BlogBuying Property in Turkey in 2026: A Legal Guide to Purchase, Sale and Rental

For foreign buyers, owners, investors and entrepreneurs · Updated October 2026

People buy property in Türkiye to live in it, to invest, to grow a business or as part of a plan to obtain Turkish citizenship. An attractive property and an agreed price do not, however, make a transaction legally safe.

Before buying, it is important to check not only the apartment or commercial unit itself, but also the title, the history of the property, any encumbrances, zoning restrictions, the seller’s documents and the way the price will be paid.

The main rule: legal due diligence should be completed before a deposit is paid, before any commitment is signed and before the main amount is transferred. In this guide Tercan Legal sets out the main legal issues in buying, selling and renting property in Türkiye under the rules in force in October 2026.

1. Can foreigners buy property in Turkey?

Foreign individuals may acquire real estate in Türkiye, provided the requirements of Turkish law are met.

Whether a purchase is possible depends, among other things, on the buyer’s nationality, the location of the property, its legal status and the restrictions laid down by law.

The law limits the total area a foreign individual may acquire and where it may be located. Separate restrictions apply in military forbidden zones, security zones and other areas with a special legal status. For certain plots of land, a requirement to prepare and carry out a project may also apply.

For this reason, before signing a contract it is necessary to check whether the particular foreign buyer is entitled to acquire the chosen property.

Purchases by a foreign company, or by a Turkish company with foreign shareholders, may be subject to different rules. Such transactions need a separate legal assessment.

2. What types of property can be purchased?

Depending on the legal status of the property, a foreign buyer may consider:

• residential property: apartments, houses and villas;
• commercial property: offices, shops and business premises;
• land, where the law permits its acquisition;
• property under construction;
• property intended to be rented out.

The actual use of a property must be distinguished from its official designation in the records.

A unit advertised as an apartment may, for example, be registered with a different legal status. A plot of land may be subject to building restrictions, and using a residential unit for certain commercial activities may require additional permits.

If the purchase is linked to an application for Turkish citizenship, special requirements apply to the category of the property, its value, its ownership history and the way the transaction is documented.

3. What should be checked before buying? Property due diligence in Turkey

Legal due diligence reveals risks that are not always visible when the property is viewed.

Title and the land registry record (tapu)

The title deed (tapu) is the document evidencing ownership of real estate; the word is also commonly used for the Turkish land registry. The following should be established:

• who the registered owner is;
• whether the seller owns the whole property or only a share;
• whether there is a mortgage, an attachment (haciz), a court restriction or any other encumbrance;
• whether there are annotations restricting the disposal of the property;
• whether the property matches the registry record;
• whether the person signing the documents has authority to carry out the transaction.

If the seller acts through a representative, the validity and scope of the power of attorney should be checked.

Zoning status and permits

For buildings and units, it is important to check the building permit, the occupancy permit (yapı kullanma izin belgesi, commonly called iskan) and whether the property complies with zoning requirements.

Particular care is needed with unfinished buildings, unauthorised alterations and properties whose legal status has not been regularised.

Debts and actual possession

It should be established whether there are unpaid utility bills, building maintenance charges (aidat) or other obligations attached to the property.

It should also be checked whether the property is occupied by a tenant or another person. Buying a property does not always mean that the buyer can move in immediately or have a tenant leave.

4. Is an independent valuation mandatory?

An independent valuation helps to determine the market value of the property, to identify a possible overprice and to make a better-informed decision.

For an ordinary purchase by a foreign national that is not linked to citizenship, a valuation report is, as a rule, not required under the current practice. Practice may change, so this point should be confirmed at the date of the transaction.

A valuation remains useful, especially where:

• the price differs significantly from prices of comparable properties;
• the buyer is not familiar with the local market;
• the property is bought while under construction;
• significant personal or corporate funds are being committed.

Where property is bought for the purpose of Turkish citizenship, a special procedure applies for confirming the investment value. It includes a valuation report and the document confirming the amount of the investment, the Tutar Tespit Belgesi (TTB).

According to the amended circular of the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM), since 28 September 2026 the valuation report for citizenship purposes may be prepared by a valuation company authorised by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) through the WebTapu/TADEBİS system. The period between the TTB and the land registry application is now 12 months. A new report may be needed earlier if a change affecting the value appears in the registry.

For citizenship purposes it is not enough to rely on the price quoted by the seller or stated in a preliminary contract.

5. How should the sale contract be documented?

In Türkiye, ownership of real estate is transferred in the official form required by law and registered in the land registry.

An ordinary private contract between buyer and seller does not by itself transfer ownership of real estate.

The parties may agree the commercial terms in advance, but the legal effect of such an agreement depends on its content and form.

Preliminary contracts and buying from a developer

When property is bought during construction, a notarised promise-to-sell contract for real estate (taşınmaz satış vaadi sözleşmesi) may be used.

A promise-to-sell contract for real estate that is not made in official form before a notary is invalid.

