Earthquake Safety: How to Check an Istanbul Building Before You Buy

Earthquake Safety: How to Check an Istanbul Building Before You Buy

“Is this building safe in an earthquake?” is one of the first questions foreign buyers ask us, and it is the right question. Istanbul lies close to the North Anatolian Fault, and the 17 August 1999 Marmara earthquake and the February 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes showed how much building quality matters. No one can honestly promise that a building is “earthquake-proof”. What you can do is check documents, history and structure before you sign. This is the process we follow with our clients.

Why the construction year matters: Türkiye's code timeline

Turkey's seismic rules have been tightened several times. The design standard that applies to a building is generally the one in force when its project and building permit (yapı ruhsatı) were approved, so ask for the permit date, not only the completion date.

A newer building is not automatically safe, and an older one is not automatically dangerous. But a building designed before 2000 should always get extra scrutiny, and a post-2019 project should be able to show that it was designed under TBDY 2018.

Step 1: Confirm the occupancy permit (iskan)

The iskan (yapı kullanma izin belgesi) is issued by the municipality when a building is completed in line with its approved permit. A building without iskan may have deviations from the project, and buyers can face problems with permanent utility connections, the type of title deed and bank financing. Ask for a copy of the iskan, check it with the municipality, and make sure it covers the specific unit you are buying.

Step 2: Read the title deed (tapu) record

A current tapu record shows annotations (şerh) and declarations on the property. Owners can see this through the Land Registry's “Tapu Bilgileri Sorgulama” service on e-Devlet; as a buyer, ask the seller or your lawyer for a fresh record. If the building has been officially declared risky, a “riskli yapı” annotation is placed on the title. Also check whether the title is full condominium ownership (kat mülkiyeti) or only construction servitude (kat irtifakı), which often indicates that iskan has not yet been obtained.

Step 3: Risky building status and urban transformation (kentsel dönüşüm)

Under Law No. 6306 on the Transformation of Areas under Disaster Risk (2012), buildings can be assessed by institutions licensed by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change. If a building is officially found to be risky, it enters the urban transformation process: evacuation, demolition and reconstruction.

• Check the Ministry's risky building (riskli yapı) service on e-Devlet or ask the municipality's urban transformation office.
• Remember: “no record” only means no official assessment has been done. It is not a safety certificate.
• Buying into a building already in transformation is a different kind of deal – you may have no use or rent for years and will be bound by owners' agreements with a contractor. It can make sense, but only with a lawyer reviewing the documents.

Step 4: Look at the ground – zemin etüdü and hazard maps

How a building behaves in an earthquake depends heavily on the soil beneath it. Newer projects should have a soil and foundation investigation report (zemin etüdü) in the municipal permit file; ask the developer for it. For a general picture of the location, AFAD's interactive Türkiye Earthquake Hazard Map (tdth.afad.gov.tr) shows hazard levels by address, and MTA publishes active fault maps. These tools describe the area, not the specific building.

Step 5: DASK – compulsory earthquake insurance

DASK insurance is compulsory for residential units under Law No. 6305 on Disaster Insurance (2012), and a valid policy is required for title deed transactions and utility subscriptions. It covers damage to the building itself up to a maximum amount set each year, not your furniture or belongings, which need separate home insurance.

A rule change took effect on 5 September 2026: when a property is sold, the seller's DASK policy now ends on the date the sale is registered at the land registry. The buyer needs their own new policy, and the land registry checks for it. The seller can apply for a refund of the unused premium.

Step 6: Questions to ask the developer or seller

• Which earthquake code was the project designed under, and what is the building permit date?
• Which licensed inspection firm (yapı denetim) supervised construction? Can we see its reports?
• Can we see the zemin etüdü and the structural (static) project approved by the municipality?
• Has iskan been issued for the whole building and for this unit?
• For older buildings: has any column, beam or load-bearing wall been removed or altered, for example for a shop on the ground floor?
• Has the building been strengthened, or has a risk assessment ever been carried out? Ask for the documents.

Step 7: Get an independent engineering inspection

For any building designed before 2000, or whenever documents are incomplete, we recommend an independent check by a qualified civil engineer. Depending on the building, this can include a visual survey of the structure, rebar scanning, concrete core samples (karot) and a performance analysis under TBDY 2018. Testing that damages structural elements needs the owners' or building management's permission, and an official risky-building decision can only come from a Ministry-licensed institution. The cost is usually small compared with the price of the home.

Quick checklist before you buy

1. Building permit date and construction year
2. Iskan for the building and your unit
3. Fresh tapu record: annotations, kat mülkiyeti or kat irtifakı
4. Risky building / urban transformation status
5. Zemin etüdü and location hazard (AFAD map)
6. Inspection firm reports and structural project
7. No unauthorised structural alterations
8. Independent engineer's report for older or unclear buildings
9. New DASK policy in your name before the tapu transfer

Disclaimer: laws, regulations and procedures change. This guide is general information; confirm the details for your purchase with a licensed lawyer and a qualified engineer before acting.

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