AMA registration step-by-step — the practical guide for Greek STR owners.

If you own a Greek property and list it on a short-term-rental platform — Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, anywhere — you need an AMA number. Operating without one is now a €5,000 first-offence fine (up to €20,000 for repeat violations) under Law 5170/2025, and the major platforms enforce the requirement automatically: listings without an AMA number get taken down.

The registration itself is not difficult. The process is fully digital, the AMA itself is free, and most clean applications close within 1-7 days. The difficulty is everything that has to be in place before you submit. This article walks through both layers — what you need ready, and how to actually file.

Step 1 — Confirm the property is eligible

Three eligibility checks before you spend any time on paperwork:

• Primary residential use. The property must be classified residential, not commercial or mixed-use. Properties zoned for commercial or office use cannot be registered for short-term rental, regardless of how they're currently used.
• Not in a frozen district. New AMA registrations are suspended in central Athens municipal districts 1, 2 and 3 (Plaka, Monastiraki, Syntagma, Omonia, Kolonaki, Exarcheia, Mets, Neos Kosmos, Agios Artemios, Pagrati, Petralona, Thiseio, Gazi, Votanikos, Metaxourgeio, Rouf) through at least 31 December 2026. Similar restrictions extended to parts of central Thessaloniki from 1 March 2026. If your property is in one of these zones and was not registered before the freeze date, you cannot register new — you'd need to wait until the freeze lifts or use the property for long-term rental or owner-use instead.
• You are the registered owner or have written authorisation. The AMA is filed under the property owner's ΑΦΜ (Greek tax ID). Joint owners need consent from all co-owners. Inherited properties where title is still in a deceased's name must close the inheritance first.

Step 2 — Gather the documents

This is the part that takes most of the time. Plan for 1-4 weeks depending on what you already have organised.

Property documents

• E9 declaration — your personal property registry record with AADE. Must be current and accurate. If the property's size, age, or use status has changed and the E9 hasn't been updated, fix this first. See our ENFIA / E9 explainer.
• Title deed (συμβόλαιο) — the notarial deed showing your ownership.
• Building permit (οικοδομική άδεια) — required for older properties. Many 1960s-1970s buildings had informal alterations; resolving any discrepancies between current state and original permit may be necessary.
• Energy performance certificate (Πιστοποιητικό Ενεργειακής Απόδοσης - ΠΕΑ) — required if not already on file.

Safety and compliance documents (new under Law 5170/2025)

• Civil liability insurance certificate. From a Greek-licensed insurer, covering guest injuries, property damage during stays, and short-term-rental commercial use. Typical cost €120-€280/year for a standard one-to-two bedroom apartment.
• Electrician's RCD certificate — confirming a residual-current device (κατά ηλεκτροπληξίας) is installed in the electrical panel by a licensed electrician. Older buildings often don't have one; installation runs €80-€200.
• Fire extinguisher inspection record — one extinguisher per 100 m² of property, with current inspection sticker. New extinguishers cost €25-€60 each; annual inspection ~€10.
• Smoke detector confirmation — documented presence of smoke detectors in every bedroom and the kitchen. Battery-operated or hardwired both qualify, but tested working.
• Fire-safety signage — escape routes and extinguisher locations indicated on the inside of the entry door.

Owner documents

• ΑΦΜ (Greek tax identification number) — every Greek property owner has one; non-residents file through their Greek tax representative.
• TAXISnet credentials — username and password for the AADE digital portal. If you're a non-resident, your Greek tax representative typically holds these and files on your behalf.

Step 3 — Log in to AADE's MyProperty portal

The AMA registration is filed at myproperty.aade.gov.gr, the AADE property platform. Non-residents typically have their Greek tax representative handle this step — your representative logs in with credentials linked to your ΑΦΜ.

The portal is in Greek. There is no English-language version. For non-Greek-speakers without a Greek representative, this is a meaningful operational barrier.

Step 4 — Submit the application

The AMA application form (in Greek: αίτηση εγγραφής στο μητρώο ακινήτων βραχυχρόνιας μίσθωσης) requires:

• Property details from your E9 (address, size, building type, year of construction)
• Owner details (ΑΦΜ, name, contact)
• Short-term-rental specifics (number of beds, maximum occupancy, available platforms)
• Confirmation of safety equipment installed
• Civil liability insurance details
• Attached documents (uploaded as PDF or image files)

The form auto-validates against your E9 and other AADE records. Inconsistencies flag immediately and must be resolved before submission. This is one reason an out-of-date E9 is the most common AMA-application blocker.

Step 5 — Receive your AMA number

Approval timing varies. Clean applications with complete documentation are typically approved same-day or within 1-3 business days. Applications with minor issues (missing attachments, document quality concerns) take 1-2 weeks while AADE requests clarification. Applications with structural issues (E9 mismatch, building permit problems) can take 1-3 months while the underlying issues are resolved.

Once approved, you receive an AMA number — typically an 11-digit code. This number must be:

• Displayed visibly on every online listing for the property — Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, smaller platforms. Most major platforms now require it in the listing setup.
• Included on guest contracts and arrival paperwork.
• Recorded in your annual tax filing via the AADE platform alongside rental income declarations.

Common pitfalls

What we see go wrong, in order of frequency:

1. Out-of-date E9. The single most common blocker. The property in the E9 has different m², different year, or different use code than current reality. Resolving this can take 2-8 weeks with your Greek accountant.
2. No building permit on file. Common for older properties. Resolving via amnesty declarations or retroactive permits adds 1-3 months and €500-€3,000 in costs.
3. Title in deceased person's name. Even where the heir is using the property and paying ENFIA, AMA registration requires title in the actual owner's name. Inheritance must be closed first — see our 2025 inheritance reform breakdown.
4. Joint ownership without consent. Properties owned 50/50 by siblings need consent from both. Missing signatures stall the process.
5. RCD installation done by an unlicensed electrician. Only certificates from licensed electricians registered with the appropriate Greek professional body are accepted. €120 saved on a cheap electrician can cost €1,000 in delays.
6. Civil liability insurance not covering commercial use. Standard residential home-insurance policies typically exclude commercial short-term-rental use. A separate civil liability policy is required.

Timeline and costs (typical, clean application)

• Document gathering: 1-4 weeks (most time variable depending on starting state)
• Safety equipment installation: 1-2 weeks (RCD by electrician, extinguishers, smoke detectors)
• AADE submission: same day, once documents are ready
• Approval: 1-7 days for clean applications
• Total elapsed time: 2-6 weeks typical

Cost summary (one-time setup):

• AMA registration itself: free
• RCD installation (if not present): €80-€200
• Fire extinguishers (per unit): €25-€60 each, plus inspection
• Smoke detectors: €15-€40 each
• Civil liability insurance (annual): €120-€280
• Tax representative coordination fee: €100-€400 (varies)

Realistic total setup cost for a clean application: €400-€1,200, of which most is one-time. Annual ongoing costs (insurance + extinguisher inspections + tax representative): €150-€400.

What to do if your property is in the central Athens or Thessaloniki freeze zones

If your property is in central Athens districts 1, 2 or 3 — or in the frozen parts of central Thessaloniki — and you did not register before the freeze date, your options:

• Wait. The freeze is scheduled to lift in December 2026, but is widely expected to be extended. Reasonable to expect at least into 2027.
• Long-term rental. Properties rented on 12+ month residential leases are unaffected by the freeze. Returns typically 3-5% gross of property value.
• Owner use only. Personal/family use is unrestricted regardless of zone.
• Sell. Resale into a buyer who plans to use the property for personal occupancy or long-term rental is unaffected.