Diving Rules & Standards

Important information about the Law for any diver how wants to dive in Greece

According to the Greek recreational scuba diving law 3409/2005 you are forbidden to perform the following:

• Diving in shipping lanes or anchorages.
• Diving in areas where naval and/or armed forces carry out exercises or other activities.
• Diving in areas where hired motorboats can travel 100 m or less from their starting point.
• Diving in areas where prohibitions have been imposed by legislation that designates marine areas as protected, or by the administrative and operational regulations or plans of competent administrative authorities.
• Diving in where there are underwater cables or systems installed by utility companies.
• Diving in wherever the Coastguard Authority, in a duly justified decision, imposes prohibitions for reasons of safety of ships or personnel.
• Recreational dives, where not conducted under the services of a Recreational Services Diving Provider, are prohibited from one hour after sunset and up to one hour before sunrise.
• Scuba diving is prohibited to persons who do not have a certification recognized by an organisation under article 3 and not under the services of a recognized recreational diving service provider. Recognized organisations currently include: ANDI, IANTD, PADI, SSI & The Greek Diving Federation (ΕΟΥΔΑΤΚ).
• Fish with a spear gun or other means; collect, disturb or destroy individual members of micro-flora and micro-fauna, flora and fauna or commit any acts which might alter or corrupt ecological interaction in the Eco-system of the area.
• Carry underwater fishing equipment or fish or other animal or vegetable marine organisms on a ship or vessel which accompanies them.
• Haul up, transport or photograph artifacts of archaeological or other value found in the deep.
• Take photographs or videos in areas where diving is prohibited unless there is written permission from the competent ministry.
• Dive without being accompanied (solo diving) by another diver.
• All divers are to inform the competent Coastguard Authority immediately and by all possible means if they locate objects of archaeological or police interest or shipwrecks.
• Flag Alpha as described in Chapter 11 of the International 1969 Signals Code, or the internationally recognized diving flag (red with a diagonal white line) is to be flown from the diver’s boat .
• Divers who venture further than a horizontal distance of 50 m from the boat which is accompanying them, or who dive from the shore, are obliged to display an orange-colored float on the surface, with the special sign or internationally recognized flag mentioned above and all vessels are to remain more than 100 m from the location of the special sign or internationally recognized flag.
• Diving is forbidden for night dives – 1 (one) hour before sunset until 1 (one) hour after sunrise. Except when the divers are supported and guided with local certified diving center or instructor from Coastguard Authority. 
• Conducting of scuba diving courses for beginners or advanced divers is prohibited for all persons who do not have a licence for Diving Provider issue from Greek government and Coastguard Authority.
• All scuba cylinders (tanks) must to have a hydro-test not more than 3 years from the last date of inspection. 
• Filling scuba diving cylinders (tanks) from personal compressors without licence is forbidden or on public places.
• Any type of advertising for scuba diving activities on internet, cars, posters, fliers or another public places is forbidden without licence – the licence must to be issue from Greek government and Coastguard Authority.
• If the place for diving (dive site) is more than 200 meters from the shore line – must to be by diving boat with all special sign and internationally recognized flags, special safety equipment and diving lights.
• All divers who wants to dive or dive center on the dive cite (place for diving), or professional diving boats must to have 02 kit (pure OXYGEN bottle) with valid hydro-test for emergency case.

Copies of these restrictions are available for your log books!