At what age can I retire?
Conditional — there's no single age; it's individual. Two anchors for 2026 (e-EFKA, Law 4336/2015): 67 + 15 years (4,500 days) → full pension (the baseline); 62 + 40 years (12,000 days) → full pension (the "40-year route" — note it needs 40 years, not just a lower age). 62 + 15 years → a reduced pension (up to ~30% off). The limits are frozen through 2026 and re-evaluated at year-end (tied to life expectancy). e-EFKA processes applications and checks insurance days. In short: 67 with 15 years, or 62 with 40 years.
📋 The rules
- 67 + 15 years (4,500 days): full pension
- 62 + 40 years (12,000 days): full pension
- 62 + 15 years: reduced (up to ~30%)
- Limits frozen through 2026, year-end review
- e-EFKA checks the insurance days
🔓 Exceptions
- Arduous occupations (BAE): 62 full/60 reduced with 10,500 days
- Notional years: up to 7 (private)/12 (public)
- Special transitional categories (mothers of minors pre-2010 etc.)
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There's no "fine" — the question is when and at what amount you retire. The reduced pension (62 with 15 years) is cut ~1/200 per month short, up to ~30%. The full national pension is €446.86/month from 1.1.2026. Beware myths: "retire at 62, full stop" — wrong (a full pension needs 40 years); "the age is already 68" — wrong (a 2027–2030 projection, not current law); and a plain "67" without the 62/40-year alternative is incomplete. To know your case: pull your insurance days from e-EFKA, see if you've vested a right (exercisable anytime), and weigh a full vs reduced pension.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
At what age can I retire?
There's no single age. Generally, at 67 with at least 15 years of insurance you're entitled to a full pension. Alternatively, at 62 with 40 years (12,000 days) you also get a full pension. Your case is individual, depending on your years and days of insurance.
Can I retire at 62?
Yes, but under conditions. At 62 with 40 years of insurance you're entitled to a full pension. At 62 with 15 years you get only a reduced pension, cut by up to about 30%. It's a myth that you retire at 62 with a full pension without the 40 years.
What is the reduced pension?
It's the pension you get if you retire earlier, e.g. at 62 with 15 years, instead of 67. It's cut by about 1/200 for each month short of the full age limit, with a maximum reduction of around 30%. It's a permanent, not temporary, reduction.
Is it true the age is going to 68?
Not today. The age of 68 is a projection for 2027–2030, linked to life expectancy, not the current law. For 2026 the limits are frozen and reviewed at year-end. It's a myth that the age is already 68.
What are arduous occupations?
They're special categories of jobs with demanding conditions that grant early-retirement rights. Indicatively, with the arduous-occupations status you can retire at 62 full or 60 reduced, with 10,500 days. There are also notional years and other special categories.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “retirement age 2026”
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