Licence to establish liquid fuel service stations
Licence for the establishment of a public-use liquid fuel service station
Application for the granting of a licence for the establishment of a liquid fuel service station
The application is submitted by the applicant (natural or legal person). Otherwise, documents proving the representative’s authorisation shall be submitted together with the application. Where the applicant is a legal person, the application, together with the legitimation documents required in each case, shall be submitted by its legal representative. The application shall be submitted by the applicant to the competent Directorate for Transport and Communications of the Regional Unit concerned. Alternatively, the interested party may submit the application with the necessary supporting documents to a Citizen Service Centre / Point of Single Contact (KEP-EKE) and they shall forward the application, together with the relevant file, to the competent Directorate for Transport and Communications of the Regional Unit concerned.
Submitted by the applicant (exclusively in person)
In order to obtain a licence for the establishment of a liquid fuel service station, natural persons or members of companies must be either Greek nationals or nationals of Member States of the European Union or of the European Economic Area (EEA). By way of exception, a licence to establish a liquid fuel service station may be granted to persons of Greek origin from Russia, Northern Epirus, Türkiye or Egypt, as well as to children born to such persons. In the case of public limited companies established in Greece, the nationality of shareholders is not examined (Article 185(4) of Law 4070/2012).
The legal person must have its principal place of business in Greece.
The applicant (natural person or, in the case of a legal person, its members and its representative) must have reached the age of majority in accordance with electoral legislation.
The applicant (natural or legal person) must have the right to use and exploit the plot or land for the establishment of a fuel service station.
In the case of a natural person, the applicant must not, during the last eight years, have been finally convicted of fuel adulteration or have been convicted at first instance of fuel smuggling, without prejudice to the provisions of Law 4177/2013 (GG I/183), as in force. In the case of a legal entity: the legal representative must not have been finally convicted, and the legal person represented must not have been declared finally jointly civilly liable for fuel adulteration during the last eight years; furthermore, the legal representative must not have been convicted at first instance, and the legal person represented must not have been declared at first instance jointly civilly liable for fuel smuggling, without prejudice to the provisions of Law 4177/2013 (GG I/183), as in force.
The location where the service station is to be established must be situated in an area where such use is permitted under land-use regulations and the applicable building terms and restrictions, and where such installation is not prohibited under the applicable provisions.
The location of the service station must comply with the requirements of Presidential Decree 1224/1981, Royal Decree 465/1970 and Presidential Decree 118/2006.
The design of the service station’s installations and equipment must take into account the requirements of national and European regulations and standards.
An application must have been submitted to the competent road authority for the granting of approval for kerb lowering / modification of pavement level or, as applicable, for traffic connection.
The installations must be subject to Standard Environmental Commitments.
The construction works must be completed within two years, in accordance with the provisions of the institutional framework. (The establishment licence shall have a duration of two (2) years and may be extended for a further two (2) years if an application is submitted before the deadline, accompanied by a solemn declaration from the supervising engineer that the construction works have not been completed. In exceptional cases, an additional extension may be granted for a further period of three (3) months after the expiry of the extension for completion of the works.
Conditions for non-commission of criminal offenses
This procedure concerns the granting of a licence for the establishment of a public-use liquid fuel service station to natural or legal persons, for the purpose of carrying out construction works.
Issuance of a licence for a liquid fuel service station costs EUR 30, plus an additional EUR 30 for each pump or dispenser beyond the first, irrespective of the number of nozzles.
A topographic plan of the area in four (4) copies, signed by the competent engineer, on a scale of one to two hundred (1:200) or one to five hundred (1:500) and to a radius of thirty (30) metres from the boundaries of the plot or land parcel, whose coordinates will depend on the State Network (Hellenic Geodetic Reference System 87).
Solemn declaration of the applicant (Article 8 of Law 1599/1986) regarding non-conviction and the right of use and exploitation of the plot
Solemn declaration pursuant to Law 1599/1986 by the design engineer of the installation, concerning the location of the installation, compliance with the legal requirements, the application of European and national regulations, and compliance with the requirements of the application for the granting of approval for kerb lowering / pavement level modification or traffic connection (as applicable), in accordance with point (d) of paragraph 1 of Article 17 of Presidential Decree 1224/1981 or Royal Decree 465/1970, as amended and in force.
General layout plan and traffic connection plan or kerb lowering plan, as applicable, in four (4) copies, at an appropriate scale depending on the size of the property, showing the layout of the various buildings and installations within the service station site, including tanks, pumps and service station islands, in relation to the adjoining road or roads.
