Article 38

Stopping and Parking

1. Stopping and parking are permitted provided that they do not pose a danger or obstruct traffic and provided that there are no relevant prohibitory signs or markings.

2. Stopping or parking a vehicle is prohibited: a) on a pedestrian or bicycle crossing and within five (5) meters on either side of it, b) within twelve (12) meters on either side of stops for city, intercity, and electric buses, as well as rail-based vehicles. If a bus stop is equipped with a special curb extension on the roadway for passenger boarding and alighting and to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities and people with limited mobility in general, the distance specified in the preceding paragraph:

(ba) is reduced by half when the remaining space beyond six (6) and up to twelve (12) meters on either side of the stop is designated by the authority responsible for road maintenance as a space exclusively for parking motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, and E.P.H.O., and is marked with the prescribed signage; bb) is set to zero when there are parking bays on either side of the projection; c) at the entrances and exits of intersections and at a distance of less than ten (10) meters from the imaginary extension of the nearest edge of the perpendicular roadway,

(d) on railroad or tram tracks, or in their immediate vicinity, in a manner that obstructs the movement of railway or tram vehicles or results in the use of active railway or tram tracks during their operation, e) on sidewalks, squares, designated pedestrian areas, and bike lanes, unless parking is permitted there by special signage,

(f) above and below bridges, unless there are designated parking areas, g) near and on convex curves where the longitudinal gradient of the road changes (cams) and on turns with insufficient visibility for passing, h) on roadways divided into two traffic lanes, if the remaining width of the lane between the vehicle and the no-passing line is less than three (3) meters, i) at a distance of less than twenty (20) meters from traffic lights and twelve (12) meters from mandatory stop signs (STOP) (P-2) or yield signs (P-1), as well as at a location where the vehicle obstructs road users’ view of traffic signs and signals. The limits specified in the preceding paragraph are reduced by half if: (a) parking occurs in parking bays, (b) the remaining space beyond ten (10) or six (6) meters, respectively, is designated by the authority responsible for road maintenance as a parking area exclusively for motorcycles, mopeds, bicycles, and electric personal mobility devices (EPMDs), and is marked with the required signage.

(j) within five (5) meters of the intersection of building lines or their imaginary extensions; (k) on traffic islands and median strips;

(l) on highways and expressways, except in parking areas, as indicated by traffic signs, (m) in acceleration and deceleration lanes, (n) in tunnels indicated by special signs, except in areas specifically designated for that purpose, (n) on a marked service road intended for slow-moving vehicles, (f) at a location where there is a ramp for persons with disabilities or a guide for the blind, and within a distance of less than fifty centimeters (0.50 m) on either side of such ramp,

(i) in designated parking spaces for people with disabilities,

(i) in parking spaces reserved exclusively for a specific vehicle used by a person with a disability.

(i) at a charging station or point for electric vehicles, excluding electric vehicles while they are charging.

(k) at locations where this results in the obstruction of the passage of vehicles providing public transportation or urban, intercity, and electric buses, provided that such locations are clearly marked.

3. Parking a vehicle on the roadway is prohibited, and:

a) within fifteen (15) meters before and after at-grade railroad crossings, b) in front of the entrance and exit of vehicles on private property, as well as directly across from it, when the street is narrow and the entry and exit of vehicles from it is obstructed,

(d) if the remaining clear portion of the road is insufficient for vehicle traffic; (e) alongside another vehicle that is stopped or parked, unless otherwise indicated by special signage. As an exception, two-wheeled bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles without a basket, as well as electric bicycles may be parked side-by-side, either in a double row or at an angle to the road edge, (f) at a distance of less than five (5) meters before and after fire hydrants, (g) in front of the entrance and exit of areas designated for transporting patients to and from hospitals, clinics, and first-aid stations in general; h) if it obstructs the use of parking spaces that are appropriately marked,

(i) in designated parking areas for public-use passenger vehicles (taxis), (j) at the entrances and exits of pedestrian walkways, as well as on the walkways themselves,

(k) on the main carriageway of three-lane (3) roads, as well as outside residential areas, on the carriageways of roads designated as priority roads with appropriate signs.

