How to sell a yacht in Greece.

The short version

Greece is the world's largest charter-yacht market by fleet size — roughly 5,500–6,500 yachts operate in Greek charter fleets on any given summer day, more than Croatia, Italy, and Spain combined. The market is anchored around Athens (Alimos, Kalamaki, Glyfada, Lavrio), the Ionian (Lefkas, Corfu, Preveza), and the Saronic and Cyclades islands. Almost all commercial charter yachts in Greece are held through NEPA single-vessel companies — a Greek legal structure that fundamentally changes how charter yachts are bought and sold.

Three things every Greek yacht seller in 2026 needs to know. First, Greek FPA is 24% — one of the highest VAT rates in the EU — and the way it attaches to a sale depends heavily on whether the yacht is privately owned or held in a NEPA. Second, the NEPA exit is a share sale, not an asset sale, with completely different mechanics from a normal yacht transaction. Third, the TEPAI cruising tax must be paid up to date before the Greek Ship Registry will process a transfer — failure to pay can delay closing by weeks.

Beyond that, the process is similar in shape to Spain or Italy: 8–10% broker commissions, three- to twelve-month sale timelines for well-priced production yachts, and the same fundamental rules — don't overprice, document FPA status meticulously, and structure non-resident transactions to manage Greek FPA exposure. This guide covers all of it, with a dedicated section on the NEPA exit because it is the dominant structure for charter-yacht sales in this market.

Three seller profiles, three different processes

Almost every "how to sell a yacht in Greece" question comes from one of three people. The processes overlap but the tax and legal implications diverge sharply, so it helps to identify which one you are before reading further.

The tax picture in 2026

Greek yacht tax has more moving parts than Spanish or French tax, primarily because the NEPA structure dominates the charter market and creates a parallel tax regime that runs alongside the private-yacht rules. Here is what actually matters when you sell.

FPA (Foros Prostithemenis Aksias)

Greece's standard VAT rate is 24%, applied to new yacht sales and to all yacht services, marina fees, parts, repairs, and charter income. On used yachts sold between private individuals (no business in the chain), no FPA is charged on the sale — the same private-sale exemption that applies across the EU. The yacht's underlying VAT status (EU-VAT-paid versus Temporary Admission versus VAT-unpaid) does not change because of a private sale between two EU residents.

The complications start when a business is in the chain, which in Greece is most of the time. A yacht held in a NEPA, operated commercially under a Greek charter license, or sold out of a Greek brokerage's holding company will attract FPA on sale unless a margin scheme or commercial-continuity structure applies. Always confirm with a Greek maritime accountant what the seller's status actually is.

TEPAI — the cruising tax

TEPAI (Telos Plon Anapsihis kai Imerision Skafon) is the Greek cruising tax on private pleasure yachts, charged monthly based on hull length, and paid through the Greek tax authority (AADE). 2026 indicative figures for private yachts:

• 7–8m yacht — €16/month, ~€200/year if paid full-year
• 8–10m yacht — €25/month, ~€300/year
• 10–12m yacht — €100/month, ~€1,200/year
• 12–15m yacht — €150–€200/month, ~€1,800–€2,400/year
• 15–20m yacht — €250–€400/month, ~€3,000–€4,800/year
• 20–30m yacht — €500–€800/month, ~€6,000–€9,600/year
• Over 30m — €1,000+/month

TEPAI does not affect a sale as a transactional tax — it is simply prorated in the bill of sale so the buyer reimburses the seller for unused months. The critical detail is that unpaid TEPAI must be cleared before the Greek Ship Registry will process the transfer. Sellers who have under-declared TEPAI or skipped months in winter can face an unpleasant reckoning at closing.

NEPA-owned charter yachts pay a different commercial regime — a per-day-of-charter tax rather than the private TEPAI. This is one of the structural reasons NEPA ownership remains attractive for high-use yachts.

