Can You Rent Out on Airbnb?

Airbnb in Turkey: Freedom or Illusion?

Just a few years ago, virtually any owner could rent out an apartment in Antalya or Alanya via Airbnb — all it took was registering on the platform and uploading photos. Turkey’s resort regions attracted millions of tourists annually, and short-term rental provided owners with a steady income, especially in the high season. However, the rules of the game changed dramatically since the end of 2023. Today, the question “Can you rent out on Airbnb in Turkey?” does not have a simple “yes” or “no” — it all depends on whether you comply with legal requirements.

The Turkish government has moved towards strict regulation of the short-term rental market. The reason is the rapid growth of the shadow sector: according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, tens of thousands of properties were rented out to tourists without tax payments and without any safety controls for guests. Let’s figure out what every owner now needs to know.

Law No. 7464: What Has Changed for Hosts

The key document regulating short-term rentals in Turkey is Law No. 7464 “On Control of Tourist Housing Rentals,” adopted at the end of 2023. Its provisions came into force on January 1, 2024, with full-scale implementation starting in 2025. The essence of the law is simple: any rental of housing for a period of less than 100 days per year is considered tourist activity and requires mandatory licensing.

Before the law was adopted, the short-term rental market existed in a gray zone: it was formally regulated only by municipal acts and general tax code provisions. Now the state has created a centralized system: the license is issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and compliance with rules is monitored by several agencies — from the tax inspectorate to the gendarmerie.

What is especially important for foreign owners: the law makes no distinction between Turkish citizens and non-residents. If you own an apartment in Bodrum, Kaş, or Istanbul and plan to rent it out to tourists on a daily basis, you must play by the same rules as locals.

Who Needs a License and Who Doesn’t

The boundary between legal and illegal rentals lies along a clear criterion — the duration of the lease. If you rent out housing for 100 days or more to a single tenant under a long-term contract, a tourist license is not required. In that case, the relationship is governed by a standard rental agreement, and you simply declare the income to the tax office.

However, renting out for up to 100 days — even if it involves several separate bookings of 3–7 days — falls under Law No. 7464. Platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com are now required to verify the hosts’ licenses and remove listings without a registration number.

There is a separate exception: if the property already has a tourist enterprise certificate (Turizm İşletmesi Belgesi), re-licensing under the new law is not required. This applies to owners of mini-hotels and apartment complexes that have previously undergone classification.

How to Obtain a Short-Term Rental License

The procedure for obtaining a permit (Turizm Konutu İzin Belgesi) consists of several stages and requires attention to detail. Here is a step-by-step algorithm:

1. Consent of building owners. If your apartment is in a multi-unit building, a unanimous decision of all unit owners is required (in accordance with Law No. 634 on Condominiums). This is the main stumbling block for many hosts: one dissenting neighbor can block the entire process. For detached houses, this requirement does not apply.
2. Preparation of documents. You will need: a tapu (title deed), an identity document (kimlik for Turkish citizens, ikamet or international passport for foreigners), an up-to-date cadastral extract, a civil liability insurance policy, and documents confirming the property’s compliance with fire safety standards.
3. Submission of the application. The application with the package of documents is submitted to the provincial directorate of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism at the location of the property. In practice, many owners turn to licensed real estate agencies or law firms that handle the process “turnkey.”
4. Receiving the plaque. After the application is approved, the owner receives an official plaque (plaket), which must be placed at the entrance to the rented premises — it confirms the legal status of the property.

The application review period varies from 2 to 8 weeks depending on the province and the workload of the office. The cost of processing includes administrative fees and, when using intermediaries, the agency’s remuneration — the exact figures depend on the region and the complexity of the property.

Taxes: How Much to Pay to the State

Income from short-term rental in Turkey is subject to income tax on a progressive scale. For 2025–2026, the following thresholds apply:

• up to 58,000 TL per year — tax-exempt (exempt minimum for rental income);
• from 58,000 to 150,000 TL — rate 15%;
• from 150,000 to 370,000 TL — rate 20%;
• from 370,000 to 1,900,000 TL — rate 27%;
• over 1,900,000 TL — rate 35% (for residents) and up to 40% for non-residents who have no other sources of income in Turkey.

