A cost-focused guide for foreign investors comparing Turkish LLC and JSC formation budgets, minimum capital, registry charges, notary and translation costs, professional fees, and post-registration compliance expenses.
Company formation cost in Turkey is not a single government fee. A realistic 2026 budget should separate registered capital, trade registry charges, Competition Authority payment, notary costs, sworn translation, apostille or consular documents, professional formation support, registered address, corporate bank onboarding, and post-registration accounting. The minimum capital belongs to the company, while registry, notary, translation, and professional fees are setup costs.
| Cost Item | LLC Budget Relevance | JSC Budget Relevance | Planning Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered capital | Minimum 50,000 TL as of 2026 | Minimum 250,000 TL as of 2026 | Capital is company funding, not a government fee. Payment timing and deposit rules should be checked before filing. |
| Trade registry and chamber charges | Applies | Applies | Amounts vary by registry practice, capital, and filing package. |
| Competition Authority share | Calculated on capital | Calculated on capital | The 0.04% capital-based payment should be included in formation budgeting. |
| Notary, translation, and apostille | Common for foreign shareholders | Common for foreign shareholders | Costs increase with the number of shareholders, managers, documents, languages, and pages. |
| Professional service fees | Scope dependent | Scope dependent | Request an itemized quote that separates setup, bank coordination, tax registration, and accounting onboarding. |
The table is for 2026 planning. Official fees, exchange rates, notary charges, and professional service scope should be verified before documents are prepared.
As of 2026, a standard Turkish limited liability company should be planned around the current 50,000 TL minimum capital level. For many privately held foreign investors, the LLC remains the practical starting point, but the capital should still match operational needs and banking expectations.
A joint stock company has a higher minimum capital threshold and may involve additional governance expectations. It can be appropriate for investors who need share transfer flexibility, formal board structure, or investment-round planning.
Capital is not simply a legal number. The company may need cash for rent, accounting, e-document setup, payroll, imports, deposits, software, and the first operating cycle. Under-capitalized structures can create practical banking and credibility issues.
Foreign investors should consider exchange timing, international transfer costs, bank questions on source of funds, and whether the capital amount supports the intended commercial activity.
Foreign investor company formation often costs more than a simple domestic setup because documents cross borders. These costs are usually manageable, but they should be identified before the power of attorney or parent company resolution is issued.
Documents issued abroad may need apostille or consular approval before they can be used in Turkey. The path depends on the document country and treaty status.
Foreign language documents usually need Turkish sworn translation and, in many cases, notarization. Page count and document complexity affect the total.
Banks may request shareholder charts, source of funds explanations, tax residency details, parent company documents, or in-person checks before account activation.
If the shareholder is a foreign parent company, review foreign company registration in Turkey before budgeting. Corporate shareholder files usually involve more documents than foreign individual shareholder files.
A formation budget should not stop on the trade registry approval date. A company that will invoice, hire, import, or sign contracts needs a first-year compliance budget covering tax, accounting, bank, address, and document systems.
Monthly bookkeeping, VAT, withholding tax, provisional tax, annual corporate tax, and financial records should be planned with accounting services in Turkey and tax services in Turkey.
E-signature, e-invoice, e-archive, and e-ledger readiness may be needed depending on activity and thresholds. These are operational costs, not just technical settings.
The registered address must support tax office verification and real business contact. Serviced office or virtual office costs should be evaluated against tax office expectations.
If the company will hire employees or the foreign founder will actively work in Turkey, payroll, social security, and work permit costs should be modelled separately from incorporation expenses.
For foreign investors, the useful question is not only how much registration costs. It is what the first 90 days and first year will require after the company exists.
As of 2026, the minimum registered capital for a standard Turkish LLC is 50,000 TL. This is company capital, not a government fee. Capital rules are subject to legislative change and should be verified before filing.
As of 2026, the minimum registered capital for a standard Turkish JSC is 250,000 TL. JSC capital and deposit requirements should be checked before registration because implementation can depend on the company type and current registry practice.
No. Registered capital belongs to the company and supports its operations. Government and setup costs are separate items such as registry charges, notary fees, publication, translation, and professional service fees.
Foreign investor projects often require apostille or consular certification, sworn translation, foreign tax number coordination, remote power of attorney wording, and additional bank KYC documents. The number and type of shareholders affects the cost.
Yes. A new Turkish company can face tax and bookkeeping duties soon after registration. The first-year budget should include accounting, tax return preparation, e-document setup, and document archiving rather than only trade registry costs.