Last reviewed 25 October 2026 · Demetre E. Katsouris, Managing Partner
In a nutshell. A new Greek hotel needs, in sequence, confirmation of planning compliance; environmental approval or standard environmental commitments according to its size and location; the preliminary approval and building permit; completion certified by the supervising engineers; a notification of operation filed electronically before trading (Law 4442/2016 arts. 39 ff.; JMD 11882/2025, through the ΟΠΣ-ΑΔΕ platform; operation begins on the notification, the former Special Operating Mark having been abolished); and a star classification certified by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels under the criteria of MD 216/2015, within fifty days of the notification. Katsouris Law Firm coordinates the legal side of each stage with the project’s engineers.
The stages
- Planning check — zoning, the 2026 Framework, protected areas, archaeological and forest restrictions.
- Environmental licensing — the category of the project determines whether an environmental impact assessment and approval, or standard environmental commitments, apply.
- Building permit — preliminary approval where required, then the permit; for a hotel, the specific building rules for tourist accommodation, parking and accessibility.
- Construction and completion — supervision, any revisions of the permit, the engineer’s completion certificates, utility connections.
- Operation — the notification of operation with its supporting documents (fire safety, health, the building’s legality) and the accommodation’s registry number.
- Classification — the star certificate, based on mandatory and optional criteria; a hotel that does not meet the category it advertises may be reclassified or suspended.
Where do hotel permits go wrong?
Revisions made on site without a revised permit; areas built beyond the permit that block the operating notification; an environmental approval that has lapsed before the permit is issued; a classification applied for at a category the building cannot reach. Each has a remedy — revision, legalisation where permitted, renewal, a reduced category — and each costs time in a seasonal business. The firm reviews the file at each stage so that the opening date is not lost at the last.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Special Operating Mark still required? No. The Special Operating Mark is abolished for all accommodation covered by arts. 39 ff. of Law 4442/2016; references to it in older texts mean the notification of operation (art. 40(3)). Existing accommodation had to register by 31 December 2026.
Who decides the star category? The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels certifies it on the basis of the MD 216/2015 criteria and an inspection.
Can we open part of the hotel while the rest is under construction? Only where the completed part can lawfully operate on its own under the permit and the operating notification.
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This page is general information and does not constitute legal advice. It reflects the law as at the date shown and may change.
