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Egypt’s Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk announced that a mobile application offering a full suite of real estate tax services will be launched in mid-April, enabling users to complete processes electronically; from registration through to payment.

Speaking during an open discussion with officials and representatives from real estate tax regions and offices, Kouchouk said the newly introduced facilities represent an exceptional opportunity to simplify procedures and improve overall performance. He stressed the importance of accurate implementation to ensure genuine facilitation, streamline processes, and foster a positive experience for citizens.

“We work for the people, and they must feel a tangible improvement in the level of service on the ground,” Kouchouk said. “Make things easier for citizens — we want them to know what they are entitled to and what they owe.”

He added that he hopes real estate tax services will become “a new success story,” supported by accessible and efficient digital solutions. “What has been achieved in tax facilities has doubled our ambitions, and what is coming will be better, through partnership with taxpayers and citizens,” he noted.

Kouchouk emphasized that the government’s priority is to broaden the tax base, improve service quality, and encourage voluntary compliance, highlighting that these efforts will contribute to increased state revenues. He also urged officials not to pass on administrative challenges to citizens, but instead to actively help resolve them.

For his part, Ahmed El-Sadek, Head of the Real Estate Tax Authority, said there is a strong commitment to enhancing services and making them more user-friendly, with efforts focused on translating the new facilities into tangible benefits for citizens.

El-Sadek announced that the tax exemption threshold for primary residential units will be raised to EGP 8m. He added that late payment penalties will not exceed the original tax due under any circumstances, and that no tax will be imposed if a property is demolished or rendered unusable due to exceptional conditions.

He further noted that, for the first time, tax debts and associated penalties may be written off in cases of necessity. Taxpayers will also be allowed to submit a single declaration, either in paper or electronic form, for multiple properties located under the jurisdiction of different tax offices.

In addition, compliant taxpayers who submit their declarations on time will benefit from incentives, including a 25% discount on residential property taxes and 10% for non-residential units. Flexible payment options, including instalments and electronic payment methods, will also be available.

Meanwhile, Khaled Abdel Ghani, CEO of e-Tax, described the upcoming mobile application as a “major turning point” in facilitating real estate tax services. He affirmed the company’s readiness to provide the necessary technical support to ensure the successful rollout of the new system, benefiting both taxpayers and administrative staff.

Source: Daily News Egypt