Egypt extends property tax filing to 30 Sept. – minister

Egypt has extended the deadline for filing property tax returns to 30 Sept., giving taxpayers more time to benefit from a package of tax incentives and simplified filing procedures, Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk said on Tuesday.

Kouchouk said the extension would allow taxpayers to take advantage of recently introduced measures, including an upgraded mobile application for filing tax returns, informed by user feedback.

Under the new measures, owners of residential properties will receive a 25 per cent discount on the tax due, while owners of non-residential properties will receive a 10 per cent discount. Taxpayers who make advance payments ranging from 200  to 1,000 Egyptian pounds, depending on the property type, will also qualify for an additional 5 per cent discount.

The ministry said late-payment charges would be waived for taxpayers who pay the principal amount of their property tax liabilities by 2 Oct.

Family-owned primary residences valued at less than 8 million Egyptian pounds remain exempt from property tax, with exemption requests to be submitted electronically alongside tax returns.

Kouchouk said owners of multiple properties would, for the first time, be able to file a single tax return, while electronic payment receipts would also be accepted as part of efforts to simplify procedures and reduce compliance burdens.

“The success of any tax reform is measured by the trust it builds and the incentives it provides for voluntary compliance,” Kouchouk said. He added that the ministry was working to make the tax system simpler, more efficient, and more accessible for taxpayers.

Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad  English