How to Get an Occupancy Permit (İskan) in Turkey After Construction
🇹🇷 This article describes regulations and processes specific to Turkey — requirements differ in other countries.
A building permit authorizes you to start construction; the occupancy permit (İskan / yapı kullanma izin belgesi) is the official confirmation that a building is actually fit to be used. We explain this final step that comes once construction is complete.
The building permit authorizes a building to start construction, while the occupancy permit — commonly known as "İskan" — is the official confirmation, issued after construction is complete, that the building is actually fit to be used. The two documents are frequently confused, but they belong to entirely different stages.
Why is the occupancy permit necessary?
Without an occupancy permit, permanent utility connections — electricity, water, natural gas — cannot be established; the building is not officially considered "complete," and its residential/commercial use cannot be registered on the title deed. So the İskan isn't just a formality — it's the precondition for the building becoming usable in both a legal and a practical sense.
How does the process work?
Once construction is completed in accordance with the approved permit plans, an application for the occupancy permit is submitted to the municipality. The municipality inspects the building on-site for compliance with the project; during this inspection it also requests documents such as the reports the construction supervision firm has issued throughout the process, an SGK (social security) clearance certificate, and relevant tax office records. Once compliance is confirmed, the municipality issues the occupancy permit.
The most common causes of delay
The most common reason the İskan process drags on is small deviations from the approved project made during construction (removing a wall, changing a space's intended use, etc.) — if these are left unregistered, they surface as discrepancies during inspection and can require an additional modification project and approval. That's why, if any deviation from the project is going to happen during construction, it's important to coordinate it with the municipality in advance.
The process at MEEZ Mimarlık
Just as we manage the building permit process end to end, we take on the same responsibility for the İskan process — tracking construction throughout to make sure it doesn't deviate from the approved project, so that by the time you reach handover, your occupancy permit application doesn't run into a surprise delay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the building permit and the occupancy permit the same thing?
No. The building permit authorizes the start of construction, while the occupancy permit (İskan) is the official confirmation, issued after construction is complete, that the building is fit to be used — they belong to two separate stages.
Can electricity, water, or natural gas be connected to a house without an İskan?
No. Without an occupancy permit, permanent utility connections cannot be established, the building is not officially considered complete, and its residential/commercial status cannot be registered on the title deed.
What most often delays the İskan process?
Small deviations from the approved project made during construction (such as removing a wall or changing a space's intended use) that are left unregistered — these surface as discrepancies during inspection and can require an additional modification approval.
