A foreign-owned company in Turkey needs more than data entry. It needs statutory books that comply with Turkish rules, tax returns supported by reconciled records, electronic document processes that work every day, and financial information that overseas directors can understand. Our English-speaking accounting service brings these requirements into one managed monthly workflow.
Accounting support built for international owners
Work directly with a Turkish CPA/SMMM for statutory bookkeeping, recurring tax compliance, e-Invoice and e-Ledger coordination, month-end checks and English management reporting. Support is available remotely across Turkey, with in-person coordination in Istanbul when the engagement requires it.
Outsourced accounting services in Turkey
We provide recurring accounting and tax compliance support for Turkish limited liability companies, joint-stock companies, branches and eligible liaison-office operations. The service can begin immediately after company formation in Turkey, or through a controlled handover from an existing accountant.
The scope is designed around the entity rather than a generic package. Transaction volume, VAT profile, payroll, inventory, foreign-currency activity, intercompany transactions, e-document status and parent-company deadlines are reviewed before the monthly timetable is agreed.
| Business profile | Typical accounting need | Recommended focus |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign-owned Turkish Ltd. or A.Ş. | Local books, tax filings and shareholder visibility | Full monthly accounting, tax calendar and English close pack |
| Turkish subsidiary or branch | Local compliance aligned with overseas reporting deadlines | Statutory ledger plus agreed group reporting bridge |
| New international founder | Correct setup before the first invoice, expense or employee | Onboarding, e-document readiness and monthly submission routine |
| E-commerce, import or export business | High document volume, inventory, customs and multi-currency flows | Transaction controls, reconciliations and sector-specific e-documents |
| Service exporter or technology company | Foreign-currency income, export evidence and incentive-sensitive records | Document review, FX accounting and tax-position coordination |
| Existing company changing accountants | Safe transfer of books, declarations, passwords and open balances | Handover checklist, opening review and issue log |
What monthly bookkeeping in Turkey can include
The exact deliverables are confirmed in the engagement letter. A full recurring scope normally covers the accounting cycle below, subject to the company's registrations and activity.
| Workstream | Recurring work | Business outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Source documents | Review and posting of sales invoices, supplier invoices, expenses and other accounting evidence | A traceable statutory record rather than a box of unclassified documents |
| Bank, card and cash | Reconciliation of Turkish and foreign-currency accounts, cards and cash movements from complete statements | Earlier identification of missing documents, duplicates and unexplained balances |
| Customers and suppliers | Accounts receivable and payable postings, aging support and balance checks | More reliable cash collection and payment visibility |
| Assets and inventory | Fixed-asset register and depreciation; inventory accounting where included and supported by operational records | A more defensible balance sheet and period result |
| Payroll interface | Posting agreed payroll outputs and reconciling related tax and social-security liabilities | Alignment between payroll records, declarations and the general ledger |
| Tax compliance | Preparation and electronic filing of the returns applicable to the company, based on approved records | A managed filing calendar with documented review points |
| Electronic systems | Coordination of e-Invoice, e-Archive Invoice and e-Ledger processes applicable to the entity | Fewer breaks between daily invoicing and statutory records |
| Month-end reporting | Trial balance, balance sheet and income statement, plus agreed schedules or management commentary | Decision-ready information for owners and finance teams |
Recurring scope versus separately quoted work
Clear boundaries prevent surprises. The following is a practical starting point; the signed proposal controls the final scope.
| Usually part of a recurring accounting package | Usually scoped or priced separately |
|---|---|
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Payroll calculations and employment compliance can be coordinated under a separate or combined scope through our payroll and HR compliance service in Turkey.
Turkish tax returns and filing calendar
There is no single filing list that applies to every company. Registrations, transaction types, employees, imports, cross-border services and special regimes determine the actual compliance calendar. We map the company's obligations during onboarding and track them against the Revenue Administration's current tax calendar.
| Return or obligation | When it may apply | Accounting input required |
|---|---|---|
| VAT Return No. 1 | Taxable domestic supplies and other transactions within the company's VAT registration | Complete sales and purchase documents, classifications and deductible-VAT support |
| VAT Return No. 2 | Transactions subject to reverse charge or VAT withholding, depending on the facts | Supplier status, service location, contract and invoice review |
| Withholding and Premium Service Return | Payroll and payments that trigger Turkish withholding or social-security reporting | Approved payroll, payment detail, leases and relevant supplier documentation |
| Provisional corporate tax | Corporate taxpayers, including the fourth provisional period reinstated for periods beginning from 1 January 2025 | Cumulative, reconciled accounts and tax adjustments for each period |
| Annual corporate tax return | Turkish corporate taxpayers; calendar-year entities generally file in the fourth month following year-end | Final trial balance, tax computations, exemptions, deductions and supporting schedules |
| Beneficial-owner information | Corporate taxpayers and other parties within the reporting rules | Accurate ownership and control information; changes require prompt review |
| Other returns and notifications | Stamp tax, accommodation tax, sector-specific obligations and statutory forms where relevant | Underlying contracts, transaction data and activity-specific documents |
Important: filing and payment are separate controls
We prepare the applicable declaration and communicate the approved amount and deadline under the agreed workflow. The company's legal representative remains responsible for complete and accurate information and for ensuring that tax payments are funded and completed, unless a different payment-assistance process is expressly agreed.
