Tax on Selling an Apartment in Armenia: When You Pay and When Not

By Mark Muzyka · Updated 24 October 2026

A sale between individuals is not taxed in Armenia, but there are exceptions people learn about too late: rules for residents, non-residents and company buyers.

Do you have to pay tax when selling an apartment in Armenia?

The short answer: the basic rule is very lenient. A sale of real estate between private individuals is not subject to income tax. If you bought an apartment from an individual and sell it to an individual, there is no tax on the increase in value. This is one of the reasons the Armenian market appeals to private investors. Tax arises in three cases. First, when the buyer is an organization or an individual entrepreneur: the seller's income is then taxed at 10 percent, withheld by the buyer as a tax agent. The 20 percent rate applies to a developer's income from selling apartments. This matters if your buyer is a developer, an investment company or a firm buying the property as an office. Second, when the seller is not an Armenian tax resident: the rules then depend on the seller's status and the circumstances of the deal, and they need to be checked before the sale. Third, systematic resale can be treated as business activity, with all the consequences that follow. A one-off sale of your own apartment and ten deals a year are different things.

Investors who think strategically ask this question at the purchase stage already: how much will I have to give up on exit? In Armenia the picture is noticeably softer than in many countries.

The basic rule

A sale of real estate between private individuals is not subject to income tax. This is a key feature of the Armenian regime and one of the reasons the market appeals to private investors.

In other words, if you bought an apartment from an individual and sell it to an individual, there is no tax on the gain.

When tax arises

1. Selling to an organization or an individual entrepreneur. If the buyer is an organization or an individual entrepreneur, the seller's income is subject to income tax at 10% (Tax Code, Article 150, Part 9). The buyer withholds the tax as a tax agent. The 20% rate applies to a developer's income from selling a building, apartments and other premises in it (Article 150, Part 11). Text of the code: arlis.am.

Keep this in mind if your buyer is a developer, an investment company or a firm acquiring the property as an office.

2. Selling as a non-resident. The exemption for a sale to an individual also applies to non-residents: a non-resident's income from selling their own property to an individual who is not an individual entrepreneur or a notary is not subject to income tax (Tax Code, Article 143, Part 1, Point 2). If the buyer is an organization or an individual entrepreneur, check the procedure for non-residents with the State Revenue Committee.

3. Business activity. Systematic resale of real estate can be classified as business activity, with all the consequences that follow. In the eyes of the tax authority, a one-off sale of your own apartment and a stream of ten deals a year are different things.

For reference: the general personal income tax rate

Since 2023, personal income tax in Armenia has been 20%, a flat rate for individuals' income. Income from renting out an apartment has its own rules, covered in our guide on how to rent out an apartment in Yerevan.

What else you pay in a deal

Besides any income tax, a deal comes with costs:

• notarization of the contract;
• state registration of the transfer of title in the cadastre;
• certificates and extracts from the cadastre;
• agency services, if the deal goes through an intermediary.

A detailed breakdown is in our guide to buying an apartment in Yerevan: documents, notary and costs, and the registration procedure is covered in the Armenian Cadastre guide.

Practical takeaways

For investors. No tax on the gain when selling to an individual is a significant advantage of the Armenian market over many jurisdictions. It directly improves the economics of the "buy off-plan, sell after completion" strategy (our analysis of off-plan buying).

For non-residents. Clarify your status and the rules before the deal, not after. A mistake here costs more to fix than a consultation.

For everyone. Make sure there are no property tax arrears on the property: they block the deal.

The information is current as of August 2026 and is for reference only. Tax law changes, and your situation depends on your residency, the buyer's status and how you acquired the property, so consult a tax specialist about your specific deal.

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Frequently asked questions

What tax does the seller pay if a company buys the apartment? When selling to an organization or an individual entrepreneur, the seller's income is taxed at 10 percent, withheld by the buyer. If the seller is a developer, the rate is 20 percent. This matters if the buyer is a developer or a firm.

Does a non-resident pay tax when selling an apartment in Armenia? They may: separate rules apply to non-residents, depending on the seller's status and the circumstances of the deal, so it is wiser to clarify them before the sale.

What costs are there when selling an apartment in Armenia, apart from tax? Notarization of the contract, state registration of the transfer of title in the cadastre, certificates and extracts from the cadastre, and agency services if the deal goes through an intermediary.

Can property tax arrears prevent the sale of an apartment? Yes, property tax arrears block the deal. Before selling, make sure there are no such debts on the property.

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