How to verify title-transfer fees in Türkiye
A closing cost should never be accepted merely because it appeared in a listing, a broker message or an earlier transaction. A Turkish property sale can involve a statutory title-deed fee and separate TKGM service or revolving-fund charges, while taxes and professional costs follow other rules. The recurring quality problem is to call every amount a “title fee.” A proper review separates the charges, identifies the legal basis and payment channel for each one, and ties every receipt to the exact property, parties and land-registry application.
1. The title-deed fee on an ordinary sale
Under the tariff attached to Law No. 492 on Fees, the ordinary sale item currently applies 20 per thousand, or 2%, to the seller and 20 per thousand, or 2%, to the buyer, unless a specific exemption or special rule applies. This statutory rate is not authority for a broker or seller to collect an unexplained amount as a government fee. The fee should be generated for the actual official transaction. The parties may make private arrangements about who economically bears a cost, but a private allocation should not be confused with the statutory assessment or the public-law position shown in the official process.
2. Use the genuine transfer value
TKGM and the Revenue Administration explain that the title-deed fee is calculated on the declared transfer value and that this value cannot be below the property-tax value. The municipal value is therefore a floor, not a safe substitute for the true sale price. Obtain the current-year municipal property-tax value and compare it with the real consideration. Where the agreed price is higher, declaring only the lower municipal value to reduce fees creates a serious compliance risk. Understatement can lead to additional fee assessments, penalties and interest. The declared figure should also make sense when reconciled with the contract, bank transfers and other closing evidence.
3. Separate the title fee from TKGM revolving-fund charges
TKGM revolving-fund or service charges are distinct from the statutory title-deed fee. TKGM publishes an annual tariff; the 2026 tariff became effective on 1 January 2026. The applicable service amount can depend on the transaction and tariff mechanics, so an encyclopedia article should not preserve an old fixed amount as if it were permanent. For a live closing, open the current tariff, identify the applicable service item, and retain the official calculation or payment information generated for that application.
4. Keep other taxes and costs outside the title-fee bucket
Annual municipal property tax, rental-income tax, possible capital-gain tax, DASK, optional insurance, valuation, sworn translation, notary work and legal or brokerage services are not all title-deed fees. Some can arise near closing, but they have different taxpayers, bases, authorities and evidence. A useful closing ledger gives each amount its own line: authority, legal or contractual basis, liable party, calculation base, due date, payment reference and receipt.
5. Verify the current municipal value before the appointment
Because the declared transfer value cannot be below the relevant property-tax value, obtain the value for the same property and the same tax year. Confirm that the municipality, neighborhood, parcel or independent-unit information actually matches. Do not rely automatically on a certificate from the previous year when the closing occurs in a new year. If the land-registry system and the municipal evidence conflict, resolve the discrepancy before paying so that a fee is not generated on an incorrect base.
6. Pay through official channels
TKGM provides e-Tahsilat for title/cadastre charges and revolving-fund payments using the collection information associated with the application. Check the collection number, amount, fee type, party and application before payment. A request to hand a “government fee” in cash to an individual or to transfer an unexplained lump sum to a private company account is a red flag. If a representative proposes to pay on behalf of a party, require an itemised calculation and official receipts for the specific transaction.
7. Recheck on closing day
Before signing, reconcile the final declared sale price, the municipal value used as the floor, each party’s title fee, the current TKGM service charge and the active collection references. If the price changes, an application is cancelled, or a new application is created, do not assume an older payment reference remains valid. After payment, preserve a receipt that shows enough information to link it to the application. A screenshot with no property or transaction link is weak evidence.
8. Treat exemptions as transaction-specific
Exemptions or different treatment can exist under special legislation or for particular transaction types. They should never be copied from one project, entity or legal event to an ordinary sale. If a party asserts an exemption, obtain the legal basis and evidence that it applies to this party, this property and this transfer, and confirm how it is reflected in the official assessment before reducing the closing budget.
9. Red flags
- A proposal to declare less than the genuine sale price merely to save fees.
- A municipal value or tariff from the wrong year.
- One unexplained “all-in title fee” mixing taxes, services and private charges.
- A demand for cash government fees without an official collection reference or receipt.
- A payment number, party or property that does not match the current application.
- An exemption claimed without a transaction-specific legal basis.
- A receipt belonging to a cancelled or superseded application.
10. Records to retain
Keep the current municipal value, evidence of the genuine sale price, official fee calculation, collection references, buyer and seller receipts, the annual TKGM service tariff used, and any correction or refund documents. The purpose is an auditable chain: an independent reviewer should be able to reconstruct why each amount was due and verify that it was paid for this transfer rather than another property.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ordinary title-deed fee rate on a sale? The current tariff applies 20 per thousand to the seller and 20 per thousand to the buyer, unless a specific exemption or special rule applies.
Can the municipal value be declared when the real price is higher? The municipal property-tax value is a minimum floor. The transfer declaration should reflect the genuine consideration.
Is the revolving-fund charge included in the 2%? No. It is a separate TKGM service charge governed by its annual tariff.