Publication of Greek Wills and Certificate of Inheritance: New Changes Under the New Law 5221/2025

Law 5221/2025 was recently published in the Government Gazette. It introduces radical changes in the Greek inheritance law. The Independent Authority for Public Revenue has issued a circular with instructions to its services for the implementation of the new framework, which aims to accelerate procedures, reduce bureaucracy, and utilize digital tools for greater transparency. The new provisions on the publication of Greek wills and the certificate of inheritance will take effect on January 1, 2026.

Publication of Wills Now Assigned to Notaries

Under the new law, the publication of wills will no longer be under the jurisdiction of the courts but transferred to notaries. The notary who drafted or was made aware of the will shall draw up a publication protocol, certifying any external defects, and electronically register it in the new “Registry of Wills.” This platform is managed by notarial associations and ensures the security and accessibility of the documents.

The originals of wills will be dated, signed, and kept in the archive of the notary or the consul. In the case of a consular authority, the consul will draft the publication protocol, and a copy will be mandatorily sent to the Registry of Wills. Copies of wills published abroad may be deposited with Greek consular authorities, provided they are certified by the competent foreign authority and accompanied by an official translation into Greek by certified translators or by a lawyer.

The protocol of publication or refusal of publication may be contested through opposition before the inheritance court by any party with a legitimate interest.

Declaration of a Holographic Will as Primary

The new Article 808A of the Code of Civil Procedure regulates the procedure for declaring a holographic will in Greece as primary. The declaration is made by the notary who proceeded with the publication, provided that a proxy lawyer and two witnesses are present to attest to the authenticity of the handwriting and signature of the testator.

In addition, when a holographic will names as sole heir a person who is not a spouse, civil union partner, or a relative up to the fourth degree, the applicant is required to submit a handwriting expert report. In this case, the notary must notify the State of the declaration protocol within ten days.

There is also a special provision for wills published by a consular authority. The notary competent for declaring the will as primary is appointed through the Registry of Wills from a list of members of the Notarial Association of the Courts of Appeal of Athens, Piraeus, the Aegean, and the Dodecanese.

The New Framework for the Certificate of Inheritance

Article 90 of the new law amends paragraphs 1 and 3 of Article 819 of the Code of Civil Procedure, establishing an entirely new procedure for issuing the certificate of inheritance.

From now on, the certificate of inheritance right is issued by an act of a lawyer who is a member of the relevant bar association.

The application for the certificate of inheritance is filed with the competent court by the heir, the fiduciary, the legatee, or the executor of the will. The application, which must be signed by a proxy lawyer, is posted for ten days in a designated area of the court. Along with the application, a prepayment fee and a special prepayment voucher for the lawyer’s compensation, issued by the relevant bar association, must be submitted.

If a third party files an intervention within the above period, the case is set for a hearing, and the issuance of the certificate is suspended until a decision is rendered. For the State and public legal entities, a reduced lawyer’s fee is provided.