CPA in Greece: Certified Public Accountants and Services

If you need the services of a CPA in Greece, we can refer you to one of our consultants, specialized in accounting formalities and laws.

What is a CPA in Greece?

CPA in Greece refers to the acronym defining the certified public accountants, which represent a branch of accountancy in Greece. The public accountant does similar work activities as the regular accountant, the one who provides his or her services to commercial companies and to individuals, but there are few important differences, which can be explained by our specialists in Greek company formation.

Quick Facts
Definition of a CPA in Greece	A CPA refers to an accountant who has additional certifications compared to a regular accountat. The CPA stands for Certified Public Accountant, entitled to provide complex accounting services to commercial and public institutions.
Activities of a CPA	Although the CPA can develop basic accounting operations, such as bookkeeping and payroll, usually, the CPA in Greece will handle complex matters such as audits, prepare financial reports for large companies, offer tax consultancy services and investment advice.
Law regulating accounting procedures in Greece	Law 4308/2014, Law 4336/2015, Law 4449/2017, the Presidential Decree No. 226/1992
Main regulator of accounting procedures	The Ministry of Finance and the Hellenic Accounting and Auditing Standards Oversight Board
Accounting principles in Greece	The Greek General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
Audit law in Greece	Law 4336/2015, Law 4449/2017
Thresholds for audit in Greece	Exceed 2 out of the following 3 – a net turnover of EUR 10 million, total assets of EUR 5 million, an average number of 50 employees
Education requirements for a CPA	The minimum requirement for a CPA in Greece is to have completed tertiary studies (bachelor degree) in the field (accounting, finance, etc.). Further on, the accountant needs to have specific certifications and qualifications obtained as masters degree and additional licenses.
Certification of Greek CPA required (yes/no)	Yes
Institution to issue certifications	The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece, in charge with the examination of future CPAs and the licensing of successful CPAs.
Main criteria for corporate reporting in Greece	The main aspects which influence the type of reporting a company should follow and the documents to prepare are influenced by the size of the company, the turnover and assets held, but also by the company type.
The financial year in Greece	The same as the calendar year – 1 January to 31 December
Reporting periods in Greece	30 June/ 31 December
Main financial reports documents required in Greece	The financial reports are the financial statements which are comprised of the following: audit's report, notes, directors' reports, balance sheet, cash flow statement, profit and loss report, equity statement. The submission of the documents varies based on the company type and its characteristics referring to its size, assets and turnover.
Entities that should use the services of a CPA	The services of a CPA in Greece are best suited for large companies, multinational companies and public entities.

What are the main activities of a CPA in Greece?

The CPA is entitled to complete basic accounting documents and to provide simple accountancy in Greece, that can serve to see the financial situation of a company or of a public entity. Other activities are:

the CPA is entitled to provide tax advice in relation to Greek double tax treaties and tax planning to companies and other corporate bodies, meaning that the CPA can act as a tax advisor;
the CPA can represent the company in matters of audit and other similar procedures that can assess the financial status of a business;
through the services of the CPA, a company can find better solutions in order to reduce the tax burden or to find better solutions for the business (these services can also include VAT registration);
the CPA in Greece can also act as the person who offers management advice;
the CPA can provide better solutions in budgeting, offer risk management solutions and help in matters related to real estate belonging to the company or to any other real estate investments.

How can a person become a CPA in Greece in 2026?

Graduating from tertiary studies is the main requirement, but the accountant can truly become a CPA in Greece only after passing an examination held by the main institution which regulates this profession. For this, it is necessary to obtain a certification from the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece.

We invite you to watch a short video on the CPA in Greece:

What is the law regulating the activity of a CPA in Greece?

In the list below, you can discover some of the main requirements in order to become a CPA in Greece:

the accountant who wants to become a CPA must have a bachelor degree in accordance with the Law 4449/Article 7;
all CPAs must pass the examination held by the above mentioned institute, in accordance with the Law 4449/Article 9;
after passing the examination, the CPAs must have a total practice experience of 5 years, according to the Law 4449/Article 11.

What institutions regulate the activity of Greek CPA?

Any matter related to the activity of a CPA, including the investigation of the activity of a CPA, is handled by the Hellenic Accounting and Auditing Standards Oversight Board, which is a body that works under the Ministry of Finance. When sanctions have to be applied, the Disciplinary Board of the Hellenic Accounting and Auditing Standards Oversight Board will establish the necessary measures.

What are other obligations of CPAs in Greece?

In order to be a CPA, there are other obligations that need to be met. In the list below, we present some of them:

all CPAs must be registered (otherwise they can’t engage in offering accounting services to any possible client);
they need to be registered with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece;
they need to take an oath;
they must also have a professional address;
they must be insured.

The infographic below presents some highlights of the Greek certified public accountant:

What are the statistics on CPAs?

The statistics on Greek CPAs are provided by the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Greece. According to the institutions, the following are available:

there are around 1,000 CPAs registered with the institution;
the institution receives around 200 trainees every year;
around 1,000 individuals participate in the 2 yearly examinations;
from the total, around 65% pass the examinations.

Is it possible to become a CPA in Greece as a foreigner?

It is possible in some cases. While in general foreigners are welcomed in Greece and they can benefit from similar rights as the ones of the locals, when it comes to this profession, it must be noted that the following strict rules apply:

an individual can become a CPA if he/she has Greek citizenship or he/she is a person of Greek ethnicity and lives overseas;
foreigners can become CPAs in Greece only if they are citizens of the European Union (EU) and are, at the same time, permanent residents of Greece;
foreigners can become accountants (not certified public accountants) in Greece, but this can be achieved through a complex procedure that implies the recognition of their studies completed abroad.

What are the accounting standards in Greece in 2026?

Companies operating in Greece must complete their accounting obligations in accordance with the stipulations of the law, given by the following:

financial reporting in Greece is done as per the rules of Law 4308/2014;
some entities must complete their accounting procedures in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), such as public interest entities and listed companies;
the rest of the entities must apply for the Greek Accounting Standards, while some of them can opt the IFRS.

What is the law regulating audits in Greece?

An audit in Greece is completed following the rules and the regulations prescribed by the Law 4449/2017, which follows the EU directives.

We invite you to contact our team of consultants in company registration in Greece for more information on the main corporate accounting services that can be offered to businesses.