Turkish company maintenance costs: how to build an annual budget
A maintenance budget for a company in Turkey should separate recurring support, transaction costs and payments that depend on the company’s activity. Keep launch funding and capital in separate lines so that comparisons of ongoing costs do not mix them with initial funding. RelocationTR recommends requesting a written estimate listing included work and additional fees: the total depends on transaction volume, employees, the state of the records and bank tariffs. For each line, identify who provides the calculation and what triggers an extra cost. Agree when documents, statement reconciliations and owner reports are delivered. The table and employee scenarios below help you collect comparable proposals.
Who this guide helps
- Owners who have set up or are planning a company in Turkey and want to understand the structure of recurring costs before requesting commercial proposals.
- Entrepreneurs comparing accountants' proposals who want to compare them using the same categories.
Scope and boundaries
- This page contains no RelocationTR prices, government or bank fees, or tax rates: those require a current commercial proposal and the applicable tariff.
- This page does not list mandatory tax returns, deadlines or mandatory electronic bookkeeping systems: the list of obligations depends on the company's profile and should be determined with your provider under the rules currently in force.
- This is not a launch budget for an online store and not a price list for accounting services.
The categories of an annual budget
RelocationTR recommends splitting the estimate into five blocks. This is a practical recommendation, not a legal requirement, and not every block applies to every company.
- Launch: one-off costs of setting up the company and its initial configuration.
- Capital: a separate funding line. Confirm the amount and contribution procedure when preparing the company documents.
- Ongoing services: regular accounting and administrative support under a contract.
- Operations: costs that depend on payments and transactions, for example bank or payment-service fees.
- Obligations: taxes, contributions and other payments that depend on the company's profile.
Budget table: what, how often, and who calculates it
| Category | One-off or recurring | What triggers the cost | Who provides the calculation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Launch | One-off | The decision to set up the company | The provider preparing the company formation, by written proposal |
| Capital | One-off or at the founders' decision | The company's structure and your goals | The founders together with the provider preparing the company documents; confirm the applicable conditions separately. |
| Ongoing services | Recurring | A signed contract and an agreed scope of services | The provider, by written proposal listing what is and is not included |
| Operations | Recurring, as payments occur | The number and type of payments and transactions | The bank or payment service under its own tariff; the provider calculates the handling of these transactions if it is part of the contract |
| Obligations | Depends on the company's profile | Type of activity, turnover, whether there are employees | The accountant, once the company's profile is established; rates and deadlines are not given on this page |
| Updating information and documents | As needed | In continuing relationships, the consistency of transactions with the client's profile and sources of funds is checked, and information and documents are updated | You and your provider; the scope depends on the specific request |
Two scenarios: without employees and with employees
- A company without employees: the budget can be built around ongoing services, account operations and obligations that depend on the company's profile. Ask the provider to state clearly what is in the regular fee and what is charged separately.
- A company with employees: costs and obligations related to hiring are added to the same categories. The list and amounts should be obtained from your provider under the rules currently in force; this page does not state them.
How to build the budget, step by step
- Write down the five categories and mark those that apply to your company.
- Request a written proposal for each category stating what is included and what is not.
- Put in writing when source documents are handed over, how bank statements are reconciled, and what reports the owner receives.
- Note the events that change the estimate: new types of transactions, hiring employees, changing banks, requests to update documents.
- Review the budget on an agreed schedule and whenever such events occur.
Legal framework and limits of this page
Law No. 3568 (Article 2) describes the professional activity of bookkeeping, reporting and financial consulting. This page does not state that every instance of internal bookkeeping must be carried out by a licensed professional.
The MASAK regulation on measures to prevent money laundering (Article 19(1)) provides that, in continuing relationships, obliged entities monitor whether transactions match the client's profile and sources of funds and keep information and documents up to date. No amounts, deadlines or guaranteed outcomes follow from this provision.
Practical advice, not a legal rule: ask your provider to state in writing the capacity in which it provides services and what the fee covers.
Common budgeting mistakes
- A single lump sum with no category breakdown, so you cannot tell what you are paying for.
- Mixing launch costs and recurring costs in one line.
- Comparing proposals with different scopes of service as if they were equivalent.
- No written agreements on document handover, statement reconciliation and owner reports.
- Not revisiting the budget when employees are hired or new types of transactions appear.
Discuss your documents and task
If you want to check your estimate against these categories, send us a list of the services and documents you already have, and we will help identify which questions to put to your provider.
Discuss the taskFrequently asked questions
How much does it cost to maintain a company in Turkey per year?
There is no universal figure. To compare annual proposals, separate recurring support, transaction fees and payments that depend on activity and employees. Show launch funding and capital separately. Request a written calculation for each category stating included work and additional fees.
Does every company need all the cost categories?
No. RelocationTR recommends splitting the estimate into five blocks, but not every category arises for every company. This is a planning recommendation, not a legal rule.
Which agreements with my accountant should I put in writing?
It is recommended to keep written agreements on when source documents are handed over, how bank statements are reconciled, and what reports the owner receives. This is a recommendation, not a statutory requirement.
Might I be asked to update documents, and how should I allow for it in the budget?
The MASAK regulation (Article 19(1)) provides that, in continuing relationships, obliged entities monitor whether transactions match the client's profile and sources of funds and keep information and documents up to date. Specific requests, deadlines and consequences depend on the case and are not stated here; in the estimate it is useful to allow separately for time and provider involvement in preparing documents.
Must a company's accountant be an SMMM?
This page does not make that statement. Law No. 3568 (Article 2) describes the professional activity of bookkeeping, reporting and financial consulting, but it does not follow that all internal bookkeeping must be carried out by a licensed professional. Ask your provider to state in writing the capacity in which it provides services.
Primary sources
Prepared by RelocationTR. The dates below refer to checks of the cited source provisions.
- Law No. 3568, Article 2Provision checked: 2026-10-01
- MASAK, Article 19(1)Provision checked: 2026-10-01