Greece VAT Invoice Requirements: Complete Timologio Guide

A timologio is the standard Greek VAT invoice, legally required for every taxable transaction conducted in Greece. Governed by Greek Accounting Standards (Ελληνικά Λογιστικά Πρότυπα) and enforced by AADE (the Independent Authority for Public Revenue), the timologio carries requirements that go well beyond what most EU countries demand. A valid Greek VAT invoice must include the supplier and buyer AFM (tax identification number), their registered DOY (tax office), a sequential invoice number, issue date, itemized descriptions with net amounts, the applicable VAT rate and amount, and since all invoices must now be transmitted through AADE's myDATA platform, a MARK authentication number and a mandatory QR code linking directly to the tax authority's verification database.

Failing to meet these requirements has real financial consequences. Invoices not transmitted to myDATA are treated as invalid for VAT purposes, which means the buyer cannot claim input VAT credit. For the seller, untransmitted invoices trigger penalties and potential audit flags.

Below is the complete Greek VAT invoice checklist, broken down by category.

Mandatory Fields on a Greek VAT Invoice

Seller Information

Full legal name (business or trade name as registered with AADE)
Business address (registered office address)
AFM (Αριθμός Φορολογικού Μητρώου) — the 9-digit Greek tax identification number
DOY (Δημόσια Οικονομική Υπηρεσία) — the specific tax office where the seller is registered

Buyer Information

Full legal name (for B2B transactions)
Business address
AFM (required for all B2B transactions; not required for B2C retail receipts)
DOY (required for B2B transactions)

Invoice Identifiers

Sequential invoice number — must follow a continuous, unbroken numbering series per invoice type
Issue date
Payment due date (where applicable)

Transaction Details

Description of goods or services — each line item described individually
Quantity per line item
Unit price (net of VAT)
Net amount per line item

Tax Information

Applicable VAT rate(s) — stated per line item when multiple rates apply
VAT amount per rate
Total VAT amount
Gross total (net amount plus VAT)

Payment Details

Bank account details, including IBAN
Payment method (bank transfer, cash, card, etc.)

Digital Verification

MARK authentication number (Μοναδικός Αριθμός Καταχώρησης) — a unique code assigned by AADE when the invoice is transmitted through myDATA. This number proves the invoice has been reported to the tax authority.
QR code — mandatory on all invoices since January 1, 2024. The QR code links to AADE's verification database, allowing anyone (buyer, auditor, or tax inspector) to confirm the invoice's authenticity in real time.

The DOY requirement, MARK authentication numbers, and mandatory QR codes set Greek invoices apart from those in most other EU countries. Germany, France, and the Netherlands, for example, require a VAT identification number but not a specific tax office registration. Greece's system ties every invoice to both a registered tax office and a centralized digital verification layer.

Quick Validation Checklist for Incoming Greek Invoices

If you receive invoices from Greek suppliers and need to verify them before processing, check these elements:

Seller AFM and DOY are present — both the 9-digit tax number and the registered tax office must appear
Verify the AFM via VIES — use the "EL" prefix (not "GR") to confirm the number is active
Buyer AFM and DOY are present (for B2B transactions)
MARK number exists — confirms the invoice has been transmitted to AADE's myDATA system
QR code is present — scan it to verify the invoice against AADE's verification database
Correct invoice type — standard sales invoice for B2B, with the appropriate myDATA document type code
VAT rate matches the goods or services and location — mainland rates (24%/13%/6%) vs. Aegean Island reduced rates
Credit notes reference the original invoice — must include the original invoice number and date

AFM and DOY: The Greek Tax Identifiers Every Invoice Needs

Every Greek VAT invoice must display two tax identifiers for both the seller and the buyer: the AFM and the DOY. If you have worked with invoices in other EU member states, the AFM will feel familiar. The DOY, however, is a distinctly Greek requirement that catches many foreign businesses off guard.

