Kat irtifakı vs kat mülkiyeti: what it means when your flat’s tapu is “under construction”

In short

Kat irtifakı is an official title deed for a unit in a building under construction or one that has not received its occupancy certificate (iskan). Kat mülkiyeti is the full title deed for the unit once the building is complete and the iskan has been issued. The first is converted into the second through a procedure at the land registry after the iskan is issued. Both are registered ownership in your name, but banks and buyers prefer kat mülkiyeti because it proves the building is legally complete.

Written by Abdulhadi Bukhari, Real estate consultant

Last reviewed October 7, 2026

Clients sometimes ask us after receiving their deed: “The tapu says Kat İrtifakı. Does that mean the flat isn’t fully mine?” The answer: the flat is yours and registered in your name, but the building has not yet finished its legal journey. This guide explains the difference and why it matters to you.

The idea behind each, simply put

Kat irtifakı: a right in a project

Before the building is complete, the land is divided at the land registry into shares, and each future unit has a share of the land and a right to the unit that will be built. This is “kat irtifakı” (construction servitude), literally a floor right. The deed is official and registered, and it can be sold, inherited and mortgaged, but it implicitly says: the building has not yet been approved as complete.

Kat mülkiyeti: ownership of a completed unit

Once construction is finished and the municipality issues the iskan (occupancy certificate), the rights are converted into “kat mülkiyeti” (condominium ownership): full ownership of a specific unit in an approved building. This is the final deed any buyer expects.

The practical differences

Resale: kat mülkiyeti is easier and quicker to sell. With kat irtifakı, buyers ask why there is no iskan.
Bank financing: most banks prefer kat mülkiyeti as security for a loan.
Utility accounts: the iskan, which comes before kat mülkiyeti, is what allows permanent water and electricity accounts.
Legal certainty: kat mülkiyeti means the municipality has inspected the building and agreed that it complies.

When is kat irtifakı normal?

In a project under construction: this is the normal situation, and in fact your best protection, because your unit is registered in your name before it is complete. We explain this in the off-plan buying guide.
In a recently finished building: the iskan procedure can take months after handover.

When is it worth asking questions?

A building lived in for years with a kat irtifakı deed: this may point to a violation that blocks the iskan, such as an extra floor or a change to the plans.
No plan at all to convert the deed: if nobody knows when the iskan will be issued.

In these cases, ask for a written explanation and read the occupancy certificate guide.

How does the conversion work?

Construction ends and the municipality issues the iskan.
A conversion application is submitted to the land registry office, usually for the whole building.
Each unit is registered as kat mülkiyeti, and this shows in your record on e-Devlet (the Turkish government online portal).

The fees are small, and the timing depends on how quickly the file is completed.

What should the contract say?

The type of deed you will receive on purchase.
If it is kat irtifakı: an expected date for the iskan and the conversion, and who pays the fees.
What happens if the iskan is delayed for a reason attributable to the developer.

In short

Kat irtifakı is not a problem in itself; it is a stage. It is appropriate and reassuring in a project under construction, and worth investigating in an older building. The goal is always to reach kat mülkiyeti, so make sure it is written into your contract. For the other deed types, read the title deed types guide.

We state the deed type and iskan status for every property and project we list. Contact us with any question about a specific deed.