05 Mar What to look out for When Buying a Car: All Taxes and Fees
Buying a car is a significant decision. Apart from other factors and technical specifications, there are also several taxes associated with cars. Below, we outline what is in effect as of March 2024 for these taxes and what you should pay attention to when considering a purchase.
Cars have a series of taxes, including: 1) Circulation taxes (road tax), 2) Tekmiria, 3) Luxury tax.
1.Circulation Taxes
Circulation taxes are among the basic expenses for a car, especially for older models, some of which burden the owner with hundreds of euros to keep the vehicle in circulation. An alternative solution is for the vehicle owner to declare it off the road for the period it’s not in use, for which there is the option to pay the circulation taxes monthly. In the case of someone wanting to buy a second-hand vehicle off the road, they will not pay the amount for the whole year but only for the remaining months.
How much will I pay for circulation taxes?
Cars registered in Greece until October 31, 2010, pay circulation taxes based on their engine displacement. Cars registered after November 1, 2010, pay taxes based on CO2 emissions listed on the registration license, with exemptions for those emitting less than 90 CO2 or 122 g/km, depending on their date of registration.
Below are tables with circulation taxes corresponding to each car, along with examples of how to calculate them, depending on the exact registration date and characteristics (engine displacement or CO2 emissions):
Passenger cars for private use registered from 1.11.2010 to 31.12.2020:
The calculation is based on carbon dioxide emissions (grams of CO2 per kilometer) listed on the vehicle’s license. It’s multiplied by the CO2 emissions listed on the Circulation License of the car by the corresponding value per unit of CO2 emissions.
For example: If your car emits 160 g CO2/km, then the corresponding circulation taxes are: 160 x €1.85 = €296.
Registration from 1.11.2010 to 31.12.2020:
| CO2 Emissions (g/km) | Cost (€/gram) |
| 0 – 90 | 0 |
| 91 – 100 | 0.90 |
| 101 – 120 | 0.98 |
| 121 – 140 | 1.20 |
| 141 – 160 | 1.85 |
| 161 – 180 | 2.45 |
| 181 – 200 | 2.78 |
| 201 – 250 | 3.05 |
| 251 and above | 3.72 |
Passenger cars for private use registered from 1.1.2021 to date:
The calculation is based on the carbon dioxide emission values (grams of CO2 per kilometer) according to the Worldwide Light Test Procedure (WLTP) as listed on the vehicle’s license.
For example: If your car emits 140g CO2/km, then the corresponding circulation taxes are: 140 x €0.70 = €98.
Registration from 1.1.2021 to date:
| CO2 Emissions (g/km) | Cost (€/gram) |
| 0 – 122 | 0 |
| 123-139 | 0.64 |
| 140-166 | 0.70 |
| 167-208 | 0.85 |
| 209-224 | 1.87 |
| 225-240 | 2.20 |
| 241-260 | 2.50 |
| 261-280 | 2.70 |
| 281 and above | 2.85 |
Passenger cars for private use registered until 31.12.2000:
The calculation is based on engine displacement (cubic centimeters).
Registration until 31.12.2000:
| Engine Displacement (cc) | Cost (€) |
| 0-300 | 22 |
| 301-785 | 55 |
| 786-1071 | 120 |
| 1072-1357 | 135 |
| 1358-1548 | 225 |
| 1549-1738 | 250 |
| 1739-1928 | 280 |
| 1929-2357 | 615 |
| 2358-3000 | 820 |
| 3001-4000 | 1025 |
| 4001 and above | 1230 |
Passenger cars for private use registered from 1.1.2001 to 31.12.2005:
The calculation is based on engine displacement (cubic centimeters).
Registration from 1.1.2001 to 31.12.2005
| Engine Displacement (cc) | Cost (€) |
| 0-300 | 22 |
| 301-785 | 55 |
| 786-1071 | 120 |
| 1072-1357 | 135 |
| 1358-1548 | 240 |
| 1549-1738 | 265 |
| 1739-1928 | 300 |
| 1929-2357 | 630 |
| 2358-3000 | 840 |
| 3001-4000 | 1050 |
| 4001 and above | 1260 |
Passenger cars for private use registered from 1.1.2006 to 31.10.2010:
The calculation is based on engine displacement (cubic centimeters).
Registration from 1.1.2006 to 31.10.2010:
| Engine Displacement (cc) | Cost (€) |
| 0-300 | 22 |
| 301-785 | 55 |
| 786-1071 | 120 |
| 1072-1357 | 135 |
| 1358-1548 | 255 |
| 1549-1738 | 280 |
| 1739-1928 | 320 |
| 1929-2357 | 690 |
| 2358-3000 | 920 |
| 3001-4000 | 1150 |
| 4001 and above | 1380 |
Hybrid Vehicles
For hybrid cars and hybrid motorcycles and tricycles that were classified before 31/10/2010:
-Up to 1,549 cc, regardless of the date of first registration in a European Union/EEA member state, are exempt from road taxes.
