How to buy a yacht in Greece.

The short version

Greece is the world's largest charter-yacht market by fleet size, producing a continuous supply of well-maintained but heavily-used 5–7 year old yachts at exit prices typically 35–45% of original list. If you want a Lagoon 42, Bavaria 46, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 449, or Fountaine Pajot Lucia 40 at the best price in the EU, Greece and Croatia are the two markets to look at.

Three things every Greek yacht buyer in 2026 needs to know. First, most Greek charter yachts are held in NEPAs (Greek single-vessel companies) and you have a choice between buying the yacht as an asset (with FPA) or buying the NEPA as shares (no FPA, but you inherit the company's history). Second, Greek FPA is 24% and how it attaches to your purchase depends entirely on whether you take a NEPA share sale or an asset sale, and whether you continue commercial operation or take the yacht private. Third, TEPAI must be paid up to date before the registry will process any transfer — if the seller has skipped months, that becomes a closing-day surprise.

Beyond that, the process is similar to other Mediterranean markets: pre-purchase survey, sea trial, escrow-protected closing, registration paperwork. Greece is fast on registry transfers (1–3 weeks) compared to France or Italy. The main complexity is the NEPA decision and FPA structuring. Use a Greek maritime lawyer on anything above €100,000 and the process is straightforward.

What you'll actually find on the Greek market

The Greek market is dominated by three inventory types, in this order of volume:

Knowing which type you're targeting before you start looking saves months of mismatched conversations. A buyer who wants a private-use cruising yacht searching primarily through NEPA exits will see hundreds of yachts that don't fit their use case. A buyer specifically targeting charter-exits should look at the major charter operators' sales pages (Sunsail Yacht Brokerage, Moorings Pre-Owned, Dream Yacht Sales) plus the Greek charter-specialist brokers in Athens and Lefkas.

NEPA share sale vs asset sale: the structural choice

When you find a NEPA-held yacht you want to buy, you face the most important decision in Greek yacht acquisition: share sale or asset sale.

The share sale

You buy the shares of the NEPA itself. The NEPA continues to own the yacht; only the owner of the NEPA changes. No FPA applies to the share transaction. The yacht continues under the same Greek flag, the same charter licenses (transferable to you), the same marina contracts, the same crew employment.

Pros: no FPA, clean operational continuity, charter business uninterrupted, fast closing. Cons: you inherit every NEPA liability — outstanding tax filings, employment disputes, supplier debts, future audits going back the statute of limitations. The NEPA's reputation in the Greek charter market also transfers, for better or worse.

The asset sale

The NEPA sells the yacht to you (or to a new NEPA you establish). FPA at 24% applies to the asset sale unless you continue commercial operation. The seller's NEPA either continues with other assets or is dissolved.

Pros: clean break from the seller's NEPA history, you start fresh with no inherited corporate liabilities, simpler if you intend to take the yacht to private use under your home flag. Cons: 24% FPA (a €60,000 add on a €250,000 yacht), need to re-establish charter licenses if continuing commercial operation, longer setup time.

How to decide

The decision matrix is approximately:

• Continuing commercial charter, established Greek operations → share sale. The continuity is the whole point. Budget 2–4 weeks of corporate due diligence with a Greek lawyer and accountant.
• Continuing commercial charter, transferring to your own existing operations → could go either way. If you have a clean operational structure already, asset sale to your existing entity is often cleaner.
• Taking the yacht to private use under home flag → asset sale, accept the FPA. Don't take the NEPA's tax history along with the yacht.
• Taking the yacht to private use under Greek flag → asset sale, dissolve the NEPA. The FPA is the price of the clean structure.

The due diligence layer

A share sale requires deep due diligence on the NEPA: corporate records from incorporation, tax filings (Greek corporate income tax + FPA returns), charter contracts, employment records, supplier contracts, marina agreements, any litigation. Plan €3,000–€8,000 in Greek lawyer and accountant fees for proper due diligence on a NEPA share sale. The cost is small compared to the FPA you're not paying — and the cost of getting due diligence wrong can be 10–30% of the yacht's value in unexpected liabilities.

