A Turkish certificate of inheritance, commonly called veraset ilamı or mirasçılık belgesi, identifies the heirs and their inheritance shares. Statutory heirs may obtain it from a civil court of peace or, where the legal conditions permit, a notary. Choosing the appropriate route requires considering the adequacy of population records, any will and any connection with another country.

Sources checked: · Türkçe okuyun

What does a certificate of inheritance establish?

The certificate is used to establish heirship and inheritance shares. Article 598 of the Turkish Civil Code provides for a certificate showing heirship; Article 4 of the regulation governing notarial applications addresses certificates showing inheritance shares.

Inheritance does not begin when the certificate is issued: under Article 599, the estate passes to the heirs by operation of law upon death. The certificate also does not mean that a particular home or bank account belongs exclusively to the person who applied. Where there is more than one heir, the rules governing the community of heirs apply until partition. Turkish Civil Code, Articles 599 and 640.

Further reading: the partition section of Mustafa Kök — Veraset İlamı (in Turkish) explains the difference between documenting heirship and actually partitioning the estate.

Who can apply to a notary or a court?

A statutory heir may request a certificate; a joint application by all heirs is not a general requirement. The applicant’s inheritance relationship is examined. Where someone acts through a representative, that person’s authority must also be documented. Turkish Civil Code, Article 598; Notaries Act, Article 79.

  • Notary: This route may be available if population records are sufficient to establish heirship and judicial proceedings are unnecessary. A notary cannot issue the certificate where judicial proceedings are required, the records are insufficient or the applicant is a foreign national. Notaries Act, Articles 71/A–B.
  • Civil court of peace: Issuing the certificate is classified as a matter of non-contentious jurisdiction under the Code of Civil Procedure. The competent court for this application is the civil court of peace, called sulh hukuk mahkemesi in Turkish. Unless a statutory exception applies, the court for the place where the applicant or one of the interested persons resides has territorial jurisdiction. This does not mean that every applicant can choose any court. Code of Civil Procedure, Articles 382/2-c-6, 383 and 384.

This guide focuses on applications by heirs. The right of other interested persons, such as creditors, to request a certificate, and any special rules on representation, require separate consideration of the relevant legal basis.

What information and documents should be prepared?

There is no single document list that is sufficient for every case. Preparing the following information can help before applying:

  • The applicant’s identity details and identification document.
  • The deceased person’s identity details and information about population records showing the death and family relationships.
  • A power of attorney or other document establishing the representative’s status and authority, if applicable.
  • Any will, previous certificate of inheritance and relevant documents explaining discrepancies in the records.

A notary may use current population record extracts supplied by the applicant or obtain the records electronically. If electronic access is unavailable, the notary may request them from the population registry in writing. It should therefore not be assumed that every record must always be brought in paper form. An application to a notary may be oral or written, and the request is recorded. The application and supporting documents submitted to a court should be prepared for the circumstances of the case. Regulation, Articles 4 and 10; Notaries Act, Articles 72 and 79.

Does an e-Devlet query count as a new application?

e-Devlet provides two separate services: the Ministry of Justice’s Veraset İlamı Sorgulama and the Turkish Notaries Union’s Veraset İlamı Sorgulama. Both require authentication.

Opening a query service is not the same as applying for a new certificate of inheritance. The Ministry’s explanation describes querying and viewing certificate decisions recorded in UYAP, the judicial information system. The absence of a visible record does not, by itself, establish that you are not an heir. If a new certificate is needed, the notary or court application route must be considered separately; current online options should be checked with the relevant institution. Ministry of Justice service explanation.

What changes if there is a will or a foreign element?

A claim based on a will: Article 598(2) of the Turkish Civil Code provides for the civil court of peace to issue a document showing that a person is an appointed heir or a legatee. This requires that the disposition appointing an heir or leaving a legacy has not been challenged by the heirs or other legatees within one month after notification to them. That month is not a general filing deadline or processing period for all inheritance certificate applications. Turkish Civil Code, Article 598(2).

A foreign element: A notary cannot issue the certificate in circumstances requiring judicial proceedings, including an application by a foreign national, insufficient population records, a need for witness or expert evidence, or a request involving a foreign element. The court route and additional documents must be considered for the particular case. The use of foreign documents in Turkey, applicable law and the court’s jurisdiction are not examined in detail in this guide. Notaries Act, Article 71/B; Regulation, Article 5.

What if an heir or a share is incorrectly recorded?

Article 598 allows the invalidity of a certificate of inheritance to be asserted at any time. The certificate therefore does not make an incorrect record of heirship or shares conclusive. A person whose interests are infringed by a notarial certificate may object to it before the civil court of peace. Turkish Civil Code, Article 598; Notaries Act, Article 71/C.

An objection to a notarial certificate, an appeal against a court decision and a contested action seeking cancellation of a certificate are different procedures. The appropriate route depends on the issuing authority, the relief requested and the dispute. The ability to assert invalidity at any time does not mean that all appeals or inheritance claims are free of time limits. Code of Civil Procedure, Articles 387–388; Turkish Civil Code, Article 598.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

Checking records, resolving missing information or conducting judicial proceedings prevents a single processing time from applying to every case.

Article 71/B of the Notaries Act provides for the fee for this service to be stated separately in the notarial fee tariff. Ask the notary about the fee and other charges applicable on the transaction date; for a court application, obtain current court fee and expense information from the relevant judicial office. Notaries Act, Article 71/B.

This is general information. Requesting a certificate should be distinguished from separate steps such as partition of the estate, rejection of inheritance and tax declarations. The conditions and any deadlines for each procedure must be considered separately. This English text is an explanatory translation, not an official translation of Turkish legislation.

Official sources and review date

The sources used here were checked on 29 September 2026. This date does not indicate a legal review of any individual case. Read about the guide’s editorial approach.

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