The “construction amnesty” (İmar Barışı) was introduced to resolve long-standing zoning and permit issues for property owners. Through this initiative, buildings that lack permits or were constructed contrary to their permit attachments and zoning regulations can be registered and brought into legal compliance. The construction amnesty is expected to bring significant changes to daily life and aims to resolve problems that have persisted for decades.
Application Dates Announced for Those Who Want to Benefit from the Construction Amnesty
This reform, affecting around 13 million residences, households and businesses, is a major development for a large segment of the population. Applications for the construction amnesty, which is expected to eliminate many zoning-related problems, have already begun. The application period started on June 8, 2018 and will end on October 31, 2018. The construction amnesty is planned to be implemented within 2018.
With decisions taken by the Council of Ministers, land ownership disputes will be addressed through the construction amnesty. Problems such as difficulties in obtaining water, electricity or natural gas connections for buildings that appear as land plots will be eliminated. Buildings with permit issues must have been constructed before 2017 in order to benefit from the amnesty. All structures built before 2017 that fall within this scope will be included regardless of number of floors, city, square meters or similar conditions.
Citizens who wish to benefit from the construction amnesty should apply to the Provincial Directorates of Environment and Urbanization. There, a building registration certificate, similar to a deed in function, will be issued to identify the building. The construction amnesty was announced to conclude at the end of 2018, but the government may extend the period by one year if demand is high.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Construction Amnesty
Which buildings are covered by the construction amnesty?
Buildings constructed before December 31, 2017 are covered.
What does the building registration certificate mean?
It is the document issued for buildings evaluated during the construction amnesty process.
Can buildings that receive the building registration certificate get water, natural gas and electricity connections?
Yes.
If an application is made to the Provincial Directorates of Environment and Urbanization, until when must the building registration certificate fee be paid?
This fee must be paid by December 31, 2018.
How long is the building registration certificate valid?
It remains valid until the building is subject to urban transformation or is rebuilt.
Will administrative fines and demolition orders issued before the construction amnesty be affected?
Yes. Administrative fines and demolition orders will be annulled.
Will banks provide loans for the construction amnesty?
Yes. Three state banks will provide loans.
State Banks Will Provide Consumer Loans
For applications that started on June 8, 2018 and end on October 31, 2018, three state banks will offer loans. These banks also announced reduced interest rates for citizens who obtain a building registration certificate. Questions such as “How to apply for the construction amnesty?” and “How to get a construction amnesty loan in 2018?” became common in the second half of 2018. The three state banks announced the dates for accepting and processing applications for their construction amnesty loan products. Citizens who want to benefit from the loan can start applying from August 6, 2018, and the application period will close on October 31, 2018.
An important detail is that loan applications will be made only through the e-Government (e-devlet) system. If you are not registered in the e-Government system, you will not be able to benefit from the loan. To register, you must purchase an e-Government password at the nearest post office using your national ID number. To log into e-Government you need your national ID number and the e-Government password.
These three state banks indicated they will offer terms of up to 60 months. Interest rates will start from 1.33 percent. Banks will accept payments until the last day for obtaining the building registration certificate, December 31, 2018.
How Payments for Construction Amnesty Fees Will Be Made
Fees for the construction amnesty will vary by building. During fee calculation, factors such as market value, number of independent units and the building’s square meters are taken into account. Citizens who want to learn the assessed fee will be able to calculate it through the e-Government system. Fee information will also be available on e-Government.
The banks designated to collect construction amnesty payments have been determined. You can make payments at Ziraat Bank and Halkbank branches. To complete a payment you will need a reference number that will be sent to your mobile phone by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. To receive this number, the building registration form must be completed, submitted and approved.
The construction amnesty aims to eliminate illegal or unpermitted construction. It is expected that no citizen will face problems when arranging natural gas, electricity or water connections. Approximately 13 million households, residences and workplaces are planned to become officially registered through this program. The final application date is October 31, 2018, and the deadline to pay the required fee is December 31, 2018.
Questions such as “How is the construction amnesty obtained?” and “How to get a construction amnesty loan in 2018?” were among the most frequently asked in the second half of 2018. I hope this article helps answer your questions.