Charter-exit yachts: what to look for, what to avoid

A Greek charter-exit yacht is a specific kind of purchase. Done well, it's among the best value-per-euro options in the EU. Done badly, it's a five-figure surprise when you start commissioning surveys.

The good charter operators

Sunsail, The Moorings, Dream Yacht Charter, Navigare, plus established Greek operators like Kavas, Vernicos, Istion, and Sailing Europe run professional maintenance programmes and produce charter-exit yachts in solid condition. Their exit yachts come with complete digital maintenance logs, recent yard-quality bottom jobs, sails replaced once during the term, and standing rigging inspected at year three. Pay a 10–15% premium for these operators' exits versus the budget operators.

The budget charter operators

A long tail of smaller Greek charter operators run less rigorous maintenance programmes. Their exit yachts can be 15–25% cheaper than equivalent yachts from the major operators, but the savings often evaporate at survey: rigging at end of life, electronics from the original purchase still installed, hull paint patched rather than redone, engine maintenance inconsistently logged. Factor €15,000–€30,000 into your acquisition budget for immediate remediation.

What to inspect specifically on a Greek charter-exit

• Engines and saildrives. Charter yachts typically log 2,500–4,500 engine hours by exit. Compression test on diesels, oil analysis, saildrive seals and zinc anodes are non-negotiable.
• Standing rigging. Should have been replaced or inspected at year three. Greek conditions (sun + salt + Meltemi wind loading) are harsh on rigging. Plan €4,000–€8,000 for rigging if not recently replaced.
• Sails. Original sails are end-of-life by year five in Greek charter use — the Meltemi (the seasonal northerly that defines Aegean summer sailing) accelerates wear. Expect €5,000–€12,000 if inheriting tired sails.
• Electronics. Heavy use plus sun exposure. Plotters, AIS, and instruments more than five years old should be tested under sea-trial conditions.
• Hull and gelcoat. Charter wear plus Greek harbour conditions (frequent unfendered handling, anchor work in rocky bays). Multiple gelcoat repairs are normal; structural damage is the red flag.
• Interior. Heavy use shows on upholstery, galley equipment, heads, and bilges. Plan €3,000–€8,000 for refresh.

The honest acquisition budget

For a typical €170,000 Bavaria 46 charter-exit asset sale from a major operator, plan an all-in budget of €230,000–€245,000: purchase price, 24% FPA if asset sale (€40,800), survey and sea trial (€1,500), legal fees (€1,500), immediate remediation (€10,000–€15,000), first-year insurance and marina fee (€8,000–€12,000). For a NEPA share sale of the same yacht, the FPA disappears but you add €3,000–€8,000 in due diligence and accept the inherited NEPA liabilities.

Tax: what you'll pay as a buyer

Registration fee at the Greek Ship Registry

On a used yacht entered into the Greek Ship Registry, the buyer pays a modest registration fee of €200–€800 depending on yacht length and the specific Port Authority handling the registration. This is materially smaller than the 4–5% transfer taxes in Croatia, Italy, and Spain. There is no equivalent of those countries' transfer-tax regimes in Greece.

24% FPA — when it applies

FPA does not apply to a private-to-private sale of an EU-VAT-paid yacht. It does apply when:

• The seller is an FPA-registered business selling a yacht out of its assets (charter company, brokerage holding company, yard selling a project yacht).
• The yacht is new and being sold by a Greek dealer.
• The yacht is exiting a NEPA as an asset sale (not a share sale) to a buyer who will not continue commercial operation.

On a NEPA asset purchase to private use, the FPA question is the single most important number to clarify before negotiating. Always ask in writing: "Is the asking price FPA-inclusive or FPA-exclusive? If exclusive, what is the FPA liability and who pays it at closing?" A €170,000 NEPA asset sale with FPA embedded is a €170,000 yacht. The same yacht with FPA charged separately is a €211,000 yacht.

