Did you know that according to Greek law owners of eligible plots and uncovered spaces within town plans, settlements or within 100 metres of their boundaries are required to clear dry vegetation every spring and declare this through the gov.gr online service?
The owner of an uncleared plot also runs the risk of a large-scale fire spreading to neighbouring plots or even to buildings on the same plot. This task needs to be organized, but it can be done from abroad.
Quick answer: do I have to clean my plot in Greece?
- Probably yes, if you are an owner, possessor, usufructuary or tenant of an eligible plot or uncovered space within an urban plan, a settlement or within 100 metres of the relevant boundaries.
- Certain plots outside planning areas that contain buildings are also covered. Forestry exclusions and other exemptions need to be checked.
- The clearing of the plot generally has to take place between 1 April and 15 June, with the online declaration completed by 15 June of the same year, unless an extension is announced.
- Keep the plot maintained until 31 October.
- Living abroad is not an exemption.
Who must clean and declare the land?
The duty applies to owners, possessors, usufructuaries, tenants and subtenants of land within the scope of the rules.
Where different parties hold rights to the same land, responsibility generally falls first on the party exercising possession or use, then the usufructuary, and otherwise the owner. Where several responsible parties coexist, the authorities may pursue any of them, so agree clearly who will arrange the work and declaration.
For jointly owned land, one owner can submit a declaration covering the whole plot. civilprotection.gov.gr
Do I have to clear my inherited Greek plot or vacant land that I am using as an investment?
Inheritance or holding land as an investment does not, by itself, create an exemption. Check whether the land falls within the covered categories and who is responsible for it.
If you have recently inherited the property, our first-year guide to inheriting property in Greece while living abroad covers the wider practical arrangements.
Which land is covered?
According to gov.gr’s plot cleaning declaration service, the provision covers eligible plots and uncovered spaces:
- inside approved urban plans
- inside settlement boundaries without an approved plan
- within 100 metres of those boundaries, provided they are not subject to forestry legislation
- outside planning areas where there is a building, provided they are not subject to forestry legislation
The rules also provide exemptions, including qualifying agricultural land and grazing land, landscaped and maintained gardens, demonstrably inaccessible areas and specified categories of public land. These exemptions have conditions; an abandoned plot is not automatically exempt because it was once used for agriculture. Επαγγελματικό Επιμελητήριο Αθηνών
Please note that the rules depend on the land’s classification and circumstances. Contact your municipality or a Greek lawyer to clarify whether your plot is covered.
Note: The interior of a flat in a polykatoikia is not a plot-cleaning matter. However, a building may have shared uncovered land that needs attention. A landscaped and maintained garden may qualify for an exemption; an overgrown shared area needs to be assessed separately.
For shared areas, speak to the building administrator. Our guide to what a diaxeiristis does in a Greek apartment building explains their role.
When is the plot cleaning deadline?
The yearly pattern is:
- 1 April to 15 June: clear the land.
- By 15 June: submit the declaration after completing the work.
- Throughout the fire season, until 31 October: continue to maintain the plot.
For 2026, the cleaning and declaration deadline was extended to 22 June. Never rely on an extension and always check the official deadline for the relevant year. civilprotection.gov.gr
What does plot cleaning involve?
The required work includes removing dry vegetation and debris, pruning trees, thinning shrubs, disposing of abandoned flammable material and reducing the fuel load.
Ask your contractor to cover:
- cutting the dry grass and removing it, instead of just cutting it
- pruning low branches and removing dead wood, as appropriate for the trees
- removing dry leaves, pine needles and other rubbish, especially from walls and boundaries
- removing abandoned wood piles, old combustible building materials and other flammable objects
- collecting and taking away the waste through the appropriate disposal arrangements
The Municipality of Athens also stresses that those responsible must arrange safe collection and transport of the clearing waste. Δήμος Αθηναίων
One clearing in April may not be enough. New vegetation and accumulated debris can create another fire hazard. Arrange further checks and clearing as needed throughout the fire season, rather than waiting until late summer.
