Eti Mah. Toros Sok. No: 15/5, Hikmet Ünal Business Centre, 06570 Çankaya / Ankara, Türkiye
Practice area
Certificates of inheritance, wills, reserved-share claims, partition and estates of foreign nationals.
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When a person dies, the heirs acquire the estate automatically — including its debts. The first months matter: renunciation, inventory and some claims are subject to short deadlines.
We assist Turkish and foreign heirs with certificates of inheritance, transfer of property and bank assets, will disputes, reserved-share claims and partition actions, including estates with property in several countries.
At a glance
A certificate of inheritance (veraset ilamı) identifies the heirs and their shares. It is issued by any notary or, where foreign nationals or contested facts are involved, by the civil court of peace. It is required to transfer title deeds, bank accounts and vehicles.
Heirs who do not want to inherit a debt-laden estate may renounce it within three months, generally from the date of death, by a declaration before the civil court of peace at the deceased’s last domicile. If the estate is manifestly insolvent at the time of death, renunciation is presumed.
Wills may be made before a notary (official will), in the testator’s own handwriting, or orally in exceptional circumstances. An action to annul a will — for lack of capacity, error, duress or formal defects — must be filed within one year of learning of the will and the ground, and in any case within ten years.
Descendants, parents and the surviving spouse are protected by reserved shares: descendants are entitled to half of their statutory share, parents to a quarter, and the spouse to the full statutory share (when inheriting with descendants or parents) or three quarters (otherwise). Dispositions that infringe these shares can be reduced by court action.
Where the deceased transferred real estate during their lifetime as a “sale” while actually intending a gift to deprive other heirs, those heirs may file a title cancellation action (muris muvazaası). No limitation period applies.
Co-owned property can be divided in kind or sold and the proceeds shared. Since 2023, mediation is mandatory before filing a partition action. Use our inheritance share calculator for a first estimate of the shares.
Under Turkish private international law, succession is generally governed by the deceased’s national law, but Turkish law always applies to immovable property in Türkiye. Foreign certificates and judgments may need to be recognised. Read our guide on inheritance law in Turkey for foreigners.
Yes. A power of attorney signed at a Turkish consulate or before a local notary with an apostille allows us to obtain the certificate, transfer property and represent you in court.
Heirs are personally liable unless they renounce within three months. If unsure, an official inventory can be requested within one month.
Discuss your inheritance law matter
Tell us briefly what happened and whether any deadline is running; we will explain the options and next steps. We work in English, French and Turkish.
Guides
Inheritance Law3 min read
Which country’s law governs the estate, Turkish statutory and reserved shares, certificates of inheritance for foreign heirs, property and bank assets, inheritance tax and deadlines.
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