TEPAI — the cruising tax

Once you own the yacht, you pay TEPAI monthly during the months you operate in Greek waters. A 12m yacht pays around €100/month, ~€1,200/year if paid full-year. A 15m yacht pays around €150–€200/month. A 20m yacht pays around €500/month. You declare and pay through the AADE tax authority's online portal (similar to declaring income tax). Sellers who under-declare face problems at exit; buyers should pay accurately from day one to avoid the same issue when they eventually sell.

Annual ownership taxes

Beyond TEPAI and the FPA on services, Greece does not apply an annual wealth tax or matriculation tax on yachts. This makes Greek-flagged private ownership attractive on the recurring-tax side. Compare with France's DAN annual francisation duty (€500–€5,000+ on typical motor yachts).

The buying process, step by step

1. Define your use case and your NEPA preference

Decide before you look: continuing commercial charter or taking to private use? Greek-flag or home-flag? NEPA share sale or asset sale? Three decisions made up front save months of mismatched viewings.

2. Set a realistic budget including FPA, due diligence, and remediation

For an asset sale: 100% purchase + 24% FPA + 1% legal/survey + 5–10% remediation + €8,000–€15,000 first-year ownership. For a share sale: 100% purchase + 2–5% due diligence + 5–10% remediation + €8,000–€15,000 first-year ownership. Different structures, different total all-in cost — model both before approaching sellers.

3. Search across multiple platforms and language regions

The Greek market is fragmented across YachtWorld, TheYachtMarket, Boats.com, Band of Boats, 24kw.de, boatshop24, the management-company sales pages, and Greek-specific platforms. Italian and German-language platforms list yachts that don't appear on English-language platforms. Cover both.

4. View in person, ideally outside peak season

Photographs of Greek charter-exit yachts in marketing condition flatter their actual state significantly. View yachts in November–March if you can — yacht in winter berth, realistic wear visible, no charter-marketing polish.

5. Make an offer with conditions

A Greek offer is typically structured as: a non-binding letter of intent at the agreed price, a 10% refundable deposit into escrow, a survey condition, a sea-trial condition, and for a share sale, a due-diligence condition with a typical 4–6 week window. Standard timeline from offer to closing: six to twelve weeks for an asset sale, eight to sixteen weeks for a share sale.

6. Survey, sea trial, and (for share sales) due diligence

The pre-purchase survey is the buyer's job and at the buyer's expense (€800–€2,500 for a typical 12–18m yacht in Greece). The sea trial follows. For a NEPA share sale, the legal and accounting due diligence runs in parallel with the technical survey. Issues from any of the three streams are negotiation data.

7. Close and register

For an asset sale: bill of sale, payment, FPA-paid invoice (or commercial-continuity paperwork), TEPAI clearance, registration at the Port Authority. 1–3 weeks at the registry. For a share sale: share purchase agreement, payment, GEMI (Greek Commercial Registry) filing of the share transfer, board changes at the NEPA. 2–4 weeks for the GEMI filings.

Surveys and sea trials

The pre-purchase survey is the single most important spend in the buying process. A €1,500 survey routinely uncovers €10,000–€30,000 of issues that justify either price renegotiation or walking away.

Who to use

Greek surveyors registered with the Hellenic Marine Surveyors Association, EMCI-registered international surveyors operating in Greece, or German/Italian/UK surveyors brought in by the buyer. The local Greek surveyors are often cheapest and know the local yachts; the international surveyors produce reports in the buyer's home language and to insurer-recognised standards.

What the survey covers

A standard pre-purchase survey: visual hull inspection in and out of water (haul-out at buyer's expense, typically €400–€900), moisture readings on hull and deck, rigging inspection, engine and saildrive inspection with compression test, electrical and electronic systems, plumbing and gas, safety equipment, interior condition. Allow a full day for a standard 12–15m survey.

The sea trial

The sea trial is your opportunity to test the yacht under sail and engine in realistic conditions. Plan 2–4 hours offshore. Sail through tacks, gybes, and reefing operations. Test the autopilot. Run engines under load. Verify all electronics. In summer Aegean conditions, also test the yacht in F5–F6 winds (the Meltemi) if at all possible — many charter-exit yachts perform fine in F3 but show problems when properly loaded.

