Capital Gains Tax
Capital Gains Tax in Cyprus
Capital Gains Tax is imposed (when the disposal is not subject to income tax) at the rate of 20% on gains from the disposal of immovable property situated in Cyprus including gains from the disposal of shares in companies which own such immovable property, excluding shares listed in any recognised stock exchange.
Exemptions
The following disposals of immovable property are not subject to Capital Gains Tax:
- Transfers arising on death.
- Gifts made from parent to child or between husband and wife or between up to third degree relatives.
- Gifts to a company where the company’s shareholders are members of the donor’s family and the shareholders continue to be members of the family for five years after the day of the transfer.
- Gifts by a family company to its shareholders provided such property was originally acquired by the company by way of donation. The property must be kept by the donee for at least three years. For gifts that were made from the company to its shareholders and took place before 28 May 1999, the exemption applies irrespective of how the immovable property was originally acquired by the company.
- Gifts to charities and the Government.
- Transfers as a result of reorganisations.
- Exchange or disposal of immovable property under the Agricultural Land (Consolidation) Laws.
- Expropriations.
- Exchange of properties, provided that the whole of the gain made on the exchange has been used to acquire the other property. The gain that is not taxable is deducted from the cost of the new property, i.e. the payment of tax is deferred until the disposal of the new property.
Determination of capital gain
Liability is confined to gains accruing since 1 January 1980. The costs that are deducted from gross proceeds on the disposal of immovable property are its market value at 1 January 1980, or the costs of acquisition and improvements of the property, if made after 1 January 1980, as adjusted for inflation up to the date of disposal on the basis of the consumer price index in Cyprus.
Expenses that are related to the acquisition and disposal of immovable property are also deducted, subject to certain conditions e.g. transfer fees, legal expenses etc.
Lifetime Exemptions
Individuals can deduct from the capital gain the following:
Disposal of private residence (subject to certain conditions) | 85.430 |
Disposal of agricultural land by a farmer | 25.629 |
Any other disposal | 17.086 |
The above exemptions are given only once and not for every disposal.
An individual claiming a combination of the above is only allowed a maximum exemption of €85.430.