4. In particular, the stopping and parking of public transport vehicles operating within residential areas, ports, and port land areas are prohibited: a) on pedestrian or bicycle crossings and within five (5) meters of them, b) within twelve (12) meters of stops for city, intercity, electric buses, and tram vehicles, c) at the entrances and exits of intersections and at a distance of less than ten (10) meters from the imaginary extension of the nearest edge of the perpendicular roadway, (d) on railroad or tram tracks or very close to them, in a manner that obstructs the movement of railroad or tram vehicles, e) on or under bridges, unless there are specifically designated parking areas, f) on traffic islands as well as on median strips,

(g) on highways and expressways, except in parking areas designated by signage,

(h) in acceleration and deceleration lanes; (i) in tunnels indicated by special signs, except for areas specifically designated for this purpose;

(j) at a location where there is an inclined ramp for persons with disabilities or a guide for the blind, and within a distance of less than half (0.50) meter on either side of such ramp,

(k) in designated parking spaces for people with disabilities,

(l) in parking spaces reserved exclusively for a specific vehicle of a person with a disability, (m) within seven (7) meters before and after at-grade railroad crossings, (14) in a location that prevents a properly parked vehicle from exiting the parking space where it is parked,

(i) if the remaining clear portion of the road is insufficient for vehicular traffic or the remaining clear portion of the sidewalk is insufficient for pedestrian traffic, (o) in front of entrances and exits designated for the transport of patients to and from hospitals, clinics, and first-aid stations in general, (g) if it obstructs the use of parking spaces that are appropriately marked,

(i) in designated parking areas for public-use passenger vehicles (taxis), (i) at the entrances and exits of pedestrian walkways, (k) in designated parking areas and departure points for intercity buses, tour buses, and open-top tour buses, (ka) in port zones and on the landward side of ports used for the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers and the loading and unloading of ships and vessels.

5. Outside residential areas, stopping or parking is permitted only in areas designated for that purpose or on the curbs, if none are available, as close as possible to the right edge of the roadway and parallel to its centerline, unless otherwise prohibited.

6. Within residential areas, in locations where stopping or parking is permitted, drivers of vehicles or animals are required to position them as close as possible to the right-hand edge of the roadway.

On one-way streets, stopping or parking is permitted on the left side as well. If there is no sidewalk, drivers are required to leave a space at least one (1) meter wide for pedestrians to pass. In this case, vertical flexible, spring-loaded rubber cylinders (markers) as described in paragraph 13 may be installed to demarcate the pedestrian crossing area.

In residential areas, it is prohibited to park trucks with a maximum allowable weight exceeding three and a half (3.5) metric tons, buses, construction equipment, agricultural machinery, trailers, trailer-mounted motorhomes, motorhomes with a total length exceeding seven meters and fifty centimeters (7.50 m), and vessels, for more than twenty-four (24) consecutive hours.

For the parking of trailers and motorhomes in areas outside residential zones, paragraph 5.

These vessels may be moored in suitable fenced-off areas designated by the relevant municipalities or by the Secretary General for Shipping and Ports of the Ministry of Shipping andCoastal Policy, for ports managed by a legal entity under private law, and for the tourist ports referred to in paragraph 11 of Article 19 of Law 2932/2001 (A’ 145) or by the Secretary General for Tourism Policy and Development of the Ministry of Tourism, following an opinion from the Committee on Tourist Ports under paragraph 2 of Article 30 of Law 2160/1993 for other tourist ports, or the competent port management authority, in accordance with Article 56 of this Law, concerning traffic control measures in port land areas, or Article 44 of Law 4150/2013 (A’ 102), concerning the Port Planning and Development Committee, which are also responsible for their security.

7. Vehicles that are stopped or parked must be positioned parallel to the road edge and on the side corresponding to their direction of travel, unless otherwise indicated by traffic signs. Stopping or parking on the opposite side is permitted when stopping or parking on the side corresponding to the direction of traffic is prevented by the presence of railroad tracks. Stopping and parking in the middle of the roadway are permitted only in specially marked areas.

8. Drivers of vehicles or animals, when parking, are not permitted to leave them unless they have first taken the appropriate measures to prevent an accident. In the case of motor vehicles, they are specifically required to take appropriate measures in advance to prevent the vehicles from being used without the drivers’ permission.

9. The competent law enforcement authorities may immobilize vehicles using special devices (such as wheel clamps), to have a vehicle towed if it is parked in a prohibited area or to remove mobile homes, boats, or other bulky objects, if traffic is obstructed due to the parking of vehicles or the abandonment of mobile homes, boats, or such objects. Vehicles shall be towed using appropriate technical means—without damaging the vehicle’s doors—to a parking lot or other suitable location, after measures have been taken to prevent material damage.

The owner or operator of the vehicle shall be notified of the removal within a reasonable time. The removal costs, which are determined by decision of the Minister of Citizen Protection, as well as the vehicle’s storage fees, shall be borne by the owner or holder of the vehicle, vessel, or other items, who may collect them immediately upon payment of these costs.

A vehicle may be towed, even if it is legally parked, in accordance with the above, without the imposition of administrative penalties or other charges, when there is an emergency or for safety reasons, provided, however, that the owner or holder is notified of this by any appropriate means within a reasonable time.

10. The driver of a motor vehicle—excluding two-wheeled mopeds, two-wheeled motorcycles without a sidecar, and light motor vehicles— if required to park on the roadway in a location where parking is prohibited, shall place a sign or appropriate device, in accordance with Article 85, concerning vehicle mechanisms, components, and devices, in such a way as to alert approaching drivers from a distance. The sign shall be placed on the roadway at a distance of more than twenty (20) meters in residential areas, fifty (50) meters outside residential areas, subject to paragraph 3 of Article 33 regarding the movement of vehicles on highways, expressways, and tunnels. This requirement also applies to trailers in the aforementioned cases.

11. a) Violations of subparagraphs (b), (c), (f), (g), (h), (i), (j), and (m) of paragraph 2; subparagraphs (d), (f), (h), (i), (j), and (k) of paragraph 3; and paragraphs 7 and 8 are classified in category E1-A.

(b) Violations of subparagraphs (ia), (ib), (ic), (id), and (iθ) of paragraph 2, and of subparagraphs (a), (b), (c), and (e) of paragraph 3, and of paragraphs 5, 6, and 10 are classified in category E1-B.

(c) Violations of subparagraph (a) of paragraph 2 and subparagraph (g) of paragraph 3 are classified in category E1-A and category S.

(d) Violations of subparagraphs (i), (i) and (j) of paragraph 2 are classified in category E2-B and category S, and the vehicle registration is suspended for seventy (70) days.

(e) Violations of subparagraph (k) of paragraph 2 are classified in category E3-B and in category S.

(f) Violations of subparagraph (d) of paragraph 2 are classified as Category E4 and are punishable by an administrative fine of one thousand two hundred (1,200) euros and the immediate suspension of the driver’s license for sixty (60) days. In addition to the administrative penalties set forth in the preceding sentence, violations of subparagraph (d) of paragraph 2 are punishable by imprisonment for at least one year and a fine of up to two thousand (2,000) euros, provided that the act is not punishable by a more severe penalty under Article 291 of the Penal Code (Law 4619/2019, A’ 95) or any other provision.

(g) Violations of subparagraph (e) of paragraph 2 are classified in category E2-B.

The above administrative fines are reduced by half when the violations involve mopeds or motorcycles. If the illegal parking continues for more than three (3) hours after the violation is documented, a new violation is recorded by the same or another enforcement officer, and after the second three-hour period has elapsed, the vehicle, trailer, boat, or other bulky objects are towed away in accordance with paragraph 9, unless traffic or the parking of vehicles belonging to persons with disabilities is obstructed, or the movement of a railway or tram vehicle is impeded, in which case the removal shall take place immediately.

12. Specifically for E.P.H.O. drivers:

(a) Violations of paragraphs 1 through 10 are classified under category E1-A.

(b) A violation of paragraph 4 is classified as Category E1-A, with the exception of subparagraphs (i), (ia), (ib), and (ix), violations of which are classified as Category E2-A.

13. The driver of a vehicle caught in the act of violating parking regulations is considered the offender; if the driver is absent, the vehicle’s owner is considered the offender. If the vehicle belongs to a rental company and is leased, the lessee named in the lease agreement is considered the violator.

14. Regarding the E.P.H.O.:

(a) Only the driver of a vehicle caught in the act is considered to be in violation of the parking regulations,

(b) at E.P.H.O. mass disposal sites that are made available for use or leased by companies that lease or grant the right to use such sites, such sites are designated in accordance with this regulation, and violations by offending companies are classified under Category E2-A. If the use of the space continues for more than five (5) hours after the violation is confirmed, a new Category E2-A violation is confirmed by the same or another enforcement authority, and after the second five-hour period has elapsed, the vehicles are towed in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 9, unless traffic is obstructed, in which case the removal takes place immediately.

15. It is prohibited to occupy, by any means and for any reason, part or all of the roadway of national, provincial, and municipal or community roads used by motorized and non-motorized vehicles. Those who intentionally violate the provision of the preceding paragraph shall be punished with the penalties set forth in paragraph 1 of Article 292 of the Penal Code. At the same time, and regardless of the penalty provided for in the preceding clause, by order of the relevant Regional Governor, following a prior hearing of the person against whom the measure is taken, the right to operate the vehicle for public use shall be revoked for one (1) year and, in the event of a repeat offense, permanently, and the vehicle’s registration information shall be revoked at the same time.

16. It is prohibited to occupy part or all of the roadway and the toll stations located thereon on highways, as well as obstructing or interrupting (partially or completely) the operation of toll stations in any manner. Anyone who intentionally violates the prohibition set forth in the first sentence shall be punished in accordance with paragraph 1 of Article 292 of the Penal Code.

17. A deviation from paragraphs 2 and 3 is permitted:

(a) To designate, in residential areas, the stops, departure points, or parking areas for urban, intercity, and electric buses, as well as rail vehicles.

At public transportation stops, special curb extensions may be installed on the roadway to facilitate passenger boarding and alighting and to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities and people with limited mobility in general. Additionally, vertical, flexible, spring-loaded rubber posts (markers) may be installed at intersections.

b) To designate the pickup points and stops/parking areas (taxi stands) for public passenger vehicles (taxis) in residential areas.

Bus stops and parking spots are located near central hubs that attract significant traffic, in locations that ensure safe traffic flow and adequate traffic service levels for all road users, at points in the road network where stopping and parking are permitted.

18. For the designation of special E.P.I.O. parking spaces in residential areas, a deviation from paragraphs 2, 3, and 4 is permitted.

19. Vehicles may be parked in controlled parking areas for the period of time for which proof of payment of the parking fee—as determined from time to time by the competent authority—has been provided.

If parking continues without payment of the prescribed parking fee for more than three (3) hours after the violation is recorded, a new violation is recorded by the same or another enforcement officer.

20. Paragraph 17 also applies to the designation of bus stops and departure points for buses operating on international bus routes, in the regions of the Attica Region and the Regional Unit of Thessaloniki.

21. For violations of this law relating to parking, the driver’s license shall be revoked if such revocation is not carried out immediately and on the spot by the officer who issues the citation; the vehicle’s registration documents shall be confiscated on the spot and returned to the owner upon presentation of the driver’s license. For vehicles leased from car rental companies or under a finance lease, the vehicle registration documents are returned upon presentation of the vehicle lease agreement.