Property taxes in Turkey: annual tax, title deed fee, VAT and more

Key points

• Every property owner in Turkey, foreign or Turkish, pays an annual property tax (Emlak Vergisi) to the municipality.
• On purchase, a title deed fee applies; according to the source, the rules require both buyer and seller to pay 4% of the price.
• Selling within the first five years triggers a tax on the gain, according to the source.
• Rental income, inheritances and gifts are taxed in bands; the rental income bands are announced anew each January.
• Foreign buyers without a residence permit may be exempt from VAT on new homes bought from a developer, subject to conditions.

As of 7 February 2024 (source revised 6 January 2026). All rates, amounts and bands come from that source. Rates and rules may have changed since, so please check the current position. General information only, not legal or tax advice.

The taxes at a glance

The source lists seven taxes and charges linked to property:

1. Annual property tax (Emlak Vergisi)
2. Tax on capital gains from a sale (Gayrimenkul Değer Artışı Vergisi)
3. Inheritance tax (Miras Vergisi)
4. Gift tax
5. Income tax on rental income
6. Title deed fee on transfer (Tapu Devir Vergisi)
7. Value added tax (KDV)

Annual property tax

Owners pay this once a year to the municipality where the property is located. The rate depends on the type of property and whether it lies in a metropolitan municipality (Büyükşehir). The source gives:

• Residential units: 0.2% in metropolitan areas, 0.1% elsewhere
• Commercial properties: 0.4% / 0.2%
• Farmland: 0.2% / 0.1%
• Land plots: 0.6% / 0.3%

How the tax base is worked out

The assessed value of the property is multiplied by the applicable rate. According to the source, the assessment takes into account:

• the land's unit value per square metre and the total area,
• construction type (frame, timber, concrete or masonry) and building class,
• whether the property is inside or outside a metropolitan municipality,
• the building's total external area,
• a deduction for wear,
• features such as lifts and heating.

In simplified form: building area times the median construction cost per square metre, plus additions for heating or air conditioning (typically 8%) and lifts (6%), minus depreciation based on construction type and age, plus the land component.

Paying online

1. Go to the official website of the relevant municipality (for a home in Side, for example, the Manavgat municipality, Manavgat Belediyesi) and find Emlak Vergisi or Taşınmaz Vergisi, often under "Hizmetler", "e-Belediye" or "Elektronik Ödeme".
2. Enter your Turkish tax number and the security code, then click "Sorgula".
3. Review the amounts shown as outstanding.
4. Select what you want to pay and complete the payment by credit or debit card.

If anything is unclear, call the municipality's information line. Many foreign buyers open a Turkish bank account before buying anyway.

Tax on selling: capital gains

According to the source, if you sell within the first five years of buying, the gain is taxable. Inflation is taken into account: the source states a 15% tax on the amount remaining after the inflation-driven increase. The gain must be declared by March of the following year. For private individuals, the source says no tax arises on a sale after five years; companies never benefit from such a holding period.

Deductible items mentioned in the source include mortgage interest, the title deed fee, annual property tax and renovation costs.

Inheritance and gifts

Inheritance tax depends on value. The source's bands (as of 2024; for the newer 2026 bands see our post Inheriting property in Turkey):

• first TL 1,100,000: 1%
• next TL 2,600,000: 3%
• next TL 5,500,000: 5%
• next TL 10,900,000: 7%
• above TL 20,100,000: 10%

Gift tax is paid by the person receiving the property. If the gift comes from a spouse, parent or child, the source says it can be reduced by 50%. The bands:

• first TL 1,100,000: 10%
• next TL 2,600,000: 15%
• next TL 5,500,000: 20%
• next TL 10,900,000: 25%
• above TL 20,100,000: 30%

Rental income

Rental income must be declared by the end of March each year. The source's bands:

• up to TL 70,000: 15%
• TL 70,000 to 150,000: 20%, base amount TL 10,500
• TL 150,000 to 370,000: 27%, base amount TL 26,500
• TL 370,000 to 1,900,000: 35%, base amount TL 85,900
• above TL 1,900,000: 40%, base amount TL 621,400

The bands are announced each January, so these figures need checking for the current year. If you plan to let a holiday home in Side, work the numbers through with a tax adviser.

Title deed fee

This one-off fee is paid to the Land Registry and Cadastre office when ownership is transferred, According to the source, the conveyance rules state that both the seller and the buyer need to pay 4% of the price. Agree in writing before the Tapu appointment who covers which costs.

For how the purchase price itself is transferred and documented, see our newer guide to paying for property in Turkey.

VAT

A company selling a property issues an invoice with VAT. When a private individual resells, no VAT applies because the first buyer has already paid it.

The key figure is the Arsa Rayiç Bedeli, the land market value per square metre set street by street by a municipal committee, which according to the source meets every four years. For residential property the source gives:

• 0%: land value below TL 1,000 and size below 150 m², or an urban regeneration (kentsel dönüşüm) project below 150 m²
• 20%: land value between TL 1,000 and 2,000 and size below 150 m²
• 20%: land value above TL 2,000 or size above 150 m²

Commercial units and land owned by a company always carry 20%, according to the source.

VAT exemption for foreign buyers

The source lists these conditions for buying without VAT:

1. No Turkish residence permit at the time of purchase.
2. Only new apartments or commercial units bought directly from the developer, not resale property.
3. All payments, including the transfer to the seller, made through banks in foreign currency such as USD or EUR, not TL.
4. No limit on the number of units for buyers who qualify.

You can browse current new-build properties in our region.

Questions about the costs of buying on the Turkish Riviera? The Side Immobilien team in Side can help you list the items to clarify with your tax adviser. Contact us