Taxes and costs

Property Taxes and Costs in Türkiye for Foreign Buyers (2026)

A home in Türkiye costs more than its title deed price: land registry fees, possibly VAT, then yearly taxes and tax on rent or a sale. This guide sets out each item with the 2026 rates and the law behind it, plus a worked example for a USD 400,000 new build. It is general information, not tax advice.

Last updated: October 21, 2026 · Reviewed by: Burak Ünal · Editorial policy

Title deed fee: 4% of declared price (2% + 2%)
VAT on new builds: 1%, 10% or 20%, exemption possible
Brokerage commission cap: 4% + VAT in total
Annual property tax on a home: 0.1% or 0.2% of tax value
Residential rent exemption 2026: TRY 58,000 a year
Gain on sale by an individual: Not taxed after five years

One-off costs when you buy

Budget these on top of the price. They are paid in Turkish lira, so their dollar value moves with the rate.

Item	Who pays	Amount in 2026	Notes
Title deed fee (tapu harcı)	Buyer 2%, seller 2%	4% of the declared price	Since Law No. 7566 (Official Gazette 19 December 2025) the declared price cannot be below the property-tax value; under-declaring costs a penalty of one times the missing fee (previously 25%).
Revolving-fund fee (döner sermaye)	Paid at the land registry	Fixed fee, set each year	A base amount multiplied by a local coefficient.
Valuation report	Buyer	The valuation firm's fee	Required only when the purchase is used for citizenship (TKGM Circular 2024/4, since June 2024): prepared by an SPK-licensed firm and valid for 6 months. Otherwise optional, but a useful price check.
Earthquake insurance (DASK)	Buyer	Annual premium	Required by the land registry (Law No. 6305, article 11). Since 5 September 2026 the buyer needs a new policy in their own name.
VAT on a new build (KDV)	Buyer, in the developer's price	1%, 10% or 20%	Depends on permit date, net area and project. Non-residents can be exempt (see below).
Brokerage commission	Buyer and seller	Up to 4% + VAT in total	The Real Estate Trade Regulation caps it at 4% of the price excluding VAT, split equally unless agreed otherwise in writing: 2% + VAT per side by default.
Sworn translator	Buyer	The translator's fee	Required at the land registry if you do not speak Turkish.
Notary and power of attorney	Buyer	Notary tariff, set each year	Needed if someone signs for you; one signed abroad is made at a Turkish consulate or apostilled and translated.
Bank transfer and currency conversion	Buyer	Bank charges and exchange spread	For citizenship the currency is sold to a bank in Türkiye against a Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate (DAB).
Utility subscriptions	Buyer	Deposits and connection fees	Electricity, water and gas move to your name; each provider sets its charges.

VAT on new builds and the exemption for non-residents

Since 10 July 2023 the general VAT rate is 20% and the reduced rates are 10% and 1%. For homes with a building permit dated from 1 April 2022, the net area up to 150 m² is generally taxed at 10% and the rest at 20%; 1% now applies mainly to some urban transformation projects and older permits. Ask the developer which rate applies and whether the price includes it.

Article 13/1-i of VAT Law No. 3065 exempts the first sale of a new home or workplace to a buyer who is not resident in Türkiye. The conditions:

First delivery of a newly built unit, by the developer.
The buyer is not tax resident in Türkiye (Turkish citizens living abroad with a permit for more than six months can also qualify).
The price is paid in foreign currency brought into Türkiye, documented by the bank within the set time limits.
Selling within three years makes the VAT payable with late-payment interest (one year until Law No. 7394 extended it from 1 May 2022).

Worked example: a USD 400,000 new-build purchase

A new home bought from a developer in 2026, declared at USD 400,000. Only percentage-based items are calculated.