Capital gains on the seller's profit

Greece does not apply capital gains tax on the private sale of movable assets (including yachts) held more than five years. For yachts held shorter than five years and sold at a profit, the gain is taxed as miscellaneous income at the seller's marginal rate (22–44% plus solidarity contribution depending on income bracket). In practice, most yacht sales in Greece are at a loss given depreciation, so capital gains liability rarely arises for genuine private owners. The exception is the NEPA exit, where the share sale creates a different (and often more favourable) tax position — covered below.

Non-residents are taxed on Greek-source capital gains based on the applicable double-taxation treaty between Greece and the seller's country of residence. UK residents under the post-Brexit Greece–UK treaty, German residents, and most EU residents under the relevant treaties are typically taxed in their country of residence, not Greece, on movable property gains. Always confirm with a tax adviser before assuming exemption.

Registration fees

The Greek Ship Registry charges a modest fee for transfer of registration — typically €200–€800 depending on yacht length and the specific Port Authority handling the transfer (Piraeus and Lavrio are the most common). Unlike Croatia, Italy, or Spain, there is no equivalent of the 4–5% transfer tax on used-yacht registration. This is one of the structural reasons Greek-flagged ownership has been historically attractive even after the 24% FPA burden.

Selling a NEPA-held yacht, in detail

If your yacht is held in a NEPA (Naftiliaki Etaireia Plon Anapsihis), your sale follows a different script from a normal private-yacht sale. This section is for you.

What a NEPA actually is

A NEPA is a Greek single-vessel maritime company — a corporate structure created specifically for holding pleasure yachts operated commercially under a Greek charter license. Historical Greek law required charter yachts to be owned by a Greek company; the NEPA was created to provide a streamlined corporate form for this purpose. A typical NEPA owns one yacht, has one shareholder (often a foreign individual or holding company), and exists solely to hold and operate that yacht commercially.

Today, EU law has loosened the requirement that charter yachts be Greek-owned (charter operators can now use other EU flag-state companies), but the NEPA remains dominant by inertia and because the operational and tax mechanics are well understood by Greek accountants, lawyers, and port authorities.

Asset sale vs share sale

When you sell a NEPA-held yacht, you have two structural options:

• Asset sale. The NEPA sells the yacht to the buyer; the NEPA itself remains in your hands and is then dissolved (or kept for a future purchase). FPA at 24% applies to the asset sale unless the buyer continues commercial operation. This is the cleaner structure for private-use buyers but more expensive in tax terms.
• Share sale. You sell the shares of the NEPA itself to the buyer; the NEPA continues to own the yacht under new ownership. No FPA on the share sale (share sales of EU companies are typically VAT-exempt). The buyer inherits the NEPA's full tax history, including any contingent liabilities. This is the dominant structure for commercial-continuity sales.

The choice depends on the buyer's intent. Commercial buyers (charter operators continuing the business) almost always prefer the share sale — no FPA, clean continuity of charter licenses and operating contracts. Private-use buyers often prefer the asset sale because they don't want to inherit the NEPA's tax history and operating obligations. Pricing reflects this — share sales typically transact at 90–95% of asset-sale equivalent net of FPA, with the discount reflecting the buyer's assumed risk on the NEPA's prior history.

Pre-sale due diligence the seller should do

If you anticipate a share sale, prepare the NEPA for scrutiny 6–12 months ahead. Buyers' lawyers will demand:

• Complete corporate records from incorporation forward — minutes, resolutions, share registers, annual filings with the Greek Commercial Registry (GEMI).
• Full tax filing history including FPA returns, corporate income tax filings, and any tax audit correspondence.
• Charter contracts and revenue records for the prior 3–5 years.
• Maintenance contracts, marina agreements, and crew employment records.
• Proof of FPA-paid status on the yacht (asset of the NEPA) and on any major refit work.
• Tax clearance certificate (forologiki enimerotita) from AADE confirming no outstanding tax liabilities.

