KAKS and TAKS Explained: What You Need to Know
KAKS (Floor Area Ratio) is defined in the Planlı Alanlar İmar Yönetmeliği as "the ratio of the total floor area of the building to the zoning parcel area" and is colloquially equivalent to "emsal" (FAR). TAKS (Building Coverage Ratio) expresses what fraction of the parcel the ground floor may occupy. Together the two coefficients determine the parcel's true development capacity, and every municipality defines these values per parcel or block in its local zoning plan.
KAKS and TAKS must be read together: a low-TAKS + high-KAKS combination enables narrow-base tall buildings (e.g. TAKS 0.25 + KAKS 2.00 ≈ 8 floors), while a high-TAKS + low-KAKS pairing yields wide-base low-rise buildings (TAKS 0.40 + KAKS 0.80 ≈ 2 floors). The maximum floor count approximates to KAKS / TAKS, but regulation-fixed floor heights (residential 3.0-3.5 m, commercial 4.0-5.0 m) and plan notes must also be considered.
Two important rules anchor the regulation. The 2013 amendment mandates that when a plan change seeks to increase floor count on parcels where TAKS and KAKS are undefined, both values must be determined explicitly — otherwise no building permit can be issued. Since 2019, KAKS is calculated on the net zoning parcel area: land ceded to roads or public areas is subtracted, and only the remaining net area counts. These two rules close earlier loopholes that arose from plan ambiguity.
Practical Calculation Examples
Residential Parcel
500 m² parcel · KAKS 1.20 · TAKS 0.30 → Total construction area 600 m², ground floor 150 m², approximately 4 floors. Typical residential density profile.
Commercial Parcel
1,200 m² parcel · KAKS 2.50 · TAKS 0.40 → Total construction 3,000 m², ground floor 480 m², approximately 6-7 floors. Typical for office buildings or retail centres.
Urban Transformation
1,000 m² parcel · KAKS 1.80 · TAKS 0.35 → Total 1,800 m², ground 350 m², approximately 5 floors. Reflects the 30% FAR uplift typically granted under urban transformation incentives.
Villa Parcel
800 m² parcel · KAKS 0.60 · TAKS 0.25 → Total 480 m², ground 200 m², approximately 2 floors. Low-density detached-villa typology.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find my parcel's KAKS value?
The official source is the zoning certificate issued by the district municipality's Zoning Department. For Istanbul parcels, the DroZero İmar Sorgulama tool uses İBB ArcGIS data to show KAKS, TAKS, and other build conditions instantly. Full zoning data for other metropolitan areas is on the roadmap.
Are basements included in the KAKS calculation?
Conditionally. Basements entirely beneath the natural or levelled grade may be excluded from FAR; however, basements on sloped land that emerge on one side are included in both TAKS and KAKS. Details are laid out in article 5 of the Planlı Alanlar İmar Yönetmeliği.
Are common areas included in KAKS?
Part of the common areas is excluded from FAR: shelters, technical spaces, elevator and stair shafts, floor gardens, and certain terraces are FAR-exempt. The specific exempt-area calculation for any project should be performed carefully by an architect or engineer per the regulation's terms.
What happens if TAKS is exceeded?
TAKS is a hard upper bound set by the zoning plan and cannot be exceeded. Over-building triggers unauthorised-construction proceedings: zoning fines, demolition orders, or inclusion in the building registry certificate (imar barışı) process. Errors at the project stage lead to permit rejection.
How is TAKS calculated on sloped land?
TAKS is computed by combining the ground-floor projection with any basement floor that sits above the natural or levelled grade due to slope — exposed basements count. This rule was clarified in the 2013 regulation amendment.
What applies if the zoning plan omits KAKS/TAKS?
The Planlı Alanlar İmar Yönetmeliği sets transitional upper limits: settlements under 5,000 population TAKS 0.20 / max 2 floors; under 30,000 — 0.25 / 3; under 50,000 — 0.30 / 4; over 50,000 — 0.40 / 5. These values give legal certainty in plan-gap situations.