Owners of vintage vehicles in Greece have until Dec. 31 to replace old club-issued plates with new state-issued ones, or face fines and the loss of their registration from Jan. 1, according to Greek reports on the law.
The deadline, extended several times since the 2021 historic-vehicles law took effect in April 2023, is final for most vehicles, excluding military ones.
After that date, cars bearing only the old historic plates will be treated as unlicensed. The law covers more than 14,000 historic vehicles.
Under the new system, the Transport Ministry issues the plates, which carry white backgrounds and blue letters.
The government, rather than motoring clubs such as ELPA's affiliates and the FIA-linked bodies, now handles the process.
Vehicles must be at least 30 years old and pass an inspection.
Drivers caught without a valid license face a €300 fine and one year's removal of registration documents. Owners who then file late must pay another €300 online fee, bringing the total to €600.
Driving uninsured, if insurers refuse cars on old plates, is a criminal offense with fines up to €500, removal of registration and up to three years in prison.
Owners who put cars into inactive status face a separate trap: they may not use or park the car in public spaces, or face a €10,000 fine.
The new plates bring a benefit. Under the old system, historic cars could generally be driven only on Sundays within their home and neighboring regions, or around club events.
The new plates remove those limits.
Owners should check with their regional transport office on documents needed before the deadline.