Buying property in Fethiye: the TAPU, the valuation report and the checks Brits must do
British citizens can buy a home in Fethiye in their own name, and the transfer itself can happen in a day. The hard part is everything before that day: making sure the house is legal, the seller owns it and the price on the deed is the real one.
The short version
- Ownership is recorded on the TAPU, the title deed held by the Land Registry (Tapu ve Kadastro). The transfer is signed in person or by power of attorney at the Fethiye land registry office [4].
- Every sale to a foreign buyer needs an official valuation report from a licensed appraiser. It's valid for three months [4].
- Foreigners can't buy in military or security zones, and the registry checks this before the sale goes through [4].
- You'll need a foreign ID number or a tax number, an e-Devlet password and compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) on the building [4].
- The title deed fee is 4% of the declared price, legally split between buyer and seller. Budget for the valuation, translation, a lawyer and annual property tax on top.
Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = TRY 67.4414).
How a purchase works, step by step
Turkey has no exact equivalent of a UK conveyancing solicitor running searches for you. The registry checks the paperwork on the day; whether the house is a good buy is up to you. The FCDO's Living in Turkey guide tells British buyers to contact an English-speaking lawyer in Turkey before committing, and the British Embassy publishes a list of them on gov.uk [1].
- Get your numbers. You need a foreign identification number (from the migration authority, if you hold a residence permit) or a tax number from the tax office. Turkey's official foreign-buyer site notes that a tax number can be used if the migration route stalls [4].
- Get an e-Devlet password from a PTT post office. It lets you use Web Tapu, the land registry's online service, to apply and upload documents [4].
- Instruct a lawyer and check the property (see the checklist below) before you pay any deposit.
- Order the valuation report. A licensed appraiser values the property; the report is valid for three months from its issue date [4].
- Apply for the transfer through Web Tapu or the land registry. The registry checks whether the parcel is open to foreign buyers.
- Pay through a bank. The registry asks for a bank-approved receipt, and paying by traceable transfer protects you if anything is disputed later [4].
- Sign at the registry. If you don't speak Turkish, a sworn translator must be there. Bring your passport, a recent 6x4 cm photo and the DASK policy [4].
- Collect the new TAPU in your name, and register the property with the local tax office for annual property tax.
| Document | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Passport (with sworn translation if needed) | You |
| Foreign ID number or tax number | Migration office or tax office [4] |
| Valuation report | Licensed appraiser, valid three months [4] |
| Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) | Any insurer that sells it [4] |
| Bank receipt for the payment | Your bank [4] |
| Photo, 6x4 cm, taken in the last six months | You [4] |
| Power of attorney (if you're not there) | Turkish notary, or a consulate or notary abroad with an apostille |
The valuation report
Since 2019, sales to foreign buyers have needed an official valuation report from a licensed appraisal company [4]. It's there to stop the old habit of declaring a lower price on the deed to cut the title deed fee, which left foreign buyers with an official value far below what they paid, and a nasty capital gains problem when they sold.
For buyers using the property for Turkish citizenship, three figures must all clear the threshold: the price on the deed, the valuation report total and the total actually paid through the bank [4]. Even if citizenship isn't your plan, insist that the declared price matches what you pay. An undervalued deed is a false economy.
The military and security zone check
Foreigners can't buy land inside military forbidden zones or security zones, and there are overall limits on how much land foreign individuals can hold in a district. These checks used to involve a separate wait for military clearance. Now the land registry handles them as part of the transaction, before you pay, but you should still ask the lawyer to confirm the parcel is open to foreign buyers before you put down a deposit.
Around Fethiye this matters most for rural plots and land near the coast, rather than flats in town.
The checks you must do before you pay
The registry will happily transfer a house with problems. These checks are where buyers come unstuck:
- Is the seller the owner? Get a fresh title extract from the registry. Check the name, the share each owner holds (inherited village houses often have several siblings on the deed) and the parcel number.
