The short answer: no single document proves that a building in Istanbul is earthquake-safe, but four checks tell you most of what you need. Find out when the building was designed: the current earthquake code has applied since 1 January 2019. Check that it was built under independent building inspection, compulsory in Istanbul since 2001. Look at the title for a risky building note, and look up the ground hazard of the address. If a building you own is later declared risky, you have 15 days to object, and the owners decide on rebuilding by a simple majority of shares.
At a glance
| Check | What it tells you | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Design date | Which earthquake code applied: 1998, 2007 or the 2018 code in force since 2019 | The building permit (yapı ruhsatı), at the district municipality |
| Building inspection | Whether a licensed firm supervised the construction | The building permit and the occupancy permit (iskan) |
| Risky building note | Whether the building has been officially declared risky | The title record |
| Ground hazard | How strongly the ground at the address is expected to shake | AFAD's earthquake hazard map |
| Engineer's assessment | The state of the concrete, the steel and the soil | A firm licensed by the ministry, at an owner's request |
The code the building was designed to
Turkey has tightened its earthquake code several times. The versions that matter for homes on sale today date from 1998, 2007 and 2018. The current Turkish Building Earthquake Code was published on 18 March 2018, has been in force since 1 January 2019, and replaced the 2007 code. It also sets the rules for assessing and strengthening existing buildings.
The code that applied depends on when the building was designed and permitted, so ask for the date on the building permit, not the year the building was finished. A project can be completed years after its permit.
Building inspection
After the 1999 Marmara earthquake, Law No. 4708 made independent building inspection compulsory. It took effect in 2001 in 19 provinces, Istanbul among them, and in all 81 provinces from 2011. A licensed inspection firm follows the project, the concrete and the steel during construction and signs off before the occupancy permit. A building in Istanbul permitted before 2001 was built without this system. That does not make it unsafe, but it is a reason to ask for an engineer's assessment.
The ground under the building
The same building shakes differently on rock and on soft ground. AFAD's earthquake hazard map, introduced with the 2018 code, shows the expected peak ground acceleration for any location in Turkey. It is a hazard map, not a risk map: it describes the ground, not the building. For a new project, ask the developer for the soil survey (zemin etüdü) used in the design.
What our project records show
Of the 2,103 Istanbul projects on Property Istanbul, 81 are described as part of urban transformation or renewal: 18 in Kadıköy, 9 in Fikirtepe, 7 in Kartal and 6 in Kağıthane. Of these 81, 66 are completed and 8 are under construction. Three project pages say the buildings stand on seismic isolators: that is the developer's statement, so ask for the design documents. We counted the project pages whose descriptions mention urban transformation, renewal or regeneration, in November 2026. You can find every project on the map and the project list, see each developer's other projects, and set buildings side by side in compare projects.
If your building is declared risky
A risky building (riskli yapı) is one that a firm licensed by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change has found at risk of collapse or heavy damage in an earthquake. Under Law No. 6306, as amended in November 2023:
- One owner is enough to ask for the assessment. No vote of the other owners is needed. The owner pays: there is no official tariff, and quotes ran from about 25,000 to 100,000 TL in 2026.
- The result goes on the title within 10 working days, and owners can object within 15 days.
- The owners decide what replaces the building by a simple majority of shares, not of heads. Until November 2023 two thirds were needed.
- Owners who do not agree are notified and have 15 days to accept. Otherwise their shares are sold by auction to the other owners, at no less than the market value the Urban Transformation Presidency sets. If none of them buys, the state can buy at that value.
- The building must be cleared and demolished within the period given, at most 90 days. After that the authority demolishes it and charges the owners.
In Istanbul the Yarısı Bizden campaign offers eligible owners, per home, a 875,000 TL grant, a 875,000 TL loan and 125,000 TL for moving out. The rules apply to every owner on the title. If you live abroad, a power of attorney lets your lawyer receive notices and act within the 15 days.
Before you buy, step by step
- Ask for the building permit and occupancy permit, and note the permit date and the inspection firm.
- Read the title record for a risky building note: see our title deed guide.
- Look up the address on AFAD's hazard map.
- For an older building, ask the seller whether an assessment has been done. A buyer cannot order the official one before owning a share; a private engineer's report informs you but has no legal effect.
- Insure it. Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) is part of the yearly costs of owning a home.
Related guides
- Title Deed (Tapu) in Turkey: what the title shows and how to check it
- Buying Property in Turkey: the steps of a purchase
- Yearly Costs of Owning Property: property tax, building fees and DASK
- Buying with a Power of Attorney: acting from abroad
Sources
- Official Gazette, 9 November 2023: Law No. 7471 amending Law No. 6306 (opens an external site): articles 7, 9 and 10
- Lexpera: the original text of Law No. 7471 (opens an external site)
- Union of Turkish Bar Associations: Law No. 7471 (opens an external site)
- Hukuki Haber: the simple majority rule and the sale of dissenting owners' shares (opens an external site)
- Alomaliye: the Turkish Building Earthquake Code in the Official Gazette of 18 March 2018 (opens an external site): articles 1, 4 and 5
- Cumhuriyet: the history of Turkey's earthquake codes (opens an external site)
- TRT Haber: building inspection under Law No. 4708 (opens an external site)
- Takvim: building inspection extended to every province from 2011 (opens an external site)
- Habertürk: AFAD's earthquake hazard map and address query (opens an external site)
- Bloomberg HT: AFAD opens the hazard query with the new map (opens an external site)
- GZT, 8 October 2026: who can apply for a risky building assessment, and what it costs (opens an external site)
- Adagio Hukuk: one owner can apply alone (opens an external site)
- Takvim, 30 October 2026: risky building checks in Istanbul, fees and Yarısı Bizden (opens an external site)
- SerMimar, 31 October 2026: objections, the demolition period and the 1,875,000 TL support (opens an external site)
- Timeturk: the risky building note in the title record (opens an external site)
This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. It reflects the rules and amounts as of November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
6 questions foreign buyers ask us most, grouped by topic.
The basics
Is a building built after 2019 earthquake-safe?
It was designed to the current code if its building permit dates from 2019 or later, which is the strongest starting point. Safety still depends on the ground, the construction and the inspection, so check all four.
How can I tell which earthquake code a building follows?
Ask for the date on the building permit at the district municipality. The codes that matter today date from 1998, 2007 and 2018; the 2018 code has applied since 1 January 2019.
Checking a building
How do I check whether a building in Istanbul is risky?
Look at the title record for a risky building note under Law No. 6306. No note means no official assessment has been recorded, not that the building is safe.
Can I order an earthquake assessment before I buy?
Not the official one, because only an owner can ask for it. You can ask the seller whether one has been done, or hire an engineer, whose report informs you but has no legal effect.
Urban transformation
What happens if my building is declared risky?
The finding goes on the title and you can object within 15 days. The owners then agree a rebuilding plan by a simple majority of shares, and the building must be demolished within at most 90 days.
Can the other owners force me to accept a rebuilding deal?
If owners holding more than half the shares agree, you have 15 days to accept. Otherwise your share is sold by auction at no less than the market value set by the state.
