Most people who own property in Albania rarely think about the value written in their ownership documents. It sits in the registry, usually showing whatever price was declared on the day of purchase, and nobody looks at it again until it is time to sell. That number, though, ends up deciding how much tax you pay later on. This year Albania has opened a window that lets owners bring it up to date on unusually favourable terms. If you hold an apartment, a house, land or commercial premises here, it is worth understanding properly before the year is out.
The basis for it is Law No. 85/2025, put into practice through Instruction No. 5/2026. Between 1 January and 31 December 2026, owners can officially revalue their property to its current market price. They then pay a 5% tax on the difference, instead of the 15% capital gains rate that would normally apply when they eventually sell. The scheme covers any registered owner, and foreign citizens take part on the same terms as Albanians. There is no sign that the deadline will be extended, and once the year closes the standard rate comes back.
The reasoning behind it is straightforward. Prices along the coast, from Saranda up through the Riviera, have risen considerably over the past decade, and many owners are sitting on gains that exist only on paper. Without a revaluation, all of that growth is taxed at 15% the day the property changes hands, whether that happens next year or in fifteen. Fixing the value now means the growth accumulated so far is taxed at a third of the usual rate. Only future appreciation will be measured against the new figure. On a typical seaside apartment, the difference can easily run into several thousand euros.
A reaction I often hear is that revaluation makes no sense for someone with no plans to sell. I would argue the opposite. Property gets inherited, gifted, divided between family members or sold sooner than anyone expected, and each of those situations goes more smoothly when the registered value reflects reality. An outdated figure tends to cause friction with the tax office and awkward questions from buyers and notaries. Owners should also keep in mind that the annual property tax will afterwards be calculated on the updated value, and weigh that honestly against the savings.
The procedure is less demanding than most people expect. A licensed first-category valuation expert carries out the valuation and prepares and signs the official report. The new value is then submitted through a notary and registered. The paperwork is basic: the ownership certificate, the kartela extract from the property register, the property map, a few photographs and the location. For owners living abroad, the whole process can be handled remotely, which removes the main reason many of them have put it off. Once the documents are complete, it usually takes only a few days.
The real risk is leaving it too late. Deadlines tend to produce a last-minute rush, and notaries and the registry get noticeably busier as the end of the year approaches. Owners who start now have time to gather missing documents, check that their registration is in order and make a considered decision. Those who wait may find the window closed while their paperwork is still in progress. Detailed information on the scheme, the required documents and how the process works is available at https://albaniapropertyrevaluation.com/