Starting a business in Crete

This Starting a Business in Crete Page is from the Completely Crete Making a Living in Crete section.

If you’re thinking about starting a business in Crete – perhaps a bar, restaurant, club or shop – then you really need to do your homework first to make a success of your enterprise.

Rules and fees last checked: October 2026. Always confirm with the official source before you act.

Crete real estate agents advertise businesses for sale and rent on this the largest of the Greek islands.

Check out our Crete Estate Agents pages for the very latest businesses for sale.

Or if you’re thinking about investing in Crete property and getting into the buy to let market then check out our Buy to let Guide for more information about the rules and regulations about letting out Crete property.

Whatever your business in Crete aspirations, you’ll need a good lawyer, local accountant, patience and determination!

Greek bureaucracy has a formidable reputation, and this isn't helped by the fact that things have to be conducted in a very foreign language. However, bureaucracy in many other countries can be just as bad.

Nevertheless, starting a business in Crete is not for the faint hearted. Those who dream of owning a beach bar, lazing the days away under blue skies and sipping your own carefully crafted cocktails may have a rude awakening! Long hours, hard work, stamina and tolerance of sometimes "crazy" bureaucracy are called for.

If we haven’t put you off owning a business in Crete then read on….

Licences

Before you part with any cash, be certain that you can get the licences your business needs in time for the date you plan to open, if at all.

Residence and the Right to Run a Business

EU citizens can run a business in Crete without a work permit, but UK and other non-EU nationals need a Greek residence permit that covers their business. The EU's Your Europe guide to work permits in the EU says self-employed EU citizens never need a work permit. EU citizens who stay in Greece for more than 3 months still register with the police for a registration certificate.

UK nationals who have lived in Greece legally since before 1 January 2021 keep the right to work under the Withdrawal Agreement. Other UK and non-EU nationals choose a permit from the residence permit categories of the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, which include permits for investment activity. Our guide to living in Crete explains the residence rules after Brexit.

Tax Number (AFM)

You need a Greek tax number (AFM) before you can buy or start a business in Crete. The AFM application starts online on gov.gr, and you then confirm your identity on a video call with the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) or in person at a tax office. Your lawyer or accountant can apply on your behalf with your authorisation. The AFM section of our guide to living in Crete walks through the application.

Registering a Business and Self-Employment

Self-employed people in Crete register the start of their business activity with AADE, and their social insurance then runs through e-EFKA. The Mitos register of Greek public services describes how to start a sole proprietorship for commercial activity. Greek and EU citizens who live in Greece apply online through gov.gr with their Taxisnet login, and the one application registers the business with the tax office and the General Commercial Registry (GEMI). The online service is free and issues a certificate of commencement of business, which you can download from myAADE.

Non-EU nationals start a sole proprietorship through the tax office and GEMI instead of the online service, according to the same Mitos entry. People who live outside Greece act through a tax representative.

Social Insurance with e-EFKA

Self-employed people and business owners in Greece pay social insurance contributions to e-EFKA, the Unified Social Security Fund. e-EFKA replaced the old separate funds such as TEBE, OGA and IKA. The Greek government's EUGO portal explains the insurance rules for businesses in Greece. A sole trader is insured from the date the business starts at the tax office, and the registration runs through e-EFKA's online services, which connect with AADE. The contribution rules depend on the legal form of the business and the type of activity, so ask your accountant which category applies to you.

Paying e-EFKA contributions gives you access to the Greek state health system run by EOPYY. Our guide to health care in Crete explains how to register.

Lawyer

A good English-speaking Crete lawyer helps you through the process. Our list of Lawyers in Crete covers the prefectures of Chania, Rethymno, Iraklio and Lasithi.

Accountant

A Crete accountant makes sure you know your liabilities and that every tax due is paid on time.

Health Certificate for Food and Drink Businesses

Food and drink businesses in Crete need a health certificate (pistopoiitiko ygeias) for the owner and the staff. The health certificate has replaced the old health booklet. EOPYY publishes the rules for health certificates in food and drink businesses (in Greek). The certificate requires medical tests and checks at your own expense. Ask your lawyer or your local citizens' service centre (KEP) which tests you need.

Employees

Employing a worker in Crete means giving them a proper written work contract and paying their social insurance contributions to e-EFKA. Your accountant handles the registration of new staff with the Greek authorities.

Income Tax

Once you have an AFM, you submit a Greek tax return every year, according to GOV.UK's Living in Greece guide. The UK has a double taxation agreement with Greece, so the same income is not taxed in both countries. The Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance publishes a tax guide in English. A local accountant files your business tax returns and keeps your books in order.

Working for yourself in Crete

Self-employment in Crete suits people with a transferable skill or trade. Painters, carpenters, builders, hairdressers and English teachers can use their skills to earn money on the island. A good local accountant is essential, because the accountant advises on the business structure that suits you and keeps your tax filings in order. For the registration steps for your trade, ask a Crete lawyer or your local KEP office.

Finally…

If you do decide to open a business in Crete we wish you every success!