Turkey combines a frequent tax calendar with an annual corporate law cycle. The company pays advance corporate tax every quarter, files its annual corporate tax return in April, and holds an ordinary general assembly early in the year. Monthly VAT and withholding returns run alongside. Foreign-owned subsidiaries have the same obligations as locally owned companies, and a licensed accountant normally signs the returns.

This guide covers the limited liability company (limited şirket, Ltd. Şti.) and the joint-stock company (anonim şirket, A.Ş.), the two usual vehicles for a foreign-owned subsidiary, and notes where a branch differs. It is written for founders and for legal, finance and operations teams.

Updated November 9, 2026. Turkish tax rules and filing windows change often through communiqués, and some sources quote different payment dates, so this guide separates the standard rules from items to verify with the Revenue Administration and the trade registry.

Entity compliance Turkey: the quick answer

• File the annual corporate tax return (Kurumlar Vergisi Beyannamesi) electronically between 1 and 30 April for a calendar-year company, and pay any balance by the end of April, according to the Revenue Administration guidance reported for the 2025 year.

• File and pay provisional (advance) corporate tax each quarter, due on the 17th of the second month after the quarter, according to professional sources.

• File VAT and withholding returns monthly, and hold the ordinary general assembly within the period in the Commercial Code, which a professional source gives as the first three months after year-end.

• Keep the trade registry, tax and shareholder records consistent.

What determines a Turkish company's compliance requirements?

The legal form, size and sector decide the workload. Every company keeps books under the Tax Procedure Law and the Commercial Code, prepares annual financial statements and files returns. Companies above size thresholds are subject to independent audit, and audited statements are filed with the return, according to a professional source.

Tax profile matters. The general corporate tax rate is 25 percent, according to the Revenue Administration guide for 2026, and a higher rate of 30 percent applies to banks, insurers and certain financial and concession companies. Free zone and incentive regimes can change the result. Because incentive rules are specific, confirm the position of the company before relying on a reduced rate.

Annual entity requirements in Turkey: the core checklist

1. Financial statements and books

Turkish companies prepare a balance sheet, an income statement and notes, and keep legally required books such as the journal and the ledger. Books are certified and kept under the Tax Procedure Law, and statements must be ready before the general assembly. Professional sources describe a retention period of at least ten years, so check the period for each record.

2. Ordinary general assembly

The assembly reviews and approves the financial statements and the board's or managers' report and decides on profit distribution or loss coverage. A professional source states that it must be held by 31 March, within three months of a December year-end, while a listed-company announcement shows a general assembly held in April, so listed and non-listed practice may differ. Where a resolution requires registration, the company files it with the trade registry and the registry publishes it in the Trade Registry Gazette.

3. Corporate tax return and payment

The return for the 2025 year was filed electronically through the e-return system between 1 and 30 April 2026, according to guidance reported by Bloomberg Tax and a regulatory news source. Professional sources say there is no general extension procedure for the annual return. The return reconciles the four quarterly advance payments against the final liability, and any balance is due on the filing deadline. One source gives 25 April for the final settlement, which differs from the other sources, so confirm the payment date before relying on a date from a secondary source.

4. Quarterly advance tax

Companies calculate advance tax at the corporate rate on cumulative quarterly profit and pay it on the 17th of the second month after each quarter, which professional sources show as 17 May, 17 August, 17 November and 17 February. The advance payments are credited against the annual liability, and the fourth-quarter payment in February is a separate return from the annual April return, which is a frequent source of confusion.

5. Trade registry and beneficial owners

Changes to managers, capital, address and articles are registered with the trade registry. Companies should align the shareholder register, the general assembly decision book and the share ledger with the trade registry, the tax administration and the chamber of commerce records, according to a legal source. Turkey also has beneficial ownership rules, so confirm the current registration process with your adviser.