The AFM (Arithmos Forologikou Mitroou) is Greece's nine-digit tax identification number, assigned to every taxable entity and individual registered with the Greek tax authorities. It functions much like a VAT number in other EU countries. For intra-EU transactions, the AFM is prefixed with the country code "EL" to form the EU VAT identification number — for example, EL123456789. Note the prefix is "EL" (from Ellas, the Greek name for Greece), not "GR." This is a frequent source of confusion for foreign businesses accustomed to using ISO country codes, and entering "GR" instead of "EL" will cause VIES validation failures.

The DOY (Dimossia Oikonomiki Ypiresia) is the specific tax office where the business or individual is registered. Greece maintains a network of regional and specialized tax offices, and every taxable entity is assigned to one based on location or activity type. This assignment is permanent and appears on all official tax documents. Greek invoicing law requires both the seller's and the buyer's DOY to be printed on every invoice.

This dual-identifier requirement is unusual in the EU. In most member states, the VAT identification number alone is sufficient to identify a taxable person on an invoice. Greece treats the DOY as an essential piece of the tax identity — it tells the tax administration which office has jurisdiction over that entity, and its presence on the invoice confirms that the entity is properly registered and administered.

Practical validation when receiving Greek invoices: You can verify a Greek supplier's AFM through the EU VIES system, the standard cross-border VAT number validation tool. Enter the number with the "EL" prefix, and VIES will confirm whether it is active and return the registered name and address. The DOY, however, cannot be validated through VIES. It is a Greece-specific element, and confirming it requires checking against Greek tax authority records. Both identifiers must be present and correct for the invoice to be considered valid under Greek tax law — an invoice missing the DOY is technically non-compliant even if the AFM is verified.

For B2C transactions such as retail receipts, the buyer's AFM and DOY are not required. The seller's identifiers, however, must always appear regardless of the transaction type.

MARK Numbers and QR Codes: Digital Authentication on Greek Invoices

Greek invoices carry two digital verification elements that businesses outside Greece will not have encountered elsewhere: the MARK authentication number and a mandatory QR code. Both tie every issued invoice directly to the tax authority's records, creating a level of document traceability that goes well beyond standard European invoicing practice.

The MARK Authentication Number

MARK stands for Monadikos Arithmos Katagrafis (Μοναδικός Αριθμός Καταγραφής), translated as Unique Registration Number. When a business transmits an invoice to AADE's myDATA platform, the system assigns a MARK to that specific document. This number serves as proof that the invoice has been reported to the Greek tax authority.

The MARK must appear on the final version of the invoice shared with the buyer. Its presence confirms that the transaction has been registered with myDATA. If you receive a Greek invoice that lacks a MARK, that document has not been transmitted to the tax authority and is considered non-compliant. For buyers, this distinction matters: claiming a VAT deduction based on an invoice without a valid MARK carries risk, since AADE has no record of the underlying transaction.

Each MARK is unique to a single document and cannot be reused or reassigned. It functions as an immutable reference point linking the physical or digital invoice in your hands to the corresponding entry in AADE's database.

Mandatory QR Codes

Since January 1, 2024, a QR code is mandatory on all Greek tax documents, including invoices, restaurant orders, and POS receipts. The QR code links directly to the invoice's authentication record in AADE's myDATA database. Anyone with a smartphone can scan it and verify whether the invoice is genuine, whether it has been properly transmitted, and whether its details match what the issuer reported.

The QR code gives anyone — a customer at a restaurant, a procurement officer reviewing a supplier invoice, or an auditor examining expense documentation — a direct way to check an invoice against AADE's records at the point of receipt. Invoice fraud becomes visible immediately rather than only during a later tax audit.

How MARK and QR Codes Relate to myDATA

Both the MARK number and QR code are outputs of the myDATA transmission process. The business issues an invoice, transmits its data to AADE, receives the MARK in return, and generates the QR code that references that record. The critical point for this guide is that both elements are mandatory fields on the invoice itself. Regardless of how or when the transmission happens, the document the buyer receives must display both a MARK and a QR code.

For the full picture on myDATA transmission requirements, deadlines, and the compliance methods available to businesses, see the companion guide on Greece's myDATA e-invoicing mandate and compliance deadlines.

