What are the annual property taxes?

Emlak Vergisi: What is it and who is obliged to pay?

Emlak Vergisi is an annual property tax that is mandatory for all owners of residential and commercial properties in Turkey: citizens of the country, foreigners with residence permits, and non-residents owning real estate. Legal entities are also taxpayers of this tax. There are no citizenship exceptions — holding a TAPU (title deed) automatically imposes tax obligations on the owner.

The obligation to pay the tax arises from the year following the year of acquisition. For example, if you bought an apartment in Antalya in 2024, the first payment must be made in 2025. The tax is paid directly to the municipality (belediye) where the property is located.

Annual property tax rates in 2025

The rates of Emlak Vergisi depend on the type of property and its location. Turkey is divided into two categories of municipalities: metropolitan municipalities (büyükşehir) — Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya, Bursa, Adana and others, — and ordinary municipalities. Within the boundaries of büyükşehir, higher rates are applied.

Residential property (apartments, houses, villas)

• 0.1% of the cadastral value — for properties in ordinary municipalities;
• 0.2% — for properties within metropolitan municipalities (büyükşehir).

Most foreigners buy property in major cities and resort areas — Antalya, Alanya, Bodrum, Fethiye, Istanbul — so the 0.2% rate applies to them.

Commercial real estate and land plots

• Commercial properties (offices, shops, warehouses): 0.2% — in ordinary municipalities, 0.4% — in büyükşehir;
• Land plots: 0.3% — in ordinary municipalities, 0.6% — within metropolitan municipalities.

How the tax is calculated: cadastral value vs. market value

A key point to know: the tax is calculated not from the market price, but from the cadastral value of the property. The cadastral value is determined by the municipality and, as a rule, is significantly lower than the real market price — sometimes by dozens of times. This is precisely what makes the annual property tax in Turkey very moderate compared to European countries.

Calculation example: you bought an apartment in Alanya for €150,000. Its cadastral value set by the municipality is, say, 1,200,000 TL. At a rate of 0.2%, the annual tax will be:

1,200,000 × 0.002 = 2,400 TL (approximately €65–70 at the exchange rate in early 2025).

You can find out the cadastral value at the local municipality or through the e-Devlet portal (Turkey's electronic government), if you have a Turkish identification number (yabancı kimlik numarası).

Payment deadlines and procedure

Emlak Vergisi is paid in two equal installments during the year:

1. First installment — no later than May 31;
2. Second installment — no later than November 30.

You can pay the tax in several ways:

• In person at the municipal cash office (belediye veznesi) where the property is located;
• Through the municipality's website or e-Devlet;
• Via Turkish banks' mobile apps;
• At bank branches that have an agreement with the municipality.

When filing the annual declaration or paying through a bank, the owner will need to provide the parcel number (parsel numarası) as stated in the TAPU. It is recommended to keep payment receipts — they will be required when selling the property.

Luxury housing tax (Değerli Konut Vergisi)

In addition to the standard Emlak Vergisi, Turkey imposes an additional tax on valuable real estate — Değerli Konut Vergisi. It applies to properties whose cadastral value exceeds the state-established threshold. For 2025, the thresholds are as follows:

• Cadastral value from 15,709,000 to 23,564,000 TL — rate 0.3% of the amount exceeding the threshold;
• Cadastral value over 23,564,000 TL — rate 0.6% of the excess amount.

Important: luxury housing tax applies only to residential property owned by individuals. Commercial properties and land plots are not subject to it. Additionally, if you own a single residential property in Turkey, the luxury housing tax is not levied — this provision protects those who have purchased a single expensive home for their own residence.

Exemptions and reliefs

Turkish legislation provides for exemption from Emlak Vergisi for certain categories of citizens; however, these benefits apply exclusively to Turkish citizens. Foreign owners cannot take advantage of them.

The following are exempt from the annual tax:

• Pensioners whose only income is a pension;
• People with disabilities and limited capabilities;
• Widows and orphans of fallen military personnel and civil servants;
• Unemployed individuals who own a single dwelling with an area of no more than 200 m².

New buildings are also temporarily exempt: after receiving a construction permit (yapı ruhsatı), the developer does not pay land tax for a certain period, and after construction completion — on the residential property for 5 years. However, this benefit pertains to the relationship between the developer and the state and does not directly extend to the foreign buyer.

What happens if you don't pay the tax on time

For late payment of Emlak Vergisi, a penalty is charged at the rate established by Turkish tax legislation. Moreover, when selling the property, the municipality will not issue a certificate of no debt (borcu yoktur belgesi), without which it is impossible to transfer ownership to the buyer. Thus, unpaid tax will inevitably surface at the most inopportune moment — when attempting to sell the property.

In short: how much you actually pay

To avoid delving into numbers, here's a realistic guideline. For a typical apartment worth €100,000–200,000 in Antalya, Alanya, or Istanbul, the annual Emlak Vergisi rarely exceeds 2,000–3,500 TL per year (around €55–100). This is one of the lowest rates among countries with a developed resort real estate market. For comparison: in Spain a similar tax is 0.4–1.1% of the cadastral value, in France — about 0.5–1.5%.

If your property falls under Değerli Konut Vergisi, the amount will be higher, but the triggering threshold is about €430,000 by cadastral valuation, which is not yet relevant for the majority of foreign buyers.

Conclusion

The annual property tax in Turkey is a modest but mandatory expense for every owner. The rates are fixed and transparent, the calculation base (cadastral value) is significantly lower than the market value, and payment deadlines are clearly set. The main thing a foreign owner needs to remember: Emlak Vergisi is paid in two installments — by May 31 and November 30, exemptions are available only to Turkish citizens, and non-payment threatens to block the sale transaction. Overall, the tax burden on Turkish property owners remains one of the softest in the world, further enhancing the attractiveness of the local market for long-term investments.