Checking a Property Title Deed (Tapu) Before Renting or Buying in Türkiye: 2025 Guide

عناقيد

عناقيد

Contributing member
Joined
Oct 19, 2025
Messages
95
Reaction score
0
Points
6

Before renting or buying a property in Türkiye, check the title information and the authority of the person you are dealing with. This 2025 guide explains the main checks and the limits of online searches.​

Editorial clarification — 8 October 2026: Public parcel enquiries do not disclose the owner's identity. WebTapu and e-Devlet access depends on ownership or appropriate authority. A photograph of a deed, a parcel-map result or an online sale application does not by itself establish current ownership, clear title or completion of a sale.

What is a title deed (Tapu)?​

A Tapu Senedi is an official title document issued through the land registry. It identifies the registered property and ownership recorded when the document was issued. Depending on the property and document, it includes the owner's name, province and district, block and parcel numbers (ada and parsel), property description, area and independent-unit details.

Check the current land-register record as well as the deed: an older document may not show a subsequent transfer or restriction, and a building's street address or floor numbering may need to be matched with other records.

Why check before renting or buying?​

  • Confirm that the person offering the property is the owner or has valid authority to act.
  • Reduce the risk of dealing with an unauthorised intermediary or a fraudulent listing.
  • Check registered mortgages, attachments and other restrictions. A title search does not establish that every possible debt has been settled.
  • Match the registered property and independent unit to the home described in your contract.

Ways to check title information​

1. The official WebTapu service​

Go to TKGM's official WebTapu portal. An owner can access their property records and use the system to authorise another person to inspect specified information or make applications.

Ask the owner to provide a verifiable current record or the appropriate authorisation. Knowing the province, district, block and parcel numbers alone does not let a prospective tenant or buyer open someone else's full deed or encumbrance record.

Useful for: authorised access to records, applications and document checks.
Main limitation: access permissions and the scope of the record matter; this is not an unrestricted public ownership search.

2. A land registry office​

Contact the relevant Tapu Müdürlüğü with the property details. Ask what evidence of ownership, representation or legitimate interest is needed for your enquiry. Arrange the owner's cooperation or appropriate authority where required; do not expect an officer to disclose private records merely because you supply an address.

Useful for: an official enquiry about the current record and the applicable transaction requirements.
Main limitation: you must meet the legal access requirements.

3. e-Devlet​

The authenticated Tapu Bilgileri Sorgulama service provides access to title information linked to the eligible account holder. Ask the owner to obtain and share the relevant verifiable record, or use the authorised route available to you.

For a public location and basic parcel check, TKGM's Parsel Sorgulama service can be useful. It excludes owner-name and personal-ID searches for privacy reasons.

Checks before signing​

  • Have current mortgages (ipotek), attachments and other annotations explained before paying or committing to a purchase.
  • Check the registered property type and unit status. Kat mülkiyeti is condominium ownership; kat irtifakı and a record describing land (arsa) require different questions. Do not assume that only one description is possible or that the title alone proves lawful occupation.
  • Check building age and construction/occupancy documentation with the appropriate records. The title deed is not a substitute for a building-safety assessment.
  • Verify the signing owner's identity or the representative's authority and its scope.

Spotting unreliable documents​

  • Do not rely on a deed image sent through WhatsApp or email as your only check.
  • Use official TKGM or e-Devlet verification services and match the document to the correct property.
  • Where a document has a barcode, QR code or electronic signature, verify it through the stated official service. The presence of a code or stamp alone proves nothing.
  • Request a current official record from the owner or authorised representative, rather than relying on an old photocopy.

Frequently asked questions​

Can I check without the owner being present?
Public parcel details can be checked without the owner. Access to private title information requires an eligible account, authorisation or another lawful basis. A public property advertisement does not create access rights.

Can an electronic title document be used when renting?
A verifiable official electronic record can help confirm the property information. Check the document type, date and the receiving institution's requirements; a screenshot is not equivalent to every official document.

Can ownership be transferred entirely online?
WebTapu supports sale applications and preparatory procedures. Do not treat submission of an online application as a completed legal transfer: follow the formal signing and registration requirements for the transaction.

Additional tips 🇹🇷​

  • Verify the current record and the other party's authority before making a payment.
  • Check the document's authenticity and completeness rather than expecting an electronic stamp on every page.
  • Review available authorised records before visiting, then make sure the physical flat matches the registered unit.

Official sources checked on 8 October 2026​


Related guides 🇹🇷​

 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom