What is a tourist property rental permit in Istanbul?

It is a document issued by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism or the Regional Directorate of Culture and Tourism in the province where the property is located in Turkey, in order to allow the property owner to rent it for a maximum period of one hundred days. According to the law, users are prohibited from renting the house rented from the permit holder to a third party. Accordingly, if the house to be rented for tourist purposes is an apartment in a building, collective approval must be submitted from all apartment owners in the same building to the Ministry to obtain a permit. The number of apartments allocated for tourist rental in any building must not exceed 25%, even if the building is all owned by one person.

What tourist activities require a permit?

Regardless of the tourism purpose of the tenant who will be using the property for 100 days or less (education, health, business, travel, sports, etc.), it is necessary to obtain a rental permit for tourism purposes.

To whom is this permit granted?

This permit is limited to high-quality housing, and upon request, it is granted to residential institutions (management and marketing institutions) licensed to rent housing. Plates bearing the qualifications determined by the Ministry will be hung at the entrances to rented housing, and the fees for the permit certificate and plate will be determined by the Ministry.

When do I apply to obtain a permit to rent tourist properties in Istanbul?

Law No. 7464 will enter into force on January 1, 2024.

As of January 1, 2024, persons or legal entities involved in rental activities for tourism purposes must apply by February 1, 2024. There is no obstacle for them to carry out rental activities during this period, and such applications are completed within three months from the date of submission of the application.

Persons who wish to start rental activities for tourism purposes after January 1, 2024 must obtain a permit before starting rental activity. These requests are completed within 30 days.

After this period, an administrative fine will be imposed on those who rent properties for tourism purposes without a permit certificate, per property.

Where to apply?

Applications for rental permits for tourism purposes only can be submitted to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism via e-devlet

(https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/kultur-ve-turizm-bakanligi).

Is there a specific number of houses that can be applied for a permit to rent?

The number of apartments allocated for tourist rental in any building must not exceed 25%, even if the entire building is owned by one person. In other words, one person cannot obtain a permit for all the apartments in an apartment building and operate the building as a hotel.

What are the documents required to apply for a tourist leasing permit in Istanbul 2024?

- A copy of the ID card, and a copy of the passport if he is a foreign citizen.

- A copy of the current title deed record for the property showing ownership rights to the house.

- The property must be of high quality.

- License application form.

- Address information.

- The lease contract is signed by the property owner and certified by a notary.

- There is no conviction against him in the judicial records.

- 3 biometric personal photos.

What is the penalty for tourist house rental violations in Turkey?

Whoever rents houses for tourist purposes without a permit will be fined for each rented house and a fine of 100.000 liras will be imposed, with a period of 15 days to obtain the permit. If the permit is not obtained within this period, a fine of 500.000 liras will be imposed and a 15-day period will be applied again.