The Official Gazette published a regulation amending the rules on real estate trade. It introduces a new secure payment system for property transactions, which will become mandatory on July 1, 2026. The government may extend this deadline for three months.
How does the new property payment system work in Turkey?
With this regulation, the property payment must go through a secure escrow system operated by banks and authorized financial institutions that ensures the money and the title deed (tapu) are transferred at the same time. The system achieves this by holding the money in a secure account and automatically releasing it only after the title deed (tapu) transfer is officially completed. The goal is to increase transaction security, reduce fraud risk, and make the process more transparent.
The regulation became effective immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete). Until the mandatory date, the system can be used voluntarily. The Minister of Trade will oversee the implementation of this system.
What Does Mandatory Secure Payment in Turkey Entail?
The new regulation is effectively ending cash-based payments in real estate transactions, including homes and land.
Under the new rules, payments in real estate transactions, whether partial or full, will be processed using a special payment system operated by banks and other financial institutions regulated under banking law.
A service fee will be charged for using the system, and it will be deducted from the seller’s payment. The fee applies per transaction or system use, and its exact amount is not fixed in the regulation; it will be determined later.
If a property purchase in Turkey is financed through a mortgage or other credit, only the portion not covered by the loan must be processed through the secure payment system. This means all payment flows will be recorded and traceable.
The new real estate payment rules in Turkey and technical details of the system will be determined by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, including how it is monitored and how issues are fixed.
In addition, real estate businesses will be required to report any changes to their address, company name, or business activity within legal deadlines and update their authorization licenses accordingly.
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