Item	Basis	Illustrative amount
Title deed fee, buyer's share	2% of USD 400,000	USD 8,000
Title deed fee, seller's share	2% of USD 400,000	USD 8,000 (seller, unless agreed otherwise)
Brokerage commission, buyer's share	Maximum 2% + 20% VAT	Up to USD 9,600
VAT with the 13/1-i exemption	Non-resident paying in foreign currency	USD 0
VAT at 10%	No exemption	USD 40,000
VAT at 20%	No exemption	USD 80,000
Revolving-fund fee	Base amount x coefficient	Fixed fee, set each year
Valuation report	Valuation firm's price	Fixed fee, set each year
DASK earthquake insurance	Size, building type, risk zone	Fixed fee, set each year
Sworn translator and notary	Agreed fee and tariff	Fixed fee, set each year
Buyer's percentage items without VAT	2% fee + 2.4% commission	Up to USD 17,600 (4.4%)

Amounts are illustrative only. Fees are paid in lira at the rate of the day, the commission is a legal maximum, and VAT depends on the project (1% would be USD 4,000).

Yearly costs of owning a home

Property taxes use the tax value set by the municipality, usually below the market price, so we do not convert them into dollars.

Cost	Rate or amount in 2026	Notes
Property tax (emlak vergisi)	0.1% of building tax value; 0.2% in metropolitan municipalities	Property Tax Law No. 1319; Law No. 7566 left the rates unchanged. Paid March to May and in November, usually from the year after purchase.
Tax values under Law No. 7566	2026 value at most three times 2025	From 2027 values rise by the annual revaluation rate.
Valuable housing tax (değerli konut vergisi)	0.3%, 0.6% or 1% on tax value above TRY 17,711,000	2026 threshold from Communiqué No. 88. An owner's single home in Türkiye is exempt; owners of several homes should check which are taxed. Return due by 20 February.
Building management dues (aidat)	Set by the building	Not a tax; high in complexes with pools or gyms.
DASK renewal	Annual premium	Compulsory every year.
Home insurance	Priced by the insurer	Optional. DASK covers earthquake damage to the building only.

Rental income: how residential rent is taxed

Rent from a home in Türkiye is taxable in Türkiye, even if you live abroad. Individuals file an annual return from 1 to 31 March of the following year and pay in March and July. The Revenue Administration's 2026 guide confirms that non-residents file when residential rent exceeds the exemption.

For 2026 income, the first TRY 58,000 of residential rent is exempt (Communiqué No. 332); the amount is set each year. It is not available to people who must declare commercial, agricultural or professional income, who fail to declare rent above the exemption on time, or whose gross wages, investment income, rent and other income exceed the third wage bracket (TRY 1,500,000 for 2026). Workplace rent never qualifies.

After the exemption you deduct actual expenses (such as property tax, insurance, repairs, loan interest and depreciation) or a 15% lump sum, which then applies for at least two years. The rest is taxed at the rates below.

A company tenant withholds 20% of the gross rent, which you offset on your return.
Rent paid by an individual for a home has no withholding.
Short-term holiday lets follow separate licensing rules; check them before buying for that purpose.

2026 income tax rates for rent and gains on sale

Tariff for non-wage income under Income Tax Law No. 193 (article 103), amounts from Communiqué No. 332 (Official Gazette 31 December 2025). Each rate applies to the slice within its band.

Taxable income in 2026	Rate on that slice
Up to TRY 190,000	15%
TRY 190,000 to 400,000	20%
TRY 400,000 to 1,000,000	27%
TRY 1,000,000 to 5,300,000	35%
Above TRY 5,300,000	40%

For wages the 27% band runs to TRY 1,500,000. Bands are updated every year.

Selling: capital gains and the five-year rule

An individual who sells within five years of acquiring a property pays income tax on the gain (değer artış kazancı, Income Tax Law, article mükerrer 80). After five years the gain is not taxed, unless you trade property as a business. As of October 2026 we found no law changing this rule for individuals; the 2023 change (Law No. 7456) concerned companies.

The gain is the sale price minus the cost and the costs of buying and selling, with the cost indexed to the producer price index (Yİ-ÜFE) if it has risen by at least 10%. In 2026 the first TRY 150,000 of such gains is exempt (TRY 120,000 in 2025); the rest is declared the following March. Gains are calculated in lira, so a weaker lira can create a taxable gain at an unchanged dollar price. Non-residents may file differently: ask a Turkish accountant before you sign.

