Turkey property buying costs: a 2% deed fee, a bank certificate, compulsory insurance.
// Short answer
The statutory costs of buying in Turkey are few: a 2% title deed fee from the buyer, the land registry service fee, and compulsory earthquake insurance. On a new home, VAT can apply, unless the first sale is to a non-resident foreigner who brings the price in as foreign currency. The agent's fee is capped by law at 4% of the price before VAT, split equally unless agreed otherwise; legal fees are market practice.
What an agent can charge, who pays it and how to check their licence: real estate agent fees in Turkey.
Rules and rates as of September 2026. Turkish tax thresholds and fines are revalued every year and the citizenship rules have changed before, so check the dated items again before you sign. Every figure links to its source.
On this page
What are the one-off costs of buying property in Turkey?
The title deed fee at 2% from the buyer (and 2% from the seller), the land registry service fee, compulsory DASK earthquake insurance, and VAT on a new home unless exempt. The agent's fee is capped at 4% in total by regulation; Global Property Guide puts a buyer's total, with legal and notary fees, at about 6.6% to 6.7%. Rates as of September 2026.
| Cost | Rate or amount | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| Title deed fee (tapu harcı) | 2% from the buyer; 2% from the seller | Statute |
| Land registry service fee (döner sermaye) | Notified by SMS before signing | TKGM |
| DASK earthquake insurance | Policy required before registration | Statute |
| VAT on a new home | Exempt on a first sale to a non-resident foreigner paid in foreign currency; otherwise rate not confirmed here | Statute |
| Agent fee | Up to 4% in total before VAT; 2% buyer and 2% seller unless agreed otherwise | Statute (Real Estate Trade Regulation, art. 20) |
| Legal fees | 0.5% | Global Property Guide |
| Notary | 0.1% to 0.2% | Global Property Guide |
Sources
- Mevzuat: Fees Law No. 492, Tariff 4, item 20(a)
- Your Key Türkiye (TKGM): acquisition by foreign individuals
- Mevzuat: Disaster Insurance Law No. 6305
- Global Property Guide: Turkey buying guide (January 2026)
- Real Estate Trade Regulation, articles 20 and additional article 1 (consolidated text, mevzuat.gov.tr)
How is the Turkish title deed fee calculated?
At 2% (binde 20) from each of buyer and seller, charged on the declared sale price, which may not be lower than the property's property-tax value. The wording of the base was set by Law 7566 of December 2025. The President may raise the rate up to double or cut it to one tenth.
No temporary reduction was recorded as in force in the consolidated law; the last cuts to 1.5% for housing ended in 2017 and 2018. The minimum proportional deed fee is TRY 346.10. Declare the real price: the deed price must also match the Turkish lira amount on the bank's currency certificate.
Sources
When is a new home in Turkey VAT-exempt for a foreigner?
On the first delivery of a building built as a residence or workplace to a foreign individual not settled in Turkey, provided the price is brought into Turkey in foreign currency. If the unit is disposed of within three years, the untaxed VAT plus deferral interest must be paid before the title transfer.
The buyer is jointly liable with the seller if the conditions were not met. The exemption also covers Turkish citizens living abroad for six months or more with a work or residence permit, and foreign companies with no Turkish business presence. "Settled in Turkey" means a legal domicile there, or a continuous stay of more than six months in a calendar year.
Is earthquake insurance compulsory when buying in Turkey?
Yes. Independent units under the Condominium Law, residential buildings on registered private land, and commercial units inside them must carry compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK). Land registry offices will not register a transaction on such a unit without a policy valid on the transaction date.
Arrange the policy before the signing appointment; it is on the registry's document list.
Does a foreign buyer in Turkey need a lawyer or a valuation?
Neither is mandatory for an ordinary purchase. A lawyer is not required by law, and TKGM says the valuation report requirement for foreign individuals has been abolished. A purchase for citizenship needs an amount confirmation certificate (TTB), ordered through Web Tapu.
Global Property Guide puts legal fees at about 0.5% where a lawyer is used. More on the registry side: the Turkish tapu, explained.
Sources
// Buying in Turkey?
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See the $99 report, page by pageWho pays the closing costs in Turkey, buyer or seller?
Split. The 4% title deed fee is charged 2% to the buyer and 2% to the seller by law, and the agent's fee is shared equally unless agreed otherwise. VAT on a new home is the buyer's, unless the first sale is to a non-resident foreigner paying in foreign currency.
| Cost | Rate | Who pays | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title deed fee (tapu harcı) | 4% (2% each side) | Split equally | Law (Fees Act 492, tariff 4) |
| VAT on a new home | 10% on the first 150 m2 net, 20% above | Buyer | Law |
| VAT exemption, non-resident foreigner, first sale paid in foreign currency | 0% | Buyer (exempt) | Law (VAT Act art. 13/i) |
| Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) | Premium varies | Buyer (as new owner) | Law (Law 6305) |
| Tax on a gain within 5 years | Income tax, 15% to 40% | Seller | Law |
| Agent commission | Up to 4% in total, plus VAT | Split equally unless agreed | Law (Real Estate Trade Regulation art. 20) |
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the title deed fee in Turkey?
Is there a temporary cut in the Turkish deed fee in 2026?
Do foreigners pay VAT on new builds in Turkey?
Is DASK insurance required to buy an apartment in Turkey?
How much are agent fees in Turkey?
Header photo: Ben Morlok, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.