Housing — officially known as Building Occupancy Permit — It is an official permit that certifies a completed building has been constructed in accordance with its building permit and approved plans, and that the building is ready for actual use. The mere fact that construction is physically complete is not sufficient on its own; unless an occupancy permit has been obtained, the building is not considered “ready for use” under the law.
At İmerek Yapı, for the villa projects we have completed in Çeşme and Alaçatı, we approach the occupancy permit process not as the final step of construction, but as a parallel file management process that begins at the permit stage. The reason is simple: the majority of issues that delay occupancy do not arise at the end of construction, but rather in the middle.
Why Is Housing So Important?
The main problems that may be encountered in an unoccupied building are as follows:
- The inability to convert electricity, water, and natural gas service accounts to permanent status; the building continues to operate under a construction site service account
- The inability to change the property classification in the land registry, meaning the structure still appears as a plot of land in the land registry record
- Banks causing problems during the appraisal phase of sales and loan processes
- Inability to benefit from residential status for property tax and utility rates
- The building cannot be converted to condominium ownership in the future
All of these issues were identified after we began using the villa, but resolving them retroactively requires both time and effort.
Documents Generally Required for a Housing Application
The list of documents may vary from municipality to municipality and depending on the nature of the structure. For a villa project in Çeşme, the typical set of documents consists of the following:
- Building permits and approved plans: Copies of the architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical plans required for the building permit
- Building inspection agency reports: Certificate of Completion and Level Assessment Reports
- Construction contractor and site manager certifications: Authorization certificate number and contracts
- Social Security Institution (SGK) Certificate of No Outstanding Obligations: This certifies that there are no outstanding insurance debts related to the construction project
- Tax Office Notice of Termination of Relationship
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): Mandatory annex documenting the building's energy performance
- Thermal insulation report and related technical compliance documents
- Certificates of compliance for building-specific systems such as elevators, fire protection systems, or shelters (if applicable within the scope of the project)
- Numbered and Contour-Marked Sketch documents issued by the municipality, such as
For the most up-to-date version of this list, you must confirm the information with the urban planning department of the municipality to which you are applying; regulations and implementation guidelines may change from time to time.
How Does the Process Work?
The resettlement process generally proceeds in the following order:
- Project completion: The building inspection agency verifies that the construction has been completed in accordance with the project plans and issues the certificate of completion.
- Institutional correspondence: Certificates of no outstanding obligations from the Social Security Institution (SGK) and the tax office are obtained. This step is the most time-consuming part of projects that involve subcontractors.
- File submission: The documents are submitted in full to the municipality’s urban planning department.
- On-site inspection: The municipality's technical team inspects the structure on site to verify whether there are any deviations from the project plans.
- Preparation of the document: If compliance is determined, a building occupancy permit is issued.
- Property registration and utility connection procedures: After occupancy, the property classification is corrected in the land registry, and permanent utility accounts are opened.
The Most Common Reasons for Delays in Move-In
In our experience, the issues that prolong the housing process almost always stem from the same sources:
- Construction not in accordance with the project: “Minor” design decisions made during construction—such as moving a wall, enclosing a terrace, or relocating a staircase—create inconsistencies with the project plans attached to the building permit. If such changes are to be made, a modification plan must be prepared and approved before construction begins.
- Incomplete SGK report: If the reports for workers on the construction site have not been properly filed on a per-file basis, this will prevent the issuance of the non-liability certificate.
- Failure to obtain building inspection level approvals: Failure to approve each production stage in a timely manner leaves a gap in documentation that is difficult to remedy later.
- Omission of EKB and insulation documentation: Even if the insulation details have been implemented, the process is halted if they have not been documented.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you live in a villa without a building permit?
Although it is technically possible to move in, the building is not officially deemed fit for occupancy. Permanent utility accounts cannot be opened, the property classification cannot be changed in the land registry, and serious obstacles arise in sales and mortgage processes. For this reason, occupancy should be considered the true completion point of the project.
Who submits the housing application?
The application is submitted on behalf of the property owner; however, the preparation of the application, handling of correspondence with the relevant authorities, and rectification of any deficiencies are typically undertaken by the contractor. In turnkey projects, it is important that this responsibility be explicitly stated in the contract.
What happens if construction is carried out in violation of the permit?
If any non-compliance is detected, a occupancy permit will not be issued. The solution is either to bring the construction into compliance with the project plans or, to the extent permitted by law, to prepare and obtain approval for a renovation plan. Both approaches entail additional time and costs; therefore, the most cost-effective approach is to incorporate the changes into the project before implementing them.
The Imerek Construction Approach
We view occupancy approval not as mere “paperwork,” but as an official record of construction quality. Construction in accordance with the project plans, level approvals obtained on time, and a properly maintained construction site file ensure that occupancy approval comes as no surprise. This approach, turnkey villa This is particularly important in this model because the entire process is managed under one roof.
For the licensing phase, which is the first step in the process: Our Building Permit Guide You can review it and contact us for an evaluation of your project.
