Companies in Turkey must keep and certify their commercial ledgers digitally under Tax Procedure Law No. 213 and the Turkish Commercial Code, with strict penalties for late or missing opening and closing certificates. Non-compliance can lead to heavy fines, denied VAT deductions, blocked refunds, loss of evidential value in court, and even prison, making e-Ledger management a critical compliance priority.
E-Ledger Compliance in Turkey
Public
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Category:
Fiscal subject related
Views:
435
Content accuracy validation date:
11.09.2025
Content accuracy validation time:
08:06h
Companies in Turkey must keep their commercial ledgers digitally under the Tax Procedure Law No. 213 and the Turkish Commercial Code (TCC). Each ledger is validated with a digital certificate that proves the content has not been changed and was submitted on time.
- Opening certificate: For the first month of the accounting period (like notary approval for paper books),
- Closing certificate: For the last month of the period. Missing these deadlines is considered a serious violation and leads to strict penalties.
Late or missing certificates bring direct fines:
- Special irregularity penalties,
- If the opening certificate is more than one month late, the book is treated as “never certified,” and further fines apply,
- Missing the closing certificate also triggers fines under both Tax Law No. 213 and TCC,
- Not submitting ledgers in audits may be treated as hiding records (VUK 359), with risk of prison.
Beyond fines, non-compliance causes bigger problems:
- VAT deductions can be denied if records are uncertified,
- Tax base may be set by the tax office directly (ex officio assessment),
- Books may lose evidential value in court,
- VAT refunds can be suspended, affecting cash flow.
Events like cyberattacks, system failures, or natural disasters may excuse delays if proven. Taxpayers must apply to court within 15 days to get a loss certificate, otherwise the defense may fail.
Within 30 days of a penalty notice, taxpayers may:
- Reconcile with the tax office,
- Request a reduction (VUK 376),
- File a lawsuit to cancel the penalty; this pauses collection until judgment.
Common arguments include:
- Force majeure: Proving unforeseeable events (illness, disaster, cyberattack),
- Notification errors: If e-notifications were sent incorrectly or not accessible,
- Statute of limitations: Fines cannot be imposed after five years,
- Proportionality: Penalties must match the seriousness of the violation; excessive fines may be unconstitutional.
Non-compliance with e-Ledger rules can lead to heavy fines, denied VAT deductions, blocked refunds, and even prison. Companies must treat e-Ledger management as a priority, ensure IT and accounting teams coordinate, prepare for risks like cyberattacks, and act quickly with advisors if penalties arise.
Other news from Turkey
Turkey: Tourism Share Declaration to Be Submitted via e-Declaration System
Public
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Starting 1 December 2025, Turkey’s Tourism Share Declaration must be filed exclusively through the e-Declaration (e-Beyanname) system via the Digital Tax Office. The move is part of GİB’s digitalization strategy to streamline filing, enhance security, and modernize tax compliance for tourism-sector businesses The Revenue Administration (GİB) has announced that the Tourism Share Declaration will so... Read more
Turkey: Amended Price Tag Regulation Expands Digital Access and Consumer Protection
Public
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey’s Ministry of Trade has updated the Price Tag Regulation to enhance price transparency, digital accessibility, and consumer protection, introducing new rules for QR-based menus, electronic price displays, and transparent service fees. The amendments also mandate a national digital system for publishing menu prices and clarify procedures for discount pricing and tare weight deductions when s... Read more
Turkey Updates VAT1 Return: New Rules for Special Tax Base Transactions
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey’s Revenue Administration has implemented significant updates to the VAT1 declaration form, effective October 1, 2025, under Tax Circular No. 2025/99. . Read more
Subscribe to get access to the latest news, documents, webinars and educations.
Already subscriber? Login
Turkey Launches Draft for E-Expense Receipt System, Opens Consultation
Public
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
The system will digitize expense receipts, particularly for transactions with tax-exempt tradespeople, and will operate within the broader e-Archive infrastructure. Once finalized, it is expected to simplify compliance, improve transparency, and strengthen Turkey’s digital tax ecosystem alongside e-invoice, e-waybill, and other e-document systems. Turkey’s Revenue Administration has released... Read more
Changes to the e-Invoice Package in Turkey (Effective 1 October 2025)
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey’s Revenue Administration (GİB) has updated the e-Invoice (e-Fatura) package, adding a new exception code (344) to correctly tag specific exempt transactions and revising the UBL-TR Code Lists to align with the latest schema. Read more
Subscribe to get access to the latest news, documents, webinars and educations.
Already subscriber? Login
Turkey Introduces Stricter Tax Audit Policy Effective October 2025
Public
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Starting October 2025, Turkey will implement a stricter tax audit policy focusing on high-risk sectors, electronic records, and VAT compliance. The new approach increases penalties for irregularities and emphasizes real-time monitoring, making proactive compliance and strong internal controls essential for businesses. The Ministry of Treasury and Finance has announced a new tax audit policy that w... Read more
Update to the Turkish e-Invoice Package
Public
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey
Author: Ivana Picajkić
Turkey has released an update to the e-Invoice Package, introducing new technical and compliance adjustments that businesses must adopt to remain aligned with the country’s electronic invoicing requirements. The Turkish Revenue Administration has announced updates to the e-Invoice Package and the UBL-TR (Code Lists) Guide. These updates, which improve technical standards and code lists for electr... Read more