Greece signs 2.1 million euro deal for camera-recorded driving tests and digital plates

Contract and funding

The Greek Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport signed a programme contract on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, for the project 'Digital Transformation Actions of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport and Technical Solutions for Road Safety'. The deal is worth 2.1 million euros including VAT, and it is due to be completed within 24 months. It is financed through the 2026-2030 Sectoral Development Programme. Deputy Minister Giorgos Kotsiras signed alongside Dimosthenis Anagnostopoulos, Secretary General for Information Systems and Digital Governance, and Konstantinos Stefanidis, head of the human-computer interaction laboratory at the Foundation for Research and Technology (ITE). Digital Governance and AI Minister Dimitris Papastergiou and Transport Secretary General Stelios Sakaretsios attended the signing.

Changes to driving exams

The contract adds a digital layer to both theory and practical training. Attendance in theory and practical lessons is to be recorded in real time. Practical tests would draw examiners at random through an application, be recorded digitally, and produce a result as soon as the assessment is entered. Candidates would be able to file objections electronically, supported by the recorded material. According to the ministry, a new theory exam system has been implemented and its installation is still to follow. A mobile and tablet app for learning the Highway Code, with interactive tests, simulations and progress tracking, is planned, while the practical driving training stage is still at design level.

Cameras and legislation

Cameras in the training vehicles of driving schools have been provided for in law for about five years, but they have not been installed. According to reports, a new bill will follow in November 2026 to change the rules on camera use, including AI-powered camera systems, and to correct legal gaps in the current framework. Under the new practical exam system, the camera footage could be used to check assessments and review objections, protecting both the candidate and the examiner. The new plate-issuance system has also been legislated, but its start of operation is still pending.

Number plates and vehicle data

The contract moves the replacement of number plates after theft, loss or destruction fully online. A state-plate information system will track the whole cycle, from stock and orders to production and final allocation, using automated, tamper-proof allocation. It will be linked to vehicle registries and the ministry's digital services. The work packages aim to reduce bureaucracy and speed up processing. All new applications will run on the Government Cloud (G-Cloud), and users will log in with TaxisNet codes through gov.gr or drivers-vehicles.services.gov.gr.

Growth of digital services

Secretary General for Transport Stelios Sakaretsios presented usage figures for the drivers-vehicles platform, which grew out of a 2020 memorandum between the two ministries. Since the platform launched, a total of 2.8 million digital applications have been completed. The first nine months of 2026 recorded 1,162,075 applications, 61.4% more than the whole of 2025, which had itself risen 43.4% on 2024.

Timing and next steps

The contract runs for 24 months from its signing on 20 October 2026. The coverage does not give interim milestones, so delivery dates for the exam, camera and plate components are not yet set. The camera bill and the plate system's start date will determine when the changes reach drivers in practice.