Apartments for Rent in Istanbul 2026: The Legal Rule No Listing Mentions
Law 7464 requires an official permit and an entrance plaque before any tourism rental of up to one hundred days, with unanimous consent from every flat owner. Know which rule applies before you pay.
Tourism rentals in Turkey are governed by Law 7464: a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and an entrance plaque are required before the contract is signed, with unanimous consent from all flat owners. Rentals longer than one hundred days in a single transaction fall outside the law and are treated as ordinary residential leases.
| Item | What Law 7464 provides |
|---|---|
| The law | No. 7464 · Official Gazette 2/11/2023 · issue 32357 |
| Entry into force | Articles 1–6, 18 and 27 from 1/1/2024 |
| Scope | Lets up to one hundred days · longer falls outside |
| Permit | Mandatory before signing + plaque at the unit entrance |
| Owner consent | Unanimous vote of all flat owners |
| Unit ceiling | At most 25% for the same lessor in buildings of more than three units |
Searching for apartments for rent in Istanbul returns thousands of listings — and almost none of them mention the legal rule that changed in Turkey. This guide starts with the law rather than the prices, because getting it wrong costs more than money.
The rule that changed: Law 7464
Turkey enacted Law No. 7464 on the Rental of Residences for Tourism Purposes, adopted 25 October 2023 and published in the Official Gazette on 2 November 2023, issue 32357. Its first articles entered into force on 1 January 2024.
Read directly from the Presidency's official legislation system, the core provisions are:
- Scope: short-term letting. Rentals longer than one hundred days in a single transaction fall outside the law (Art. 1/3).
- Mandatory permit: an İzin Belgesi must be obtained before the tourism rental contract is signed, and a Ministry-specified plaque must be displayed at the entrance of the unit (Art. 3/1).
- Issuing authority: the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, which may act through provincial governorships and sets the permit and plaque fees (Art. 3/2).
- Unanimous owner consent: applications require a decision taken by unanimous vote of all flat owners in the building (Art. 3/3).
- 25% ceiling: in buildings with more than three independent units, a permit may be issued in the same lessor's name for at most 25% of the units (Art. 3/4).
What that means for you as a tenant
The penalties target the unlicensed lessor, but the disruption lands on you: a non-compliant unit can be shut down while you are staying in it. Ask one question before paying: "show me the permit and the plaque number." Evasion is itself an answer.
If your stay exceeds one hundred days, the route is different: an ordinary residential lease outside the scope of Law 7464, notarised and usable in residence-permit procedures.
Livist infographic — data from the official sources listed at the end of this article.
Monthly rental versus tourism rental
| Item | Tourism rental (up to 100 days) | Residential lease (longer) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal framework | Law 7464 | Outside 7464 — Code of Obligations |
| Permit and plaque | Mandatory before contract | Not required |
| Owner consent | Unanimous, all flat owners | Not required |
| Use for residence permits | Generally unsuitable | Notarised lease used in procedures |
Where to actually live — commute logic, not a list of names
Choosing a neighbourhood in Istanbul is a transport decision first. The city is split across two continents and crossing at rush hour costs an hour or more.
- The European side suits anyone working in or visiting the commercial and historic core; closer to the main airport, busier, and more expensive centrally.
- The Asian side — Kadıköy and around — is calmer, more residential in character and better value, but every appointment across the water means a crossing.
- The rule: decide where you will go daily, then pick a neighbourhood within thirty minutes of it by public transport. Not the other way round.
Six recurring mistakes
- Paying before viewing the unit or verifying the lessor's identity.
- Never asking about the permit on a short-term let.
- Choosing a district from photographs instead of commute time.
- An unnotarised contract when the stay is long and the lease will be needed for procedures.
- Ignoring utilities and heating, a real line item in an Istanbul winter.
- Transferring money to a personal account of an entity you cannot verify.
Where Livist fits
We are not a listings platform. We check the unit's legal position before you pay: whether it falls under tourism rental and holds a permit, or is a long lease suitable for residence procedures. And we connect housing to what follows — residence, insurance, utilities. See also the real estate residence permit, the residence and visa guide, the cost of living and travel in Turkey, and the best investment areas in Istanbul.
Sources
- Legislation Information System, Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (mevzuat.gov.tr): Law No. 7464, adopted 25/10/2023, Official Gazette 2/11/2023 issue 32357; Articles 1, 2, 3 and 33. Verified live 17 August 2026.
- Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism — the authority issuing the tourism rental permit under Article 3.
Frequently asked questions
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