerships): The partnership itself is tax-transparent — profits are allocated to partners and taxed in their hands at the personal income tax rates (9-44% plus solidarity contribution). The partnership files an information return (Ε3) but pays no tax itself.
Sole Proprietorship (AT): Business profits are added to the individual's other income and taxed at the progressive personal income tax rates. The taxpayer must file an annual tax return (Ε1 with Ε3).
Advanced tax payment: All businesses (IKE, SA, AT) must make an advance tax payment against the following year's liability — typically 80-100% of the current year's tax (payable in equal monthly instalments).

VAT (ΦΠΑ) Registration

Standard rate: 24% — applies to most goods and services.
Reduced rate: 13% — applies to food, utilities, transport, hotel accommodation, and certain services.
Super-reduced rate: 6% — applies to books, newspapers, theatre tickets, and certain medical supplies.
Threshold: The mandatory VAT registration threshold is €10,000 of annual turnover for most activities. Below this threshold, small businesses may be exempt from VAT (but cannot charge VAT and cannot deduct input VAT).
Filing: VAT returns are filed monthly or quarterly (depending on the business's size) via the TAXISnet system. The annual recapitulative statement is due by January 30.

Accounting and Compliance

Bookkeeping: All incorporated entities (IKE, SA) must maintain double-entry books. Sole proprietorships and partnerships with turnover below €1,500,000 may use single-entry books.
myDATA: All businesses must use the myDATA electronic platform for issuing invoices (παραστατικά) and recording transactions in real time. The myDATA system transmits data directly to the ΑΑΔΕ.
Annual accounts: IKE and SA must prepare annual financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, notes) within 4 months of the year-end. The financial statements must be filed with ΓΕΜΗ and published on the ΓΕΜΗ website.
Audit requirement: Companies exceeding two of three thresholds for 2 consecutive years must have their accounts audited: total assets >€4,000,000, annual turnover >€8,000,000, average employees >50.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a foreigner register an IKE in Greece?

Yes. There are no restrictions on foreign ownership of Greek companies. A foreigner can be the sole shareholder of an IKE or SA. All foreign shareholders must obtain an ΑΦΜ from the Greek tax authorities. If the foreign shareholder is a legal entity, it must provide certified extracts from the commercial registry of its country of incorporation. The company must have a registered address in Greece (which can be a virtual office).

What is the minimum capital for an IKE in 2026?

The minimum capital for an IKE is €0 (zero). The IKE was designed to have no minimum capital requirement, making it accessible to all entrepreneurs. The capital can be contributed in cash, in-kind, or through labour services (εισφορά σε εργασία). The actual capital structure is determined by the shareholders and stated in the company's statutes.

What is the ΓΕΜΗ and how do I register?

ΓΕΜΗ (Γενικό Εμπορικό Μητρώο) is the General Commercial Registry — the central electronic registry for all businesses in Greece. It is operated by the Ελληνικό Υπουργείο Ανάπτυξης (Ministry of Development). Registration is mandatory for all business entities. Through the one-stop shop (ΥΜΣ), the ΓΕΜΗ registration is completed simultaneously with the company incorporation. After registration, the company receives a ΓΕΜΗ number (Αριθμός ΓΕΜΗ) which serves as the company's unique identifier.

How long does it take to register an IKE in Greece?

Through the one-stop shop (ΥΜΣ) system, an IKE can be incorporated in 1-3 business days. The process is fully electronic — the ΥΜΣ handles all registrations (ΓΕΜΗ, VAT, EFKA) simultaneously. For an SA, the process takes longer (2-6 weeks) due to the notarised deed requirement and publication in the Government Gazette (ΦΕΚ).

What are my tax filing obligations as a new Greek company?

As a new company, you must: (a) file monthly VAT returns within the first 20 days of each month (or quarterly for small businesses), (b) file annual corporate income tax return (Νόμος 4172/2013) by August 31 of the following year, (c) file annual financial statements with ΓΕΜΗ within 4 months of the year-end, (d) file annual payroll returns if you have employees, (e) file intra-community VAT returns (VIES) if you trade with other EU countries, and (f) comply with the myDATA real-time reporting requirements for all invoices.

Disclaimer

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or tax advice. Business registration requirements, tax rates, and filing obligations vary depending on the specific activity, location, and legal form chosen. Consult a qualified λογιστής or δικηγόρος for advice tailored to your specific business situation. The information reflects the rules applicable in 2026 as of the date of publication.