Egypt's Government Launches New Real Estate Tax App for Easy Digital Services

As part of Egypt's push towards accelerating digital transformation and simplifying government services, the Egyptian government has announced the launch of a new electronic application for real estate tax services via mobile phones. This exciting step, set to begin mid-April, aims to significantly improve the citizen experience and streamline procedures across the board.

Ahmed Kojok, the Minister of Finance, confirmed that this upcoming app will provide a comprehensive system, allowing citizens to complete various tax services electronically, from registration all the way to payment, without needing to visit tax offices. This clearly shows a strong move towards digitizing services and boosting their efficiency.

During an open discussion with leaders and representatives from various regions and offices of the Real Estate Tax Authority, the Minister emphasized that improving the quality of services offered to citizens is a top priority right now. He stressed that the goal isn't just to develop systems, but to create a tangible impact that citizens feel in their daily interactions. He said the work is being done "for the people," which means providing services that are easier and clearer.

Kojok pointed out that the "Real Estate Tax Facilitation" app is a real opportunity to reshape the relationship between taxpayers and the tax administration. It will do this by simplifying procedures and enhancing transparency, which in turn will encourage voluntary compliance and lead to higher levels of citizen satisfaction, alongside improving institutional performance efficiency.

He added that the next phase will focus on expanding the tax base and improving the quality of services provided, seeing these as two key pillars for increasing public revenues. He also stressed the importance of immediately addressing any challenges citizens might face and ensuring they aren't burdened with extra complications due to procedural complexities.

Ahmed El-Sadek, for his part, explained that the Authority is adopting a clear approach to making things easier. This includes raising the exemption limit for primary private residences to 8 million Egyptian pounds, a move that reflects social considerations. They're also setting a cap on late payment fees so they don't exceed the original tax debt.

He also highlighted a package of new facilitations, including not imposing tax in cases where a property is demolished or cannot be used. Additionally, there's an option to waive tax debt and late payment fees in cases of necessity. These measures are designed to ease burdens on citizens and achieve greater tax fairness.

In a related context, he noted that it will be possible to submit a single tax declaration, whether on paper or electronically, even if a taxpayer owns multiple properties managed by different tax offices. This will help reduce administrative complexities. Plus, there will be incentives for compliant taxpayers, including a 25% discount for residential units and 10% for non-residential ones. They're also making it possible to pay taxes in installments and offering various electronic payment methods.

Khaled Abdel Ghani, CEO of "E-Tax" company, confirmed that the new application represents a qualitative leap in how real estate tax services are delivered. He mentioned that the company is ready to provide the necessary technical support to ensure the efficient operation of the new system, boosting its chances of success and achieving its goals of simplification and digital transformation.

The launch of this app reflects a rapid government drive towards building an integrated digital system for public services. The aim is to reduce reliance on traditional procedures and achieve greater transparency and efficiency, supporting the state's efforts to improve how it interacts with citizens and enhance trust in government services.