Many calls come in to the Citizens Advice Centre on all kinds of subjects but today I will explain in simple laymans terms what a building licence (Yapı Ruhsatı) is.
When an owner of a plot of land that has been designated by the planning authority as ‘ARSA’ or building land, decides to start construction he must first notify the Belediye (Municipality) of the City in which the land lies of his intentions and obtain official permission. If the land lies outside the City, i.e. in a village then he should notify the District Belediye.
He should submit detailed plans of the design of the building and the specifications of the materials that he intends to use. As with everything else, there is also a fee to pay. The building proposal is considered by the planning committee and is normally a formality where the application falls within common, recognised standards. Compared to Europe, an application for a licence to build in Turkey can be obtained in just a few weeks.
Once the project has been approved the licence holder then has up to five years to complete the building and obtain a certificate authorising the property to be used for a particular purpose, such as residence.
It is important to note that if the completion certificate is not issued within 5 years a new building licence will have to be applied for before work can continue or a completion certificate can be applied for.