Structured E-Invoicing and EN 16931

Greece's e-invoicing format follows the EN 16931 European standard, aligning with the broader EU push toward structured electronic invoicing. Structured e-invoicing is becoming mandatory in phases during 2026: large enterprises must comply from February/March 2026, with all other businesses following from October 2026.

However, the MARK and QR code requirements are already in force and apply to all invoices today, whether the business has transitioned to structured e-invoicing or still issues invoices through other compliant methods. Businesses that have not yet adopted the EN 16931 format still need both a MARK and QR code on every document they issue.

Invoice Types in the Greek System

Greece classifies invoices into distinct document types, each governed by specific issuance rules and field requirements. Selecting the correct type is not optional. The myDATA platform assigns a document type code to every transmitted invoice, and misclassification triggers processing errors or rejection by AADE. Understanding which invoice applies to your transaction scenario is essential before you issue or attempt to validate a Greek tax document.

Standard Sales Invoices (Timologio Polisis)

The full B2B invoice is the default document for all wholesale and business-to-business transactions in Greece. It requires complete counterparty information on both sides: seller and buyer AFM, DOY registration, full legal names, registered addresses, and professional activity descriptions. Every field outlined in the mandatory requirements above must appear on a standard sales invoice without exception.

Any transaction between two VAT-registered entities operating in Greece demands this document type. Foreign companies purchasing from or selling to Greek businesses will encounter these invoices as the standard commercial document. In myDATA, the standard sales invoice carries document type code 1.1.

Retail Receipts (Apodeixi Lianikou)

Unlike standard B2B invoices, retail transactions in Greece must be processed through a fiscalized cash register or POS terminal certified by AADE. These devices connect directly to the tax authority's systems and automatically transmit transaction data in real time. The seller cannot use a manually prepared invoice for retail sales.

Retail receipts carry reduced buyer information since the consumer is not a registered business, but they must still include full seller identification, itemized goods or services, applicable VAT rates, and the total amount. AADE assigns retail documents their own classification codes in myDATA, ranging from 11.1 through 11.5 depending on the specific retail transaction type.

Simplified Invoices

For B2C transactions below certain value thresholds, Greek tax law permits simplified invoices with fewer mandatory fields than a full timologio. These documents still require seller identification, a description of goods or services, the total amount with VAT, and after transmission, a MARK number and QR code. What they omit is the detailed buyer information required on standard B2B invoices.

Simplified invoices are not a blanket alternative to retail receipts. They apply in specific circumstances, and the applicable value thresholds are set by AADE regulation and have been adjusted periodically. Check AADE's current guidance for the threshold in effect before relying on this document type.

Service Invoices

Service provision uses a dedicated invoice type, which becomes particularly significant for intra-community services between Greek and other EU member state businesses. The service invoice (myDATA code 2.1 for intra-community services) must specify the nature of services rendered, the place of supply determination, and the applicable reverse charge notation when VAT shifts to the recipient under EU rules. Teams handling supplier invoices from nearby EU markets can compare that logic with Cyprus reverse-charge invoice checks and VAT return box treatment, where the same self-assessment principle is applied through Cyprus's own domestic VAT reporting framework.

Domestic service invoices follow the same mandatory field requirements as standard sales invoices but are categorized separately in myDATA to allow AADE to distinguish goods transactions from service transactions in its reporting.

Self-Billed Invoices

In certain commercial arrangements, the buyer issues the invoice on behalf of the seller. Self-billing is permitted in Greece provided both parties have a prior written agreement authorizing the arrangement. The self-billed invoice must contain all the same mandatory fields as a standard sales invoice, with a clear notation that the document is self-billed. Both parties' AFM and DOY details appear as usual, but the issuing party is the buyer rather than the seller.