e-Invoice, e-Archive Invoice and e-Ledger compliance
Turkey's accounting workflow is increasingly digital, but the systems are not interchangeable. e-Invoice and e-Archive Invoice are electronic document systems administered by the Revenue Administration. e-Ledger concerns statutory accounting ledgers and their electronic certificates. The Ministry of Trade's Electronic Commercial Book System (ETDS) covers specified non-accounting corporate books. A company may need more than one of these systems at the same time.
| System | What it covers | Operational control |
|---|---|---|
| e-Invoice | Invoices issued between users registered in the e-Invoice system | Check recipient status and use the correct invoice scenario and tax treatment |
| e-Archive Invoice | Electronic invoices issued outside the e-Invoice recipient flow, subject to Communiqué No. 509 | Apply current issuance rules, including the broader 2026 electronic requirement |
| e-Ledger | Electronic journal and general ledger records and their certificates | Close periods, generate files and meet the applicable upload or certificate timetable |
| ETDS | The share ledger and general assembly meeting and negotiation book for companies within the rules | Keep corporate-governance records separate from the accounting e-Ledger workflow |
For implementation, provider selection, portal transitions and document-flow design, see our dedicated e-Transformation services in Turkey.
What changed in 2026?
| 2026 compliance point | Practical effect | Official basis |
|---|---|---|
| Broader e-Archive Invoice issuance | From 1 January 2026, invoices issued by taxpayers outside the e-Archive application generally move to e-Archive regardless of amount, subject to statutory exceptions and the deferred date for specified small-business categories. | GİB Communiqué No. 509 |
| Four provisional tax periods | Corporate close planning must include the fourth provisional period for accounting periods beginning from 1 January 2025. | GİB 2026 corporate tax guide |
| ETDS for newly registered companies | Companies registered with the trade registry from 1 January 2026 must keep the share ledger and general assembly meeting and negotiation book in ETDS; the board resolution book remains optional under the Ministry's announcement. | Ministry of Trade announcement |
| Inflation-accounting review | General VUK inflation adjustment is suspended for 2025–2027 financial statements under the current rule, but statutory exceptions and differences in group reporting frameworks require entity-specific review. | GİB Tax Procedure Law materials |
Regulatory status reviewed on 31 July 2026. Thresholds, exceptions and deadlines can change. The company's facts and the current official text must be checked before action.
Accounting for a foreign parent company
Turkish statutory accounting and an overseas group's reporting framework are related, but they are not automatically the same. Statutory records are normally maintained under Turkish tax and bookkeeping rules. A parent may additionally need a conversion or reporting pack under TFRS, IFRS, US GAAP or its own group chart of accounts. The difference should be designed as an explicit bridge, not left to an annual spreadsheet scramble.
A management reporting pack can be designed to include
- Monthly trial balance mapped to the parent company's chart of accounts
- Balance sheet, income statement and agreed cash or working-capital schedules
- Accounts receivable and payable aging
- Fixed-asset and inventory movements
- Tax-liability and filing-status summary
- Intercompany balances and transaction schedules
- Defined adjustments between local statutory records and the group framework
- A close calendar with document cut-off, review and delivery dates
Need a Turkish ledger and a parent-company reporting pack?
Send the parent country's framework, reporting deadline, ERP, intercompany volume and required schedules. We will separate the statutory scope from the additional reporting layer.
A controlled monthly accounting workflow
- Document cut-off: the company uploads complete sales, purchasing, bank, card, payroll, customs and contract data through the agreed channel by the monthly cut-off.
- Bookkeeping and classification: transactions are recorded under the Turkish Uniform Chart of Accounts and the entity's tax profile.
- Reconciliation and issue list: bank, customer, supplier, tax and other material balances are checked; missing or inconsistent items are sent to the designated contact.
- Tax review and approval: applicable returns are prepared from the reconciled records. Material treatments and payable amounts are communicated before filing according to the agreed approval process.
- Electronic filing and archive: approved returns and applicable e-Ledger files or certificates are submitted within the official timetable.
