For an heir living in New York, London, Toronto or Melbourne, a Greek inheritance rarely begins with a visit to a notary. It usually begins with an unexpected telephone call, an old property deed or the discovery that a relative owned land, a house or a bank account in Greece.
The first questions are often practical: Is there a will? Are there debts? How much time do I have? Can the matter be handled without travelling to Greece?
Law 5303/2026 has substantially changed Greek inheritance law. Some of the changes offer greater protection to heirs, particularly where the estate may contain unknown debts. However, the new rules do not apply in exactly the same way to every inheritance.
The Date of Death Comes First
Although Law 5303/2026 was published on 22 May 2026, most of the new inheritance rules apply to the estates of persons who die on or after 16 September 2026. Where the deceased died before that date, the previous rules will generally continue to apply. There are, however, important exceptions concerning matters such as the distribution of an estate, unpublished handwritten wills and certain older estates involving inherited debts. For this reason, it is not enough to say that an inheritance is “still pending”. The date of death, the date on which a will was published and the steps already taken by the heirs must all be checked.
The Most Important Change: Inherited Debts
Under the previous system, an heir who accepted an inheritance without the benefit of inventory could become liable for the deceased’s debts with his or her own property. This was one of the main reasons why heirs abroad had to act very quickly when they discovered an inheritance.
For deaths falling under the new law, the starting position is different. The heir is not personally liable for estate debts with his or her own property. The estate is treated separately, unless the heir expressly chooses to manage and dispose of it freely or acts in a way that creates personal liability. This protection is significant, but it should not be misunderstood. It does not mean that an heir may immediately sell an inherited apartment, withdraw money from an account or distribute assets among family members without first considering the creditors of the estate.
If estate property is disposed of improperly, if its value is reduced through the heir’s fault or if creditors are paid in the wrong order, the heir’s personal property may still be exposed. Judicial liquidation of the estate may also be requested, in which case the estate is administered as a separate pool of assets by a court-appointed liquidator.
The practical lesson remains the same: do not assume that an inheritance contains only assets, and do not deal with estate property before the legal and financial position has been examined.
The Deadline to Renounce Has Not Disappeared
The new law has not abolished renunciation.
An heir may still renounce an inheritance within four months from learning that the inheritance has devolved upon him or her and why. Where succession arises under a will, the period does not begin before publication of the will.
The period is one year if the deceased had his or her last residence abroad or if the heir resided abroad when the period began.
If the deadline expires without a valid renunciation, the inheritance is considered accepted. Renunciation through a representative requires a special notarised power of attorney; an ordinary authorisation is not sufficient.
The new protection against personal liability may reduce the need for defensive renunciations in some cases, but it does not make the deadline irrelevant. An heir may still wish to renounce for family, financial or practical reasons.
Forced Heirship Is Now Primarily a Financial Claim
Greek law continues to protect certain close family members, including children, parents and the surviving spouse. Their forced share remains equal to one half of the value of the share they would have received under intestate succession. The important change is the legal nature of that protection. Under the new law, a person entitled to the forced share does not automatically become co-owner of every inherited asset. Instead, that person generally has a monetary claim against the heir. This may make it easier to avoid fragmented ownership. For example, a house may remain with the person named in the will, while the protected family member receives the value of the forced share rather than an automatic percentage in the property. In appropriate cases, however, a court may still order the transfer of an asset or a share in an asset.
New Rules for Spouses, Partners and Caregivers
Where the deceased leaves one child, the surviving spouse now receives one third of the estate. Where there are two or more children, the spouse receives one quarter. The law also gives the surviving spouse temporary protection regarding the family home and, under certain conditions, the option of requesting usufruct over estate assets instead of the ordinary inheritance share.
A person who lived with the deceased without marriage or a civil partnership does not automatically have the same position as a spouse. Nevertheless, the new law gives some protection where there was a permanent relationship for at least three years, or where the couple had children together. In limited circumstances—and only where no spouse or relative is entitled to inherit—the surviving partner may inherit after the relevant conditions have been confirmed by the court.
The law also recognises a possible financial legacy for a person who provided substantial unpaid care to the deceased for at least six months during the last three years of the deceased’s life. This does not automatically make the caregiver an heir, but it may create a claim against the estate.
Inheritance Agreements Are Now Possible
Another major change is the introduction of inheritance agreements.
A person may now enter into a binding agreement concerning who will inherit, rather than relying only on a will. The law also allows agreements by which a future heir gives up all or part of his or her future inheritance rights, including the forced share, with or without compensation. These agreements must be treated with caution. They are more binding than an ordinary will and cannot necessarily be revoked unilaterally. The law requires the parties to appear personally before a notary. An heir or estate owner living abroad should therefore not assume that such an agreement can be completed through an ordinary power of attorney.
What Happens to a Will Made Abroad?
A will made in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia or another country is not automatically invalid in Greece. Its form, validity, authentication and use before Greek authorities must be examined individually.
A foreign will may need probate or certification in its country of origin, an Apostille or other legalisation, an official Greek translation and publication or recognition in Greece.
The reform also provides for the publication of wills through the Greek Register of Wills and includes procedures involving Greek consular authorities. However, publication does not by itself resolve every question concerning the validity or interpretation of a foreign will.
Greek Property Does Not Always Mean Greek Succession Law
The existence of a house or land in Greece does not, by itself, mean that Greek inheritance law automatically governs the whole estate.
In cross-border cases, the lawyer must examine the deceased’s last habitual residence, nationality, any choice of law contained in the will and the rules of Regulation (EU) No 650/2012. Cases involving the United States or another non-EU country may require an additional conflict-of-laws analysis.
Law 5303/2026 becomes relevant where Greek law governs the succession. It does not replace the preliminary examination of which country’s inheritance law applies.