-From 1,549 cc and above, the road taxes imposed correspond to 60% of those of equivalent conventional vehicles.
Electric & Hydrogen Electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles
As well as electric and hydrogen-powered motorcycles and tricycles of the above category, are exempt from road taxes.
Fines
Late payment or non-payment of taxes results in a fine equal to 100% of the taxes due for the vehicle. Specifically, the amount of the fine imposed is:
-Equal to the amount of the taxes if the vehicle is a motorcycle/tricycle or a passenger car.
-Equal to 50% of the taxes if the vehicle is a commercial vehicle.
2.Tekmiria
Tekmiria are a method used by the state to calculate citizens’ notional incomes. Using this method, the Ministry of Finance assumes that the owner of each passenger car must have a specific income to maintain it, and if they do not declare it, they are taxed for it. Tekmiria are calculated based on assets such as residence, swimming pools, boats, children’s enrollment in private schools, or domestic help, as well as passenger cars. Therefore, the tekmiria of a passenger car burdens the annual income of its owner, and it is added to other tekmiria that burden them to determine if their actual income aligns with the amount the state believes it should be.
How is car notional income calculated?
According to current legislation, tekmiria depend on the car’s displacement. For passenger cars they are determined as follows:
Up to 1,200 cc, the “objective maintenance expense” or “maintenance certificate” is set at €4,000.
For cars larger than 1,200 cc up to 2,000 cc, €600 per 100 cc is added.
For cars over 2,000 cc up to 3,000 cc, €900 per 100 cc is added.
For cars over 3,000 cc, €1,200 per 100 cc is added.
Reduction of tekmiria due to age
The above amounts are reduced according to the age of the car. The age is calculated from the year of first registration of the car in Greece, and a reduction of 30% applies for vehicles with a circulation period of 5 to 10 years, and 50% for those over 10 years old. If their displacement does not end in a complete hundred, it is rounded to the nearest hundred. For example, a car with a displacement of 1,797 cc is considered 1,800 cc, while a passenger vehicle with 1,648 cc is considered 1,600 cc.
The following table shows the tekmiria according to the displacement of cars in the Greek market:
| Displacement | Up to 5 years (€) | 5-10 years (30%) (€) | Over 10 years (50%) (€) |
| 900 | 4000 | 2800 | 2000 |
| 1000 | 4000 | 2800 | 2000 |
| 1100 | 4000 | 2800 | 2000 |
| 1200 | 4000 | 2800 | 2000 |
| 1300 | 4600 | 3220 | 2300 |
| 1400 | 5200 | 3500 | 2600 |
| 1500 | 5800 | 4060 | 2400 |
| 1600 | 6400 | 4480 | 3200 |
| 1700 | 7000 | 4900 | 3500 |
| 1800 | 7600 | 5320 | 3800 |
| 2000 | 8800 | 6160 | 4400 |
| 2500 | 13300 | 9310 | 6650 |
| 3000 | 17800 | 12460 | 8900 |
| 3500 | 23800 | 16660 | 11900 |
Exemptions
Electric vehicles with a value of up to €50,000 (Retail Price Before Taxes) are exempt. Conversely, for electric vehicles worth more than €50,000, a maintenance tekmirio of €4,000 is required. Furthermore, tekmiria are not required for privately used passenger cars that have a certificate of authenticity, i.e., historic vehicles, as well as for passenger cars specially modified for disabled persons, with a disability percentage of at least 67%.
3.Luxury Living Tax and Calculation
In addition, there is a Luxury Living Tax that is directly related to the tekmiria, as it is calculated as a percentage of the annual living tekmirio of each car. The calculation is based on the amounts of tekmiria listed in the tax return.
The result of this calculation is that the luxury living tax has all the deductions or exemptions that taxpayers have on the tekmiria. The luxury living tax is imposed on the amounts of annual objective expenses resulting from the ownership or possession of privately used passenger cars with large engine capacity, which are calculated from income tax declarations. For passenger cars from 1,929 cc to 2,500 cc, the tax is equal to the amount of the annual objective expense multiplied by a coefficient of 5%. For passenger cars of 2,500 cc and above, the tax is equal to the amount of the annual objective expense multiplied by a coefficient of 13%.
Luxury Living Tax Exemptions
Luxury living tax is exempted for privately used passenger cars over 10 years old from the year of their first registration in Greece or in an EU/EEA country, as well as for privately used passenger cars of disabled persons that are exempt from road taxes.