Delivery Notes (Deltio Apostolis)

Delivery notes accompany the physical transport of goods and serve as proof of dispatch and receipt. Greece has been tightening regulation of delivery notes through e-transport requirements, which mandate electronic notification to AADE before goods are moved. A delivery note must reference the corresponding sales invoice or indicate that invoicing will follow, and it must include sender and recipient details, a description of goods, quantities, and transport information.

myDATA Document Type Codes

Every invoice transmitted to myDATA must carry the correct document type code from AADE's detailed enumeration. Key codes include:

1.1 — Standard Sales Invoice
1.3 — Credit Note associated with sales
2.1 — Service Invoice for Intra-community transactions
5.1 / 5.2 — Credit Notes (associated with receipts)
11.1 through 11.5 — Retail receipt document types

Selecting the wrong code does not merely create an administrative nuisance. AADE uses this classification to categorize the transaction for VAT reporting, cross-reference it against counterparty submissions, and flag inconsistencies. Persistent misclassification can trigger audit attention.

Universal Requirements Across All Types

Regardless of which document type applies, every Greek invoice must carry a MARK number and QR code after myDATA transmission. The mandatory field structure from earlier in this guide applies in full to standard sales invoices, service invoices, and self-billed invoices. Retail receipts and simplified invoices operate with reduced buyer-side fields but are not exempt from digital authentication or seller identification requirements.

For freelancers and sole traders navigating these categories, the rules carry additional nuances around professional activity codes and simplified issuance options. A dedicated guide covers invoicing requirements specific to Greek freelancers and sole traders in detail.

Greek Credit Note and Debit Note Requirements

When a transaction requires correction — whether due to a pricing error, returned goods, or a negotiated discount after the fact — Greek tax law requires a formal corrective document rather than an informal adjustment. Credit notes (pistotiko timologio) and debit notes each carry specific issuance rules that mirror, and in some cases exceed, the requirements for standard invoices.

A credit note must reference the original invoice it corrects. This is not optional. The corrective document must include the original invoice number and its date of issue, creating an unambiguous link between the two documents. Without this reference, AADE cannot match the correction to the underlying transaction, and the credit note fails to serve its legal purpose.

Beyond the standard mandatory fields that appear on any Greek VAT invoice, credit notes must be transmitted to myDATA using the correct document type classification. In the myDATA system, credit notes fall under type codes 5.1 (credit note associated with an invoice) and 5.2 (credit note without reference to a specific invoice, used in narrower circumstances). Upon successful transmission, the credit note receives its own MARK authentication number and QR code, just as a standard invoice would. These identifiers confirm that AADE has registered the correction.

Debit notes follow a parallel structure. They must reference the original document being adjusted, include all mandatory invoice fields, and be transmitted to myDATA with the appropriate classification code. The key difference is directional: a debit note increases the amount owed, while a credit note reduces it.

The practical consequence of failing to transmit a credit note through myDATA is severe. An untransmitted credit note is treated as though it does not exist. The VAT adjustment it represents will not be recognized by AADE, meaning the seller's original VAT liability remains at the full invoiced amount, and the buyer cannot reduce the input VAT they previously claimed. Both parties need the corrective document properly transmitted for their VAT returns to reconcile.

For VAT return purposes, the credit note must be transmitted in the tax period during which it is issued. A credit note dated in March but transmitted in May creates a mismatch between the declared VAT adjustment and the myDATA record, which can trigger review during cross-referencing. Issue and transmit within the same reporting period to keep both sides aligned.

Timing also matters from a substantive standpoint. Credit notes should be issued within a reasonable timeframe of the original transaction. Greek tax authorities may scrutinize credit notes issued months or years after the original invoice, particularly where the correction materially reduces VAT liability. Prompt issuance, tied to a documented business reason such as a product return or contractual price adjustment, provides the clearest audit trail.

VAT Rates Applied to Greek Invoices

Greece applies three VAT rate tiers. Every invoice must reflect the correct rate per line item, and mixed-rate invoices require a separate VAT calculation for each applicable rate.

24% standard rate — applies to most goods and services not covered by a reduced category.