A NEPA with clean records sells faster and at a smaller share-sale discount. A NEPA with gaps, unresolved audits, or missing returns will either need expensive reconstruction (€10,000–€30,000 in accountant time) or sell at a steep discount to compensate for the buyer's perceived risk.

The exit team

A NEPA share sale needs three professionals: a Greek maritime accountant who handles tax history reconstruction and forecasts the buyer's likely positions (€2,500–€6,000 for full pre-sale preparation), a Greek maritime lawyer to draft the share purchase agreement and handle the GEMI filings (€1,500–€4,000 on a typical transaction), and a broker who specifically handles NEPA exits (commission 5–8%, often slightly lower than asset-sale brokerage because the transaction is more legally structured). Trying to handle a NEPA exit yourself to save fees is the single most common way to leave €30,000–€80,000 on the table.

Broker commissions in Greece, explained honestly

The Greek yacht brokerage industry is concentrated in Athens (Alimos, Glyfada, Kalamaki, Lavrio), Lefkas (the Ionian charter hub), and Corfu, with smaller broker presence in Preveza, Volos, and Heraklion. Roughly 60–80 brokerage houses operate across the country, ranging from one-broker outfits attached to specific marinas to multinational firms with offices in Athens and partner offices in Italy, Germany, and the UK. The commission structure has hovered around the 8–10% range for two decades. Here is the real picture in 2026.

Like Croatia, Greece runs heavily on co-brokerage with Italian, German, UK, and increasingly French partner brokers — the commission is typically split 50/50 between the listing broker (in Greece) and the buyer's broker (often abroad). Negotiating commission down too aggressively can backfire — if the listing broker's net share drops below roughly 3.5%, the network of foreign buyer-side brokers has less reason to prioritise your yacht over a comparable listing.

The peer-to-peer sale option is more viable in Greece than in France because Greek bill-of-sale forms are simpler, but you still need a Greek maritime lawyer to draft the documents, handle the Port Authority filings, clear TEPAI, and coordinate the Greek Ship Registry transfer. NEPA share sales should never be handled without a lawyer — the corporate-law mechanics are too consequential.

Selling as a Greek resident: step by step

Assuming you live in Greece and your yacht flies the Greek flag and is held privately (not in a NEPA), the process breaks into five phases. Plan for three to nine months from listing to closing on a well-priced production yacht; longer if your yacht is over €750,000, located outside the Athens–Lefkas corridor, or in need of refit.

1. Gather your documents before you list

This is the phase most sellers skip and later regret. Before a single broker sees your yacht, pull together: the Greek Ship Registry certificate (nautilologion) from your Port Authority, the original certificate of FPA payment (or the original EU-VAT-paid documentation from the country of original purchase), the radio licence (PORT Authority issued), a full maintenance log, the most recent insurance policy, proof of paid TEPAI for every month the yacht was in Greek waters, and the current operating documents. If your yacht has been refit substantially, the invoices and certificates from the yard should be in one folder. A missing FPA certificate alone can delay a sale by six to eight weeks while you obtain a replacement.

2. Get a realistic valuation

The Greek market is less information-rich than France or Spain, partly because charter-exit pricing through NEPA structures distorts the comparable-sales data. Don't rely on NEPA-exit prices as comparables for a private yacht — they include share-sale tax discounts that don't apply to your sale. Useful benchmarks: comparable yachts currently listed on YachtWorld, TheYachtMarket, Boats.com, and Band of Boats; recent sold prices from German and Italian brokers who service the Greek market; the BUC Used Boat Price Guide; and recent sales at your home marina of similar models. Be ruthlessly honest about depreciation.

3. Choose your broker carefully

Greece has a smaller and less differentiated brokerage market than France or Italy, but quality still varies enormously. Interview at least three. Ask them: how many yachts of your type have they sold in the last 12 months? Do they have active Italian, German, and UK partner brokers? What platforms will they syndicate to? Do they speak fluent English (the buyer-language default in Greek yacht sales)? How quickly do they respond to enquiries? Response time on enquiries is the biggest differentiator between brokers in any market — under four hours is the standard at the top Athens houses.

