Elevator Requirement Calculator
Enter your floor count (basement included) and number of independent units, and see whether Article 34 of Turkey's Planned Areas Zoning Regulation requires elevator space, an elevator or a second elevator.
A basement counts if it contains an independent unit, an annex or a shared space other than technical rooms. The 10 floors at the second-elevator threshold are counted under the zoning plan.
The second-elevator threshold is more than 20 independent units above the ground floor (Article 34/4).
The diagram shows the floor count and carries no scale.
We usually reply the same day.
Let’s plan the elevator shaft into your project from the startSource is the Planned Areas Zoning Regulation, Article 34 (including the amendment of 1 July 2026). This tool is for residential buildings, and public buildings are also subject to Article 34/4. The result shows the general rule, and your municipality’s zoning status and your project’s own conditions can change it. For a binding answer ask the municipality and an architect.
Is an elevator mandatory in my building?
The information on this page applies to Turkey. Article 34 of the Planned Areas Zoning Regulation sets the elevator requirement in stages by floor count. In a building with 3 floors, basement included, you must reserve space for an elevator, and in a building with 4 or more floors you must install one. A detached house with a single independent unit is outside this rule.
This tool takes the floor count (basement included) and the number of independent units, and shows whether your building needs elevator space, an elevator or a second elevator, together with the legal basis. A second elevator is mandatory in buildings of 10 floors or more under the zoning plan, or with more than 20 independent units above the ground floor.
How the tool decides
It first checks whether the building is a detached house with a single independent unit, which is out of scope. Otherwise it goes by the floor count, basement included. At 1 or 2 floors an elevator is not mandatory, at 3 floors you must reserve elevator space, and at 4 and above the elevator itself is mandatory. In a building of 4 floors or more, at least 2 elevators are needed if it has 10 floors or more or more than 20 independent units.
Where a second elevator applies, one must be able to descend to the ground floor and open its doors during a power cut, be fire-resistant and run on an uninterruptible power supply (Article 34/4). In a building of 10 floors or more, one must also be suitable for goods and stretchers (Article 34/5).
Draw the elevator space from the start
In a 3-floor building, only the space for the elevator is mandatory. But if that space isn't drawn to its real size from the start, together with the stairwell and the shared hall, adding an elevator later means rebuilding the shared areas. Our advice is to plan the shaft even at 3 floors to single-elevator dimensions. With a single elevator, the cabin's short side must be at least 1.20 m, its area at least 1.80 m² and the clear door width at least 0.90 m (Article 34/2).
What this does not cover
The tool is for residential buildings, and public buildings are also subject to Article 34/4. Whether a basement counts as a floor, the floor count under the zoning plan and your municipality's zoning status can change the result. The shaft and cabin design and the decision to add an elevator to an existing building are not covered. For a binding answer ask the municipality and an architect.
Let's draw your building's elevator shaft together with the floor plan from the start.
Contact usFrequently Asked Questions
From how many floors is an elevator mandatory?
In buildings with 3 floors, basement included, space for an elevator must be reserved, and in buildings with 4 or more floors an elevator must be installed (Planned Areas Zoning Regulation, Article 34/1). Houses with a single independent unit are exempt.
Which buildings require 2 elevators?
Buildings of 10 floors or more under the zoning plan, or with more than 20 independent units above the ground floor, must have at least two elevators (Article 34/4).
Does a basement count in the elevator calculation?
A basement counts as a floor if it contains an independent unit, an annex or a shared space other than technical rooms. Include the basement in this tool's floor count according to that rule.
Do I have to install an elevator in my detached house?
No. Detached houses with a single independent unit are exempt from the elevator requirement, though you may install one (Article 34/1).
What are the minimum cabin and door sizes for a single elevator?
With a single elevator, the cabin's short side must be at least 1.20 m, its area at least 1.80 m² and the clear door width at least 0.90 m (Article 34/2). The tool also shows these sizes in its result text.