How to Set Up a Company in Şişli: A Step-by-Step Guide
You’ve decided to grow your business, and now it’s time for the formal side. Setting up a company in Şişli — or any district of Istanbul — is actually a more orderly process than you might think, as long as you take the steps in the right sequence. Below I’ve summarised, in plain language and with 2026 figures, the path I walk my clients through as their accountant.
1. First, choose the right company type
Not every type suits every business. Broadly, there are three options:
- Sole proprietorship: Fast and low-cost, with no capital requirement. A sensible entry point if you’re starting small, on your own; as your earnings grow, you climb up the income-tax schedule.
- Limited company: The structure SMEs most often prefer. A balanced option for those who want partnership and limited liability. Profits are subject to 25% corporate tax, regardless of size.
- Joint-stock company: If you’re planning to take on investors, transfer shares or build a more corporate structure. Share transfers don’t require a notary, and holding shares for two years brings a tax advantage on transfer gains.
This choice directly affects your taxation, your liability and your costs. Changing the type later can cost you both time and money — let’s definitely talk before you decide. For the details, you can also look at the sole proprietorship vs. limited comparison.
2. How much is the minimum capital in 2026?
For companies formed since 1 January 2024, the minimum capital amounts are as follows (Presidential Decree No. 7887, Official Gazette of 25 November 2023):
| Type | Minimum capital |
|---|---|
| Limited company | TRY 50,000 |
| Joint-stock company | TRY 250,000 |
| Non-public JSC under the registered-capital system | TRY 500,000 initial |
Two practical points:
- In a limited company there’s no requirement to pay the capital in before registration; the subscribed amount is paid within 24 months following registration.
- In a joint-stock company, one quarter of the capital subscribed in cash (TRY 62,500 on the minimum TRY 250,000) is blocked at a bank before registration; the rest is likewise paid within 24 months.
Don’t inflate the capital just to “look strong”: you’re obliged to pay what you subscribe on time, and stamp-tax and fee items grow with the capital.
3. Prepare the required documents
Although it varies by company type, you’ll generally need:
- Identity and residence details
- A business address (a lease or title deed; a virtual office is possible for some activities)
- Articles of association (for limited/joint-stock companies — prepared through MERSİS)
- Signature declarations
- For a joint-stock company, the bank’s capital-blockage letter
I prepare most of the documents on your behalf; you only step in at the signing stage.
4. Registry and tax office procedures
For limited and joint-stock companies, formation is registered at the Istanbul Trade Registry Office following the MERSİS application; with registration the company acquires legal personality and its tax record is opened. A sole proprietorship has no trade-registry step; the tax office registration is done directly — if you’ll operate in Şişli, your affiliated tax office will most likely be one of the offices around Şişli. After opening, the tax office carries out an on-site address verification. I track all of these steps and complete them without a hitch.
5. Post-formation setup
The job isn’t done just because the company is open; the real order is built after this point:
- E-signature / registered e-mail (KEP) application
- Switching to e-document systems such as e-invoice and e-archive
- Ledger certification and setting up the accounting order
- Tracking the first return and social-security obligations (an employer social-security file if you’ll hire staff)
- Depending on your activity, extras such as a municipal licence or chamber registration
If you’re young, a significant advantage: the young entrepreneur exemption
There’s serious support for those under 29 who register as an income-tax payer for the first time (Income Tax Law, repeated art. 20):
- For three taxation periods starting from the year the activity begins, the portion of earnings up to TRY 400,000 (for 2026) is exempt from income tax. (The amount is tied to the second bracket of the income-tax schedule and is updated each year.)
- In addition, Bağ-Kur premiums are covered by the Treasury for one year.
This exemption applies only to a sole proprietorship (income-tax status); a young founder who sets up a limited or joint-stock company can’t use it. In choosing the type, this alone can be decisive — let’s run the numbers together.
How long does it take, how much does it cost?
If the documents are ready, a sole proprietorship is usually set up in 1–2 days and a limited/joint-stock company within a few business days. The cost depends on the type, the capital and the line of activity — notary fees, trade-registry fees and announcement costs, ledger certification and the accountant’s fee are the main items. I’ll draw up a clear, personalised breakdown for you in the initial call — no surprises.
I run company formation across Şişli and Istanbul from start to finish. If you’d like to talk through the business idea you have in mind, I’m just a phone call away for a free initial call. For process details, take a look at the Company Formation service page.
Note: The amounts in this article are based on legislation in force as of July 2026 (minimum capital — Presidential Decree No. 7887, Official Gazette of 25 Nov 2023; corporate tax 25% — Corporate Tax Law art. 32; young entrepreneur exemption TRY 400,000 — Income Tax Law repeated art. 20 and the 2026 schedule). Amounts can change; get in touch with me for the current position.