What Happens on Title Deed Day? A Morning at the Land Registry Office in Antalya, Step by Step

The most exciting day of buying is title deed day. Many buyers feel tense because they do not know what will happen that day. In this article we walk a foreign buyer through a title deed morning in order.

The day before: what must be ready

Before the title deed transaction the following must be complete:

• Passport (and its Turkish translation if needed).
• Turkish tax number.
• Valuation report (required for foreign buyers). See our valuation report article for details.
• DASK policy. The title deed transaction cannot be done without a policy.
• Passport-size photo. Usually two are requested.
• Appointment. Taken from the title deed office; in busy periods it should be planned a few days ahead.
• Sworn interpreter. An interpreter is needed if you do not speak Turkish.
• Payment plan. How the sale price is paid, and bank receipts.

If one document is missing, the title deed will not be done that day. We check everything together the day before.

Morning: at the land registry office

1. Queue and registration. At the appointment time you enter the office and hand the documents to the clerk.
2. Checks. The clerk checks the IDs, tax number, valuation report and DASK policy. They also look at whether there is any record on the property such as a mortgage or an attachment.
3. Fee calculation. The title deed fee is calculated on the declared value. The general rule is 2% each from buyer and seller, 4% in total. In practice, who pays how much is written in the contract; most often the buyer pays. You can see the current rates in our cost calculator.
4. Payment of the fee. The land registry office collects the fee through the bank or the relevant payment channel. Keep the receipt.
5. Interpreter and reading. The text of the official deed is read out, and the interpreter translates separately. If there is anything you do not understand, ask at that moment.
6. Signature. Buyer and seller (or their representatives) sign the deed. After the transaction is finished, the title deed is issued and given to you.

After signing

• Copy the title deed and the receipts and put them somewhere safe.
• Record the DASK policy with its renewal date.
• Electricity, water and natural gas subscriptions should be transferred to your name; the service-charge transfer must also be done. Details are in our first 30 days guide.
• If you have a residence permit or citizenship plan, our residence permit page and citizenship guide show the next step.

Common mistakes

• Passport validity. If the passport is close to expiry it can cause problems; check beforehand.
• Wrong spelling of the name. The spelling in the passport and in the title deed must be exactly the same.
• Missing DASK. The policy address must match the address on the title deed.
• Payments without receipts. Every payment should go through the bank, with a receipt.
• Person coming by power of attorney. The power of attorney must be notarised and its powers clearly written. For buying remotely, see our foreign buyer guide.

Online appointments and an example

Appointment systems and practice may change over time; so do the final check with the land registry office's current instructions. For example, in a home such as the duplex in Arapsuyu, a single missing document such as the tax number or DASK can be enough to postpone the transaction. That is why we recommend starting preparation at least a week ahead.

Sources: tkgm.gov.tr · dask.gov.tr · gib.gov.tr