The permit to use public space for tables and chairs (outdoor seating, άδεια κοινόχρηστου χώρου) is often complicated, because the requirements differ from one Municipality to another. A mistake in the dimensions or in the renewal can cost fines and days of operation.
Working with experienced engineers, we handle the whole procedure, so that the business owner does not have to deal with the bureaucracy, and we stand by them when an inspection or a fine comes.
What we handle
- Checking the Municipality’s public space regulations and what is allowed in front of your premises.
- The topographic plan or sketch of the area by an engineer, and the application file.
- Filing the application and following it up until the permit is issued.
- The annual renewal, before the permit expires.
- Defence against fines for exceeding the permit, revocation of the permit and sealing of the premises.
- For beaches and the foreshore (αιγιαλός), which have a separate concession regime, we also handle the procedure and the cases.
What you risk if you go beyond your permit
If you breach the terms of the permit, you pay the fee plus a fine of three times that amount. If you use space without a permit, you pay the fee plus a fine of 2, 3 or 4 times the highest amount per square metre set by the Municipality, depending on the space. If a new violation is found within the year, after an order to remove the unauthorised occupation has been served on you and 7 days have passed, the permit is revoked for 6 months. A food and beverage business (“shop of sanitary interest”, ΚΥΕ) also faces a double fine or sealing of the premises for 3 to 10 days (article 400 of Law 5314/2026).
Against the Municipality’s decision to revoke the permit or seal the premises, a special administrative appeal must first be filed with the Local Government Supervisor (Επόπτης ΟΤΑ), within 15 days of notification. Without it, an appeal to the court is inadmissible (articles 692–697 of Law 5314/2026).
Frequently asked questions
When does the outdoor seating permit expire?
The permit cannot last longer than one calendar year (article 576 of Law 5314/2026) and is renewed only by application. Check the expiry date of your own permit and file the renewal in good time, so that your business is not left without a permit at the start of the year.
Can I put out tables before the permit is issued?
Not before the application and the Municipality’s on-site inspection. Once you apply, the Municipality’s department carries out an on-site inspection and issues a report with the location and size of the area. From then on, temporary use is allowed, only within those limits, until the permit is issued (article 576 para. 5 of Law 5314/2026). Any use outside them is treated as unauthorised occupation and leads to fines and, for repeat violations, to sanctions on the business itself.
The inspector measured more square metres than my permit allows. What do I do?
Send us the inspection report or note and photos of the area as it was. We check the measurement, the procedure and the deadlines, and decide together with you whether and how to challenge it.
See also: Sealing of premises · Unauthorised occupation of public space (in Greek)