Short-Term vs Long-Term Renting in Fethiye: What Property Owners Need to Know

If you own a flat or villa in Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Çalış or Göcek, you can let it to holidaymakers by the night or week, or to one tenant on a yearly lease. The two models follow different laws, tax rules and risks. This guide compares them as the rules stand in November 2026.

Key points

• Since 1 January 2024, letting a home for tourism purposes for 100 days or less needs a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism under Law No. 7464.
• In a building with more than one unit, all other owners must agree, in a notarised decision. One objecting neighbour can block a permit.
• Renting without a permit brings a fine of 180,617 lira per home for a first offence in 2026, rising sharply if you carry on.
• Long-term leases fall under the Turkish Code of Obligations (Law No. 6098). Rent increases on renewal are capped at the 12-month average of consumer inflation (TÜFE). For November 2026 the cap is 31.23%.
• Residential rental income is taxed through an annual return in March. For 2026 income, 58,000 lira of residential rent is exempt for those who qualify.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and amounts change, so check your own case with a Turkish lawyer or accountant (mali müşavir).

Short-term letting: the permit under Law 7464

Law No. 7464 on the tourism-purpose rental of homes was published in the Official Gazette on 2 November 2023 and took effect on 1 January 2024. It covers renting a home, in whole or in part, for tourism purposes for 100 days or less under one contract. Nationality does not matter: the rules apply to Turkish and foreign owners alike, and to every booking channel. It does not cover ordinary long-term leases or licensed hotels.

The main requirements are:

• A permit before the first booking. The owner, or the holder of a registered usufruct right, applies to the provincial directorate of culture and tourism. In Muğla, the directorate says foreigners with a residence or work permit can apply through e-Devlet; others usually act through a representative with a notarised power of attorney.
• Consent of the other owners. If the building has more than one independent unit, every other owner must agree, and the decision must be notarised. A majority vote at a general meeting is not enough.
• The plaque and guest registration. A plaque issued with the permit must be displayed at the entrance. Permit holders must register each guest’s identity with the police or gendarmerie, as hotels do.

The 100-day rule cuts both ways. A contract of 100 days or less is a tourism let and needs the permit. To stop owners dressing up holiday lets as long leases, the law also fines anyone who lets the same home more than four times in a year under contracts longer than 100 days.

Fines. Fines are revalued every January. For 2026, renting without a permit costs 180,617 lira per home on first detection, with 15 days to obtain a permit; 903,088 lira if you continue; and 1,806,177 lira after a further deadline. Enforcement is active locally: in June 2025, the owners of 42 villas in Fethiye were fined a combined 6.05 million lira for renting without permits.

What changed in 2026. A regulation amendment published on 27 October 2026 (Official Gazette No. 33413) means that if the documents behind a permit are missing or unsuitable and the owner does not fix this within 30 days, the permit is now cancelled, rather than leading to a fine. Separately, a bill on foreign booking platforms, including a 17% commission cap, passed a parliamentary committee in October 2026 and would take effect on 1 January 2027 if enacted. Our short-term rental law explainer covers the permit in more detail.

Long-term letting: leases, rent caps and eviction

A lease for more than 100 days, or to someone who lives in the home, falls under the Turkish Code of Obligations (Türk Borçlar Kanunu, TBK). The main rules for owners:

• Deposit. It cannot exceed three months’ rent (TBK art. 342).
• Rent increases. On renewal, the increase cannot exceed the 12-month average change in TÜFE (art. 344). The temporary 25% cap on residential increases ended on 1 July 2024. TÜİK’s October 2026 data set the November cap at 31.23%. See our report on inflation and the November rent cap.
• Ending the lease. A landlord cannot end a residential lease just because the term has expired. If the tenant does not give notice, the lease extends year by year. The main grounds for eviction are genuine need of the home for the owner or close family, major rebuilding work, a valid written undertaking to leave signed after moving in, or two justified written warnings for unpaid rent within one lease year. After ten years of extensions, the landlord can end the lease with three months’ notice before the end of a lease year.
• Mediation first. Since 1 September 2023, most rent disputes, including eviction cases, must go to a mediator before court.

The contract. A written contract protects both sides. Tenants who apply for a residence permit usually need a notarised copy. Since November 2024, landlords and tenants can also sign a lease through e-Devlet. As of November 2026 this remains optional. The Ministry of Treasury and Finance has said it is working to make it compulsory, but no start date has been announced. Our guide to renting a home in Türkiye explains the lease from the tenant’s side.

Tax on rental income

Long-term rent is taxed as income from immovable property (gayrimenkul sermaye iradı). The main rules are:

• Annual return. Income is declared between 1 and 31 March of the following year, usually through the Revenue Administration’s (GİB) pre-filled return system. The tax is paid in two instalments, in March and July.
• Exemption. For 2026 income, 58,000 lira of residential rent is exempt (47,000 lira for 2025). You cannot use the exemption if you must declare business income, or if your total wages, investment income and rent exceed a set limit (1.2 million lira for 2025). Foreign owners who are not tax resident in Türkiye should check with an accountant whether the exemption applies to them.
• Expenses. You can deduct either a lump sum of 15% of the rent or your actual expenses, such as repairs, insurance, property tax and depreciation. Interest on loans for a home cannot be deducted. If you choose the lump sum, you cannot switch back to actual expenses for two years.
• Rates. Income tax is progressive. The first band in 2026 is 15%, on income up to 190,000 lira.

