Buying a New Build from a Developer in North Cyprus: Step by Step

Buying a new build directly from a developer in North Cyprus follows a fixed sequence. You check the permits and the title position of the land, then sign a contract and have it stamped. Within one month you register that contract at the district land office and apply for permission to buy. You pay in stages while the building goes up, and receive the title deed once the building has its final approval and your permission has been published. This guide sets out each step in order, with the deadlines in force on 25 October 2026.

The rules for foreign buyers are currently set by a decree-law, Decree 119/2026, published in the Official Gazette on 6 October 2026. It replaced an earlier decree from August, and the rules have changed several times this year, so ask your lawyer to confirm them on the day you sign.

What are the steps, in order?

For a flat or villa bought off-plan from a developer, the order is the same whichever part of the north you buy in.

1. Choose a project and a specific unit, and ask the developer for the permit and title documents listed in the next section.
2. Appoint your own lawyer in North Cyprus, separate from the developer's.
3. Have the lawyer check the land at the district land office: who owns it, whether it carries a mortgage, and whether floor ownership rights have been set up.
4. Agree and sign the sales contract, then have it stamped under the Stamp Law.
5. Within one month, register the stamped contract at the district land office and apply to the Ministry of Interior for permission to buy.
6. Pay the instalments set out in the contract as construction progresses.
7. When the building is finished, the council or district office issues its final approval certificate and you collect the keys.
8. Once the Council of Ministers' permission is published, pay the transfer fees and sign the transfer at the land office. The title deed is then issued in your name.

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What should you see before you sign?

Ask for the paperwork before you pay a reservation fee, because once you sign, the one-month registration clock starts. The UK government's property guidance for Cyprus lists the problems British buyers raise most often across Cyprus, including building work carried out without the right planning permission or building permit, payment plans and fees left out of the original contract, and trouble getting completion certificates, without which deeds cannot be issued.

• Building permit and planning approval. Ask for a copy of the building licence for the block your unit is in, and the planning approval from the Town Planning Department. Decree 119/2026 accepts these two documents as the basis for a permission application where floor ownership rights cannot yet be set up, so the developer should have them to hand.
• The land title and floor ownership rights. Under the Condominium Law, a flat can only be sold to a foreign buyer if the land has its own title or floor ownership rights (kat irtifakı) have been registered on it. A sale made without either is void. Only buyers who are citizens of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are exempt.
• Any mortgage on the land. Developers commonly borrow against their land. The UK guidance advises asking your lawyer to obtain a land search certificate from the Land Registry, which needs the owner's authorisation. The Condominium Law allows a developer that holds floor ownership rights to mortgage them; how that affects your unit is covered in our guide to developer mortgages and title deed delays.
• The contract itself. Check that it names your unit by block and number, sets the price and the currency, lists every instalment against a construction stage, gives a handover date and says what happens if that date is missed, and states which taxes and fees are included in the price.

Use a lawyer who acts only for you. The same UK guidance names lawyers acting for both the builder and the buyer as a recurring problem.

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How do you register the contract and get permission to buy?

Once signed, the contract is stamped under the Stamp Law. Under Stamp Law 19/1963, stamp duty on agreements that state a sum of money is 0.5% of the amount up to 89 million Turkish lira and 0.1% above that; your lawyer will confirm the figure for your contract. Within one month, the stamped contract has to be registered at the district land office with the taxes and fees due on the sale paid, and the application for purchase permission has to go to the Ministry of Interior. The ministry's property unit accepts applications in person, by proxy or through a lawyer, which means you do not have to fly out for this step.

Permission is granted by the Council of Ministers and published in the Official Gazette. The decree also sets how much one foreign buyer may own:

• up to three flats, or six for nationals of states that recognise the TRNC and give TRNC citizens the same right (the British government does not recognise the TRNC, so British buyers fall under the limit of three);
• or a plot of up to 1,338 m² with one house on it;
• or a detached house on land of up to 3,300 m², or two two-storey villas on a gated site.

The UK guidance warns that permission can be refused, even on land with a pre-1974 Turkish title, and that no reason may be given. For what this means for a first purchase, including how recognition affects banks and currency, see buying in North Cyprus for the first time.

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How do stage payments work while the home is being built?

The payment schedule is whatever your contract says, so the protection lies in how the contract is drafted. Tie each instalment to a stage you can see, such as the frame, the roof or the internal finishes, keep a receipt for every payment, and make sure the contract says the final instalment falls due at handover.

Paying in full can also help you. Where no mortgage has been set up in the seller's favour, the one-year period for transferring the title runs from the date you paid the full price. The decree adds that a developer who is owed nothing and still fails to transfer the title has to compensate the buyer for the loss caused.

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What happens at handover?

A finished building needs a final approval certificate (nihai tasvip şahadetnamesi). Inside the boundaries of the main town councils, including Girne and İskele, the council issues it; in villages, the district administrative office does. Ask which authority covers your project and ask to see the certificate before you pay the last instalment, because the title cannot be issued without it.

After completion, a block registered with floor ownership rights has to be converted into full floor ownership within one year of the approval, and that conversion is what produces a separate title for each flat. Permanent water and electricity connections are a further reason not to leave fees unpaid: under the decree, they cannot be made to the property until all taxes and fees on the sale have been paid. Temporary site supplies during construction are exempt.

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How does the title transfer, and what does it cost?

The transfer is signed at the district land office in front of the officer handling it. It has to happen within one year of your permission being published, and the transfer fees have to be paid within 75 working days of publication, or the permission lapses.

For nationals of states that do not recognise the TRNC, which includes British buyers, the transfer fee on a sale under the fee schedule of 7 October 2026 is 4% for a first property, 5.5% for a second and 6% for a third. The fees are collected in Turkish lira, and this schedule is in force until 5 January 2027. Under the 2025 VAT rates regulation, VAT on a new home is charged at 5% where the covered area is under 300 m² and 10% at 300 m² or more; ask the developer in writing whether the price includes it.

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What can go wrong, and who should think twice?

Most of the risks covered above, from missing permits to a mortgage on the land, can be checked at least in part before you sign. No check removes two of them: permission to buy can still be refused, and the title deed can come some time after you get the keys. If you would need a UK mortgage on the property, or could not live with that gap, take advice before committing.

There is also the question of land history. The UK government notes that ownership of many properties in the north is disputed by people displaced in 1974, and that buyers could face proceedings in the courts of the Republic of Cyprus. Ask your lawyer what title the land has and what that means for you.

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Frequently asked questions

Can you buy a new build in North Cyprus before it is finished?

Yes. The law allows a sale before completion, but the land needs its own title or registered floor ownership rights before a flat can be sold to a foreign buyer, and you still need Council of Ministers permission before the title can be transferred.

Do you need your own lawyer when buying from a developer?

The UK government strongly recommends independent legal advice, and lists lawyers acting for both sides as a common problem. A lawyer can also file your permission application for you.

How long does it take to get the title deed?

The decree gives one year from the publication of your permission, or from full payment where no seller's mortgage exists, to complete the transfer. In practice, the deed for a new flat also depends on the building's completion approval and the conversion to full floor ownership.

How many properties can a British buyer own in North Cyprus?

Under Decree 119/2026, up to three flats, or one house on a plot within the land limits. Nationals of states that recognise the TRNC may buy up to six.

Is VAT charged on a new-build home?

Yes. The VAT rates regulation sets 5% for homes with a covered area below 300 m² and 10% from 300 m². Check whether the quoted price includes it.

Should you buy a finished home or off-plan?

A finished home carries no delivery risk, but there is less choice. Off-plan gives you more choice and payments spread over the build, but you take on the risk of delays. Most of the stock is still under construction: of the 69 Kyrenia projects published on our site on 25 October 2026, 17 were shown as delivered.

Which documents does the Ministry of the Interior ask for?

According to the Ministry's list of documents for buying property: a written application addressed to the Ministry (with a separate annex for a flat, a house or land), an information form, a copy of your passport, a copy of the title deed (koçan), a site plan with the property marked, an original criminal record certificate from your own country and, if you have one, a copy of the contract. The application states the share you are buying, and an application made under a power of attorney needs a revenue stamp.

Can you handle the purchase from the UK without travelling?

Largely, yes. Decree 119/2026 lets you register the contract and apply for permission in person, through a representative or through a lawyer. Keep the power of attorney narrow, with a clear scope, a time limit and a way to revoke it, and get written proof at every stage. Insist on live video viewings, not recordings. If you can make only one trip, keep it for the handover.

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Where to go next

If you are still choosing an area, our Kyrenia (Girne) area guide and İskele and Long Beach area guide compare what is being built where, and Girne or İskele? sets the two side by side. The Kyrenia buying guide covers the process from the Kyrenia end. When you have a shortlist, browse new-build projects across North Cyprus and use the form on a project page to ask the developer for its permit and title documents.

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Sources

• TRNC Official Gazette no. 196, Decree-Law 119/2026 on the rules for foreigners acquiring immovable property, 6 October 2026: basimevi.gov.ct.tr, checked 25 October 2026.
• TRNC Official Gazette no. 197, Land Registry fees and charges amendment regulation (A.E. 955), 7 October 2026: basimevi.gov.ct.tr, checked 25 October 2026.
• Condominium and Floor Ownership Rights Law 35/2010, consolidated text of 2 July 2026, sections 12 and 16: mevzuat.gov.ct.tr, checked 25 October 2026.
• Stamp Law 19/1963, consolidated text, First Schedule item 3, Revenue and Tax Office: vergi.gov.ct.tr, checked 25 October 2026.
• VAT Rates Regulation, consolidated text of 26 March 2026, Schedules II and III: mevzuat.gov.ct.tr, checked 25 October 2026.
• Ministry of Interior, Immovable Property Unit, application channels: icisleri.gov.ct.tr, checked 25 October 2026.
• TRNC Statistical Institute, Construction and Parcel Statistics 2025 (October 2026), definitions of final approval certificates: stat.gov.ct.tr, checked 25 October 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Buying property in Cyprus (last updated 27 November 2019): gov.uk, checked 25 October 2026.
• UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Cyprus travel advice, safety and security: gov.uk, checked 25 October 2026.
• TRNC Ministry of the Interior, documents required when buying immovable property: icisleri.gov.ct.tr (PDF, in Turkish), checked 26 October 2026.

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