Property Tax: Rates, Payment Schedule, and Exemptions

In Turkey, owners of buildings, lots, and land pay property tax every year. Municipalities collect the tax, and it is calculated on the property's property tax value.

Rates

The law sets rates in per mille (per thousand), and these rates are applied at a higher, doubled level within metropolitan municipality boundaries. In metropolitan cities such as Istanbul, the following rates generally apply:

For example, in Istanbul, the annual property tax for a home with a property tax value of 2,000,000 TL is about 4,000 TL. Even if the market value is much higher, the calculation is based on the property tax value.

Payment schedule

Property tax is paid in two equal installments a year: the first in spring (March–May), the second in the fall (November). A late payment surcharge applies to tax not paid on time.

Notification and buying/selling

When you buy a property, tax liability generally transfers to you starting the following year. Data sharing between the land registry office and municipalities has largely automated this process, but it's still worth checking that your municipal record has been updated.

Exemptions

The law allows a zero rate on property tax for groups such as retirees, veterans, people with disabilities, and widows or orphans who own a single home and meet certain conditions. The exemption depends on conditions such as the home's size and the person having no other income, and requires an application to the municipality.