Registering a company in Türkiye in 2026: cost, timeline, documents and running costs

Limited or joint-stock company?

The two common types are the limited company (Limited Şirketi) and the joint-stock company (Anonim Şirketi). A limited company is simpler and cheaper, can be founded by a single partner, and suits most small and medium businesses. A joint-stock company suits larger projects, raising investment, or activities that legally require it, and it needs more capital and formalities.

Under the rules in force since January 2024, the minimum capital is TRY 50,000 for a limited company and TRY 250,000 for a joint-stock company. For a limited company nothing has to be paid in before registration; the capital can be paid within 24 months. For a joint-stock company at least 25% is deposited into a blocked bank account before registration. These figures can change, and we confirm the current ones when we start.

The process, step by step

1. We draft your articles of association.
2. Once you approve them, we book the appointment and the company is registered in one day.
3. The registration is published in the Trade Registry Gazette and you receive your trade card.
4. The company gets its tax number and is legally activated.
5. We introduce a reliable accountant and help you open the company bank account.

Documents you need

• A valid passport and a certified translation of it
• A Turkish tax number
• A photo
• An address in Türkiye
• An official power of attorney, if you register remotely

You don't need a physical office. You can rent a virtual office: in effect you rent an address, and the company's mail and parcels arrive there.

What a company costs every month

Registration is a one-off cost; after that come the running costs. An accountant (mali müşavir) is mandatory in Türkiye and files your monthly and annual returns; fees start from about TRY 7,500 a month depending on your activity. If you take a work permit through your company, self-employment insurance is currently about TRY 11,000 a month. Add the office cost. Even if the company does no business at all, filings cost about TRY 2,000 a month.

Which city should you register in?

Istanbul is usually the first choice because of the market, the banks and access to customers, but office rent and living costs are higher. Ankara, İzmir or Antalya can be more economical depending on your activity and target market, and the registered address can be moved later.

A company does not give you residence by itself

Owning a company and holding residence are two separate matters. The company opens the way, but the work permit is its own application, takes about a month and costs about USD 1,000 on top of the registration. For each foreign partner, five Turkish employees are needed if you have never held Turkish residence, or one if you have; the first year can be issued without actual hires. One warning: if your work permit comes through your company, closing the company ends it, so plan the order of steps with us before you close anything.