Turkish Title Deed (Tapu) for Foreigners: How to Check It and What Happens on Transfer Day

Turkish Title Deed (Tapu) for Foreigners: How to Check It and What Happens on Transfer Day

Last updated: October 2026

Short answer: A tapu is the official record of ownership of a property in Turkey, kept by the Land Registry (TKGM). Before you pay, get a current land registry record that shows the owner, the type of title and any mortgage (ipotek), seizure (haciz) or annotation (şerh). On transfer day, buyer and seller sign at the Land Registry office, a sworn translator interprets if you do not speak Turkish, the 4% title deed fee is paid, and ownership passes to you once the deed is registered.

In Turkey, ownership of real estate passes only when it is registered in the land register. A contract, a receipt or a key does not make you the owner. That is why the title deed check, and the appointment itself, are the most important steps of any purchase.

What a tapu is

The tapu senedi is the document issued from the land register (tapu kütüğü). Since the register is electronic, the record in the Land Registry system (TAKBİS) is what counts. A printed deed is only a copy of it. The deed shows:

• Location: province, district, neighbourhood, and the ada and parsel numbers that identify the plot.
• Type (nitelik): for example land, building, or an apartment under condominium ownership.
• Unit details: block, floor, independent unit number and land share (arsa payı).
• Owner and share: the name of each owner and the share each holds.
• Reason and date of acquisition: for example sale, with the date and the journal number (yevmiye).

Types of title deed

For off-plan purchases, see buying property in installments.

How to check the title deed

What to look for in the record:

• Owner and share: the seller must be the registered owner, or must have a valid power of attorney from them. Check whether the seller owns the whole property or only a share.
• Mortgage (ipotek): a mortgage stays on the property after a sale unless it is released. Ask for it to be released before or at the transfer.
• Seizure (haciz): a creditor's attachment. A property under haciz cannot be transferred safely until it is lifted.
• Annotations (şerh): for example a lease, a sale promise to someone else, a pre-emption right or a court injunction (ihtiyati tedbir).
• Declarations (beyan) and easements (irtifak): for example building management plans, rights of way or usufruct.

Where to check:

• e-Devlet and Web Tapu: owners can see their own properties and encumbrances online. Ask the seller to download a current record in front of you, or to share it directly. Do not rely on an old screenshot.
• Land Registry office: a current record of encumbrances (takyidat belgesi) can be obtained from the office. Under Article 1020 of the Civil Code, a person with a legitimate interest can examine the register, and the seller's cooperation makes this simpler.
• Municipality: check the zoning status and whether the building has an occupancy permit. Your lawyer can also check for planned urban transformation.

Check again shortly before the appointment, because a new haciz can be registered at any time.

Booking the transfer appointment

The application is made through Web Tapu or at the Land Registry office, usually by the seller or the seller's representative. For a sale to a foreigner, the Land Registry generally asks for a valuation report from a valuation firm licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK). The Land Registry calculates the title deed fee and notifies the parties before the appointment. If the purchase is for citizenship, the valuation, the sale price and the payments must each reach USD 400,000. See the Turkish citizenship by investment guide.

Documents for a foreign buyer

• Passport, with a notarised Turkish translation if required
• Turkish tax number. See tax number and bank account for foreigners.
• Valuation report, where required
• Compulsory earthquake insurance policy (ZDS) in the buyer's name
• Proof of payment and, for citizenship, the foreign currency purchase certificate (DAB)
• A power of attorney, if a lawyer signs for you

Transfer day at the Land Registry

1. Identity check. The officer checks the identity of both parties.
2. Translator. If you do not speak Turkish, a sworn translator must be present and interprets what you sign.
3. Payment confirmation. The officer asks both sides to confirm that the price has been paid. Pay by bank transfer, before or at the appointment, so it can be proven.
4. Fees. The title deed fee is paid by bank, if it has not already been paid.
5. Signing. Buyer and seller sign the official deed of sale.
6. Registration. The transfer is registered in your name. You can see the new record in e-Devlet or Web Tapu.

Fees paid at the transfer

• Title deed fee (tapu harcı): 4% of the declared price, by law 2% from the buyer and 2% from the seller. The declared price cannot be below the property's tax value and must reflect the real price.
• Land Registry service fee (döner sermaye): a fixed annual amount.
• Translator, valuation and insurance: charged by each provider.

Full budget: all extra fees when buying in Istanbul.

After the transfer

• Earthquake insurance (ZDS): since 5 September 2026 the seller's policy ends on the date of the transfer, and the Land Registry checks for a new, separate policy in the buyer's name. Renew it every year.
• Utilities: move electricity, water and natural gas into your name with your passport, tax number and title deed.
• Property tax (emlak vergisi): buyer and seller are jointly liable for unpaid tax for the year of sale and earlier years, so check that the seller has paid. The Land Registry notifies the municipality of the transfer. The tax is paid in two instalments, by the end of May and the end of November.
• Keep the records: keep the deed, the bank receipts and the DAB. You will need them for residence, citizenship, resale and inheritance.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner check a Turkish title deed online?

An owner can see his own property in e-Devlet or Web Tapu. As a buyer, ask the seller for a current record, or have your lawyer obtain one from the Land Registry office.

What is the difference between kat irtifakı and kat mülkiyeti?

Kat irtifakı is registered before the building is completed or before it has an occupancy permit. Kat mülkiyeti is the full condominium title issued after the occupancy permit.

Can I buy a property that has a mortgage on it?

Yes, but only if the mortgage is released before or at the transfer. Otherwise it stays on the property after the sale.

Is a sworn translator required at the Land Registry?

Yes, if you do not speak Turkish. The translator must be present when you sign.

When do I become the legal owner?

When the transfer is registered in the land register at the end of the appointment. A contract or payment alone does not make you the owner.

Sources: Turkish Civil Code No. 4721 (Article 1020); Condominium Law No. 634; Land Registry Law No. 2644; Fees Law No. 492; Catastrophe Insurance Law No. 6305 and the Compulsory Earthquake Insurance General Conditions (amended 21 August 2026); Property Tax Law No. 1319; Land Registry (TKGM). This is general information and the rules change; confirm your case with a licensed lawyer and the Land Registry before you buy.

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