Türkiye has again delayed the start of a mandatory Secure Payment System for real estate sales, moving the launch from Oct. 1 to Dec. 1, 2026, to allow more time for technical work, Turkish media reported on Sept. 28.
The change was published as an amendment to the Regulation on Real Estate Trade in the Official Gazette on Oct. 1, according to Istanbul law firm Rona Legal. The system had originally been due to become compulsory on July 1, before the Ministry of Trade pushed it back by three months in June.
How the system works
The obligation was introduced through an amendment to the regulation published on April 29, 2026. It applies when all or part of a property's price is paid in cash, by bank transfer or by electronic funds transfer. In such cases, the money must go through a system designed so that ownership and payment change hands at the same time.
In practice, the buyer pays the price into a blocked account rather than directly to the seller. The parties use a reference number to start the process through e-Devlet and complete the sale at the land registry office. Once the title transfer is approved, the funds are released to the seller. If the sale does not go through, the money is returned. Where a bank provides a mortgage, only the portion of the price not covered by the loan is routed through the system.
The authorities say the goal is to reduce fraud, forgery and counterfeit-money risks, limit unrecorded transactions and protect both buyers and sellers. A usage fee will apply to each transaction and will be deducted from the amount paid to the seller, though the amount had not been published as of early October.
Why the delay
According to the reports, the data-sharing infrastructure between the Land Registry and Cadastre General Directorate and the banks is ready, but banks are still completing their own systems. The decision was taken to ensure the system runs effectively, securely and without interruption, and to give institutions and the sector time to prepare. An integrator company is to be designated and a pilot phase is planned once bank infrastructure is in place.
Rona Legal noted that the ministry can extend the deadline by up to three more months, which would mean March 1, 2027, at the latest. The amendment does not change existing rules for foreign buyers, such as valuation report requirements or the $400,000 threshold for citizenship by investment.
Until the system becomes mandatory, sales can continue under existing payment practices.
Sources
- Güvenli Ödeme Sistemi yine ertelendi (NTV)
- Türkiye property secure payment: mandatory from 1 Dec 2026 (Rona Legal)
- Tapuda yeni dönem: 10 soruda Güvenli Ödeme Sistemi
Photo: Maurice Flesier / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
