A new legal framework has been introduced in Greece, shifting the responsibility from courts to notaries. This, represents a major change in Greek inheritance law is now affecting the way wills are published and validated, following the enactment of Law 5264/2025, published in the Government Gazette FEK A’ 239/19-12-2025. The new provisions significantly alter long-standing procedures and directly impact heirs, families, legal professionals, and Greeks living abroad.
The legal basis of the change
Under Article 114, paragraph 2 of Law 5264/2025, special transitional rules apply to wills where the testator passed away before November 1, 2025, provided that no application for publication of the will had been filed by the date the law came into force. In such cases, both the publication of the will and its declaration as valid (“κήρυξη διαθήκης ως κυρίας”) must now be carried out according to the provisions introduced by Law 5221/2025, which restructured the relevant articles of the Code of Civil Procedure and established a centralized Wills Registry per Government Gazette FEK 239.2025 and FEK 133.2025.
What changes in practice
As of December 19, 2025, the practical handling of handwritten (holographic) wills has fundamentally changed:
· Courts of First Instance (Protodikeia) are no longer competent to publish wills submitted after this date.
· The responsibility has been transferred to notaries, who now submit and publish wills electronically through the official Wills Registry platform (diathikes.gr).
· The same procedure applies regardless of the date of death of the testator, as long as the will is submitted for publication on or after December 19, 2025.
This marks a clear shift from the traditional court-based process to a digitized, notary-driven system, aimed at accelerating procedures and reducing judicial backlog.
Foreign wills
For wills that are kept outside Greece, the responsibility lies with the Greek Consular and Diplomatic Authorities. These authorities submit the wills for publication through the same Wills Registry platform, ensuring a unified process for both domestic and international cases — a development of particular importance for the Greek diaspora.
Pending and previously filed Wills
It is important to note that wills already submitted for publication before December 19, 2025, will continue to be processed by the courts where they were filed. These cases are not affected retroactively.
However, any attempt to submit a will to a court after that date will no longer be accepted. This has already been confirmed in practice. Lawyers in Greece report that Courts of First Instance in Athens and Maroussi, as well as courts in the regions, have refused to proceed with publication, directing interested parties to notaries instead.
Declaration of a Will as valid
The same transfer of authority applies to the declaration of a handwritten will as valid, which is now also handled exclusively by notaries and recorded through the Wills Registry. This removes another category of cases from the courts and places it firmly within the notarial framework.
Certificates and the Wills Registry
The new system also affects the issuance of the Certificate of Non-Publication of Another Will, a document often required in inheritance proceedings.
· This certificate is now issued exclusively through the Wills Registry.
· The applicable government fee has been set at €35.
· At present, notaries do not systematically require this certificate for every new case, but it is expected that this will soon become standard practice as the system fully settles.
What to expect next?
Further clarifications are anticipated through a ministerial decision that will define the detailed operational framework of the Wills Registry and related procedures. Legal professionals and citizens alike are advised to stay informed, as additional adjustments may follow.
Why this matters?
These changes affect thousands of inheritance cases, particularly older wills that were kept privately or remained unpublished for years. Families dealing with estates, as well as Greeks living abroad who hold property or family ties in Greece, should be aware that the procedure, the competent authority, and the required steps have changed.
Seeking timely advice from a notary or legal professional is now more important than ever to avoid delays or procedural errors under the new framework.
Do you have any legal affairs in Greece? Call for a consultation today
Anastasios Moussas – ICS Founder & Legal Consultant
