All wills now online: The new register changing inheritance matters

Written by Christina I. Kapela
Accountant – Tax consultant

In a significant institutional development for inheritance law and the digital modernisation of justice, Ministerial Decision 21661 οικ./06-04-2026 was published in Government Gazette ΦΕΚ Β’ 2134/09.04.2026. It fully regulates the new dedicated electronic platform for publishing wills, known as the Register of Wills. The platform introduces a modern, unified and secure system for electronic registration, searches, publication and the issue of certificates relating to wills, substantially changing the previous reliance on physical archives, delays and fragmented information. This development is of particular interest to citizens, notaries, lawyers, heirs, banks and other bodies involved in inheritance procedures.

The new Register of Wills operates through two separate online portals. Individuals can use the citizens’ portal at diathikes.gr to request certificates or copies of relevant instruments. The professional portal, notariatservices.gr, is used by Greek notaries, authorised users of notarial associations and designated users of consular authorities. The Notarial Association of the Courts of Appeal of Athens, Piraeus, the Aegean and the Dodecanese, supervised by the Ministry of Justice, is designated as the system’s data controller.

The new framework has considerable practical significance. For the first time, it creates an electronic record of all types of wills: public wills, secret wills, and deposited or undeposited handwritten wills, together with instruments of revocation, withdrawal, publication and formal recognition of handwritten wills. The system also allows electronic issue of certificates confirming whether a will exists or has been published, as well as copies of relevant instruments. Procedures that previously required physical searches at courts, months of waiting or successive visits to public offices move into a unified digital environment with clear rules.

Citizens access the system using their personal TAXISnet credentials, ensuring secure identification. Applicants may request a certificate for themselves or act on behalf of someone else, provided they submit valid authorisation or proof of representation. The application includes the deceased’s details, and the required documents, such as a death certificate, are uploaded. Once the details have been checked, the requested document is issued electronically in PDF format.

The new charges are also expressly set out. A certificate confirming whether an unpublished deposited will exists and a certificate confirming whether a will has been published now each cost €25. Copies of instruments recording publication or refusal of publication cost €35, while instruments formally recognising a handwritten will, or refusing that recognition, cost €45. These charges are lower than the transitional rates that applied from the register’s launch on 1 November 2025 until publication of the new decision, improving access to the services.

The evidentiary value of the documents is particularly significant. Certificates, attestations and copies of instruments issued by the Register of Wills are classified as public documents and bear the relevant association’s digital seal and a unique verification code. Public authorities, courts, prosecutors’ offices, banks, individuals and legal entities must accept printed copies because their authenticity can be verified electronically. This has practical value: it reduces disputes, removes the need for certification and speeds up banking, tax and inheritance procedures.

For notaries, the platform offers a complete environment for registering instruments, with increased security safeguards. They access it using personal credentials and an additional OTP verification code on their mobile phone. Each action is recorded with its date, time, user identity and type of instrument, enhancing traceability and transparency. Incorrect details can also be corrected or deleted within 24 hours, after which the entry becomes final.

The new rules also have an important financial dimension. In inheritance cases, delays in locating a will can hold up acceptance of an inheritance, inheritance tax returns, property transfers, closure of bank accounts or business succession. Digital certificates significantly speed up the process and reduce administrative costs for families and professionals.

Particular attention is also needed from a tax perspective. Prompt confirmation of whether a will exists often affects when inheritance acceptance procedures can begin, the filing of inheritance tax returns, registration of property with AADE and management of the deceased’s banking or business assets. The new system is therefore both a judicial reform and a means of achieving faster tax compliance.

The decision takes effect upon publication and covers deaths from 1 November 2025 onwards. It also extends to earlier cases under specific conditions. This means that a significant number of pending cases can now fall within the new digital framework.

Overall, the Register of Wills is one of the most substantial digital reforms in the area of private justice. It strengthens transparency, limits delays, ensures the authenticity of documents and simplifies critical procedures for citizens and professionals. At a time when the speed and security of transactions are a key requirement, electronic will management comes to fill an important institutional gap and to substantially change the way in which inheritance matters are handled in Greece.

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