With the entry into force of the new Tax Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan (No. 214-VIII), the rules for paying individual income tax (IIT) on the sale of property have changed, but a transitional period has been provided.

What is a “capital gain” and when does tax arise?

If you sell property for more than you originally paid for it, the difference is your income (capital gain). It is this net profit that is subject to a 10% tax.

However, tax is not always payable. It depends on what exactly you owned and how long the property was in your ownership.

Sale of real estate: new holding periods and the transitional period

The main change in 2026 is that the minimum ownership period for residential property to be sold tax-free increases from 1 year to 2 years.

To ensure that this does not come as a surprise to citizens, a transitional rule has been introduced for 2026–2027:

• If you purchased an apartment before January 1, 2026: the previous rules continue to apply to you. If you sell it after owning it for 1 year, the tax is 0 tenge.
• If you purchased an apartment after January 1, 2026: to avoid paying tax, you will have to wait 2 years from the date of registration of ownership rights.
• From 2028: the two-year rule will apply uniformly to everyone.

What about newly built properties?

When assigning rights of claim in a multi-apartment residential building under a shared-equity participation agreement in housing construction, no tax is payable if 3 years have passed from the date of signing the shared-equity participation agreement or 2 years from the date of registration of ownership rights.

When is no tax exemption provided at all?

Tax must be paid on any profit, regardless of how long you have owned the property, if you sell:

• Commercial real estate in Kazakhstan (offices, stores, warehouses, business premises);
• Any residential property or real estate located abroad.

Sale of vehicles

• For vehicles registered in Kazakhstan: the previous rule applies. If the vehicle has been owned for 1 year or more, no tax is payable upon its sale.
• If you sell it less than one year after purchase and for a price higher than the purchase price, you pay tax only on the difference.
• For vehicles registered abroad, tax on the capital gain must be paid regardless of how long you have owned the vehicle.

Cryptocurrency and securities

If you invest in digital assets (cryptocurrency), please note that tax is payable on them regardless of the ownership period. Special rules continue to apply to securities, allowing both investment gains and losses to be taken into account.

How is the initial cost determined if there are no receipts or contracts?

Under the law, your profit is calculated as the “sale price minus the purchase price.” But what if the old apartment sale and purchase agreement has been lost? In this case, the tax authorities will use the official appraised or cadastral value of the property as the basis.

If you imported and cleared a vehicle through customs from abroad, the initial cost officially includes the customs duties, VAT, excise taxes, and recycling fee paid by you. This will reduce the final amount of tax.

Quick guide

• Apartment / house / summer house / garage in Kazakhstan: can be sold tax-free after 2 years (or after 1 year if purchased before January 1, 2026).
• Vehicle registered in Kazakhstan: can be sold tax-free after 1 year.
• Commercial real estate, foreign real estate, and cryptocurrency: tax is always payable on the profit.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kgd-almaty/press/news/details/1270202?lang=ru