Plan of electromechanical installations, submitted in four (4) copies at an appropriate scale depending on the size of the installation, in which the following installations are clearly and distinctly depicted, so as to verify their harmonious coexistence and proper simultaneous operation: water supply, sewerage, compressed air, fuel supply piping, tank vent piping, petrol vapour recovery system, electrical systems of the service station (power circuits, low-voltage circuits, lighting, earthing), hazardous area classification plan (explosion risk zoning).
Detailed plans, accompanied by a file detailing the technical characteristics of the construction of the equipment, in four (4) copies on a scale of one to fifty (1:50) or one to twenty (1:20).
Technical report on the electromechanical (E/M) installations, submitted in four (4) copies, setting out information on the overall structure of the installation, the individual installations, the hazardous area classification study, the machinery and equipment installed, their technical specifications, their method of connection and operation, as well as the national and European standards and regulations on the basis of which they were designed and installed.
Form for inclusion under Standard Environmental Commitments.
Required construction studies under Article 25 of Law 4439/2016 (GG I/222), relating to the implementation of the specific measures and equipment provided for in Article 25 of Law 4439/2016. The above studies shall be submitted in addition to the other supporting documents, where required by the applicable institutional framework (for service stations located in ground-floor buildings with upper floors of specific uses, and for service stations located at a distance of less than 30 metres from the nearest point of buildings or premises with legally defined uses), such as a study for the installation of a permanent hydrocarbon detection system, an ATEX study and plan for the entire area of the service station, etc.
Documents constituting or evidencing the requisite power for a legal representative.
When submitting supporting documents, persons of Greek origin from Turkey shall also present a valid Aliens Centre residence card, and the card registration number should be entered on the application form.
The plan shall indicate the plot or land parcel of the service station, the dimensions of its sides, the building line and the street line (for plots), or the building line and the expropriation boundary (for land parcels), as applicable, the location of the building, tanks, fuel pumps, tank vents, the widths of roads (pavements, carriageways and traffic islands), as well as the directions of traffic lanes in front of the service station. It shall also indicate the types of adjacent buildings and installations and the data referred to in Articles 5 and 6 of Presidential Decree 1224/1981 or Royal Decree 465/1970. The topographical plan shall confirm that there are no visible archaeological sites whose boundaries are located at a distance of less than 100 metres from the proposed liquid fuel service station. Where visible archaeological sites are present, the topographic plan shall show the properties (plots or land parcels) and buildings located within a radius of one hundred (100) metres. The plans and technical reports shall be signed by the engineer responsible and shall contain a memorandum setting out the details of the project, the applicant and the designer, and a memorandum setting out the technical details of the construction. The plans and technical reports shall also be submitted in electronic format (PDF files) on a portable storage device (USB stick).
If the liquid fuel service station to be established is located at a distance of less than 100 metres from the boundaries of archaeological sites, the granting of the licence may be permitted subject to obtaining the relevant approval from the Archaeological Service.
More specifically: a) Where the applicant is a natural person, they shall solemnly declare that: i) during the last eight years, they have not been finally convicted of fuel adulteration and have not been convicted at first instance of fuel smuggling, without prejudice to the provisions of Law 4177/2013 (GG I/183), as in force, ii) they have the right to use and exploit the plot or land parcel for the establishment of a liquid fuel service station. b) Where the applicant is a legal person, its legal representative shall solemnly declare that: i) during the last eight years, the representative has not been finally convicted, and the legal person represented has not been declared finally jointly civilly liable for fuel adulteration; furthermore, the representative has not been convicted at first instance, and the legal person represented has not been declared at first instance jointly civilly liable for fuel smuggling, without prejudice to the provisions of Law 4177/2013 (GG I/183), as in force, ii) the legal person has the right to use and exploit the plot or land parcel for the establishment of a liquid fuel service station.
Solemn declaration pursuant to Article 8 of Law 1599/1986 by the design engineer of the installation, with the following content: ‘i) The location where the service station is to be installed is located in an area where such use is not prohibited by the provisions in force. ii) The terms and conditions of Presidential Decree 1224/1981 or Royal Decree 465/1970 (as applicable), as in force, are met. iii) In the design of the installations and the equipment to be installed in the liquid fuel service station to be established, the requirements of the relevant national and European regulations and standards have been taken into account. iv) Application No (number) has been submitted to the competent authority responsible for the maintenance of the road(s) in front of the service station, which meets all the requirements for the granting of approval for kerb lowering / pavement level modification or traffic connection (as applicable).’
This plan shall also indicate the elevation of the floors in the service station, the gradients in the vehicle refuelling area and the vehicle traffic zone for the entire length of vehicle routes within the main area of the service station. The plans and technical reports shall be signed by the engineer responsible and shall contain a memorandum setting out the details of the project, the applicant and the designer, and a memorandum setting out the technical details of the construction. The plans and technical reports shall also be submitted in electronic format (PDF files) on a portable storage device (USB stick).
The plans and technical reports shall be signed by the engineer responsible and shall contain a memorandum setting out the details of the project, the applicant and the designer, and a memorandum setting out the technical details of the construction. The plans and technical reports shall also be submitted in electronic format (PDF files) on a portable storage device (USB stick).
In particular, the plans must show the following: a) Floor plan and section of the service station building and any other buildings and installations requiring a building permit. b) Underground liquid fuel tank. The plan shall include the dimensions of the tank, the method of installation with all relevant dimensions, whether it concerns free installation within the ground (double-wall tanks or single-wall tanks within a basin with geotextile) or installation within a reinforced concrete chamber, as well as the fittings and piping connected to the tank, leak protection devices and equipment, and the backfilling materials or the method of compaction of the surrounding soil. c) Above-ground tank for diesel fuel or heating oil. The plan shall include the dimensions of the tank, the method of installation and all relevant dimensions, whether installed on a base or consisting of a tank with integrated supports, as well as the fittings and piping connected to the tank and the configuration of the surrounding area. d) Interconnections of pumps/dispenser units and flow meters. e) Oil and sludge separator – septic tank. The plan shall include the dimensions, materials, method of construction and method of disposal of the waste. In particular, where a car wash is present, a separate plan for the oil and sludge separator of the car wash shall be submitted. (f) Lifting equipment. The plan shall include the dimensions of the equipment, the method of installation, and the electrical and hydraulic connections, in compliance with the applicable national and European standards, regulations and provisions on lifting equipment of the General Secretariat for Industry. (g) Automatic car wash machines. The plan shall include the dimensions of the equipment, the method of installation, and the hydraulic and electrical connections. (h) Air compressor. The plan shall include the dimensions, the method of installation, as well as the hydraulic and electrical connections. The technical documentation file of the air compressor shall include the required approvals and certificates in accordance with the applicable standards and Directive 97/23/EC on pressure equipment. i) Centralised electronic fuel management (inflow/outflow) system. The plan shall include the location of the central console, a schematic layout of the entire system with the corresponding cabling, and the method of data transmission (modem). The plans and technical reports shall be signed by the engineer responsible and shall contain a memorandum setting out the details of the project, the applicant and the designer, and a memorandum setting out the technical details of the construction. The plans and technical reports shall also be submitted in electronic format (PDF files) on a portable storage device (USB stick).
Form for inclusion under Standard Environmental Commitments in accordance with Joint Ministerial Decision No 46537/2013 (GG II/2036), as in force.
The plans and technical reports shall be signed in four copies by the engineer responsible and shall contain a memorandum setting out the details of the project, the applicant and the designer, and a memorandum setting out the technical details of the construction. The plans and technical reports shall also be submitted in electronic format (PDF files) on a portable storage device (USB stick).
If the applicant is a legal person, the articles of association and the documents for designation/authorisation of the legal representative shall be submitted.
Issuance of a licence for the establishment of a liquid fuel service station
Directorate of Transport and Communications of the Regional Unit concerned
The license shall be issued within thirty (30) working days if the legal conditions are met. Where supporting documents are resubmitted, the license shall be issued within fifteen (15) working days if the legal requirements are met. For the execution of construction works, the establishment licence is valid for two (2) years and may be extended for an additional two (2) years, provided that a relevant application is submitted prior to the expiry of the deadline, accompanied by a solemn declaration of the supervising engineer stating that the construction works have not been completed. In exceptional cases, an additional extension may be granted for a further period of three (3) months after the expiry of the extension for completion of the works. Upon completion of the construction works, the establishment licence remains valid indefinitely as a title of lawfully existing installations.
On the terms and conditions for the installation and operation of fuel pumps in front of service stations located outside the approved urban plans of cities and towns or outside residential areas in general, and the traffic connection of installations with the road network.
On the terms and conditions for the establishment and operation of liquid fuel service stations located within the approved urban plans of cities or towns or approved settlements or outside residential areas in general, as amended and in force.
Amendment of Royal Decree 465/1970 ‘On the terms and conditions for the installation and operation of fuel pumps in front of service stations located outside the approved urban plans of cities and towns or outside residential areas in general, and the traffic connection of installations with the road network’ (Government Gazette, Series I, No 150) and Presidential Decree 1224/1981 ‘On the terms and conditions for the establishment and operation of liquid fuel service stations located within approved plans of cities or towns or approved settlements or residential areas in general’ (Government Gazette, Series I, No 303), as amended by Presidential Decree 509/1984 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 181), Presidential Decree 143/1989 ‘Amendment of the provisions relating to the terms and conditions for the installation and operation of fuel pumps and the traffic connection of installations with the road network’ (Government Gazette, Series I, No 69), Presidential Decree 401/1993 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 170) and Presidential Decree 125/1992 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 56) ‘Amendment and supplement to Presidential Decree 143/89 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 69)’ and repealing provisions of Presidential Decree 327/1992 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 163), as amended and in force.
Determination of Standard Environmental Commitments for activities of Category B of Group 11 ‘Vehicle refuelling stations with gaseous or liquid fuels’, falling under the sub-group ‘transport – distribution of fuels and chemical substances’, as in force.
Regulation of matters of competence of the Ministry of Transport and Communications and other provisions, as in force.
Establishment of the National Council for Road Safety and the General Directorate of Road Safety, supervision and improvement of the institution of technical inspection of vehicles for the promotion of Road Safety and environmental protection, ratification of the Contract between the Greek State and O.A.S.TH. and other provisions’, as in force.
Transposition into Greek law of Directive 2014/94/EU (ΕΕ) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the deployment of alternative-fuels infrastructure; simplification of the licensing procedure and other provisions concerning fuel and energy service stations; and other provisions, as amended and in force.
Simplification and integration of procedures:
Amendment of Joint Ministerial Decision no. oik.81540/1445/F.4.2./31-12-2015 (Series II, 2984), “Simplification and inclusion of the procedures:
Procedures, technical specifications, terms and conditions for installing monitoring systems and electronically transmitting input-output data: (a) at the installations of holders of fuel and energy service stations; (b) at the installations of holders of retail licences for the sale of heating oil; and (c) at the installations referred to in points (gg), (hh), (ii), (jj), (kk), (ll) and (mm) of Article 31(7a) of Law 3784/2009 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 137). Compliance requirements, access by the authorities to the data, implementation timetable, transitional provisions, and every necessary detail concerning the security of input-output system data, as amended and in force.
Amendment of Joint Decision A.1176/5-12-2024 entitled “Procedures, technical specifications, terms and conditions for installing monitoring systems and electronically transmitting input-output data: (a) at the installations of holders of fuel and energy service stations; (b) at the installations of holders of retail licences for the sale of heating oil; and (c) at the installations referred to in points (gg), (hh), (ii), (jj), (kk), (ll) and (mm) of Article 31(7a) of Law 3784/2009 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 137). Compliance requirements, access by the authorities to the data, implementation timetable, transitional provisions, and every necessary detail concerning the security of input-output system data” (Government Gazette, Series II, No 6827).
There is a provision for lodging an objection before the body that issued the act, a special administrative appeal before the Coordinator of the Decentralised Administration within a period of 15 days, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 227 and 228 of Law 3852/2010 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 87), as amended by Law 4555/2018 (Government Gazette, Series I, No 133) and in force.
The applicant shall submit an application for the establishment of a service station to the Directorate of Transport and Communications of the competent Regional Unit, together with all required supporting documents.
The applicant shall submit the application with the necessary supporting documents to a Citizen Service Centre / Point of Single Contact (KEP-EKE) and they shall forward the application, together with the relevant file, to the competent Directorate for Transport and Communications of the Regional Unit concerned.
The Citizen Service Centres/Points of Single Contact (KEP-EKE) shall forward the application with the relevant file to the competent Directorate for Transport and Communications of the Regional Unit concerned.
The application shall receive a reference number at the Directorate for Transport and Communications of the Regional Unit concerned.
The Directorate for Transport and Communications of the Regional Unit concerned shall check the application submitted and the supporting documents accompanying it.
The legal conditions for the issuing of the requested service station establishment license are met.
If the legal requirements are not met, the requested licence is not granted, and the applicant is informed in writing, with the relevant reasons being communicated.
The service shall inform the applicant in writing of the need to resubmit information of their application.
The application shall be re-examined upon submission by the applicant of the information requested by the Directorate for Transport and Communications of the Regional Unit concerned.
If the legal conditions are met, the licence applied for shall be issued.
The establishment licence, together with the complete set of approved plans, is notified to the applicant against acknowledgement of receipt, to the competent Building Authority responsible for issuing the building permit, and to the competent authority responsible for the maintenance of the road or roads in front of the liquid fuel service station to be established.
Receipt of application by the Transport Directorate of the relevant Regional Unit
Receipt of application by a Citizen Service Centre/Point of Single Contact (KEP-EKE)
Forwarding of application by a Citizen Service Centre/Point of Single Contact (KEP-EKE)
Notification of the establishment licence