4. Handle the survey and sea trial professionally

When a serious buyer appears, they will commission a marine survey and a sea trial. In Greece, expect to pay for fuel and berth for the sea trial; the survey is at the buyer's expense. Greek surveyors registered with the Hellenic Marine Surveyors Association produce the rigorous reports buyers and insurers expect. International surveyors (often from Italy or the UK) are also commonly brought in by foreign buyers. Plan for one of three outcomes: the buyer asks you to fix specific safety-critical issues, the buyer asks for a price reduction equal to a fraction of the estimated repair cost, or the buyer walks (happens 15–25% of the time on yachts over €200k).

5. Close the sale and transfer the registration

Closing involves a bill of sale (symfonitiko) signed by both parties, payment via escrow or bank transfer (never cash for anything substantial — Greek law restricts cash payments above €500 between any parties under anti-money-laundering rules), clearance of any outstanding TEPAI at the AADE tax office, and transfer of the registration at the Port Authority (Limeniko Soma). Greek registry transfers typically take 1–3 weeks, faster than France and Italy. A Greek maritime lawyer drafts the bill of sale for a typical fee of €500–€1,500 on a standard transaction.

Selling as a non-resident: step by step

The non-resident sale of a foreign-flagged yacht located in a Greek marina is a more technical transaction than a resident sale — primarily because of where the sale is deemed to take place and how Greek FPA might attach. Get this wrong and you can trigger 24% FPA on a transaction that should have been tax-neutral.

1. Confirm the yacht's tax and customs status

Before listing, establish in writing: the yacht's flag state and registry number, the VAT status (EU-VAT-paid, on Temporary Admission, or VAT-unpaid), the length of time the yacht has been in EU waters on its current regime, and any open customs procedures. A non-EU-flagged yacht on Temporary Admission can generally stay in EU waters for up to 18 months. If the buyer is also non-EU, this regime transfers cleanly. If the buyer is EU-resident, they must either take the yacht out of EU waters before bringing it back, formally import it and pay FPA at 24% on the customs-declared value, or structure the sale as an FPA-paid transaction.

2. Structure the sale to manage FPA exposure

Where the sale is legally "concluded" matters enormously under Greek and EU VAT rules. A sale contract signed in Greece with the yacht in Greek territorial waters can be deemed a Greek-located supply and attract Greek FPA, even between two non-residents. To avoid this, many non-resident sales involving meaningful sums are structured as follows: the contract is signed outside Greek territorial waters (often during a brief sea passage to international waters between Greece and Italy, or in the yacht's flag-state jurisdiction), payment moves through an escrow account in the flag state or in a neutral jurisdiction, and physical delivery takes place outside Greece. A Greek maritime lawyer can structure this properly for typically €2,000–€5,000 on a transaction of meaningful size — trivial compared to a potential 24% FPA exposure on a €400k yacht.

3. List on international platforms, not just Greek ones

Your buyer is unlikely to be Greek. The Greek market is dominated by Italian, German, UK, French, and increasingly Eastern European buyers. The best platforms for non-resident-to-non-resident yacht sales in Greece are the international ones: YachtWorld, TheYachtMarket, Boats.com, Band of Boats, 24kw.de, boatshop24, and the trade-show circuit (Athens International Boat Show in early spring; Cannes Yachting Festival in September is the single most important sales event for higher-end Greek yachts).

4. Survey, sea trial, and marina paperwork

The survey and sea trial are similar to a resident sale, with two Greece-specific details. First, larger Greek marinas — particularly Athens Marina (Faliro), Alimos Marina, Lavrio, Lefkas Marina, Gouvia (Corfu), and Olympic Marine — operate strict berth transfer protocols and require both parties to sign berth-transfer documentation. Confirm with the marina office before closing day what their requirements are. Second, Greek customs (Telonia) routinely audit non-resident yacht movements in summer months — if the yacht is on Temporary Admission and the clock is running out, plan the sale and customs reset trip together.

