Drivers and owners who bring cars, motorcycles, leisure boats, or other means of transport into Greece under temporary import status without paying customs duties are now facing steep penalties under Law 5222/2025. The law requires that such vehicles be re-exported or sent back within a strict deadline. Failure to comply can result in fines ranging from a few euros per day to thousands, depending on the type of violation, the engine size or power, and the length of the delay.
For passenger cars, owners who miss the deadline for re-exportation are charged a daily penalty. A 1,600cc car incurs €7.50 per day, while a 2,500cc vehicle is charged €15 daily. Cars above 4,000cc are penalized €25 per day. Motorcycles face a flat fine of €5 per day regardless of engine size. For fully electric cars, the fine ranges from €3 to €10 per day, depending on motor power. Vehicles found circulating with expired temporary plates and permits face an additional lump-sum fine of €300.
The framework is equally strict for other means of transport. Late clearance of temporary import status incurs a flat €100 plus €15 per day of delay. For private leisure boats from non-EU countries, penalties are even harsher. Failing to submit the required movement declaration to customs within 24 hours of first arrival leads to a €300 fine, plus €30 for every day of delay. A yacht moored in Piraeus without timely paperwork can accumulate hundreds of euros in fines within days. If the boat remains past its authorized period, further penalties apply, including sanctions for omissions such as failing to declare a change of owner.
Penalties rise sharply when a vehicle is used by someone not entitled to drive it. For cars, fines start at €700 if the authorized owner is in Greece, but can soar to €10,000 depending on engine size if the owner is abroad. Motorcycles face fines between €300 and €1,000, while electric cars are penalized between €1,300 and €4,000. For non-EU vessels, unauthorized use incurs a fine of €733, doubled if the owner is not in the country.
The law also sets a €900 fine for anyone transferring or leasing a vehicle under temporary import status. For trailers and caravans, the penalty is €100 plus €5 per day of delay. Submitting false information to obtain temporary import privileges results in a €100 fine and €15 for each day the vehicle remains in Greece.
In all other violations, customs authorities not only impose fines but also collect all applicable duties and taxes, along with an additional penalty equal to 100% of those charges. Vehicles placed under customs immobilization that are not re-exported within the deadline are not fined, but instead classified as “unclaimed” and transferred to state ownership.