Owners of Passenger Cars Charge
The amounts that car owners are called upon to pay start from €287 for cars with an engine capacity of 1,929 cc and a age of 5 to 10 years, up to €3,820 for cars with a engine capacity of 4,700 cc and a age of up to 5 years. The following table shows how the luxury tax is calculated in each case:
Cars up to 5 years old
| Displacement | Tekmirio | Luxury Tax |
| 1.929-1.949 | 8.200€ | 410€ |
| 1.950-2.049 | 8.800€ | 440€ |
| 2.050 – 2.149 | 9.700€ | 485€ |
| 2.150 – 2.249 | 10.600€ | 530€ |
| 2.250 – 2.349 | 11.500€ | 575€ |
| 2.350 – 2.449 | 12.400€ | 620€ |
| 2.450 – 2.500 | 13.300€ | 665€ |
| 2.501 – 2.549 | 13.300€ | 1.330€ |
| 2.550 – 2.649 | 14.200€ | 1.420€ |
| 2.650 – 2.749 | 15.100€ | 1.510€ |
| 2.750 – 2.849 | 16.000€ | 1.600€ |
| 2.850 – 2.949 | 16.900€ | 1.690€ |
| 2.950 – 3.049 | 17.800€ | 1.780€ |
| 3.050 – 3.149 | 19.000€ | 1.900€ |
| 3.150 – 3.249 | 20.200€ | 2.020€ |
| 3.250 – 3.349 | 21.400€ | 2.140€ |
| 3.350 – 3.449 | 22.600€ | 2.260€ |
| 3.450 – 3.549 | 23.800€ | 2.380€ |
| 3.550 – 3.649 | 25.000€ | 2.500€ |
| 3.650 – 3.749 | 26.200€ | 2.620€ |
| 3.750 – 3.849 | 27.400€ | 2.740€ |
| 3.850 – 3.949 | 28.600€ | 2.860€ |
| 3.950 – 4.049 | 29.800€ | 2.980€ |
| 4.050 – 4.149 | 31.000€ | 3.100€ |
| 4.150 – 4.249 | 32.200€ | 3.220€ |
| 4.250 – 4.349 | 33.400€ | 3.340€ |
| 4.350 – 4.449 | 34.600€ | 3.460€ |
| 4.450 – 4.549 | 35.800€ | 3.580€ |
| 4.550 – 4.649 | 37.000€ | 3.700€ |
| 4.650 – 4.749 | 38.200€ | 3.820€ |
Cars from 6 to 10 years
| Displacement | Tekmirio | Luxury Tax |
| 1.929-1.949 | 5.740€ | 287 € |
| 1.950-2.049 | 6.160€ | 308 € |
| 2.050 – 2.149 | 6.790€ | 340 € |
| 2.150 – 2.249 | 7.420€ | 371 € |
| 2.250 – 2.349 | 8.050€ | 403 € |
| 2.350 – 2.449 | 8.680€ | 434 € |
| 2.450 – 2.500 | 9.310€ | 466 € |
| 2.501 – 2.549 | 9.310€ | 931 € |
| 2.550 – 2.649 | 9.940€ | 994 € |
| 2.650 – 2.749 | 10.570€ | 1.057 € |
| 2.750 – 2.849 | 11.200€ | 1.120 € |
| 2.850 – 2.949 | 11.830€ | 1.183 € |
| 2.950 – 3.049 | 12.460€ | 1.246 € |
| 3.050 – 3.149 | 13.300€ | 1.330 € |
| 3.150 – 3.249 | 14.140€ | 1.414 € |
| 3.250 – 3.349 | 14.980€ | 1.498 € |
| 3.350 – 3.449 | 15.820€ | 1.582 € |
| 3.450 – 3.549 | 16.660€ | 1.666 € |
| 3.550 – 3.649 | 17.500€ | 1.750 € |
| 3.650 – 3.749 | 18.340€ | 1.834 € |
| 3.750 – 3.849 | 19.180€ | 1.918 € |
| 3.850 – 3.949 | 20.020€ | 2.002 € |
| 3.950 – 4.049 | 20.860€ | 2.086 € |
| 4.050 – 4.149 | 21.700€ | 2.170 € |
| 4.150 – 4.249 | 22.540€ | 2.254 € |
| 4.250 – 4.349 | 23.380€ | 2.338 € |
| 4.350 – 4.449 | 24.220€ | 2.422 € |
| 4.450 – 4.549 | 25.060€ | 2.506 € |
| 4.550 – 4.649 | 25.900€ | 2.590 € |
| 4.650 – 4.749 | 26.740€ | 2.674 € |
Therefore, whoever owns a high-capacity car will be required to pay a very high tax, as in addition to road taxes, they have to pay luxury tax. For example, the owner of a 2,050 cc SUV with an age of 4 years based on the tax regime, in addition to the emissions-based road taxes, is also required to pay an additional €485 for luxury. In a more unfavorable position are the owners of 4,000 cc cars, where the cost can even reach €4,080.
When is the owner entitled to exemptions?
Owners of cars are exempt from paying road taxes, as well as from luxury living tax, if they deposit the license plates of their vehicles.
