Good news the forums haven't caught up with: US and Canadian driving licences convert to Greek ones without a driving test. The rest of Greek admin follows one rule — get your AFM first, then everything else becomes possible.
Last verified: 8 July 2026The old expat forums say Americans must retake their driving test in Greece. They're out of date. Greece converts licences from the US and Canada (also Australia, Japan, South Africa, and South Korea) without a driving test — the exchange is a listed service on mitos.gov.gr. What it takes:
Greece follows the standard EU rules — identical to Portugal's, so if you've read our Portugal guide, nothing changes:
| Step | What | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | AFM (tax number) — needed for property, bank, utilities, a car. Free. | AADE / myAADE |
| 2 | Bank account — possible pre-residency with an AFM and paperwork; expect in-person requirements and questions about source of funds. | Greek bank branch |
| 3 | Residence permit — biometrics and the blue-certificate wait. See Visas & Residency. | Ministry of Migration & Asylum |
| 4 | Everything else — utilities, licence exchange, vehicle registration. Most services are on gov.gr; KEP centres handle it in person and are widely praised by residents. | gov.gr / your local KEP |
Language reality: Greece ranks #20 worldwide for English proficiency (EF EPI 2025 — "high proficiency"), and English is common in cities, tourist areas, and among younger officials. Village bureaucracy is another matter — a Greek-speaking friend, lawyer, or accountant pays for themselves the first time a document needs chasing.
The mitos.gov.gr service walked through — documents, the medical, and realistic timelines.
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