An important nuance: the tax is levied not on the total receipts, but on the net profit. You may deduct documented expenses from the income — utilities, repairs, insurance, platform commissions, and furniture depreciation. Moreover, for non-residents, the provisions of double taxation avoidance agreements between Turkey and their country of tax residence apply.

The income tax return must be filed annually by March 25 of the year following the reporting year. Late filing entails penalties and interest charges.

e-GUEST System: Mandatory Guest Registration

Another innovation that novice hosts often forget about is the electronic guest registration system e-GUEST. Since 2024, every licensed property owner is required to transmit guest data to a unified database. The data includes: full name, citizenship, passport details, and dates of stay.

The system is integrated with the gendarmerie and the migration service, allowing authorities to track illegal migrants and monitor visa compliance. For the owner, this means additional administrative burden, but failure to register can result in serious consequences — up to the revocation of the license.

Fines: The Cost of Illegal Renting

Turkish authorities are determined. The sanctions under Law No. 7464 are some of the toughest in the short-term rental sector in the Mediterranean:

• Renting without a license — a fine of 100,000 TL for each detected property. If the violation is not corrected within 15 days and the property is still being rented, the amount triples and can reach 1,000,000 TL.
• Posting a listing without a license number on a platform — a fine from 100,000 to 500,000 TL. The platform is required to remove such a listing within 24 hours of notification.
• Missing the plaque at the entrance — a fine up to 50,000 TL.
• Violation of guest registration rules via e-GUEST — administrative liability up to suspension of the license.

Apart from fines, the violating owner risks being blocked on booking platforms. Airbnb has already implemented automatic verification of Turkish licenses and independently removes listings that fail inspection. Restoring an account after a ban is extremely difficult.

Long-Term Rental as an Alternative

Against the backdrop of tightening regulation, many owners are switching to long-term rentals. Renting out housing for 100 days or more does not require a tourist license, does not obligate guest registration in e-GUEST, and frees you from obtaining neighbors’ consent. The only requirement is a standard lease agreement and an annual tax return.

The advantages of this approach: stable income throughout the year, minimal bureaucracy, and no risks associated with inspections. The downsides: long-term rental yields in Turkey’s resort regions are usually lower than those of daily rentals in the high season — sometimes the difference reaches 30–50%.

Practical Tips for Owners

Based on real experience of hosts who have already gone through the licensing process, several recommendations can be highlighted:

• Start with the neighbors. Before investing in document processing, hold a residents’ meeting and secure written consent. One refusal can nullify all efforts.
• Engage professionals. Self-processing of the license without knowledge of Turkish language and administrative procedures is fraught with mistakes and delays. The services of a licensed agency or lawyer pay off thanks to speed and absence of fines.
• Keep expense records. Save all receipts and invoices — they will reduce the taxable base. Utility bills, insurance, Airbnb commission, replacement of bed linens, and even internet can be accounted as expenses.
• Check the platform’s status. Before publishing a listing, make sure the chosen service (Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo) works correctly with Turkish licenses and will not remove your listing during automatic moderation.
• Stay up to date with changes. The legislation continues to be fine-tuned: in October 2025, amendments were adopted that strengthen control and expand the powers of inspection bodies. Consult with specialists regularly.

Conclusion: Is It Worth the Trouble

Renting out property via Airbnb in Turkey is possible — but only in full compliance with the law. Obtaining a tourist license, registering guests in e-GUEST, paying taxes, and coordinating with neighbors have transformed a once simple process into an organized, state-controlled activity.

For those ready to go through all the stages of legalization, short-term rental remains a high-yield instrument: tourist flow to Turkey is steadily growing, and quality housing in prestigious locations enjoys stable demand. However, for those not ready for bureaucratic burden and additional expenses, it makes sense to consider long-term rental — less profitable but free of regulatory risks.

Ultimately, the choice between “possible” and “impossible” comes down to the owner’s willingness to operate within the legal framework. The Turkish state has clearly defined its boundaries: within them lies a legal and protected business; outside them — fines, blocks, and loss of reputation.