Earthquakes and Building Safety in Turkey: How to Assess a Building Before You Buy

In short

The most important indicator of a building's safety is the year it was permitted: buildings permitted under Turkey's 2018 Earthquake Code or later, and built under the supervision of a building inspection firm, are safer than older ones. Ask for the permit date, the inspection firm and the soil report; check the ground floor, columns and cracks; and request a specialist assessment for older buildings. Remember that Trabzon's earthquake hazard level is lower than Istanbul's on the disaster agency's map, but inspection remains essential everywhere.

Written by Mohammed Bukhari, Real estate consultant

Last reviewed October 7, 2026

Since the February 2023 earthquake, building safety has become one of the first questions our clients ask, and rightly so. The good news is that Turkey has some of the strictest modern building regulations in the world, and what is built today is fundamentally different from what was built thirty years ago. What matters is knowing how to tell the two apart.

Indicator one: the permit year

Turkish building regulations evolved in stages, and each stage raised earthquake-resistance standards:

Before 2000: many buildings were constructed without independent engineering supervision; this is the category that needs the most thorough inspection.
After 2001: the building inspection firm system (Yapı Denetim) began, and was extended to the whole of Turkey in the following years.
2007: an updated earthquake code.
2018: the current Turkish Earthquake Code, in force since the start of 2019, and the strictest so far.

That is why we state the construction year in every listing, and we suggest that anyone who puts safety first should start with buildings permitted after 2019.

Indicator two: the project documents

The building permit and its date.
The name of the building inspection firm that supervised construction.
The soil report (Zemin Etüdü): identifies the ground type and how the foundation was designed to suit it.
The occupancy certificate (iskan): proves the building was completed in line with its permit. See the occupancy certificate guide.

Indicator three: what you can see for yourself

The ground floor: shops that removed columns or load-bearing walls to widen their frontage are a well-known red flag.
Cracks: hairline cracks in paint are normal, but diagonal or wide cracks in columns and beams deserve an engineer's opinion.
Additions: floors or rooms added later without a permit increase the load on the building.
Damp in the foundations: persistent water leaks weaken the steel in the concrete over the years.

Older buildings: when to request a specialist assessment

If the building is old but you like its location or price, ask a structural engineer for an assessment, or get a risk assessment report from a licensed body. These reports are the basis of urban transformation projects that demolish risky buildings and rebuild them, which can be an opportunity or a burden depending on the building's situation.

Trabzon and Istanbul: the difference in hazard level

The official earthquake hazard map published by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) shows the Marmara region and Istanbul among the highest-hazard areas in Turkey because of their proximity to the North Anatolian Fault, while most of the Trabzon coast falls into lower hazard levels. You can check any property's location on the official map using its coordinates.

This difference factors into many of our clients' decisions, but it does not replace inspection: a well-built building in a high-hazard area is better than a poorly built one in a lower-hazard area.

Insurance is no substitute for safety

Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) is a condition for transferring ownership and compensates for damage to the building up to a set limit, but it does not protect lives. We explain it in the DASK guide.

Summary: your five questions

What year was the building permitted?
Which firm handled the building inspection?
Is there a soil report and an occupancy certificate?
Has anything been altered on the ground floor, or have floors been added?
What is the hazard level at the property's location on the AFAD map?

These questions are part of the 12 checks before buying. And if safety is your priority, start with new-build projects or ask us for properties permitted after 2019 via the contact page.