Greece on a Canadian Licence 2026: No IDP, 30 km/h Towns

Driving in Greece as a Canadian starts with good news: your licence works as it is. The Greek transport ministry lists Canada, alongside the US, Australia and the UK, among countries whose national licence is valid for cars and motorcycles during a stay. There is no International Driving Permit to buy, and a translation is needed only if the licence entries are not in Greek or English. Global Affairs Canada says the same: a valid Canadian licence plus valid insurance. You also keep to the right, as at home. The real differences are three numbers: 30 km/h in towns, a 0.05 alcohol limit instead of 0.08, and fines that start at EUR 150.

0.05, not 0.08

This is what Canadians search for most after the licence question, and with reason. Canada’s Criminal Code draws the line at 0.08. Greece draws it at 0.05, and at 0.02 for novice and professional drivers. If you hold a newer licence, check which side of that line you fall on before your trip.

Ottawa’s own advice on Greece puts it more bluntly for anyone hiring a scooter or motorbike: never drink and drive. Ouzo with lunch in a harbour taverna and then a drive over a mountain road is the scenario to avoid.

Built-up areas are now 30

Greece rewrote its road code in 2025 (Law 5209/2025). The default in built-up areas is now 30 km/h. A road keeps 50 km/h only if it has a central divider or at least two marked lanes in each direction, and signs can override either figure. Outside towns the numbers go the other way from Canada:

• rural roads: 90 km/h, close to Canadian rural highways
• motorways: 130 km/h, well above the 100 common on Canadian highways

What the code charges

A suspension on a holiday means the car stays parked for the rest of the trip. The Speeding Fine Calculator estimates other cases. If a ticket follows a rental home, see who pays driving fines abroad.

What Ottawa says about Greek roads

Global Affairs Canada does not soften this. Road conditions vary greatly, congestion and difficult terrain create hazards, and fatal crashes are common. Drivers often speed and drive recklessly, and drivers and motorbikes do not always yield to pedestrians or cyclists. In practice that means leaving a large gap, expecting overtaking on blind bends, and watching for bikes filtering past on both sides.

Scooters and quads on the islands

The same advice singles out a pattern: tourists renting motorbikes, scooters or mopeds have frequent accidents, especially on the islands. Small, unlicensed rental agencies do not always supply vehicles that meet current safety standards. Ottawa’s checklist is short:

• read the rental contract carefully
• inspect the equipment before you take it
• slow down on rough and uneven surfaces

If you crash, wait for the police

This is a step many visitors skip. After an accident, wait for the police to arrive. Global Affairs Canada warns that without a police report you may not be able to file an insurance claim. That applies whether you are in a hire car on the mainland or on a scooter on an island.

Numbers to save

Dial 112 for emergencies; the police number is 100. The 911 you know from home will not work. The Greece driving guide has the rest of the rules.

Sources

• Hellenic Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, circular Δ30/Α3/5599 of 9 January 2023 on foreign licences (art. 94 par. 3 KOK; US, Canada, Australia, UK): diavgeia.gov.gr
• Global Affairs Canada, Greece travel advice (driving on a Canadian licence; road safety; motorbike and scooter rentals; police report after accidents; 112, police 100): travel.gc.ca
• Law 5209/2025 (new Greek road traffic code), articles 20 and 24 on limits and fines, consolidated text: taxheaven.gr
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Greece profile (0.05 g/dl; 0.02 g/dl novice): who.int