Filming Permits in Greece: Who Issues Them and How to Apply
Greece has no single national filming permit. Who issues the permit depends on where you point the camera: municipalities and local authorities for public spaces, the Ministry of Culture and Sports through the relevant Ephorate of Antiquities for archaeological and historical sites, the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority for aerial filming, and the property owner for private property. Applications for archaeological sites are typically filed at least a month before filming dates.
This guide sets out how filming permits in Greece work for international productions: the competent authorities, the supporting documents, what public spaces and historic sites each require, how long the process takes and what it costs. NEEDaFIXER acts as the Greek production company that submits the applications and manages local crew and locations across the mainland and the islands. See also our filming permits by country hub, filming in Greece and the Greece film production incentives page for the 40% cash rebate that often runs alongside the permit.
Who is responsible for issuing filming permits in Greece?
There is no nationwide body responsible for every filming permit. Instead, the competent authorities divide by location type, and most international productions need more than one permission for a single schedule.
| Where you are filming | Competent authority |
|---|---|
| Archaeological and historical sites, museums, monuments | Ministry of Culture and Sports, through the relevant Ephorate of Antiquities for the region |
| Public spaces, streets, squares, open air spaces | The municipality or local council, with the port authority for harbours and beaches |
| Aerial filming and drones | Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority |
| Private property | The property owner, by written agreement; private property requires no state permit but does require consent |
| Underwater monuments and marine sites | The port authority, with the Ministry of Culture where underwater antiquities are involved |
| National parks and protected natural areas | The management body for the park or protected area |
The Greek Film Centre, the Hellenic Film Commission and Greece as a production hub
Two national institutions support the process without issuing the permits themselves: the Greek Film Centre, which issues a certificate on the script or treatment for productions that request one, and the Hellenic Film Commission under EKOME, the national body that promotes Greece as a production hub for international productions and helps foreign productions reach the correct authorities. Neither replaces the permit from the municipality or the Ministry of Culture.
Filming permits for archaeological sites, historic sites, museums and monuments
Greece’s vast cultural heritage is the reason many productions come, and it is also the most regulated part of the country to film in. The Acropolis, Delphi, Olympia, Knossos, the ancient theatres and every listed monument are immovable cultural assets under the protection of the Ministry of Culture and Sports, and filming at them needs a special filming permit issued through the relevant archaeological authority for that region.
What the ministry expects from the interested party:
- A relevant application form naming the production company, the production manager and the responsible natural or legal person.
- A synopsis or treatment describing the audiovisual production, and for fiction films the script; the ministry assesses whether the content is compatible with the character of the monument – productions that would distort the site’s meaning, promote violence or violate current Greek law are refused.
- The exact filming dates, hours, crew numbers and the technical equipment you intend to bring, including lighting, tracks and drones.
- Insurance and, where more than one monument or site is involved, a separate request for each.
Applications are typically submitted at least one month before the filming dates, and permits are generally issued for a limited number of days and can be renewed on request – confirm the current lead times and duration with the relevant Ephorate before you lock a schedule, because they vary by site and season. Fees levied vary by site, by the number of shooting days and by the type of production, and are set by the ministry rather than negotiated locally. World heritage sites and the most visited monuments have the tightest conditions on hours and crew size, and shooting usually happens outside public opening hours.
General filming permits for public spaces and open air spaces
Filming in public spaces – streets, squares, parks, beaches and other open air spaces – is handled by the municipality or the local councils for the area, not by a national authority. In principle, filming in open public space with a small crew does not require a state permit; in practice, anything that occupies the space – vehicles, lighting, tracks, a unit base, road closures or crowd control – requires permission from the municipality and, for traffic, the police. Harbours, ports and many beaches sit with the port authority instead. Because the rules and the fees differ from municipality to municipality, we confirm the requirement for each location during pre-production rather than assuming the national principle applies everywhere.
Aerial filming and drone permits in Greece
Aerial filming is licensed separately by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, and the approval does not replace the ground permit for the location beneath. Restrictions apply around airports, military sites, borders and archaeological sites, and flying over a monument needs the Ministry of Culture’s permission as well as the aviation clearance. Applications need the drone registration, the operator’s licence and insurance, so build the aviation approval into the schedule alongside the location permits rather than after them.
What documents do you need for a Greek filming permit?
