What is an iskan and how do you check it in Turkey?

What is iskan in Turkey and what does it certify?

“İskan” is the short form commonly used for the Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi. In English it is usually called a habitation, occupancy or building-use certificate. Under Article 30 of Law No. 3194, a completed building—or a completed part that can be used separately—must receive permission from the municipality, governorate or other administration that issued its construction permit.

The authority examines whether the work was completed in accordance with the construction permit, its annexes and technical requirements. The certificate therefore concerns lawful use of the building or authorised part. It is not a contract, title deed, planning decision or guarantee about a seller’s promises.

A title deed answers “who holds the registered right and what is registered?” An iskan answers “has the competent authority authorised use of this completed structure or part?” Both questions matter when buying a home, villa, shop or development in Fethiye.

Who issues an iskan and what should be in the file?

The issuing body depends on where the construction permit came from. For many properties this is the municipality’s relevant building-control or planning department, but the responsible administration can differ by parcel and permit history. Ask for the current procedure and document list from the authority, rather than relying on an estate advertisement or an old online checklist.

A buyer should request, as applicable:

• the original or certified copy of the Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi;
• the construction permit (yapı ruhsatı) and any renewal or amendment;
• the approved architectural and engineering project, including revisions;
• the schedule of independent units, block, floor, area and permitted use;
• any partial-use approval and the precise units or common areas it covers;
• records of later permits, enforcement notices, fines, compliance applications or demolition decisions.

A certificate can cover the entire building or a part that is capable of separate use. The wording and scope matter: a document for one block, floor or independent unit should not automatically be treated as permission for every part of a larger site.

How can I perform iskan sorgulama before buying?

There is no safe shortcut in which a title deed or property listing replaces the issuing authority’s file. “İskan sorgulama” should mean a document and project check, not merely a search for a reassuring word in an advertisement. Ask the authority how a buyer or authorised representative can inspect or obtain confirmation of the record.

Use this sequence:

1. Obtain the title deed information and note the district, neighbourhood, block, parcel, block/building and independent-unit details.
2. Ask the competent authority for the certificate and the approved project. Confirm whether it is full or partial, and whether it names the same building and unit.
3. Compare the certificate, permit, project and title with the physical building. Check floor, gross/net area where shown, use, balconies, roof spaces, pools, extensions, enclosing walls and common facilities.
4. Ask in writing whether later alterations have a permit, revised project or separate approval. A statement that “everyone has the same addition” is not proof of legality.
5. Keep copies and have the material reviewed before signing. If the authority will not confirm the record, treat that uncertainty as a material transaction risk.

Web Tapu and TKGM services can help identify registered title information, but the municipality’s permit and occupancy records remain essential. A portal result should never be described as an iskan certificate unless it is the actual official document issued for the relevant building or part.

Does the title type show whether there is an iskan?

Title type is a useful warning signal, not a substitute for the certificate. The main distinctions are:

Title term	What it generally records	Iskan question
Kat mülkiyeti	Condominium ownership of an independent unit	Does the certificate and approved project match this unit and the building as it exists today?
Kat irtifakı	Construction servitude connected with a planned or developing project	Was construction completed, and was a full or partial occupancy certificate issued afterwards?
Hisseli tapu	A share in the property rather than automatic ownership of a particular room or plot	Which building and use rights belong to the share, and do all co-owners and project documents agree?
Land or detached title	Registration of the land or another real-estate right	Is any building authorised, and does the permit cover the structure that is being sold?

Kat mülkiyeti is not the same paper as an iskan. It may be a positive indicator in a completed scheme, but a buyer should still ask how the certificate was issued, whether it was partial and whether alterations happened later. Kat irtifakı particularly requires a project, completion and occupancy check; a buyer should not infer that a physically finished house is legally ready for use simply from that title label.

For title terminology and the registry checks that accompany it, read the Web Tapu and title-deed guide. For wider purchase checks, see property-law services.

What are the risks of buying without an iskan?

If no certificate can be produced, the buyer has not seen evidence that the completed building or relevant part passed the statutory use check. The consequences depend on why the certificate is missing: an unfinished process, a partial approval, a mismatch with the approved project, an unresolved technical issue or an unlawful addition can lead to very different risks.

A buyer should not assume that a seller’s explanation cures the gap. The missing document can complicate resale, financing, insurance, management decisions or practical use, but the exact effect depends on the property and current authority records. Obtain case-specific advice rather than relying on a fixed list of consequences.

If the authority identifies unlicensed or permit-inconsistent work, Zoning Law Articles 32 and 42 provide enforcement mechanisms. The work can be recorded and stopped or sealed; the owner may be required to remedy it, and demolition or an administrative fine can follow. The risk is not limited to a new building: a later floor, enclosed terrace, altered roof, extension or changed use can create a mismatch.

Do illegal additions become legal through a past registration document?

A Yapı Kayıt Belgesi is not a synonym for an iskan. The 2018 temporary framework covered qualifying structures subject to its own conditions and exclusions. It was not a blanket guarantee of title, permanent planning compliance, safe occupancy or immunity from every civil, criminal, environmental or safety consequence.

Ask for the actual document, its application details and the property it covers. Check whether the physical work, parcel, protected status and current authority records match. If someone offers only a tax receipt, utility record, declaration or old registration paper, ask why a current Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi is unavailable and have the answer reviewed.

What should buyers of new or off-plan property ask?

An off-plan buyer may be shown drawings, a construction permit or a promise that the developer will obtain an iskan later. None of those documents proves that the completed building will match the approved project or pass the final authority check. The contract should identify the independent unit, project, completion obligations, document delivery and remedies in clear terms.

Before completion, keep the promised specification and approved project. Before accepting possession, compare the completed building with those documents and request the occupancy certificate for the relevant scope. The off-plan property guide explains why project, contract and completion checks should be treated separately.

What is the local iskan process in Fethiye?

For property in Fethiye, the relevant municipality or other permit-issuing authority should be identified from the parcel and construction permit. A villa near the coast, an apartment in a managed complex and a rural building may have different permit histories and competent files. Properties in surrounding districts should be checked with the authority responsible for that parcel, not an office chosen because it is convenient.

Ask for an answer that identifies the building and independent unit, not only a general statement that the neighbourhood has an iskan. Compare the file with title details, cadastral location and the building inspection. If the property is in a coastal, rural or protected setting, ask for additional planning and land-use checks before treating an occupancy document as the end of due diligence.

When does a buyer need a lawyer?

Obtain legal review before a deposit or binding contract where the title is kat irtifakı, the building has extensions, the certificate is partial or missing, the seller relies on a Yapı Kayıt Belgesi, or the property is being bought remotely. A lawyer can compare title, permits, project, certificate, municipal replies and contract terms, then separate verified facts from issues that still need authority confirmation.

Av. Yanatma works in English and Turkish and can advise on the agreed scope of a property review. For a dispute about an unauthorised structure, contract, seller’s refusal or loss, see property dispute services; for an ordinary acquisition, see property-law services. A review of iskan status should happen before the buyer commits, not after a problem appears.

For transaction-specific help, continue to the contact page after gathering the title, permit and certificate documents.