When the contract is prepared, the following should be checked:

• the exact description of the property;
• the price and payment schedule;
• the handover date;
• the obligations of the developer or seller;
• the terms for termination and refund;
• liability for breach of contract;
• whether the relevant right or annotation can be entered in the registry.

Notarisation does not replace legal due diligence on the property, the seller and the construction terms.

6. How should a foreign buyer pay for the property?

A special procedure for foreign-currency documents applies to foreign individuals buying real estate in Türkiye.

Under TKGM rules, a Foreign Currency Purchase Certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi, DAB) must be submitted. It confirms that the foreign currency was sold through an authorised Turkish bank under the prescribed procedure. This document is required not only for citizenship-related purchases but, as a rule, also for an ordinary purchase by a foreign individual.

For a purchase made for citizenship purposes, bank documents showing the transfer of funds from the buyer to the seller are additionally required.

Before payment is made, the following should be agreed:

• the amount and currency of the transaction;
• how the DAB will be obtained;
• the recipient’s account details;
• the payment reference;
• the sequence of banking operations;
• the documents to be submitted when the transaction is registered.

The buyer should confirm in advance with the receiving bank that the transfer route and the source-of-funds documents are acceptable to it. Tercan Legal does not advise on payment routes designed to avoid banking or sanctions controls.

Cash payments and payments made by third parties can make a purchase unusable for citizenship purposes and make it harder to prove that the price was paid.

It should not be assumed that any method of transferring money meets the requirements of the land registry or the citizenship programme. The payment arrangements should be checked before the main amount is sent, because correcting an incorrectly documented payment can be difficult.

7. What taxes and costs arise when buying property?

In addition to the agreed price, the buyer should budget for the mandatory charges and costs of completing the transaction.

Title deed fee (tapu harcı)

In a standard sale, the title deed fee (tapu harcı), at the rates in force in 2026, is 4% in total of the declared value of the transaction. The declared value cannot be lower than the value of the property for property-tax purposes.

By law:

• 2% is payable by the buyer;
• 2% is payable by the seller.

The parties may agree between themselves to share the cost differently, but such an agreement does not by itself change the statutory obligation to pay the fee.

Understating the real value of the transaction in the official documents may lead to an additional assessment of the fee and other consequences provided by law.

Value added tax (KDV)

Whether VAT (KDV) applies depends on the nature of the property, the seller and the specific transaction.

The first sale of a residential or commercial property to certain categories of foreign buyers may be exempt from KDV if the statutory conditions are met, including those relating to the buyer and to payment. Whether the exemption applies should be verified at the date of the transaction.

If a property bought with this exemption is disposed of within three years, the unpaid tax may be recovered together with the interest provided by law.

This rule should not be confused with the three-year undertaking not to sell property acquired under the citizenship by investment programme.

Other costs

Depending on the transaction, there may be costs for an independent valuation, notarial acts, translations, insurance, banking services, legal support and other administrative steps.

A later sale of the property may have income-tax consequences; these should be assessed in advance with a tax adviser.

The total budget should be calculated before any commitment is signed.

8. DASK 2026: the new requirement from 5 September 2026

DASK is the compulsory earthquake insurance system in Türkiye.

This insurance is required for properties covered by the relevant legislation. It does not apply to every type of real estate; for example, it does not apply to every unbuilt plot of land.

From 5 September 2026, on the sale of a property subject to compulsory insurance, the buyer needs a new DASK policy in the buyer’s own name before or at registration of the transfer. The seller’s policy ends with the transfer of ownership.

When the transaction is completed, the existence of a valid policy in the buyer’s name is checked.

The requirement applies to sales of such properties whether the sale is completed at the land registry office or before a notary. A notarised promise-to-sell contract does not, as a rule, by itself require a DASK policy in the buyer’s name, because ownership does not pass at that stage.

In other words, DASK should no longer be treated as something to be dealt with only after the purchase.

9. How does buying property in Turkey work step by step?

For a foreign buyer, the sequence usually looks like this.

1. Eligibility check. Establish whether the particular foreign individual or legal entity is permitted to buy the chosen property.
2. Legal due diligence. Review the title deed (tapu), the owner, encumbrances, zoning documents and the actual condition of the property.
3. Agreeing the terms. Check the price, timing, deposit, the parties’ obligations and the terms of any refund.
4. Valuation. Commission an independent valuation where appropriate; for a citizenship purchase, meet the special requirements for confirming the value.
5. Preparing the contract. Choose the form of transaction required by law, or a notarised promise-to-sell contract where one is needed.
6. Arranging payment. Check the bank documents and obtain the DAB and any other documents needed for the transaction.
7. Preparing for registration. Check the parties’ documents, powers of attorney, mandatory payments and the new DASK policy in the buyer’s name, if the property is subject to insurance.
8. Registering the transfer. Complete the official procedure and check the new owner’s details in the land registry.
9. After the purchase. Transfer the utility accounts, check payments connected with the property and complete any other necessary administrative steps.

The actual sequence may differ depending on the property, the parties and the applicable procedure.

10. Can you obtain Turkish citizenship by buying property?

Turkish law provides for the exceptional acquisition of citizenship where the requirements of the investment programme are met.

For real estate, the threshold is at least USD 400,000, together with an undertaking, annotated in the registry, not to sell the property for three years.

Buying property for that amount does not, however, by itself guarantee that citizenship will be granted. The following must be taken into account:

• the legal category of the property;
• the ownership history and the identity of the seller;
• restrictions on the use of certain properties;
• official confirmation of the investment value;
• the TTB and DAB documents;
• the requirements for bank payments;
• registration of the three-year undertaking;
• the subsequent administrative review of the application.

A property that is suitable for an ordinary purchase by a foreigner is not necessarily suitable for the citizenship programme.

The suitability of the property for citizenship should therefore be checked before a deposit is paid. There is no officially guaranteed time frame for an application; it depends on the completeness of the file and the authorities’ checks.

11. Does buying property give the right to live in Turkey?

Owning property and having the right to reside in Türkiye are separate legal matters.

Under certain conditions, the owner of a residential property may apply for a short-term residence permit under Law No. 6458.

However, holding a title deed (tapu) does not automatically grant a residence permit or its extension.

The competent authorities assess whether the applicant meets the requirements and consider the circumstances of each case.

Buying property does not by itself give a foreigner the right to work in Türkiye either.

If property is bought with a view to relocating, housing a family or doing business, immigration matters should be considered separately from the transaction itself.

12. What should you know when selling property?

Before selling, the owner should check whether there are restrictions on disposal, mortgage obligations, court measures or other registered encumbrances.

Particular care is needed where the property:

• was acquired under the citizenship programme;
• was bought with a tax exemption;
• is mortgaged;
• belongs to several owners;
• is being sold through a representative;
• is let to a tenant.

The sale of property may have income-tax consequences. These depend, among other things, on the seller’s status, the holding period and the applicable exemptions, so they should be assessed before the sale.

If the property was acquired for citizenship purposes, it should be checked separately whether the three-year undertaking has been observed and whether there are grounds for removing the annotation.

Before the sale is completed, it is also important to agree how the price will be received and how possession will be handed over.

13. Renting property: what are the risks for landlord and tenant?

Residential and commercial leases are governed by Turkish law, including the Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098.

Before signing a lease, it is advisable to agree:

• the exact description of the property;
• the rent and how it is paid;
• the term of the lease;
• the terms for paying and returning the security deposit;
• maintenance and repair obligations;
• the allocation of utility and service charges;
• the permitted use of the premises;
• the lawful grounds for ending the lease.

The terms of a lease cannot override the mandatory provisions of Turkish law that protect the tenant.

Can a new owner evict the tenant?

Buying a property that is let does not by itself end the existing lease.

As a rule, the new owner steps into the position of landlord. Eviction is possible only on the grounds provided by law and by following the prescribed procedures.

A buyer of an investment apartment should therefore find out in advance whether there is a sitting tenant and on what terms.

Short-term tourist rental

Letting residential property to tourists for short periods is regulated by Law No. 7464 and generally requires a permit.

Ownership does not by itself give the right to use an apartment for short-term tourist rental.

14. What mistakes do foreign buyers make most often?

Most of these risks can be assessed before any commitment is signed.

15. How can a real estate lawyer in Turkey help? Tercan Legal’s role

Tercan Legal advises foreign nationals, investors and companies on buying, selling and using real estate in Türkiye.

Legal support may include:

• checking the legal status of the property and the seller;
• reviewing the title deed (tapu) record, encumbrances and ownership history;
• reviewing zoning and permit documents;
• drafting and reviewing contracts;
• support with bank and registration documents;
• legal assessment of a property for citizenship purposes;
• advice on leases and commercial use;
• representation in real estate disputes.

The scope of legal services depends on the circumstances of each matter and the agreed terms of engagement.

Conclusion: the right order of steps

Buying property in Türkiye takes more than agreeing a price and signing documents. The title, the history of the property, restrictions, the form of the contract, the payment arrangements and the registration requirements all need to be checked.

In 2026, particular attention should be paid to the valuation rules, the DAB, arranging DASK before registration of the relevant transactions, and the special conditions for buying property for citizenship purposes.

1. Check the property.
2. Check the seller.
3. Agree the contract.
4. Arrange payment.
5. Prepare the mandatory documents.
6. Register ownership.

Legal due diligence before any money is paid helps to identify risks at a stage when the terms can still be changed or the buyer can still walk away.

Tercan Legal

If you plan to buy, sell or rent out property in Türkiye, Tercan Legal can review the property documents, the registry record, the draft contract and the payment arrangements, and assess the legal risks of the transaction under Turkish law.

To arrange a call, write to us at info@tercanlegal.com or on WhatsApp: +90 506 689 97 22.

Before accepting any matter we carry out identity, conflict and sanctions checks. We do not assist with avoiding banking, anti-money-laundering or sanctions rules.

This article provides general information as of October 2026 and is not legal advice. Legislation and administrative practice change; the applicable requirements should be checked on the date of the transaction. Reading this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.