Tax and indirect tax obligations

The standard VAT rate is 20 percent, according to a professional source, with reduced rates for selected supplies. Monthly VAT returns are due on the 28th of the following month and the withholding tax return on the 26th, according to professional sources. Employers file monthly premium and service declarations and pay social security contributions.

Payments to non-residents, such as dividends, interest, royalties and services, can attract withholding tax under domestic law, with relief under treaties. Related-party transactions require arm's-length terms and annual documentation, and thin capitalisation rules limit the deduction of related-party debt.

Foreign-owned subsidiaries

Foreign persons can own Turkish companies. A limited şirket needs at least one shareholder, a manager, a registered address in Turkey and minimum capital, which has been raised in recent years, so check the current amount. A foreign shareholder obtains a Turkish tax number, and foreign corporate shareholders provide apostilled documents with sworn translations.

Banks apply due diligence to foreign-owned accounts, and foreign currency and exchange rules affect intercompany loans and dividends. Keep contracts and invoices for every cross-border payment. Check whether a work and residence permit is needed for foreign managers.

First-year and event-triggered obligations

In the first year, the company is registered with the trade registry through the central system, receives a tax number from the tax office, registers for VAT, registers employees with social security, certifies its books and opens a bank account. The first accounting period follows incorporation.

Events that trigger filings include a change of manager, a share transfer, a capital increase, a change of registered address, a change of articles, a merger and a liquidation. Most are registered with the trade registry and published in the gazette, and some need a notarised document.

Employment and local requirements

Turkish employers register employees with the social security institution, pay employer and employee premiums and withhold income tax. Employees have written contracts, statutory annual leave tied to service, notice and severance rights and job security in larger workplaces. Many foreign-owned subsidiaries use a local payroll provider and a licensed accountant.

Record-keeping and governance in Turkey

Turkish law requires books and documents to be kept for ten years under the Commercial Code and the Tax Procedure Law, according to professional sources, so confirm with your accountant. Keep the certified books, the signed statements, the general assembly decision book, the share ledger, the tax returns and payment receipts. A foreign parent should keep an annual calendar that shows the February, May, August and November advance dates next to the April return, since they are easy to confuse.

Build a compliance calendar for Turkey

A compliance calendar turns the rules above into dated tasks with named owners. Start from the financial year-end and the incorporation anniversary, then add the recurring monthly and quarterly items. Review it each quarter, because deadlines, extensions and registry systems change.

• By 17 February: file and pay the fourth-quarter advance tax for the prior year.

• January to March: close the books, brief the auditor and hold the ordinary general assembly.

• 1 to 30 April: file the corporate tax return and pay the balance.

• By 17 May, 17 August and 17 November: pay quarterly advance tax.

• By the 26th and 28th of each month: file withholding and VAT returns.

• After any change: update the trade registry and the share ledger.

Common mistakes

• Mixing up the February advance payment and the April annual return.

• Assuming a general extension for the annual return.

• Holding the general assembly after the legal period.

• Forgetting to register assembly decisions with the trade registry.

• Overlooking thin capitalisation limits on related-party debt.

• Relying on one secondary source for the payment date.

Entity compliance Turkey: frequently asked questions

When is the Turkish corporate tax return due?

Between 1 and 30 April for calendar-year companies, according to the 2026 guidance for the 2025 year.

What is the corporate tax rate?

25 percent in general and 30 percent for banks and certain financial and concession companies, according to the Revenue Administration guide.

How often is advance tax paid?

Quarterly, on the 17th of the second month after the quarter, according to professional sources.

What is the VAT rate?

20 percent standard, according to a professional source.

When is the general assembly held?

A professional source gives the first three months after year-end, so confirm the date for your company.

Can the April deadline be extended?

Professional sources say there is no general extension procedure.

How CoverPin can help

CoverPin helps finance, legal and operations teams track entity obligations across countries. See our international entities overview, learn about compliance advisory, or browse more guides in our legal and compliance resources.

This article is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Confirm current requirements with the relevant authority or a qualified local adviser before acting.