In earthquake-prone areas, all buildings built to 20th century standards may be dangerous,^[2] but shortly after the 1999 İzmit earthquake, which killed over 17 thousand people, a new seismic code was brought into force to protect against earthquakes in Turkey.^[3][4] Also following that earthquake a so-called earthquake tax was raised during the government of Bülent Ecevit.^[5] Initially thought as a temporary tax, it became permanent.^[3] In 2007 the seismic code was strengthened.^[6][7] However, it is alleged that builders often ignored the rules due to corruption.^[8] After the 2011 Van earthquakes Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said: "Municipalities, constructors and supervisors should now see that their negligence amounts to murder."^[9] In 2018, a zoning law gave amnesties to some unlicensed buildings and some with unlicensed floors.^[9]

Further resilience over the 2007 code was mandated in the 2018 Turkish Seismic Code, which took effect on 1 January 2019.^[6][10] Improvements included design supervision and site specific hazard definitions,^[11] and for new buildings in vulnerable regions required rebar in high quality concrete.^[12] Beams and columns in those buildings must be in the right place to properly absorb shaking.^[12] The code is said by foreign experts to be very modern and similar to US codes.^[13] However, these 21st century building codes were not very well enforced.^[2]

In a bid to shore up support going into the 2018 Turkish presidential election, the government offered amnesties for violations of the building code, allowing non-compliance to continue with the payment of a fee.^[14] This poor enforcement of seismic codes was a contributing factor to the devastation of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes in which over 42,000 people died in Turkey.^[4] There were high incidences of support column failure leading to pancake collapses, which complicated rescue efforts. Experts lamented the practice would turn cities into graveyards.^[15] The 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes collapsed many older buildings and some recent ones:^[16] the Environment and Urbanization Ministry is assessing the damage.^[17]

Unreinforced masonry buildings are vulnerable.^[18] Many older buildings in Istanbul are vulnerable to pancake collapses.^[19] Retrofitting old buildings is possible but expensive.^[19] Although over 3 million housing units nationwide were strengthened in the 2 decades before 2023, as of that year many apartment blocks do not meet 21st century standards.^[16] Building with wood has been suggested.^[20]