Secure Payment System at the Land Registry from 1 December 2026: What Buyers and Sellers Should Do
From 1 December 2026, the price in property sales in Turkey must be paid through the Secure Payment System. Who is covered, what happens with mortgages and who pays the fee?
In short: Under an amendment to Turkey’s Regulation on Real Estate Trade, the price in property sales must be paid through the Secure Payment System from 1 December 2026. The regulation allows the Ministry of Trade to extend this date by up to three months, so always confirm the current position before a sale.
What is the Secure Payment System?
The system holds the buyer’s payment until the title deed transfer is completed and releases it to the seller at the same time as the transfer. This removes the old question of whether the money or the title deed should change hands first, and reduces risks such as carrying cash or fake payment receipts.
Which sales are covered?
The rule is not limited to sales through estate agencies; it covers property sales by individuals and companies. Sales where the price is paid in cash, by bank transfer or EFT will go through the system. Sales excluded from the system will be set out in a protocol between the Ministry of Trade and the relevant institutions.
Sales with a mortgage loan
The amount lent by a bank or finance company stays outside the system. The down payment and any other payments outside the loan go through the system.
Who pays the fee?
According to the regulation, a usage fee is charged for each transaction and deducted from the sale price transferred to the seller. The amount has not yet been announced and will be set by the protocol.
How will the process work?
- Buyer and seller agree on the price and terms, and a title deed appointment is booked.
- The buyer pays the amount not covered by a loan into the system, where it is held.
- The transfer is completed at the land registry.
- At the same time, the amount is released to the seller, minus the usage fee.
If the sale does not go ahead, the payment is expected to be returned to the buyer; the timing and procedure have not yet been announced. Which banks and screens the system will use will become clear once it starts.
What should buyers and sellers do now?
- Sellers: Allow for the usage fee that will be deducted from the price. If there is a mortgage on the title deed, plan its repayment with your bank in advance.
- Buyers: Have the down payment and any amount outside the loan ready before the appointment, and put any deposit in writing.
- Both: For sales close to 1 December, confirm with the land registry which rules will apply before the transaction.
- To see title deed fees and other costs in advance, use the hidden property costs calculator.
For the full process, see my step-by-step title deed guide for Antalya, and for the buyer’s new DASK obligation, my article on the new DASK rules.
Sources: Regulation on Real Estate Trade (Official Gazette 05.06.2018, no. 30442), Additional Article 1 and Provisional Article 1; amending regulation (Official Gazette 01.10.2026); announcements of the Ministry of Trade. Compiled as of 9 November 2026; implementation details will be set by protocol.