Before an early sale, also check:

The seller pays a 2% title deed fee.
A VAT-free purchase under article 13/1-i sold within three years makes the VAT payable.
A citizenship property carries a three-year no-sale annotation; an earlier sale cancels the investment certificate.
Property received by inheritance or gift is outside the five-year rule.

Inheritance and gift tax, tax residence and double taxation

Inheritance and Gift Tax Law No. 7338 applies to property located in Türkiye, whatever the heirs' nationality. In 2026 inheritances are taxed at 1% to 10% and gifts at 10% to 30%. Each child's or spouse's share is exempt up to TRY 2,907,136 (TRY 5,817,845 for a spouse with no descendants), gifts up to TRY 66,935 (Communiqué No. 57). An heir from a country not allowed to acquire property in Türkiye must sell it.

Owning property or holding citizenship by investment does not make you tax resident. Under Income Tax Law No. 193 you are resident if your domicile is in Türkiye or you stay more than six months continuously in a calendar year; stays for study, treatment, rest or travel are excluded. Residents are taxed on worldwide income. Law No. 7582 (June 2026) added an exemption for foreign income of some new residents: take advice before moving.

Türkiye has double taxation treaties with many countries. Most follow the OECD model: Türkiye may tax the rent and the gain on sale, and your home country gives relief by credit or exemption, usually against a certificate of tax residence. Confirm your treaty with advisers in both countries.

How Golden Visa Partners helps

We are based in Istanbul and our founder is a licensed real estate broker. Before you sign, we check the declared price, the VAT position and every fee, and we work with the lawyers, sworn translators, valuation firms and banks involved. We are independent and compare options, including other countries.

We are not a tax firm: for returns and tax opinions, work with a Turkish accountant or tax adviser.

Get a shortlist for Türkiye

Tell us what you want to achieve and roughly what you plan to invest. An adviser in Istanbul replies by email with the route that fits, a cost breakdown and the options worth checking first.

FAQ

How much does it cost to buy property in Türkiye as a foreigner?

The buyer usually pays a 2% title deed fee, possibly up to 2% + VAT in commission, and fixed fees for the revolving fund, valuation report, DASK and a sworn translator. Without VAT that is at most about 4.4% of the price plus fixed fees. A new build may add VAT of 1%, 10% or 20% unless the non-resident exemption applies.

Do foreigners pay VAT on a new-build home in Türkiye?

Usually yes, at 1%, 10% or 20%. A buyer who is not tax resident in Türkiye can be exempt on the first sale of a new home paid in foreign currency brought into Türkiye (VAT Law No. 3065, article 13/1-i). Selling within three years makes the VAT payable with interest.

How much is the annual property tax on a home in Türkiye?

It is 0.1% of the building tax value a year, or 0.2% inside metropolitan municipalities such as Istanbul, Antalya and Izmir. The municipality sets the tax value, usually below the market price.

Do I pay tax on rent if I live outside Türkiye?

Yes. For 2026 income the first TRY 58,000 of residential rent is exempt; above that you file a return in March 2027 and pay 15% to 40% after expenses or a 15% lump-sum deduction.

Is there capital gains tax when I sell property in Türkiye?

An individual who sells within five years pays income tax on the gain, after indexation and an exemption of TRY 150,000 in 2026. After five years the gain is not taxed, unless property trading is your business.

Does owning property make me a Turkish tax resident?

No. Residence depends on having your domicile in Türkiye or staying more than six months continuously in a calendar year, not on owning property or holding citizenship.

Sources

Disclaimer: Golden Visa Partners is an investment and immigration advisory firm; it does not provide legal or attorney services. The investment amounts, timelines and program conditions on this page are for general guidance only and, because regulations change quickly, may be out of date. Before making any decision, we recommend consulting current official sources and obtaining independent legal and financial advice.