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Registering a business in Greece — GEMI and the steps

Greek company formation runs through GEMI (the General Commercial Registry) via the one-stop business portal. A clean IKE can be filed in 1–3 business days for a modest state fee; a sole trader registers online via TaxisNet in under an hour. The usual bottleneck is the bank account, not the registration.

The registry

companies are formed through GEMI (ΓΕΜΗ) using the one-stop e-YMS service on the business portal (businessportal.gr). A sole trader is registered directly through TaxisNet with AADE.

Typical steps for an IKE

  • 1. Obtain an AFM for each founder/director.
  • 2. Reserve the company name in GEMI.
  • 3. Draft the Articles of Association (model template online for an IKE; a notary is required for an AE).
  • 4. File with GEMI via e-YMS → the company receives a GEMI number and a corporate AFM (legal personality). A clean IKE filing is typically 1–3 business days.
  • 5. Open a business bank account and deposit capital (€1 for an IKE, €25,000 for an AE).
  • 6. Register with AADE for VAT and activate myDATA e-books; register the legal representative with e-EFKA.
  • 7. File the beneficial owner (UBO) in the GEMI register (anyone controlling over 25%).

Costs (2026, indicative)

  • IKE — a modest state/GEMI filing fee (cited in roughly the €18–€80 range; confirm the current figure on the portal).
  • Sole trader — registered online in under an hour; an optional trade-name registration is about €10, plus annual GEMI (~€30) and Chamber (~€20) fees if a trade name is registered.
  • Realistic all-in startup (including lawyer, accountant, translations, and a notary for an AE) — roughly €1,000–€5,000 depending on the form.

Timeline

a clean IKE for an EU national is often about two weeks end-to-end; with bank KYC, plan for 10–20 business days.

Foreigner lens

every founder needs an AFM before formation, foreign documents need an apostille and a sworn Greek translation, and non-EU founders who will run the business in person need a residence permit allowing self-employment (see business forms). Formation can be done remotely by power of attorney.

How not to get cheated

the registration itself is inexpensive and largely online — the value an accountant or lawyer adds is in getting the form, the articles and the tax/EFKA setup right, not in the filing fee. Confirm the current state fee on the official portal so you know what part of any quote is the genuine cost.

Related

business legal forms · business bank account · business tax & VAT · self-employed EFKA

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Steps and fees change — confirm with GEMI (businessportal.gr) and gov.gr. WTP Finance is informational only.

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