Flag and registration decisions

Keeping the Greek flag

Pros: simplest closing, lowest immediate cost, modest registration fee. Greek registration is recognised across the EU. Annual ownership taxes are modest. Best option for buyers planning to keep the yacht primarily in Greek waters.

Cons: if you put the yacht into commercial charter, Greek charter licensing is administratively heavier than (say) Italian or Croatian. Some buyers prefer home flag for legal-system familiarity.

Re-flagging to home country or Malta

Pros: legal system familiarity, simpler estate planning, often lower ongoing registration costs in low-fee flag states. Malta is widely used by Italian and German owners for English-language registry process and EU recognition.

Cons: re-flagging adds 4–8 weeks to closing and €2,000–€6,000 in fees. If structured wrong, can trigger Greek FPA on what should be a clean transaction.

The structuring decision

For a yacht under €300,000 used privately and based in Greece, keep the Greek flag. For a yacht above €500,000, planned for mixed Greek and broader EU cruising, or with any commercial use intent, re-flagging to Malta or home country is often worth the upfront cost. Take advice from a Greek and a home-country maritime lawyer.

Where to look on the Greek coast

The Greek yacht market is geographically concentrated. Roughly 80% of for-sale inventory clusters in four locations:

• Athens — Alimos, Kalamaki, Glyfada, Lavrio. The largest single concentration of charter-exit inventory. Alimos Marina alone hosts roughly 1,000 yachts; Lavrio (the second Athens hub, ~70km southeast) is the dedicated charter-exit market. Start here for production cats and monohulls in the 38–50ft range.
• Lefkas — Lefkas Marina and Preveza/Aktion. The Ionian charter capital. Strong selection of Bavaria, Jeanneau, and Lagoon exits. Preveza Marina across the bay is the working refit cluster. Lefkas is the choice if you want Ionian cruising rather than Aegean.
• Corfu — Gouvia Marina. Mid-range market with a strong Italian and UK buyer/seller pool. Smaller than Athens or Lefkas but worth checking for private-owner yachts.
• Volos and Heraklion. Smaller markets, less English-speaking but often better prices for the same boats. Worth checking if you have flexibility on viewing logistics.

The smaller harbours of the Cyclades (Mykonos, Paros, Naxos) and the Dodecanese (Kos, Rhodes) have minimal for-sale inventory — yachts in these regions need to be moved to Athens or Lefkas for viewing and survey, which adds €2,000–€5,000 of cost and 2–4 weeks of time.

Six mistakes Greek yacht buyers make

1. Choosing share sale vs asset sale without modelling both. The decision has a 5-figure-to-6-figure impact on the all-in cost. Model both with a Greek lawyer and accountant before approaching the seller — don't accept the seller's preferred structure as given.
2. Skipping due diligence on a NEPA share sale. The NEPA's tax history, employment contracts, and supplier obligations all transfer to you. A €3,000 due diligence package routinely uncovers €15,000–€80,000 of inherited liabilities. Never close a share sale without it.
3. Not clarifying the FPA question on an asset sale before negotiating. Whether the asking price is FPA-inclusive or FPA-exclusive is a 24% swing. Get it in writing before any meaningful price conversation.
4. Skipping the survey to save money. A €1,500 survey on a €170,000 charter-exit Bavaria 46 routinely identifies €15,000–€25,000 of issues. Never close without one.
5. Ignoring TEPAI under-declaration as a closing risk. If the seller has under-declared TEPAI, you can inherit the liability through the share sale or end up unable to close the asset sale until back-tax is paid. Verify TEPAI compliance early in due diligence.
6. Choosing a broker without local Greek expertise. A broker based abroad listing Greek yachts without local presence often can't walk the yacht with you, accompany the survey, or coordinate Port Authority paperwork. Use brokers with genuine Athens or Lefkas presence.

Frequently asked questions