5. Close outside Greek waters, or structure with the lawyer present

The cleanest closing for a non-resident sale on a high-value yacht is to leave Greek territorial waters for the signing and payment, then have the new owner re-enter under their flag and FPA status if they wish to keep the yacht in Greece. Yes, this is a logistical ritual. Yes, it is worth it if it removes 24% FPA exposure from a substantial transaction. Alternative structures involve flag-state-based escrow and remote signing through a notary in the flag state — these work too, provided the legal form is correct.

How long a sale actually takes

Realistic timelines, based on Greek brokerage data and observed transactions in 2025–26:

• NEPA share sales in good condition, €100k–€300k — 4 to 8 months including due diligence. Buyer due diligence on the NEPA's corporate history typically takes 4–8 weeks alone, longer than equivalent asset sales.
• Private production yachts under €250k — 4 to 8 months. The Greek private-yacht buyer pool is smaller than charter-exit buyer pools; pricing matters more.
• Mid-range production yachts €250k–€750k — 5 to 12 months. Largest segment by sale value and the most sensitive to pricing.
• Semi-custom and luxury yachts €750k–€2M — 9 to 18 months. Smaller buyer pool, more responsive to marquee placement at Cannes Yachting Festival or Monaco Yacht Show.
• Superyachts over €2M — 12 to 24 months. The Greek superyacht market is significant — Athens has a long tradition of yacht ownership among Greek shipping families — but transactions concentrate around a small number of specialist brokers.
• Yachts needing significant refit — add 6–9 months, or expect to sell at 25–40% below comparable refit-complete yachts.
• Yachts located outside Athens, Lefkas, and Corfu — Volos, Heraklion, Rhodes, and the smaller Cycladic ports all sell, but typically take 30–50% longer than the same yacht relocated to Athens or Lefkas.

The two biggest variables in sale speed are pricing and presentation, in that order. A correctly priced yacht with professional photos and a clean spec sheet sells three to four times faster than an overpriced yacht with amateur photography. English-language listing copy is the third variable — Greek-only listings reach a fraction of the realistic buyer base.

Six mistakes that cost Greek yacht sellers money

1. Treating a NEPA exit like a private-yacht sale. The two are completely different transactions with different tax treatment, different buyer pools, different pricing structures, and different paperwork. Trying to use a private-yacht broker for a NEPA share sale routinely loses 10–25% of value through structural mistakes.
2. Letting TEPAI lapse. Skipped or under-declared TEPAI must be cleared before the Port Authority will process the transfer. Sellers who have under-declared can face a reckoning of €5,000–€20,000 in back-tax and penalties at closing — money they often haven't budgeted for. Pay TEPAI accurately every month, or accept the back-tax liability when you sell.
3. Overpricing based on what you paid, not what the market values. Every Athens broker has the same story: a seller insisting on a price that ignores depreciation, the yacht sitting unsold for two seasons, and finally selling at 30–40% below the price the broker recommended on day one.
4. Missing FPA documentation. If your original FPA-paid certificate or NEPA tax history is lost, replacing it can take months and €5,000–€15,000 in lawyer time. Scan everything the day you receive it.
5. Signing in Greek waters on a non-resident high-value sale. Signing the bill of sale in a Greek marina office on a non-resident high-value sale can attract Greek FPA exposure that was entirely avoidable. The cost of structuring correctly with a maritime lawyer is typically 0.5–1% of sale price; the cost of getting it wrong can be 24%.
6. Neglecting presentation. A yacht being shown from a scruffy harbour berth presents materially worse than the same yacht photographed at Athens Marina, Lavrio, or Lefkas Marina. Professional photography (€500–€1,500), drone footage (€400–€1,000), and a properly produced walkthrough video (€800–€2,500) routinely return their cost several times over in shorter time-to-sale.

Frequently asked questions