How do I file the plot cleaning declaration?
The declaration is a formal υπεύθυνη δήλωση, submitted to the National Registry for the Maintenance of Preventive Fire Protection Measures.
- Open the official plot cleaning platform and sign in using your TAXISnet credentials. Instructions are given here on how to log in to TAXIS and myAADE when you are abroad.
- Select the declaration service and identify the plot using the details requested, including its KAEK or coordinates where applicable.
- Confirm that the required work is complete and submit the declaration.
- Save the confirmation and dated photos of the finished land.
If you need to find your property reference, see our guide to checking your Greek property in the Hellenic Cadastre.
Paper filing through a KEP or the competent fire service is available only in specified circumstances. These include documented platform unavailability, being over 67, certified disability or qualifying force majeure. Living abroad alone is not a listed reason. civilprotection.gov.gr
If you are abroad and have no working TAXISnet account, sort this out well before April. Ask your Greek accountant or the platform’s support service about the appropriate filing or authorisation arrangements. Do not share your TAXISnet password.
What are the fines?
The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection lists the following penalties:
| Failure | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Neither cleaning nor submitting the declaration | €500 for failure to declare |
| Cleaning completed but no declaration submitted | €100 for failure to declare |
| Failure to carry out the required cleaning | €1 per square metre, with a minimum of €200 and a maximum of €2,000 |
| Municipal clearing of the plot | The clearing cost may be charged to the responsible party |
| Submitting a false declaration | A €5,000 financial penalty and imprisonment of at least six months |
The failure-to-declare penalties and the failure-to-clean penalty concern different obligations. Do not assume that paying one removes the other obligation. civilprotection.gov.gr
Submit the declaration only after completing the required work. Always check the current rules and the latest figures published in the Government Gazette (ΦΕΚ).
What steps should I take to protect the land during fire season?
The duty to maintain the plot does not finish on 15 June. Arrange checks after strong winds and as vegetation grows back, and keep paths and boundaries clear.
If there is a house on the land:
- keep gutters, terraces and roofs free of dry leaves
- store firewood and gas bottles safely, away from the building and in accordance with applicable safety guidance
- check what your policy says about fire in the Greek home insurance guide
What should owners abroad arrange?
Most failures occur because responsibility has not been clearly assigned. Establish the following before spring to prepare for clearing the plot:
- A named person responsible for arranging the work and collecting the corresponding documents.
- An organized contractor who has given you a written offer with the scope of work, the area to be cleared and the way in which the waste will be removed. Agree payment terms in writing and avoid paying the full amount before completion.
- Before and after photos to document the work. These do not replace a municipal inspection.
- A copy of the submitted cleaning declaration saved in your property folder. A list of the documents you should keep for your Greek property is found here.
- A reminder to arrange spring clearing from 1 April in your annual admin calendar, followed by reminders for the declaration deadline and ongoing maintenance.
Hiring someone to clear your plot generally does not require a notarised Power of Attorney. Authorising someone to deal with an official service is a separate matter. Find out more in our guide: do you need a power of attorney in Greece?
“Fire season is the only time of the year when a foreign owner cannot abandon his holiday home to others’ mercy. Arrange to have your land cleared of dry material in spring. Ask for and keep a photo of the completed work plus the receipt for the paid service. Dry plots of land burn and the neighbours suffer!”
Yanis, Founder of Home Watch Athens
How Home Watch Athens can help
Home Watch Athens is a members-only, founder-led service for owners of holiday homes or vacant properties in Athens who live abroad. We offer a monthly property visit including a photo report by WhatsApp and a check of the balcony or terrace.
Obtaining a quote from a tradesperson for clearing overgrown areas, you approving the scope of work and price in writing, and us supervising the work on site are all outside the standard visit and therefore not included in the Home Watch visit. These require separately agreed scope and charges. The declaration is yours to file. We do not file it for you.
We can also assist with deadline management through our administrative representation service. See also our monthly property check, our property management in Athens and our guide to owning a holiday home in Greece if you live abroad.