COMMUNIQUE ON PROCEDURES AND PRINCIPLES FOR FEES TO BE OBTAINED FROM COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS BY BANKS (2020/4) PUBLISHED. 11 February 2020
Published in the official Gazette dated 10 February 2020; the enformcement date of the arrengement determined as "01.03.2020'
'With the communique published; the types and qualities, maximum amount or rates and the procedures and principles of the fees that will be charged for the products or services offered in the transactions to be carried out by the commercial customers of the banks have been determined.
Featured arrangements are stated below.
1. The fees that banks shall charge to commercial customers in return for the products and services they offer within the scope of commercial loans, foreign trade, cash management and payment systems are specified in the Annex of the Communiqué.
You may access the ‘Annex’ by clicking the link below:
https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2020/02/
20200210-10.htm
Banks will be able to freely determine the charges of those which are not restricted from the charge items in the Annex.
Except for the fees included in the Annex, no fee shall be charged under the other names for the products or services to be offered under these categories in terms of their quality; however, the amounts to be paid to third parties shall be reflected exactly to the commercial customer.
2. In case of early payment or closure of the commercial loan, it is obligatory to make a discount on all interest and other cost elements not accrued by the banks. The bank shall be able to request 'early payment fee' from the commercial customer.
If an early payment request is made for the entire loan, the early payment fee (the amount calculated by making the necessary interest discount and paid early to the bank by the commercial customers) shall not exceed 1% for loans whose remaining maturity does not exceed 24 months, and 2% for loans whose remaining maturity exceeds 24 months.
3. Banks shall categorize their 'loan allocation' and 'lending' fees as two separate sub-items.
The 'loan allocation fee' shall not exceed 25 per ten thousand of the loan allocated and the 'loan lending fee' shall not exceed 1 percent of the loan granted.
4. Fees Which Shall Be Paid Within The Scope Of Collateral
The fees that shall be charged for the pledge and mortgage facilities and appraisal transactions for movable and immovable properties to be made within the period from the allocation of commercial credit to the closure, shall not exceed the amount paid by the banks to third parties, and if the service is offered within the bank, shall not exceed the ‘reasonable price of the service’.
5. Intermediation Services of the Bank
No fee shall be charged from the commercial customer who pays for the intermediary transactions of third parties' invoices and similar collections. Banks may request fees from the third parties whose collections are made in such transactions.
6. Transactions with Commercial Cards
Limit excess fee shall not be charged from commercial credit cards.
In commercial credit cards, no fees shall be charged for deferment, installment, deadline extension and similar services.
Annual membership fee shall not be charged for commercial debit cards and virtual credit cards.
Banks are obliged to offer a commercial credit card type that they do not charge any fee under the annual membership fee and similar name, and in the event that this application is rejected by the bank, a commercial credit card with an annual membership fee cannot be issued based on this application.
7. Limitations Of Money Transfer Fees
Fees in EFT transactions; an upper limit has been determined to be applied if the transaction amount is 1,000 TL or less. The upper limit shall be 1TL for transactions made via mobile banking and internet banking and regular payments, 2TL for ATM transactions and 5TL for transactions with other channels.
These upper limits shall be applied with 50% increment in EFT transactions determined as "late transactions" in contracts between the bank and the commercial customer.
Fees in Money Order transactions; fees related to these transactions shall be applied at the rate of half of the fees in EFT transactions with the same classification.
In money transfer transactions, in cases where a refund is required due to the customer's error, no fee will be charged to the customer, except for the amounts paid to third parties.
8. Fee Change Notification
Banks shall notify the commercial customers at least 2 business days in advance, in writing, via the permanent data keeper or via the registered phone in order to increase the fees they apply. The increase cannot be applied to the previous period.
9. The provisions of the Communiqué will come into force on 01.03.2020 and will also be applied to the transactions to be performed after the effective date within the scope of the contracts established before this date.
Other News
-
4.6.2026
A Noteworthy Principle Decision of the Personal Data Protection Board on the Use of Biometric Data
The Principle Decision of the Personal Data Protection Board (the "Board") dated 29 April 2026 and numbered 2026/921 was published in the Official Gazette dated 2 June 2026. The Decision contains important assessments regarding the use of fingerprint, facial recognition and similar biometric systems for employee attendance and working hours tracking.
-
2.6.2026
Designation of Critical Infrastructure Sectors Under Cybersecurity Law No. 7545 and Key Compliance Obligations
Cybersecurity Law No. 7545, which introduces comprehensive and far-reaching rules governing cybersecurity in Türkiye, was enacted on 12 March 2025. The Law regulates the powers of the Cybersecurity Authority, the rules to be observed by public institutions and private companies, supervisory mechanisms, and applicable sanctions.
-
25.5.2026
Does Your 2025 Balance Sheet Trigger a VERBIS Obligation? Deadline Set for 5 June 2026
The Personal Data Protection Authority ("Authority") has published an important announcement regarding corporate taxpayer legal entity data controllers that have become subject to the obligation to register with the Data Controllers' Registry ("VERBIS") due to the criteria relating to the 2025 financial balance sheet total. Within the scope of the announcement, the period granted for the fulfillment of the VERBIS registration and notification obligation has been extended until Friday, 5 June 2026.
-
22.5.2026
The Competiton Authority Has Updated Its Merger And Acquisition Guidelines: What Has Changed For Trancastion Parties?