- The application. The relevant application form for each authority, submitted by the interested party – in practice the Greek production company acting for the foreign production.
- The content. A synopsis, treatment or script; a certificate confirming the nature of the production is sometimes requested, and the Greek Film Centre issues one on request.
- Dates and locations. Precise filming dates, hours, and every location, listed site by site.
- Crew and equipment. Crew list with roles, and the technical equipment inventory including vehicles, lighting and any drone.
- Insurance and supporting documents. Public liability cover, company documents, and proof of the property owner’s consent for any private property.
How much do filming permits cost in Greece?
Public spaces are often free or carry a modest municipal charge. Archaeological and historical sites carry fees set by the Ministry of Culture that vary with the site, the number of days and the type of production, and museums and major monuments sit at the top of that range. Private property is a commercial negotiation with the owner. Because the fees levied vary so widely, we itemise the permit fee, the location fee and any required site staffing separately in the production budget, so a producer can see what each location actually costs before committing to it.
Which audiovisual productions can get filming permits in Greece?
International productions, co-productions and the cash rebate
Feature films and fiction films, television programmes and TV production, documentaries, commercial or TV production for brands, music videos, stills photography with a professional crew, and audio visual productions of most kinds. Content that would damage a monument, promote violence, or violate current Greek law is refused, and productions with social or cultural aims are viewed favourably at heritage sites. News and current-affairs crews follow a separate accreditation route rather than the production permit process described here. International audiovisual productions that also want the 40% cash rebate apply to EKKOMED separately – the permit and the incentive are two different applications with two different authorities, and both need a Greek entity.
Greece film permits: how NEEDaFIXER files them with local crew on the ground
We are the Greek production company on the application. Our production managers and location managers identify which competent authority controls each location, prepare the supporting documents, submit each application on time, follow it through the relevant archaeological or municipal office, and hold the approved permits with the call sheet. Our local crew works with these authorities constantly, which is what shortens the process: knowing which Ephorate covers which site, what a particular municipality asks for and how far ahead a monument needs to be booked. We handle the rebate application through the same team where the production qualifies.
Tell us the locations and the filming dates and we will tell you which permits your schedule needs, how long they take and what they cost, before anything is booked.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a permit to film in Greece?
It depends on the location. Archaeological sites, museums and monuments need a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Sports through the relevant Ephorate of Antiquities. Public spaces are handled by the municipality, and in principle small crews in open public space need no state permit, though anything occupying the space does. Private property needs the owner’s consent, and drones need Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority approval.
Who issues filming permits in Greece?
There is no single national body. The Ministry of Culture and Sports issues permits for archaeological and historical sites through the local Ephorate of Antiquities; municipalities and local councils handle public spaces; the port authority covers harbours and marine locations; and the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority licenses aerial filming.
How far in advance do you apply for a filming permit in Greece?
Applications for archaeological sites are typically filed at least one month before the filming dates, and permits are generally issued for a limited number of days and can be renewed. Municipal permissions are usually faster. Confirm current lead times with the relevant authority, as they vary by site and season.
How much does a filming permit cost in Greece?
Public spaces are often free or carry a modest municipal charge. Fees for archaeological and historical sites are set by the Ministry of Culture and vary with the site, the number of shooting days and the type of production. Private property is a commercial negotiation with the owner.
Can a foreign production company apply for a Greek filming permit directly?
In practice the application comes from a Greek entity. Foreign productions work through a Greek production services company that applies as the interested party, and the same requirement applies to the 40% cash rebate, which needs a Greek legal entity or a permanent establishment in Greece.
Do you need a separate permit to fly a drone in Greece?
Yes. Aerial filming is licensed by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority and the approval does not replace the ground permit for the location. Flying over an archaeological site also needs the Ministry of Culture’s permission, and restrictions apply near airports, military sites and borders.
Can you film at the Acropolis or other Greek monuments?
Yes, with a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Sports through the relevant Ephorate of Antiquities. The ministry assesses whether the production is compatible with the character of the monument, sets the hours and crew size, charges a fee, and refuses content that would distort the site or violate Greek law. Shooting usually takes place outside public opening hours.
Tell us where you are filming in Greece
Send the locations and the dates and we will come back with the permit plan and the budget. For production companies, broadcasters, brands and agencies.
