Tapu day in Turkey: what happens step by step and what to bring

After weeks of viewings, negotiation and paperwork comes the one day the property passes into your name: the tapu appointment. Many buyers are nervous beforehand because they don’t know what will happen inside. In reality, the procedure is organised and clear, and it can take half an hour if the paperwork is ready. Here is what happens, in order.

Days before: preparation

Booking the appointment

The appointment is requested through the online land registry system (Web Tapu) or through the directorate, usually by the estate agent or lawyer. The directorate sets the date once the documents are complete in the system.

Documents that must be ready

1. Passports of the buyer and seller, or the seller’s Turkish ID.
2. Tax number for the foreign buyer. See the tax number guide.
3. Two recent passport photos for each party.
4. Valuation report from a licensed firm, mandatory in sales to foreigners. We explain it in the valuation report guide.
5. The compulsory earthquake insurance policy (DASK), as ownership cannot be transferred without it. See the DASK guide.
6. Receipt for the tapu fee and the service fee, usually paid before the appointment through the bank or online.
7. Official power of attorney if either party is represented by an attorney.

Fees

• Tapu fee: 4% of the declared sale value; by law 2% is paid by the buyer and 2% by the seller, and the contract sets the actual split.
• Service fee (Döner Sermaye): a fixed amount, based in 2026 on 2,227 lira multiplied by an area coefficient ranging from 0.30 to 3.
• Sworn translator’s fee: agreed in advance.

The value declared at the tapu affects taxes later on. We explain this in the costs and taxes guide.

At the directorate: what happens, in order

1. Identity check: the officer checks the identities of those present against the system, and photos of the parties are taken.
2. Reading the official sale contract (Resmi Senet): the officer reads the terms of the contract in Turkish: the property, the parties and the value.
3. Translation: if you don’t speak Turkish, a sworn translator must be present to translate the contract for you, and signs with you.
4. Payment confirmation: the seller is asked whether they have received the price; ideally the bank transfer has arrived before or at this moment.
5. Signing: the seller, the buyer and the translator sign.
6. Registration: ownership is registered in your name in the electronic system immediately, and you are handed the title deed.

Payment on tapu day

The safest method is for the main payment to be made by bank transfer at the same time as signing, or transferred to the seller’s account a few hours before, once you have confirmed all the paperwork is ready. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Details in the property payment transfer guide.

From 1 December 2026 the “Secure Payment System” (Güvenli Ödeme Sistemi) becomes mandatory when the price is paid in cash or by bank transfer: the buyer deposits the price into an account within the system, where it is held until the transfer of ownership is complete, then it reaches the seller automatically, and the system’s fees are deducted from the seller’s share. The part financed by a bank loan does not go through it.

After leaving the directorate

• Transfer the utility accounts (water, electricity and gas) into your name; the title deed and DASK are what you will be asked for.
• Register your address if you will apply for residence.
• Keep copies of the title deed, sale contract, valuation report, payment receipts and transfers.
• Apply for residence if you wish, following the property residence guide.

What can delay the appointment?

• Your name spelled differently on your passport and tax number.
• An encumbrance on the property not lifted before the appointment.
• The DASK policy or valuation report missing from the system.
• A power of attorney missing a requirement, such as the principal’s photo.

Summary

Tapu day is short when the work is done beforehand. Prepare the seven documents, pay the fees early, arrange the bank payment to coincide with signing, and bring a sworn translator. Then you walk out with the property in your name.

We book the appointment, prepare the documents and accompany our clients to the directorate with a translator. Contact us to plan your steps.