All you need to know about Tapu in turkey!

tapu in turkey - contract and keys

There are different types of title deeds tapu in turkey, For this reason, people who want to acquire property should have full knowledge about the title deed of the property they want to get.

So, what is the Turkish title deed for those who want to own a property in turkey? How many types of title deeds are there? What are the deed types and colors? 

What is tapu means in turkey?

Tapu means Title Deed in Turkish, is an official document issued by the Directorate General of Land Registry that ensures the ownership of a particular piece of land or any other property. 

Tapu verifies the property owner and contains all details related to the property itself like location, type, and size. To find the original owner of the title deed and check whether the property is in a mortgage or has a debt, you should take the title deed copy of the related property to the  Land Registry and Cadastre office (TKGM) where the property is located, and inquire about it, or you can send an email to [email protected] with a copy of the title deed. 

What are the types and colors of tapu (Title Deed) in turkey?

There are two different colors of the title deed in turkey, red and blue.

Both Deed colors have similar designs and content but differ in their use.

1- Blue Title Deed:

This color of title deed represents a person’s ownership of non-residential land or land that the building process has just begun on it or of shares within a real estate, out of the total shares. The blue title deed has two types:

tapu in turkey - blue tapu

1- Shared ownership titles (HİSSELİ TAPU): this type of deed shows the number of partners who own property, their percentage of shares, and their names. Whether for investment or residential purposes. The shared ownership titles do not specify who owns which region of the real estate. 

2- Land ownership titles: this type of Turkish title deed verifies the registered land (empty land or unfit for reconstruction). Reconstruction land must be located within the area covered by the reconstruction plan to acquire the building permit license (Yapı Ruhsatı), this license indicates that the project is not built outside the legal zones and adhere to building regulations. While agricultural land titles verify that the land or piece registered in the Tabu Deed as agricultural land which has not acquired the status of reconstruction.

2- Red Title Deed:

The red-colored title deed expresses residential real estate, and its possession means the final ownership of the purchased property. The red title deed has also two types:

tapu in turkey - red tapu

1- Construction servitude (KAT İRTİFAKLI TAPU): Construction Servitude is an individual’s title right on a land where a property will be constructed or already been constructed but not completed yet. Although there is no apartment yet the address and door numbers of all apartments will be determined by the authorities and written on the title deed you receive from the land registry office. With this deed, buyer and seller have obligations toward each other, and while the contractor promises about the properties of the building, location, size, type, etc. The buyer also pledges about payments. And if you plan to get a loan you must have the construction servitude otherwise banks are forbidden to give credit.

2- Property ownership titles (KAT MULKIYETLI TAPU): property ownership deed shows the owner’s independent ownership of the property which is registered as a single unit that will not be divided into separated properties such as independent houses, sheds, warehouses, factories, and similar buildings, and constructed on an area that is suitable for use. The construction Servitude deed can be converted into a property ownership deed when the construction is become fully completed and this type of title deed verifies the property owner and contains all details includes the building area, the number of apartments in the building, location, property type, property size, etc. Property ownership deed is the most suitable type for those who want to buy a property with a housing loan.

What is the turkish title deed consist of ?

Personal photo of the owner.

Property location and address details (country, city, town, district/village, plot/block).

The project area is in square meters and other information like block/entrance/property floor number.

Type and number of the property.

Information about the owner of the property.

Reason for purchase and from who to whom the property has been sold.

Purchase price of the property.

Registration date.

What are the steps of getting title deed in turkey?

tapu in turkey - hand shaking

Step 1: an appointment needs to be set at the land registry and cadastre office where the property is located, and the mandatory documents must be fully prepared, you can check the documents through our article below.

Can Foreigners Own Properties In Turkey?

Step 2: make sure that both parties (buyer and seller) agree upon the declared value of the ownership transferring transaction.

Step 3: the title deed will be signed by the seller and receive a receipt of the purchase consideration which includes a confirmation indicating that the owner is being transferred without any kind of compulsion.

Step 4: the second party or the buyer will sign on the title deed and accept the title granted to him/her.

How much are the title deed fees in turkey 2021?

  • The title deed registration tax is 4% of the registered price of the property in the contract, usually, it must be paid fully by the buyer or equally between the buyer and seller 2% each. 
  • Value-added tax: ranges from 1% to 18% of the property value and the tax portion depends on property type, area, and the price per square meter of the land.

What is web-tapu?

property in turkey - web deed (web tapu)

During the pandemic, many countries have imposed procedures to protect people, but turkey has already taken a huge step for its citizens and residents and for those who want to own a property in Turkey and get Turkish citizenship as well but, they do not manage to visit the country because of the pandemic through creating ‘Web Tapu’ which means Web Title Deed or WEB-DEED. 

According to the land registry and cadastre WEB TAPU is a new feature of the tapu system, where :

1- you can manage your real estate from home via the internet, without the need to visit the land registry and cadastre office. People can apply and submit documents for all real estate transactions like sales, mortgages, inheritance transfers. 

2- allows to enter or cancel an entry banning remote execution of real estate transactions. This provides an important safeguard against fraud.

 3- allows title deed owners to access all the information related to their properties. Official ownership certificate, mortgage document, and extract from the cadastral register can be obtained through the system without visiting the cadastral office. 

4- Property owners can give access to other persons (buyer, realtor, etc.) to view information about their real estate.

Which Transactions Can Be Performed Within WEB TAPU?

Through the electronic system of Turkish title deed people can manage their properties and apply for: 

  1. 46 real estate transactions (sale, donation, transfer, etc. …), 
  2. 20 cadastral transactions, 
  3. 2 cartography transactions, 
  4. 5 operations with documents in the Ottoman language and old records, 
  5. enter information and documents for the operations performed, 
  6. confirm documents and authorize third parties or realtors to perform such actions. 

How Does WEB TAPU Work?

In order to register on WEB-TAPU system:

1- For Turkish Residence Permit Holders:

After accessing https://webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr/, in the upper right corner, you will find the “For foreigner” login option, you have to click on it. Then, click on the “register now” button. After that the registration page will be displayed on the screen. And, complete the registration process by setting your password and entering the requested information with “foreigner ID number YKN or tax ID number VKN or passport number” correctly. Make sure to update your contact details (phone number and email) on your profile page so that you can be informed throughout your application process.

2- For Turkish Citizens:

After accessing https://webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr/, in the upper right corner, you will find three “Institutional-Individual-For foreigner” login options, click on “individual” or “bireysel” tab. Then, click the “e-Devlet ile Giriş” or “Access through e- Government ” button on the screen to follow and proceed after verifying your password on the e- government. After the verification, the homepage of web-tapu will be displayed on the screen ; make sure to update your contact details (phone number and email) on your profile page so that you can be informed throughout your application process.

Note : You need to have an ID number and e-Government (e-Devlet) password in order to access the system. 

In case you do not have an e-Government password, you can receive it by visiting the nearest post office (PTT center) and proving your identity.

Web Tapu System is available in 5 different languages (English, German, Russian, Arabic and French).

Turkish Title Deeds and Citizenship by Investment:

If you are willing to invest in real estate in Turkey with a total value of 250,000$ or more you will have the right to apply for Turkish citizenship (for you and your families) and the real estate must behold for at least (3) years. But don’t worry our sales experts can help you in earning profitable rental income within the three years and reselling the property after this period with high ROI potential.

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