- Debts and charges. The extract shows mortgages, court attachments and other annotations. Ask for them to be lifted before or at the transfer.
- Flat title or "construction servitude"? A finished flat should have full condominium ownership (kat mülkiyeti). A deed showing only a construction servitude (kat irtifakı) means the building was registered off-plan and may not have its final paperwork.
- The occupancy permit (iskan). A house without one may have been built without full approval. It can make utility connections, resale and DASK harder.
- Zoning. Check with Fethiye municipality what the plan allows. An extension, a pool or a "villa" on agricultural land may never have been legal.
- Matching the map. Use the registry's Parsel Sorgu map to see that the plot boundaries match what you're shown on the ground [4].
- Earthquake safety. The FCDO's travel advice says many parts of Turkey regularly have earthquakes and tremors [3]. Ask when the building was put up and whether it was built to the current earthquake code. Our earthquakes and wildfires guide explains what to look for.
The costs
| Cost | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Title deed fee (tapu harcı) | 4% of the declared price, legally split 2% buyer, 2% seller; often negotiated |
| Land registry service charge | A fixed fee set each year |
| Valuation report | Set by the appraiser, depends on the property |
| Sworn translator and notary | Usually modest, more if you use a power of attorney |
| Lawyer | Agree a fixed fee in writing |
| Estate agent's commission | Commonly charged to buyers in Turkey; agree it before viewing |
| VAT on new builds | Can apply to new homes; resales are usually exempt |
| DASK earthquake insurance | Yearly premium set by size and construction type |
| Annual property tax (emlak vergisi) | A small percentage of the municipal value, paid in two instalments |
DASK cover is compulsory for buildings and is a required document at the transfer [4]. From 1 November 2026 the maximum DASK payout is TRY 2,605,100 (about £38,600), and the cover limits move every month with inflation [5]. That won't rebuild a villa, so most owners add a separate home policy.
Residence permits and citizenship
Owning a home can support a short-term residence permit (ikamet), but the migration authority sets a minimum property value for a first application, and it's higher inside metropolitan municipalities like Muğla. It also closes some neighbourhoods to new foreign residents. Check the current rules on goc.gov.tr before you buy for that reason. Our guide to the ikamet covers it.
Turkish citizenship by investment through property currently requires a purchase of at least USD 400,000 and a commitment, annotated on the deed, not to sell for three years. The land registry's foreign-buyer site still showed the older USD 250,000 threshold when we checked in November 2026, so confirm the current figure on the official citizenship pages [4]. Turkey allows dual nationality and so does the UK. Read Turkish citizenship by investment before you go down that road.
The UK side
- Your UK home. If you keep and let your UK house, you'll need to deal with the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme. Read renting out your UK home.
- Selling in the UK. Non-residents selling UK property must report to HMRC within 60 days of completion and pay any capital gains tax due [2].
- Moving the money. Large transfers to Turkey are best done by bank transfer with a clear paper trail; the registry wants proof of payment anyway. See sending money between the UK and abroad.
- Inheritance. Turkish property is subject to Turkish succession rules, and Turkey also has its own inheritance tax. A will valid in Turkey makes life easier for your family. A tax adviser who knows both countries can check your situation.
- Fraud. Check that any bank details you're sent are genuine by phoning a number you already know, and never pay a deposit before the lawyer's checks are done.
Buying with a Turkish partner, or found a builder you'd trust with your extension? Compare notes in our community group for Brits in Turkey.
Sources
- GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in Turkey (last updated 31 December 2025)
- GOV.UK (HMRC): Tell HMRC about Capital Gains Tax on UK property or land if you're not a UK resident (last updated 13 January 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO): Turkey travel advice, safety and security (updated 27 October 2026)
- Your Key Türkiye (General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre): information for foreign buyers
- DASK (Natural Disaster Insurance Institution): Zorunlu Deprem Sigortası tarife ve talimatı (tariff of 31 December 2025, with monthly limits for 2026)