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Buying land in North Cyprus: a checklist

Buying land in North Cyprus has its own rules. The type of title deed, permission to purchase for foreign buyers and the planning regime all affect how safe a purchase is and what you can build. Go through these points with your lawyer before you pay a deposit or sign a contract.

1. Title deed type (koçan)

In North Cyprus a title deed is called a koçan. There are three main types: Turkish title (Türk koçanı: property owned by Turkish Cypriots since before 1974), equivalent title (eşdeğer koçan: property given after 1974 in exchange for property left in the South) and allocation title (tahsis koçanı: property allocated by the state). They carry different levels of legal risk. More: Types of title deed in North Cyprus

2. An independent lawyer

Instruct a lawyer who acts only for you and is independent of the seller, the developer and the estate agent. Ask them to check the title deed and its history at the Land Registry, any mortgages or restrictions registered on the property, the seller's right to sell and the terms of the contract. Ask how the contract will protect you until the title is transferred to you, including whether it should be lodged at the Land Registry, and get a written list of all taxes, fees and costs before you sign.

3. Permission to purchase

Foreign nationals (including citizens of the Republic of Türkiye) need permission from the Council of Ministers (Bakanlar Kurulu) to acquire property, and limits on area and on the number of properties apply. These rules change from time to time: confirm the current rules and the procedure with your lawyer, and ask what happens to your contract and to any money you have paid if permission is delayed or refused.

4. Planning zone

What you can build depends on the planning regime that covers the plot: a development order (emirname) with its colour zones, a Chapter 96 area where there is no specific plan, or a Special Environmental Protection Area (ÖÇKB), where building is very restricted. Check the zone before you agree a price. More: Planning in North Cyprus

5. Access road

Check that the plot has proper legal access from a public road, not just a track across someone else's land. A plot without access can be difficult to build on and difficult to sell.

6. Water, electricity and other services

Find out how far away the nearest electricity and water connections are, and ask the utility providers and the municipality whether the plot can be connected and at what cost. For a remote plot, connection costs can be substantial.

7. Map sheet and plot number

At the Land Registry and Cadastre Department (Tapu ve Kadastro Dairesi), a property is identified by its location, map sheet (pafta) and plot (parsel) number. Map sheets are referred to by a new index (e.g. S31A17B2) or by the old 1/5000 index (e.g. 13_20_E1). Make sure that the plot you were shown on the ground is the one on the title deed; if in doubt, have the boundaries checked by a qualified surveyor.

8. Earthquakes and ground conditions

Cyprus lies close to the Cyprus Arc, where the African and Anatolian plates meet, so it is an earthquake zone; most of the largest earthquakes occur to the south of the island and offshore. Before you design a building, commission a soil (ground) survey; the building must follow the earthquake regulations in force.

9. How ParselX helps

ParselX cannot look up North Cyprus plots by number, so you bring the boundary yourself:

• Open the map and switch to the North Cyprus workspace.
• Upload the plot boundary as a KML, KMZ or GeoJSON file, or draw it on the map: ParselX shows how the plot falls across development order zones, plan zone types and Special Environmental Protection Areas, and which map sheets it lies on.
• Tap any point on the map for a point report: the planning zone, plan zone type and map sheet, and whether the point lies in a Special Environmental Protection Area.
• Read the district and village pages for planning zones, protected areas, map sheets, amenities, earthquake history and distances to Ercan airport, the ports and Nicosia.

Last updated: 29 September 2026