What is iskan? Buying a home without one

Look at homes in Turkey for long and someone will ask whether the property "has its iskan". It sounds like a small piece of paperwork. In practice it decides which tariff your electricity is billed at, whether a bank will lend against the home, and what your title deed actually says. This guide explains what iskan is, what to know before buying a home without one, and how to check a property's status.

What is iskan?

Iskan — officially the yapı kullanma izin belgesi, or building occupancy permit — is the document that confirms a building is finished and fit to live in. The municipality or governorate that issued the building permit inspects the building. If it finds the building was built to its permit and approved plans, with no technical reason it cannot be used, it issues the permit.

Put simply, the building permit says "this building may be built". Iskan says "this building was built as approved and may now be used". Under Turkey's Zoning Law, the official completion date of a building is the day its iskan is issued.

When and how is iskan obtained?

The owner of the building applies — in most new projects, that means the developer. Iskan can be issued for a whole building, or separately for parts that are ready to use. The Zoning Law requires the municipality or governorate to decide on an application within thirty days.

If you are buying in a new project, iskan usually follows the end of construction, so some time can pass between handover of the keys and the permit. Before you sign, ask who will obtain the iskan and by when. We cover the other sides of buying before completion in our guide what is an off-plan project.

Kat irtifakı and kat mülkiyeti: how iskan changes your title deed

This is where iskan matters most on paper. In a building that is unfinished or has no iskan yet, apartments are usually sold with kat irtifakı (construction servitude). It is a right attached to a share of the land, and it effectively means "the apartment to be built on this plot, to these plans, will be yours".

Once the building is complete and iskan is issued, kat irtifakı is converted into kat mülkiyeti (condominium ownership). The Condominium Law ties this conversion directly to the occupancy permit, and the landowner or even a single holder of kat irtifakı can apply for it. From then on, your title deed no longer describes a share of land but a finished, independent unit in use.

In practice: if the title deed says "kat mülkiyeti", iskan has been issued for that building. If it says "kat irtifakı", iskan may not have been issued yet, and you should ask for the permit separately.

Can you buy a home without iskan?

Yes — no rule prohibits the sale of a home without iskan. But a home without iskan is not the same as one with it, and its price should be judged accordingly. Three consequences are worth knowing before you decide.

• Permanent utility contracts are harder to open. For electricity and water, the rule is iskan first. The exceptions are covered below.
• A mortgage may not be approved. Most banks require iskan.
• The title deed stays at kat irtifakı. Conversion to kat mülkiyeti requires iskan.

Why the iskan is missing matters as much as these consequences. Sometimes it is only bureaucratic delay and resolves quickly. Sometimes the building departs from its approved plans, and iskan cannot be issued until that is put right. Under the Zoning Law, when a municipality finds a building in breach of zoning rules it has the finding recorded in the declarations section of the title deed. Reading that section is the easiest way to spot the second case early.

Can you get a mortgage on a home without iskan?

With a mortgage, the final word belongs to the bank and the valuation it commissions. Most banks require iskan before lending on an apartment held under kat irtifakı. Some banks will lend on more limited terms against a home that has kat mülkiyeti but no iskan — this depends entirely on the bank's policy. The valuation report may also mark down the home's value for the missing permit.

If you are buying with a mortgage, we recommend applying to your bank with the property's title deed and iskan details and getting pre-approval before you pay a deposit. We have gathered the other points to check in our guide things to consider when buying a house.

Electricity, water and gas connections

The Zoning Law is clear on this: buildings without an occupancy permit are not connected to electricity, water and sewerage until the permit is issued, while independent units that do have the permit are. This is why the construction-site connection used during building stays in place until iskan.

The law also makes an exception. Buildings whose building permit was issued before 1 July 2022, and which were built to that permit but have no iskan, can be given a temporary water and electricity connection until iskan is issued, provided the conditions are met. The connection is temporary and does not replace iskan. For buildings with no permit, or built against their permit, do not count on this exception.

How to check a property's iskan status

There are several ways to find out whether a home has iskan. Using all of them together is the safest approach.

• Read the title deed. "Kat mülkiyeti" shows iskan has been issued. Also check the declarations section for any record of a zoning breach.
• Ask for the document itself. Request a copy of the occupancy permit from the seller or developer.
• Ask the municipality. The zoning department of the municipality the building belongs to can confirm the iskan record. Many municipalities also offer this through their online services.

If you would like to know the iskan status of a home you are considering, ask our advisors. To see your purchase costs in advance, you can also use our title deed fee calculator.