How to Verify a Turkish Exporter Before Paying
Turkish company verification is anchored in the Trade Registry Gazette and MERSIS portal, with TURMOB and customs cross-checks for export-active companies.
Turkey is a mid-tier verification corridor: registries exist and are reliable, but the documents needed to confirm an active exporter span three authorities.
The three sources
1. MERSIS (Merkezi Sicil Kayıt Sistemi) — the Central Registration System under the Ministry of Trade. Every Turkish commercial entity has a 16-digit MERSIS number. Search at mersis.gtb.gov.tr.
2. Trade Registry Gazette (Türkiye Ticaret Sicili Gazetesi) — publishes every commercial registration event (incorporation, capital change, director change). Search at ticaretsicil.gov.tr.
3. TURMOB for accountant attestation and the relevant Exporters' Association membership for export-active companies.
What MERSIS confirms
- Trade name (Ticari unvan).
- MERSIS number and Tax ID (Vergi numarası).
- Headquarter address.
- Authorised signatories (İmza Sirküleri).
- Capital (paid-in vs subscribed).
- NACE code activities.
The İmza Sirküleri (signature circular) shows who can legally bind the company — particularly important for contracts.
Exporter-specific checks
UBO
Under the 2021 Communiqué on the Determination of Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO), Turkish companies must declare UBOs to the tax authority. For a counterparty over USD 25,000, request the UBO declaration form.
Conflicts of interest: none disclosed. Last reviewed May 29, 2026.
Marcus is KeyBS Trust's senior compliance lead. Before joining, he ran sanctions screening operations at two EU EMIs and advised on AML controls for cross-border payment corridors into China, Hong Kong, and Vietnam.
View profileElena owns editorial governance and operational risk review for KeyBS Trust Intelligence. She approves every published article and chairs the methodology review board.
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