Making a will in Greece after the 2026 reform: holographic, public and mystic wills
Law 5303/2026 rewrote the Greek law of succession from 16 September 2026. Here is what has changed for anyone making – or relying on – a will governed by Greek law.
The three ordinary forms of will
Greek law continues to recognise three ordinary forms of will: the holographic will (Article 1721 of the Civil Code), the public will made before a notary (Article 1725) and the mystic will, a sealed document handed to a notary (Article 1739). The former special forms of extraordinary will – military wills, wills in time of siege and wills on board ship – have been merged into a single ‘will in extraordinary circumstances’. It is made orally before three witnesses by a person in imminent danger of death and lapses three months after it is made if the testator is still alive (Articles 1750–1752).
Capacity to make a will is now acquired at the age of 16 (Article 1719), although minors may only use the public form; the holographic and mystic wills remain reserved for adults (Articles 1723 and 1749).
The holographic will: still simple, but with new safeguards
A holographic will must be written entirely by hand, dated and signed by the testator. The reform has relaxed one formality and tightened another. A false, incorrect or incomplete date no longer renders the will void by itself (Article 1721). On the other hand, the law now distinguishes sharply between holographic wills that were deposited in person with a notary for safekeeping (Article 1722) and those kept privately.
A deposited holographic will produces its effects as soon as it is published. A will that was not deposited produces its effects only if descendants or the spouse of the testator are among the beneficiaries; in every other case – and in every case where the will surfaces more than two years after the death – it must first be declared genuine by a certified notary, following a handwriting expert’s report (Article 1763 of the Civil Code; Article 808A of the Code of Civil Procedure). The practical advice is simple: if you hold a handwritten will, deposit it with a Greek notary.
A further anti-abuse rule renders void any disposition in a holographic will made while the testator was receiving care in a health or social-care institution, or within three months after leaving it, in favour of persons connected with the institution or their relatives, unless they would in any event have been intestate heirs (Article 1724).
Public and mystic wills: fewer witnesses, more accessibility
The public will is declared orally before a notary in the presence of two witnesses, or a second notary and one witness – down from three witnesses under the old law (Article 1725). Witnesses must be at least 16 and know Greek; a testator who does not speak Greek uses an interpreter (Articles 1729 and 1738), and a testator with a serious speech impairment may use mechanical or electronic means to voice his or her will (Article 1731). The notary records the will in a deed which is read back to the testator and signed by all present (Articles 1733–1734).
The mystic will is a document – handwritten, typed or written by a third party (Article 1741) – that the testator signs and hands sealed to a notary in the presence of two witnesses or a second notary and one witness (Article 1739). A mystic will that fails for a formal defect survives as a holographic will if it meets the requirements of that form (Article 1748).
Do existing wills remain valid?
Yes. A will made before the new law entered into force is judged, as regards its form and the testator’s capacity, under the previous law, even if the testator dies after 16 September 2026 (Article 33 of Law 5303/2026). Its content, however, will operate within the new framework – notably the new rules on the forced share and on the rights of the surviving spouse – which is why a review of existing wills is advisable, particularly for clients with assets in more than one jurisdiction.
How we can help
Our private client team advises Greek and international clients on the drafting, review and execution of wills under Greek law, including coordination with wills made in other jurisdictions.
Updated October 2026. This article reflects Law 5303/2026, applicable to successions opening on or after 16 September 2026, and is for general information only; it does not constitute legal advice.
* The information is accurate to the best of our knowledge as at the time of writing. We have no obligation to update it. We accept no responsibility against any third party who is not a client of the firm and has not signed the terms of our engagement.