Can a foreigner buy property in Turkey?

Foreigners may buy, but with permission, zones or type limits

Turkey allows foreigners to buy property on a reciprocity basis. The rule is subject to nationality conditions, limits on the area a foreigner may own, and a ban in military and security zones.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

Foreigners may buy land where their country allows Turkish citizens to do the same, within limits on the total area and on the share of a district they may own.

Houses and flats

Houses and flats can be bought, subject to the same reciprocity and area limits.

Buying through a company

Foreign-owned companies may buy under conditions set in the law.

Limits and closed zones

Military zones and security areas are closed to foreign buyers.
The area limits are set by law and have been changed over time.

What to watch for

A valuation report and an approval by the land registry are part of the process. Check with the registry that the property is not in a restricted area.

Understand the legal system first

Turkey belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Turkey legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare Turkey with another country →

Official sources

General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (Tapu)

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.