Costs of buying property in Türkiye

The price of the property is not the only thing you pay. This page lists the costs of a purchase in Türkiye that are set by law or by an official body, with the source and the date we checked it (19 October 2026). Where there is no official tariff (for example lawyers, translators or valuation firms), we say so instead of guessing a figure. We give no property prices and no investment advice.

Overview

Title deed fee (tapu harcı)

Under tariff (4), item 20(a) of the Fees Law No. 492 (Harçlar Kanunu), the fee on transfers against payment is charged separately to the seller and to the buyer. The rate in the law text is "per thousand 10", but a footnote in the official consolidated text explains that Council of Ministers Decision 2012/3735 raised it to per thousand 20, which is 2 percent each. Temporary reductions to 1.5 percent applied in 2017 and 2018 have expired. The President is authorised to raise or lower the rate by property type, first sale of new buildings and other criteria, so check the current rate before you sign.

What the 2 percent is calculated on. The fee is calculated on the declared transfer price, which may not be lower than the property's tax value (emlak vergisi değeri) for property tax. Law No. 7566 (Official Gazette 19 December 2025) reworded this tariff line and changed the related penalty rules. Article 63 adds that if it later turns out the declared price did not reflect the real price, the difference in fee is assessed afterwards. For foreign buyers there is a further control. The deed price is the Turkish lira amount on the bank's foreign-currency purchase certificate (DAB), so declaring a lower price is not an option.

Example of the arithmetic only: on a declared price of 5,000,000 TL, the buyer's fee is 100,000 TL and the seller's fee is 100,000 TL.

The land registry sends the fee amount to you by SMS once your file has been checked. You pay it before the signing appointment.

Revolving-fund fee (döner sermaye)

This is TKGM's service charge for the transaction, separate from the tax-like title deed fee. TKGM publishes a price list each year ("2026 Yılı Fiyat Listesi") together with regional coefficients (yöresel katsayılar), so the amount differs by location. Like the title deed fee, the exact amount is sent to you by SMS before the appointment. We do not quote a figure here because it depends on the office's coefficient. Ask the land registry office or check TKGM's price list.

Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK)

Compulsory earthquake insurance (Zorunlu Deprem Sigortası) is run by the Natural Disaster Insurance Institution (DASK). The land registry lists a policy as a required document for buildings. Key points from DASK's own FAQ:

• For sales registered on or after 5 September 2026, the seller's policy ends on the day of the transfer. The buyer must take out a policy in their own name before the transaction, and the land registry checks for it.
• A policy runs for one year and must be renewed every year.
• The insured amount and premium depend on the building and can be calculated on dask.gov.tr, through authorised insurers and their agents, or via the ALO DASK line 125.
• The cover does not include the land value. For more cover you can buy optional home insurance.

Agent's fee

Article 20 of the Regulation on Real Estate Trade caps the agent's fee for a sale at 4 percent of the sale price, excluding VAT. Unless the brokerage contract says otherwise, buyer and seller pay it in equal shares. Only one fee may be charged per deal, even if several agents work together or the agent also provides related services. Showing a property must be free. See how to verify a Turkish real-estate agent.

Valuation report

According to TKGM, a valuation report is no longer required for ordinary purchases by foreign individuals. If you are buying for citizenship, you need an amount determination certificate (TTB) based on a valuation by a firm authorised by the Capital Markets Board (SPK). The fee is set by the firm; there is no official tariff. See valuation report explained.

Secure payment system

An amendment of 29 April 2026 to the Regulation on Real Estate Trade requires payments made in cash, by transfer or by EFT to go through a secure payment system. The system releases the price when ownership changes. A usage fee applies; how much it is and who bears it are not set out in the regulation itself. The Ministry of Trade has announced 1 December 2026 as the compulsory start date. We have not found the fee published yet.

Costs without an official tariff

These are real costs, but no authority sets the price, so ask for written quotes:

• lawyer's fees for title checks and contracts;
• sworn interpreter at the land registry: see sworn translator at the title deed office;
• translations and notarisation of documents and powers of attorney: see power of attorney from abroad;
• bank charges for transfers and currency conversion.

Related guides

For the order of the whole purchase, read buying property in Türkiye as a foreigner: step by step. All guides are in our buying process section.

How we can help

We are a sworn translation office in Gaziantep, not an agency or tax adviser. We translate fee notices, contracts, insurance policies and title documents into your language and can explain the notarisation steps for your documents.