- Close pack: agreed financial statements, schedules and open-item commentary are delivered on the defined reporting date.
Time-sensitive transactions should not wait for month-end. New contracts, foreign services, related-party charges, loans, capital movements, dividends, asset sales and restructurings should be shared before execution so that the accounting and tax treatment can be assessed. For transaction-specific advice, use our Turkish tax advisory service; for forward-looking structuring, see strategic tax planning in Turkey.
What we need from your company
Outsourcing the accounting function does not remove the company's responsibility to operate a reliable document flow. The best results come from a clear division of duties.
| Company responsibilities | CPA/accounting responsibilities under the agreed scope |
|---|---|
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Turkish tax records are generally subject to a five-year retention requirement under the Tax Procedure Law guidance published by GİB, while commercial books and specified supporting documents may be subject to a ten-year retention period under the Turkish Commercial Code. Because different rules can overlap, document disposal should follow the longer period applicable to the particular record and any ongoing inspection, dispute or special rule.
Starting service or changing your accountant
A mid-year change is possible, but the handover must protect filing continuity and preserve access to electronic systems. We first establish the cut-off date, open deadlines and responsibilities between the outgoing accountant, the company and the incoming engagement.
Onboarding and handover checklist
- Trade registry records, articles of association, tax certificate and signature documentation
- Current trial balance, detailed general ledger and opening or prior-year closing records
- Filed tax returns, accrual slips, payment status and outstanding authority correspondence
- Customer, supplier, bank, cash, fixed-asset, inventory and shareholder balances
- e-Invoice, e-Archive, e-Ledger and private-integrator status, authorisations and archive access
- Payroll and social-security records where payroll coordination is in scope
- Contracts, leases, loans, intercompany agreements and customs records relevant to current balances
- Prior audit, tax review, incentive, loss-carryforward and exemption documentation
- Parent-company reporting instructions, chart mapping, materiality and close deadline
After receiving the data, we perform an opening review and issue a gap list. The review is not an audit and does not automatically validate every historical transaction. Material cleanup, amended returns or investigation support is separately scoped before work begins.
Considering a change of accountant?
Tell us your target handover month, transaction volume, e-document status and the main problem you want to solve. We will identify the minimum records needed for a safe transition.
How much do accounting services cost in Turkey?
A responsible quote requires more than the legal form of the company. Monthly fees reflect the actual workload, risk and reporting expectations. The engagement is therefore priced after a short scope review.
| Pricing factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Entity and tax profile | A company, branch, liaison office or regulated entity has different books and declarations. |
| Monthly transaction volume | Sales, purchases, bank lines, cards and expense documents drive processing and review time. |
| Employees and payroll interface | Payroll adds sensitive data, declarations, reconciliations and deadlines. |
| Inventory, imports and exports | Customs documents, inventory flows, landed costs and VAT treatments add complexity. |
| Currencies and bank accounts | Multi-currency reconciliation and exchange-difference accounting require additional control. |
| Intercompany and cross-border transactions | Related-party, withholding, VAT and transfer-pricing considerations may arise. |
| Reporting deadline and format | A fast group close, chart mapping or custom schedules extend the statutory service. |
| Historical condition of the books | Opening balances, missing records or amended filings may require a separate cleanup project. |
For an efficient quote, share the entity type, activity, last three months' approximate invoice and bank volumes, employee count, e-document status, currencies, inventory or customs activity, desired start date and reporting expectations. Sensitive documents can follow after the initial scope discussion.
Why foreign companies choose an English-speaking accountant in Turkey
- One accountable contact: discuss Turkish compliance and business implications in clear English.
- Defined monthly cut-off: know what to send, when it is due and what remains open.
- Scope transparency: distinguish recurring bookkeeping from tax advisory, audit, payroll and one-off projects.
- Foreign-owner visibility: receive reports that explain balances instead of forwarding untranslated system outputs.
- Digital-first delivery: operate remotely throughout Turkey while arranging Istanbul meetings when genuinely useful.
- Connected compliance: coordinate accounting with e-transformation, payroll, tax advisory and company lifecycle needs.
Official sources and professional limitations
This page was prepared using current public information from the Turkish Revenue Administration tax calendar, the GİB e-Document portal, the GİB e-Ledger portal, the GİB corporate tax filing guidance, and the Ministry of Trade ETDS announcement.
The content is general information, not an audit opinion, assurance report or transaction-specific tax or legal advice. Filing requirements, deadlines, rates, thresholds and electronic obligations can change and must be confirmed for the company's facts and the effective rules.
Build a reliable accounting function in Turkey
Send your entity type, activity, monthly volume, employee count, e-document status and reporting needs. We will return with the right onboarding questions and a clearly defined scope.