13% reduced rate — applies to:

Food products and basic groceries
Water supply
Hotel accommodation
Restaurant and catering services
Energy supplies (electricity, natural gas)
Certain agricultural inputs and supplies

6% super-reduced rate — applies to:

Pharmaceuticals and vaccines
Books and e-books
Newspapers and periodicals
Theatre and cinema tickets

Aegean Islands VAT Reduction

Businesses established on certain Greek islands in the Aegean Sea benefit from a 30% reduction on all standard VAT rates. This produces effective rates of approximately 17% (standard), 9% (reduced), and 4% (super-reduced). The reduction applies to supplies of goods and services made on qualifying islands, which means any business transacting with suppliers or customers located there will encounter these lower rates on invoices.

This island-specific regime is a distinctive feature of the Greek VAT system and warrants attention when validating invoices from Aegean-based counterparties. The rates should match the reduced schedule, not the mainland rates.

VAT Breakdown on Mixed-Rate Invoices

When an invoice includes items taxed at different rates, Greek tax law requires the document to show a per-rate VAT breakdown. Each group of line items sharing a common rate must display:

The net taxable amount for that rate category
The VAT amount calculated on that base
The applicable VAT rate percentage

The invoice total must then present a summary table showing every rate applied, the corresponding tax base, and the VAT charged at each tier. A single aggregate VAT figure without this breakdown does not satisfy Greek invoicing requirements. Getting this structure wrong is one of the more common compliance errors on invoices that span multiple product or service categories. For invoices involving both mainland and Aegean Island supplies, the place of supply determines which rate schedule applies, and separate rate-group breakdowns may be needed to reflect the different schedules.

For more on how these island-specific rates apply in practice, see our guide to the Aegean Islands VAT reduction and invoicing rules.

Record Retention, Penalties, and Compliance Incentives

Greek tax law imposes specific retention obligations that go beyond standard European norms. Under the Greek Tax Procedures Code, VAT invoices must be retained for a minimum of six years from the end of the tax year in which they were issued. General accounting records carry a slightly shorter obligation of five years. These timelines represent the minimum; businesses involved in ongoing audits or disputes should preserve records until final resolution regardless of the statutory period.

For electronic invoices, retention rules carry an additional requirement that catches many businesses off guard. Electronic invoices must be stored in their original electronic format. Printing an e-invoice to PDF and filing it does not satisfy the retention obligation. AADE requires that the digital record remain intact, accessible, and verifiable in the format it was transmitted. All records, whether paper or electronic, must be available for inspection by AADE upon request.

Penalties for Non-Compliant Invoices

The penalty framework distinguishes between VAT-related and non-VAT violations. For errors in VAT treatment on an invoice, such as applying the wrong rate or misclassifying an exempt transaction, the fine is 50% of the VAT amount involved in the violation. For non-VAT procedural infractions, penalties range from EUR 500 to EUR 1,000 per instance.

The most consequential penalty is structural rather than monetary. Invoices that are not transmitted to myDATA are deemed invalid for VAT purposes. The buyer cannot claim input VAT credit on that purchase, and for a standard-rated transaction at 24%, the effective cost increase is substantial. The result is that both buyer and seller have a direct financial stake in ensuring every invoice reaches myDATA. Sellers risk penalty assessments; buyers lose their deduction rights.

Incentives for Early E-Invoicing Adoption

Greece has paired its penalty structure with meaningful incentives to accelerate voluntary adoption. Under Decision A.1128/2025, businesses that adopt e-invoicing ahead of mandatory deadlines receive 100% enhanced depreciation on the equipment and software expenses incurred for initial implementation in the year those costs arise. Additionally, they benefit from 100% enhanced deductibility on all costs related to e-invoice production, transmission, and archiving during the first 12 months of adoption. According to KPMG's analysis of Greece's e-invoicing early adoption incentives, these provisions make early voluntary transition financially attractive rather than purely compliance-driven.

For businesses operating in or trading with Greece, the compliance calculus is straightforward. The combination of strict retention requirements, penalty exposure on untransmitted invoices, and tangible tax benefits for early adopters all point in the same direction: structured, digital-first invoicing processes aligned with AADE's myDATA infrastructure.