Legal frame
Governing: law 4926/2022 arts 1–22, 86 and 136 (ΦΕΚ Α' 82/20.04.2022), as amended to law 5111/2024. Builds on: nothing; start here.
Why this lesson exists
Greek charter law was rebuilt in 2022. Brokers' templates, insurers' wordings and some consolidated websites still quote law 4256/2014. For professional pleasure vessels that law is now mostly history, and citing it in a charterparty or a reply to the Port Authority marks you as out of date.
What happened, in order
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 14 Apr 2014 | Law 4256/2014 (ΦΕΚ Α' 92) sets up the post-2014 tourist-vessel regime |
| 20 Apr 2022 | Law 4926/2022 (ΦΕΚ Α' 82) is published; its Part A takes over |
| 20 Apr 2022 | Art. 86 repeals arts 1–13, 14(7)–(10) and 15 of 4256/2014 |
| 1 Jun 2022 | New insurance minimums (art. 17) apply and 4256 art. 14(4) goes |
| 1 Jan 2023 | The new manning thresholds of art. 11 apply |
| 24 May 2024 | Law 5111/2024 (ΦΕΚ Α' 76) amends Part A; it is the latest amending act the consolidated texts show |
What law 4926/2022 Part A covers
- Definitions (art. 1): pleasure vessel, private and professional status, whole and partial charter, self-use, κυβερνήτης.
- The e-Μητρώο Πλοίων (art. 2) and the conditions to operate (art. 3).
- Minimum charter days, suspension, arrest and the VAT recapture on cessation (arts 4–7).
- Foreign-law commercial yachts without registration: the Charter Permission and its fee (arts 8–9). This course does not repeat them; see Foreign-Flag Superyachts in Greece.
- Day-tourist boats (art. 10), manning (art. 11).
- Charterparty, passenger list, clearance, self-use, empty passages, insurance (arts 12–17).
- The digital tools e-Ναυλοσύμφωνο and e-CharterPermission (art. 18) and penalties (arts 19–20).
- Enabling powers and transitional rules (arts 21–22).
Part B of the same law creates the Ν.Ε.Π.Α. (Ναυτιλιακή Εταιρεία Πλοίων Αναψυχής), a company form for owning pleasure vessels. It is a company, not a register.
Where the old law still shows through
- Α.1018/2020, the VAT decision you will meet in Module 5, defines professional yachts "of law 4256/2014". The ΤΕΠΑΗ article (law 4211/2013 art. 13) does the same. These are drafting leftovers; the rules still operate.
- The Ministerial decision on the κυβερνήτης of yachts with no manning obligation, Υ.Α. 3342/02/2004 (ΦΕΚ Β' 478) as amended by 3342/13/2004, stays in force until a new decision is issued (art. 21(1)(γ)). The detail is in Bareboat Chartering in Greece.
- Old licences under law 2743/1999 or 4256/2014 art. 15(8) survived only for yachts that applied in time for e-Μητρώο entry (art. 22(1)).
CAUTION — Consolidated websites Some consolidators still show 4256/2014 article texts, and at least one shows a version of the old art. 3 that never matched the 2014 original. When a clause matters, read the ΦΕΚ of law 4926/2022 and check the amendment list.
How to cite
In a charterparty, a broker email or a reply to the Port Authority: "law 4926/2022 (ΦΕΚ Α' 82), as in force", with the article. Mention 4256/2014 only to say it was repealed.
TIP — Template hygiene Search your charter templates for "4256". Every hit is either a repealed reference or a sign the template predates the e-Ναυλοσύμφωνο.