Short-term rent is less settled. In January 2025, GİB told tax offices to treat permit holders as businesses, with income tax on business profits and 20% VAT. The Council of State (Danıştay) suspended that instruction, reasoning that renting a home short term is not a business on its own unless it is run like a hotel or pension. As far as we could find, a final ruling on the merits was still pending in late 2026. The accommodation tax (konaklama vergisi), normally 2%, was cut to 1% until 31 December 2026. Whether it applies to a private holiday let depends on the same business question. Ask an accountant before your first season and keep records of every booking.

Practical yields: what drives the numbers

We found no reliable published yield data for holiday lets or long lets in Fethiye, so treat any projection with caution and base your numbers on real bookings or comparable rents.

When comparing the two models, weigh these factors:

• Season. Holiday demand in Ölüdeniz, Hisarönü and Göcek is concentrated in summer. Çalış and central Fethiye have more year-round residents. See our guides to living in Fethiye and Ölüdeniz, Hisarönü and Ovacık.
• Costs. Short lets carry platform or agency commission, cleaning, laundry, pool care, utilities, furnishing and wear. A long-term tenant usually pays utilities, and your management time is much lower.
• Legal risk. Holiday letting depends on a permit that some homes cannot obtain, for example flats where a neighbour refuses consent or villas with unresolved zoning problems. A long-term lease is simpler but hard to end and capped on increases.

Step by step: choosing and setting up your model

1. Check the property. Confirm the title deed, the occupancy certificate (iskan) and the land status. Problems here can rule out a holiday permit.
2. Ask your neighbours. For a flat, find out early whether every owner will sign a notarised consent.
3. Run both numbers. Compare realistic net income from each model after tax, costs and empty periods, using real records rather than projections.
4. Apply for the permit before taking bookings. You cannot rent while the application is pending. Fix the plaque and set up guest registration once it is issued.
5. For a long let, use a written contract. Set out the deposit, bank payment of rent and who pays building charges.
6. Get a tax number and an accountant. Declare every year in March and keep receipts.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Do I need a permit if I only rent my Fethiye home for a few weeks a year?

A: Yes. There is no minimum. Any tourism let of 100 days or less under one contract needs a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism before you take the booking.

Q: Can I avoid the permit by signing 101-day contracts?

A: Not safely. Law 7464 fines owners who let the same home more than four times a year under contracts longer than 100 days.

Q: How much can I raise the rent for a long-term tenant?

A: No more than the 12-month average change in TÜFE at renewal. For renewals in November 2026, that is 31.23%. The figure changes every month.

Q: Is short-term rental income subject to VAT?

A: That is disputed. The tax authority’s 2025 instruction to treat permit holders as businesses with VAT was suspended by the Council of State, and a final ruling was still pending when we checked. Take advice from an accountant.

Planning to buy a rental property? Download our free property guide for a step-by-step checklist.

Sources

• Law No. 7464 on the tourism-purpose rental of homes (Official Gazette 02.11.2023, No. 32357), via Lexpera
• Konutların Turizm Amaçlı Kiralanması: application presentation (Muğla Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism)
• Konutların Turizm Amaçlı Kiralanması: applicant guide (Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism)
• Evimi günlük kiraya vermek istiyorum: permit and 2026 fine amounts (avukatmertcelik.com)
• Yazlık konut kiralamada 6 milyon lira ceza: 42 villas fined in Fethiye, June 2025 (Ekonomist)
• Regulation amendment, Official Gazette 27.10.2026 No. 33413: permit cancelled if document defects not cured in 30 days (Hukukçular Evi)
• Booking, Expedia ve Airbnb gibi platformlara Türkiye’de yeni kurallar: committee approval, 17% commission cap, planned 1 January 2027 start (Euronews Türkçe, October 2026)
• Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098 (mevzuat.gov.tr)
• Kasım ayı kira artış oranı belli oldu: 31.23% (Ege Telgraf)
• Kira sözleşmeleri için yeni hazırlık: e-Devlet’ten yapılması zorunlu olacak; first phase 4 November 2024 (Dünya)
• 2025 kira geliri beyanı: exemption, 1.2 million lira limit, 15% lump-sum expenses, two-year rule, March and July instalments (Alomaliye)
• Vergi Bülteni 2026/02: 2026 income tax figures, 58,000 lira residential rent exemption, 15% first band to 190,000 lira (PwC Türkiye)
• Airbnb vergisi: Danıştay kararı sonrası kısa süreli konut kiralamalarında vergilendirme (Öner Hukuk, 2026)
• Danıştay’dan Airbnb kararı: evini turizm amaçlı kiralamak ticari faaliyet sayılamaz (Gazete Oksijen)
• Konaklama vergisi yıl sonuna kadar yüzde 1’e düşürüldü (Forbes Türkiye)

Photo: Hsuparneeuq / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons