The legal framework of private security in Greece

The most practical source is the consolidated text of the law published by the Hellenic Police. Under article 1 §1, security services include:

• surveillance or guarding of property and premises;
• protection of individuals;
• secure transport of cash and valuables in armoured vehicles;
• protection of shows, exhibitions, conferences and sporting events;
• security screening at airports and ports, with the approval of the competent authority;
• installing, maintaining and monitoring security and alarm systems, and running alarm receiving centres;
• studies and planning of security measures and systems.

Two points are often missed. First, the law partly covers employees who guard their own company’s premises: articles 3, 4 §2, 5 and 6 apply to them (art. 1 §3) — see in-house security or an outside company. Second, carrying out these activities does not affect the competences of the state authorities (art. 1 §4).

• Conditions: among others, age 18 or over, none of the final convictions the law lists, no mental illness or drug use, and not being a maker or dealer of weapons (art. 2 §1). In a public limited company the conditions apply to every board member and every shareholder holding at least 15%, and shares must be registered (art. 2 §2).
• Term: five years, renewable for the same period; the licence cannot be transferred (art. 2 §3), and any change of legal form requires a new licence (art. 2 §2).
• Valid nationwide: the company may operate across the whole country (art. 2 §6).
• Name and documents: the phrase «ιδιωτική επιχείρηση παροχής υπηρεσιών ασφαλείας» (private security services company) in its name and the licence number on its documents (art. 4 §1α, as amended by art. 159 of Law 5187/2025). Wording that suggests it represents a public, especially police, authority is prohibited (art. 4 §1β).
• Changes: any change to the licence conditions must be notified to Hellenic Police Headquarters within 15 days (art. 4 §1ι).

How to check this in practice before you sign: checking a security company’s licence. Civil liability insurance is not required by the law; it is agreed in the contract (liability insurance).

• Category A: for guarding, protecting individuals, transporting valuables, events, airport and port screening, escorts and the related studies — and for people who guard their own company’s premises (art. 3 §2).
• Category B: for installing, maintaining and monitoring security and alarm systems, alarm receiving centres and the related studies (art. 3 §3).
• Conditions: the same as for the operating licence (art. 2 §1), plus a vocational training title relevant to the work; armed staff must also have completed military service (art. 3 §4).
• Issue and validity: issued by the Police Directorate of the prefecture or the Security Directorate of the place of residence (art. 3 §5). It is personal, valid for five years and renewable; a refused application can be appealed within 10 days (art. 3 §6).

The steps to get one: how to become a security guard in Greece.

A company may not employ staff without the required work licence (art. 4 §1ιδ). Working without a licence, and hiring or assigning work to someone without one, are criminal offences (art. 8 §1).

• ID card: photo, full name, father’s name, date of birth, work-licence category and number, and the company name, in Greek and English (art. 6 §1).
• Badge: company name, the holder’s name, the acronym Ι.Ε.Π.Υ.Α. and “PRIVATE SECURITY”, worn on the left side of the chest (art. 6 §1).
• Uniform: a company may use a uniform, which is of a single type for all companies (art. 2 §5). Without a uniform, the company gives the guard an individual certificate with its details, the guard’s details, the work-licence number and the place of work (art. 4 §1γ).
• Limits: staff may not use the title «αστυνομικός» (police) or wording suggesting they represent a public authority (art. 4 §2γ), and the company must not infringe citizens’ constitutional rights (art. 4 §1στ).

Carrying a weapon is prohibited as a rule; the law allows it only by exception, with a special permit, for guarding specific premises and for transporting valuables (art. 5 §1–2).

• Monthly staff list: by the last day of each month, the company submits to the local police the staff for the following month, with work-licence numbers, places of work and whether a uniform is worn. For a new assignment during the month, or any change, the update is made before work starts (art. 4 §1ια).
• Training: the company trains its staff according to the duties assigned (art. 4 §1δ) — see training new security guards.
• Assistance: in the event of a criminal act, the company and its staff assist the police if asked; assistance in dealing with public gatherings is not permitted (art. 7).
• Penalties: criminal, for operating, working or hiring without a licence (art. 8), and administrative: fines and temporary or permanent withdrawal of the operating licence or work licence (art. 9).

For a client this means something simple: the licence numbers of the guards a company will send are already declared to the police every month, so it can give them to you. What else to ask: questions to ask before signing.

• Hours: full-time work is 40 hours a week in every sector; collective agreements may set fewer (article 189).
• Nights: a 25% premium for work between 22:00 and 06:00, in businesses that run continuously or not (article 150).
• Sundays and public holidays: a 75% premium (article 219).
• Digital work card: Ministerial Decision 24595/2024 (Gazette Β΄ 1966/2024) brings businesses whose main activity is guarding and protection (activity codes 8010 and 8020) into the system. The card records the start and end of work, breaks and work beyond the schedule in real time in ERGANI II (article 580).

In detail: security guard pay, shifts and working hours, the digital work card in guarding and how to check a company pays its guards lawfully. This is also where price enters your judgement, only as a reason to reject: an offer too low to pay the hours of cover lawfully is rejected (the very low offer).

• No permit: the Hellenic Data Protection Authority states that no permit or notification is required. Monitoring or evaluating employees with cameras is prohibited (art. 27 Law 4624/2019).
• Retention: delete within 15 working days at most if nothing happens; up to 30 days for an incident against the controller and up to 3 months for one involving a third party (Directive 1/2011, art. 8).
• Sign: clearly visible, before anyone enters camera range, naming the controller, the purpose and who to contact about data rights (art. 12).

In detail: CCTV and GDPR for businesses, how long to keep footage, the CCTV warning sign and body cameras for guards.