Turkish joint stock and limited companies whose capital is below the new statutory minimums reportedly have until 31 December 2027 to comply. What changed and what to do now.
This update reflects the Ministry of Trade communiqué announced as of 30 October 2026 and the provisions of the Turkish Commercial Code. The Official Gazette text of the communiqué could not be opened from the official source while this update was prepared; the points marked below should be checked against the Official Gazette before acting. The Turkish version of this article prevails.
If you own a Turkish joint stock company (anonim şirket, A.Ş.) with capital below TRY 250,000, or a limited liability company (limited şirket, Ltd. Şti.) with capital below TRY 50,000, you were facing a year-end 2026 deadline to increase it. The Ministry of Trade has now granted one more year: according to press reports, companies may complete the increase by 31 December 2027. The deadline has moved, but the obligation remains.
What has changed?
Secondary sources report that the “Communiqué on Extending the Period for Joint Stock and Limited Companies to Raise Their Capital to the New Minimum Amounts” was published in Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) No. 33403 of 17 October 2026 and entered into force on publication (Official Gazette date and issue number could not be verified from the official source). According to these reports, the communiqué extends to 31 December 2027 the compliance period for joint stock and limited companies whose capital is below the minimums in Articles 332 and 580 of the Turkish Commercial Code (TTK), and for non-public joint stock companies using the registered capital system (kayıtlı sermaye sistemi) (the new deadline could not be verified from the communiqué text).
Background: why did the minimum capital rise?
According to published commentary, Presidential Decision No. 7887 raised the minimum capital from 1 January 2024: from TRY 50,000 to TRY 250,000 for joint stock companies, from TRY 10,000 to TRY 50,000 for limited companies, and from TRY 100,000 to TRY 500,000 for the initial capital of non-public joint stock companies in the registered capital system (decision text and Official Gazette details could not be verified from the official source). The compliance window for existing companies comes from Provisional Article 15 of the TTK, added by Law No. 7511; the original deadline was 31 December 2026 (article text could not be verified from the official source).
Who is affected?
The rule concerns companies incorporated before 2024 that have not increased their capital since, in particular joint stock companies with TRY 50,000 capital and limited companies with capital between TRY 10,000 and TRY 49,999, including foreign-owned subsidiaries. Shareholders, managers and counterparties should keep track of it. Our commercial and corporate law page outlines the wider framework.
What if the deadline is missed?
Under the text of Provisional Article 15 as quoted in professional commentary, a company that fails to increase its capital in time is deemed dissolved by operation of law (infisah); a non-public joint stock company in the registered capital system is deemed to have left that system (could not be verified from the official source). The same sources state that no meeting quorum is required for these capital increase resolutions, that resolutions pass by a majority of the votes present, and that privileged shares cannot be used to block them (could not be verified from the official source). Whether the Ministry can extend the period again should be checked against the statutory text.
What should companies do now?
Use the extra time to plan, not to postpone:
- Check the company’s current registered share capital in the trade registry (ticaret sicili).
- Decide with your accountant whether the increase will be funded in cash or from internal reserves.
- Schedule the general assembly resolution (shareholders’ meeting in a limited company), the amendment of the articles of association, and registration and announcement in the Trade Registry Gazette.
- Where shareholding ratios may change, assess pre-emptive rights and share transfer consequences in advance; our article on share transfers in a Turkish limited company may help.
Press reports say the extension aims to prevent congestion at trade registry offices near the deadline.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need to increase capital by the end of 2026?
Under the reported communiqué the deadline is now 31 December 2027. Nothing prevents you from completing the increase in 2026; early planning helps given processing times and year-end registry workloads.
Did the communiqué introduce new minimum amounts?
No. According to the reports it only extends the compliance period; the minimums applied since 2024 are unchanged.
Will my company be closed immediately if I miss the deadline?
According to the quoted statutory text, a company that does not increase its capital in time is deemed dissolved. The current wording of Provisional Article 15 and any exceptions should be checked against the official text.
Assessment
The extension gives smaller companies breathing room, but the obligation is unchanged and missing it can lead to dissolution. To discuss a capital increase for your company, you can reach us through our contact page.
Sources
- Alomaliye – Capital increase period extended to 2027 (17.10.2026, secondary source, in Turkish)
- Bloomberg HT – Minimum capital compliance period extended (17.10.2026, secondary source, in Turkish)
- KPMG Vergi – Compliance with minimum capital amounts (secondary source, in Turkish)
This content is provided for general information and does not constitute legal advice.