Land Registry Law No. 2644 (Tapu Kanunu)
The Land Registry Law No. 2644 governs the registration of rights over immovable property in Turkey and the operation of the land registry (tapu) system. For foreign nationals it is the single most important statute in a property purchase, because it is where Turkish law sets out who may acquire real estate, subject to which limits, and through which procedure.
What It Governs
The Land Registry Law No. 2644, dating from 1934 and substantially amended over the decades, governs the registration of rights over immovable property in Turkey and the operation of the land registry (tapu) system. For foreign nationals it is the single most important statute in a property purchase, because it is where Turkish law sets out who may acquire real estate, subject to which limits, and through which procedure.
Key Provisions for Foreign Nationals
Article 35, as amended by Law No. 6302 in 2012, is the core provision: foreign natural persons of eligible nationalities may acquire immovable property and limited rights in rem in Turkey, subject to statutory ceilings — a nationwide maximum of thirty hectares per person and a cap of ten percent of the surface area of any given district available to foreign ownership. The same framework excludes acquisitions within military forbidden zones and security zones, which is why a zone check belongs at the start of every purchase rather than the end. Where land is acquired unbuilt, the law requires the buyer to submit a development project to the relevant ministry within two years. Article 36 extends the regime to Turkish companies with foreign capital, which acquire property through their own notification and clearance procedure rather than the rules applying to individuals. Beyond the ownership rules, the law and the practice built on it shape the transfer itself: the conveyance is completed before the land registry directorate, and where a party does not speak Turkish, the registry requires a sworn translator at the signing — a requirement that protects the foreign buyer and is not a formality to be economised away.
Official source: the official text of Law No. 2644 on mevzuat.gov.tr.
This is a concise summary for general information only and is not an official translation. For the binding legal text, consult the official source above. This page is not legal advice.