Periodic Inspections and Fire Safety Expert System Introduced in Türkiye

Amendments to Law No. 3194 on Development and Planning, prepared by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, were published in the Official Gazette No. 33261 dated 22 May 2026, following their adoption by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM). The new legislation introduces a formal inspection system for fire safety in buildings.

Aimed at improving the fire safety of buildings across Türkiye, the new regulations make periodic fire safety inspections mandatory and introduce a fire safety expert system. The legislation also includes significant provisions defining the time periods within which deficiencies identified during inspections must be remedied.

Under the new regulations, mandatory periodic fire safety inspections of buildings will be carried out by local fire departments or, where deemed necessary by the local fire department, by fire safety experts authorized by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

Building owners and managers will therefore be responsible for ensuring that the required periodic inspections are carried out. Where deficiencies are identified during an inspection, the relevant authority may grant a period of up to six months for corrective measures to be completed.

The new legislation also introduces administrative sanctions related to fire safety compliance. Building owners who fail to remedy identified deficiencies within the specified period, particularly where such deficiencies pose a threat to life and property safety, may be subject to administrative fines.

Under the amendments to Law No. 3194, the detailed scope of periodic fire safety inspections, the types of buildings subject to inspection, inspection intervals, and the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of authorized fire safety experts will be determined through secondary regulations to be issued by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

With the introduction of the new system, Türkiye aims to establish more systematic oversight of fire safety measures in buildings nationwide and minimize potential fire risks through regular inspections, professional expertise, and timely corrective action.