How much is stamp duty (damga vergisi)?

What is Damga Vergisi and why you need to know about it

Damga Vergisi is the Turkish stamp duty levied on official documents: contracts, agreements, promissory notes, credit agreements, payroll statements, and even certain applications. The name literally translates as 'stamp tax,' and it is regulated by Stamp Duty Law No. 488 (Damga Vergisi Kanunu).

If you buy, sell, or rent out real estate in Turkey, you will almost certainly encounter this duty, even if not always directly. Understanding the rates and rules will help you factor the cost into your transaction budget and avoid unpleasant surprises.

Current stamp duty rates in 2025

Damga vergisi rates are revised annually based on the revaluation coefficient (yeniden değerleme oranı). The following main rates apply for 2025:

• Contracts and agreements specifying a monetary amount (mukavele, taahhüt) — 0.948% (binde 9.48) of the contract amount;
• Real estate lease agreements (kira sözleşmesi) — 0.189% (binde 1.89) of the total rent for the entire term of the contract;
• Preliminary real estate sale agreement (gayrimenkul satış vaadi sözleşmesi) — 0% (not subject to duty);
• Construction agreements in return for land share (kat karşılığı inşaat sözleşmesi) — 0% (not subject to duty);
• Consumer contracts (subscription, package tours, distance sales, etc.) — 0.948% (binde 9.48).

In addition to percentage rates, there is also a list of fixed (maktu) duties for filing various declarations and applications. In 2025, they are:

• Annual income tax return — 672.40 TL;
• Corporate income tax return — 898.20 TL;
• VAT return — 443.70 TL;
• Declaration to municipalities and special provincial administrations — 329.30 TL;
• Social Security Institution (SGK) reporting — 329.30 TL.

Damga Vergisi when buying real estate

Many buyers confuse the stamp duty with other property taxes. It is important to understand: the main real estate sale agreement, which is registered at the Land Registry Directorate (Tapu ve Kadastro Müdürlüğü) and under which title (TAPU) is transferred, is not subject to damga vergisi. Instead, a title transfer tax (tapu harcı) is paid upon transfer of ownership — 4% of the cadastral value of the property (2% each from seller and buyer, though in practice the buyer often bears the entire amount).

The preliminary sale agreement (gayrimenkul satış vaadi sözleşmesi), which is often concluded before the main transaction — especially when buying off-plan — is also exempt from damga vergisi (rate 0%).

Nevertheless, stamp duty may arise in ancillary documents: for example, if you take out a mortgage loan from a Turkish bank, the loan agreement will be subject to the rate of 0.948%. For a loan amount of 5,000,000 TL, the stamp duty will be 47,400 TL.

Stamp duty on property rentals

Renting is the most common situation in which foreigners personally encounter damga vergisi. If you sign a lease for an apartment or house in Turkey, the stamp duty is calculated as follows:

1. Determine the total rent for the entire term of the contract (monthly rent × number of months);
2. Multiply this amount by 0.189% (binde 1.89).

Calculation example: you rent an apartment for 25,000 TL per month, the contract is for 1 year (12 months). Total rent: 25,000 × 12 = 300,000 TL. Stamp duty: 300,000 × 0.189% = 567 TL.

Even if the lease agreement is not notarized and not submitted to the tax office, damga vergisi is formally due — both parties bear responsibility. In practice, however, many private landlords ignore this requirement. Note: when filing a rental income tax return, the tax authorities may check whether the stamp duty has been paid.

Upper limit of stamp duty

Turkish legislation sets a maximum amount of damga vergisi per document. For 2025, the upper limit is 24,477,478.90 TL. This means that even if a contract is concluded for a colossal amount, the stamp duty will not exceed this threshold.

For 2026, the limit was raised to 29,115,961.10 TL — reflecting annual indexation. For most private real estate transactions this ceiling is unattainable, but it becomes an important cap in large commercial contracts.

Who pays Damga Vergisi and when

As a general rule, the stamp duty is paid by the party signing the document. If multiple parties sign, they are jointly and severally liable for payment. In practice, this is often settled by agreement: for example, in a lease, the parties may split the duty in half or impose it on the lessee.

The payment deadline depends on the type of document:

• For documents executed in Turkey — before signing or concurrently with signing;
• For foreign documents submitted to Turkish government bodies — at the time of submission;
• For tax returns — together with filing the return.

If you bring a document issued abroad (e.g., a power of attorney or corporate resolution) to a Turkish government office and this document has not yet been stamped — you will have to pay.

Summary

Damga vergisi is not the largest but it is a mandatory element of Turkey's fiscal system. In real estate transactions, it most often appears in lease agreements (0.189%) and credit agreements (0.948%), while the real estate sale itself is subject not to stamp duty but to the title transfer tax (tapu harcı, 4%).

The main takeaway: always include damga vergisi in your transaction budget, check with a professional consultant (mali müşavir) whether your specific document is subject to duty, and do not ignore this levy — the Turkish Revenue Administration (Gelir İdaresi Başkanlığı) takes non-payment seriously.