There have been significant developments in the field of mergers and acquisitions in recent times. The Competition Authority has implemented a comprehensive update process with the aim of making the regulatory framework in this area clearer and more predictable. This process, which began with the amendments to the Communiqué No. 2026/2 on the Amendment to the Communiqué on Mergers and Acquisitions Requiring the Approval of the Competition Board (Communiqué No. 2010/4) in February 2026, has entered a new phase with the updated guidelines published in May 2026.
-
20.5.2026
A New Approach to the Limits of the Institution of Amendment of Pleadings: Unification of Judgments Decision
1. INTRODUCTION By its decision dated 08.05.2026, the Grand General Assembly for the Unification of Judgments of the Court of Cassation explicitly ruled that a claim not initially included in the statement of claim cannot subsequently be introduced into the action by way of "partial amendment".
-
13.5.2026
Significant Amendments to Temporary Incapacity Periods for Maternity under the Social Security Institution
Extension of Maternity Leave Periods under Circular No. 2026/13: With the Circular dated 08.05.2026 and numbered 2026/13 issued by the Social Security Institution (“SSI”), the implementation of temporary incapacity benefits under maternity insurance within the scope of the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No. 5510 has been updated. The aforementioned amendments have been introduced in line with Law No. 7578, which entered into force on 01.05.2026. These regulations include new provisions that are particularly significant for employers and employees, especially with respect to the extension of postnatal rest periods and the transitional rules applicable to existing medical reports.
-
11.5.2026
The Communique Regarding Proffesions Subject to the Requirement for a Professional Competency Cerificate (2026/1) Has Been Published
With the "Communiqué Regarding Occupations Subject to the Mandatory Professional Competency Certificate by the Professional Competency Authority," dated March 23, 2026, and published in the Official Gazette No. 33202, the requirement to hold a Professional Competency Certificate has been expanded to include certain occupations classified as hazardous or highly hazardous
-
4.5.2026
Significant Changes in the Workplace: Maternity Leave Periods Revised
Law No. 7578, amending the Social Services Act and certain other laws, entered into force following its publication in Official Gazette No. 33240 dated 1 May 2026. This regulation introduces significant changes, particularly regarding maternity leave durations, which have implications for employers in terms of workforce planning and organisational processes. In this bulletin, we examine the key changes introduced by the regulation.
-
30.4.2026
Draft Law On The Protection Of Trade Secrets Has Been Released!
Whilst Turkish law contains various provisions on trade secrets across different laws and subordinate regulations, there has been no standalone legislation to date that directly and comprehensively defines trade secrets or provides for distinct protection and safeguard mechanisms. Prepared to address this gap, the Draft has been drafted in line with the EU's Directive 2016/943/EU on trade secrets and serves as a tool to support Turkey's international trade policies and the development of digital trade.
-
24.4.2026
A New Era For The Meal Allowance Exemption From Insurance Premium
Article 10 of Law No. 7577 on Amendments to Certain Laws, published in the Official Gazette dated 17.04.2026, introduced a significant amendment to paragraph (b) of Article 80, titled "Earnings Subject to Premium," of Law No. 5510 on Social Insurance and General Health Insurance, which regulates exemption amounts, with respect to the meal allowance exemption provided by employers.
-
20.4.2026
"Effective Remorse" as a Personal Ground Mitigating or Eliminating Punishment
1. What is Effective Remorse? Effective remorse is the legal consequence - in the form of a reduction or elimination of punishment - that the law attaches to the compensatory conduct voluntarily undertaken by a perpetrator following the completion of an offence, as a result of the remorse experienced by that perpetrator.
-
9.4.2026
Deadline for Compliance with Minimum Capital Requirement: 31 December 2026
Articles 332 and 580 of the Turkish Commercial Code (the "TCC") regulate the minimum capital requirements for joint stock companies and limited liability companies, respectively, and stipulate that such amounts shall be determined and may be increased by a Presidential Decree. Pursuant to this authority, with Presidential Decree No. 7887 published in the Official Gazette dated 25 November 2023, the minimum capital amounts have been significantly increased. Accordingly, under the said Decree:
-
7.4.2026
The Occupational Health And Safety Training Regulation Has Been Amended! What Innovations Does The 2026 Regulation Introduce?
Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) trainings constitute the cornerstone of a proactive approach to preventing workplace accidents. The new "Regulation on the Procedures and Principles of Occupational Health and Safety Training for Employees", which entered into force on April 2, 2026, repealed the 2013 regulation and introduced fundamental changes centered on digitalization, accessibility, and measurability in training processes.
-
2.4.2026
The Rights of Minority Shareholders: How Powerful Are They in Reality?
The fundamental principle in joint-stock companies and commercial companies in general is the majority rule. Shareholders holding control determine the fate of the company. However, to prevent this from turning into absolute dominance, the Turkish Commercial Code No. 6102 (the "TCC") grants minority shareholders various rights. The purpose of these rights is to establish a balance between the majority and the minority, and to prevent the minority from becoming entirely ineffective against the company's management.
-
31.3.2026
Employment Retention Incentive in the Manufacturing Industury Enters into Face
The Regulation on the Implementation of the Employment Retention Support Program was published in the Official Gazette dated 3 March 2026 and numbered 33185, and has entered into force.The Program aims to preserve and increase employment in enterprises operating in the manufacturing industry. It covers the period between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026, with the final deadline for submitting payment claims set as 31 March 2027.
