Closing-Day Check for Title Transfer Fees in Türkiye
Closing day is not the time to discover how the fees were calculated for the first time. The purpose of this check is to revalidate the elements that can change between the initial closing budget and registration. Work from the latest transaction documents, not a version that was correct several days ago.
1. Freeze the transaction identity
Confirm that the application, property and parties in the fee file are the same as those in the registration file. A reference for another application can make an otherwise correct payment impossible to reconcile.
2. Recheck the value base
Review the declared sale value and the current municipal property-tax value. Do not permit a last-minute value change without explanation and supporting evidence. TKGM’s sale guidance states that the value used for the fee may not fall below the property-tax value.
3. Recalculate each party’s amount
Confirm that the sale calculation shows 20 per thousand for the buyer and 20 per thousand for the seller separately under the current official rule. If the parties have a private agreement reallocating the economic burden, reconcile it to the final signed contract or addendum and do not alter government receipts to reflect the private arrangement.
4. Check the current revolving-fund tariff
Use the 2026 tariff in force and the correct service type. If the amount differs from the original estimate, record the reason. Do not assume a difference is either an error or valid until reconciled.
5. Match the collection reference
Compare the e‑Tahsilat or official collection reference in the notice with the application closing today. The reference links the demand to the receipt. If it does not match, hold payment.
6. Verify the payment channel
Use an official or supported banking channel. A new request on closing day to send a “title fee” to a personal account or unknown link is a stop condition. Time pressure is not a reason to bypass payment controls.
7. Separate the purchase price from government charges
Do not allow the purchase-price transfer, title-deed tax and revolving-fund payment to become one ambiguous proof file. Each has a different amount, purpose and recipient or collecting authority, especially when several transfers occur on the same day.
8. Recheck contractual cost allocation
The parties may have agreed a different economic allocation. Read the final contract or addendum, not an old draft. Resolve any contradiction before signature rather than expecting a later informal settlement.
9. Pay and reconcile the receipt immediately
After each payment, capture the complete receipt and verify its reference, amount and date. Do not wait until the end of the day to discover that a receipt belongs to another application or that one charge was not paid.
10. Reopen the check after any material change
If a new amount, collection number or value appears, reopen the decision. A “ready” status should never survive automatically after a controlling input changes.
Go / Hold test
- Go: value, tariff, calculation, collection reference, payment channel and receipts reconcile.
- Hold: wrong reference, unclear value, unexplained amount, personal payment route, bundled fees or dispute over cost allocation.
After registration
Place the final receipts with the sale contract and title-transfer file. Record completion and any private settlement between the parties. If a refund or correction occurs later, preserve it as a new event instead of silently replacing the original receipt.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign buyer contractually bear the seller’s economic fee burden?
Parties can make private economic allocations, but those should be distinguished from the official assessment and documented clearly.
Is an agent’s statement enough to prove who bears the cost?
No. Use the final contract/addendum and the actual payment receipts.
What primary sources should be checked for the sale charge?
Current TKGM guidance and the Fees Law, together with the present transaction’s official collection reference and tariff.
What if a new fee notice arrives on closing morning?
Do not pay automatically. Reconcile the reference, value and reason to the current file before treating the new notice as controlling.
This is a closing control tool and does not replace legal or tax advice for special transactions.