Setting up a company in Turkey from DACH: Ltd. Şti. or A.Ş.

Foreign investors can generally set up companies in Turkey on the same terms as Turkish investors. The most common forms are the limited liability company (Limited Şirketi, Ltd. Şti.) and the joint stock company (Anonim Şirketi, A.Ş.).

Ltd. Şti. or A.Ş.? The Ltd. Şti. is comparable to a German GmbH and suits small and medium-sized businesses. The A.Ş. is more complex to set up but offers more flexibility for share transfers and raising capital. Both have a statutory minimum capital, which was recently increased. Status 2026 – please check the current amount before incorporating.

Steps to incorporate

• Obtain Turkish tax numbers for all foreign shareholders and managers
• Check the trade name and draft the articles of association (esas sözleşme)
• Enter the company data in the central registry system MERSIS
• Sign the articles before the trade registry officer or a notary
• Pay in the capital according to the legal requirements
• Register with the Trade Registry Office (Ticaret Sicili Müdürlüğü) and publish in the Trade Registry Gazette
• Register with the tax office and open a business bank account

Documents from Germany, Austria or Switzerland

Passports, powers of attorney where needed and, for corporate shareholders, registry extracts. Foreign documents usually need an apostille and a certified Turkish translation.

Taxes

A Turkish company is subject to corporate income tax (kurumlar vergisi) and VAT (KDV), among others. Withholding taxes, payroll tax and social security contributions for employees come on top. Many obligations, such as e-invoicing and e-ledgers, are handled electronically.

The accountant (mali müşavir)

In practice, hardly any company operates without a licensed accountant and tax adviser (mali müşavir). They handle tax office registration, bookkeeping and tax returns. Choose carefully, as missed deadlines lead to penalties.

Important

Forming a company does not automatically give you the right to live or work in Turkey. Residence and work permits for foreign managers must be checked separately.

How Türkei App helps

Book a Turkish lawyer in the app to prepare the articles of association and the incorporation with you. Our AI assistant answers general questions instantly.