How to Start a Limited Company in Turkey: Complete 2026 Guide

If you already know you want a Limited Şirket and just need the quick shape of the process, see our short LTD overview instead. This guide is the full walkthrough: every document, every step, current capital rules, and what happens after registration -- for founders who want to actually plan the incorporation, not just understand the concept.

Step 1: Decide on Structure and Shareholders

A Limited Şirket needs at least one shareholder (individual or corporate, Turkish or foreign) and at least one manager (müdür), who can be the same person and does not need to be a Turkish citizen or resident. Decide early how many shareholders you'll have and their exact ownership percentages, since changing this after incorporation involves formal share transfer procedures.

Step 2: Meet the 2026 Capital Requirement

Following the capital reform effective January 1, 2024, the minimum capital for a new Limited Şirket is 50,000 Turkish Lira. If you are reviving or restructuring an older company instead of forming a brand-new one, note that existing LTDs below this threshold must raise their registered capital by December 31, 2026 or face dissolution -- this deadline applies regardless of whether you're incorporating fresh or fixing an old structure this year.

Step 3: Gather the Complete Document Set

• For the company: proposed trade name (checked for availability via MERSİS), draft articles of association (şirket sözleşmesi) specifying activity, capital, and management structure.
• For each foreign individual shareholder: notarized and apostilled passport copy, Turkish tax identification number (obtainable at any tax office with just your passport), and a Turkish residential or correspondence address.
• For each foreign corporate shareholder: an apostilled certificate of good standing/activity from the home-country trade registry, apostilled and translated articles of association, and a board resolution authorizing the Turkish investment.
• Bank documentation: proof of capital deposit at a Turkish bank in the company's name (a portion may be payable within a specified period after incorporation rather than all at once, depending on the structure chosen -- confirm current rules with your accountant).

Step 4: Notarization and Registry Filing

Signatures on the articles of association and the manager's signature declaration are notarized, then the full file is submitted to the local Ticaret Sicili Müdürlüğü (Trade Registry Directorate), which issues the trade registry gazette announcement confirming incorporation -- this is the legal birth certificate of your company.

Step 5: Tax Registration and Legal Books

Within days of registration, the tax office conducts a physical verification of your registered address (yoklama), after which you receive your vergi levhası (tax plate). You must also open the company's statutory legal books (yevmiye defteri, defter-i kebir, envanter defteri) either physically or via the e-defter electronic system, depending on company size and sector.

Step 6: Post-Incorporation Obligations

Register for social security (SGK) before hiring your first employee, appoint a certified accountant (mali müşavir) -- effectively mandatory in practice for ongoing bookkeeping and tax filings -- open a dedicated corporate bank account distinct from the capital-deposit account if needed, and confirm any sector-specific licenses (import-export registration, e-commerce permits, health/food licenses) apply to your planned activity.

Realistic Cost and Timeline Expectations

Notary fees, trade registry fees, chamber of commerce registration, and accountant setup fees vary by province and provider, and legal/registration fees are periodically revised, so request a current itemized quote rather than relying on older published figures. With complete documentation in hand, registration itself often completes within one to two weeks, but gathering apostilled foreign documents typically takes longer and should be started before you plan to be in Turkey for the notary and registry steps.

Our commerce startup consulting and tax consulting and planning teams can prepare your document checklist, review your articles of association, and coordinate the registry filing so you don't need to manage each step separately. For a free initial consultation, contact us.

Capital thresholds, fees, and registration procedures are set by Turkish commercial and tax law and are periodically revised; confirm current requirements with a licensed accountant or lawyer before budgeting or filing.