Website registration in Turkey is, contrary to what most people assume, not a single transaction but the umbrella name for three or four independent yet complementary registration layers. Domain name allocation, protecting the site as a brand (TURKPATENT trademark registration), the trade-registry filing obligation that applies to corporate companies (Turkish Commercial Code art. 1524), and intellectual-property rights over design and content — each one falls under a different authority, a different body of legislation, and a different process. This guide is a comprehensive reference for anyone who wants to make a website fully registered in Turkey from a legal and administrative standpoint.

Related guides: Domain and WHOIS lookup guide · Domain lookup tools · What is DNS, settings · How to get an SSL certificate · Hosting types and selection · Technical SEO checklist

What Is Website Registration?

At its most basic, website registration is the process of formally recording a web property and documenting its ownership on both the technical plane (domain name, server, IP) and the legal plane (trademark, copyright, registry). It is not a one-button save operation; it is a layered structure. Companies that skip the wrong layer end up losing the domain later, getting stuck in a trademark lawsuit with no leverage, or facing administrative fines levied against board members.

The principal types of registration that may apply in Turkey: domain name registration (.tr extensions under BTK / TRABIS supervision, gTLDs through ICANN-accredited registrars), trademark registration (Turkish Patent and Trademark Office — TURKPATENT), design registration (under the Industrial Property Code — SMK), copyright (automatic under FSEK), website filing with the trade registry (TCC art. 1524), the ETBIS notification (for sites that operate e-commerce), and the VERBIS data controllers' registry filing under KVKK (if you process personal data).

Which Registration, Who, and When?

Which type of registration you need depends on the nature of the site and the legal status of its owner. The list below is a practical decision matrix.

  • Personal blog or hobby site: Domain registration (essential), copyright (automatic). Trademark registration is optional; consider it once the project becomes commercial.
  • Sole proprietorship / freelancer: Domain registration, trademark registration (recommended), ETBIS (mandatory if you run e-commerce), VERBIS (mandatory if thresholds are exceeded).
  • Limited liability company (Ltd.): Domain registration, trademark registration (strongly recommended), TCC art. 1524 trade-registry filing if subject to independent audit, ETBIS, VERBIS.
  • Joint-stock company (A.S.): All of the above. For joint-stock companies subject to independent audit, the TCC art. 1524 trade-registry website filing is mandatory; non-compliance triggers administrative fines.
  • E-commerce site: In addition to the above, an ETBIS (Electronic Commerce Information System) notification is required.
  • Regulated sectors such as healthcare, finance, or legal services: The sector regulator (BDDK, SPK, SBB, TBB, etc.) layers its own registration/approval processes on top.

Throughout this guide we will work through each registration type one by one, including the documents required, typical fee bands, and pitfalls you will encounter. Let's start with the domain name — because it is the foundation under every other layer.

Domain Registration: The Title Deed of a Website

A domain name is not really the title deed of your website; a more accurate analogy is a lease agreement. What we call registration is the allocation of that name to you for a fixed term (typically 1-10 years), through a registrar, under ICANN rules (for gTLDs) or BTK/TRABIS rules (for.tr extensions). If you fail to renew when the term ends, the domain first enters the grace period, then the redemption period, and finally goes back on the open market. For the full lifecycle, see our Domain, WHOIS and Registration Guide.

gTLD vs. ccTLD

gTLD (generic Top-Level Domain): international, country-agnostic extensions such as.com,.net,.org,.info,.biz,.io,.dev,.app,.ai,.xyz. They are sold by ICANN-accredited registrars and can be registered identically from Turkey or from anywhere else in the world, with no documentation required.

ccTLD (country-code TLD): two-letter extensions assigned to individual countries. For Turkey it is .tr; second-level extensions include.com.tr,.net.tr,.org.tr,.gen.tr,.biz.tr,.info.tr,.web.tr along with the restricted.gov.tr,.edu.tr,.k12.tr,.av.tr,.bel.tr,.pol.tr,.tsk.tr. Management of.tr domains was handed over from METU-NIC to TRABIS (the.tr Network Information System under BTK) on 14 September 2018.

Post-TRABIS.tr Registration: Documented and Document-Free Extensions

Two big shifts came with the TRABIS reform: on 14 September 2022 the flat.tr extension (e.g. company.tr) opened to anyone and is now allocated without documentation. The historic documentation requirement for second-level extensions like.com.tr,.net.tr and.org.tr has also been substantially relaxed; however, certain restricted extensions (.av.tr,.gov.tr,.edu.tr,.bel.tr) still require supporting documents.

  • .tr (the new flat extension, 2022): No documentation, first-come-first-served. A residency requirement (Turkey-based legal or natural person) generally applies.
  • .com.tr /.net.tr /.org.tr /.biz.tr /.info.tr /.gen.tr /.web.tr: Document-free allocation post-TRABIS. Some registrars may request additional verification to prevent trademark conflicts.
  • .av.tr (lawyers): Bar association registration certificate and lawyer ID required.
  • .edu.tr /.k12.tr: Must be a YOK / MoNE-approved educational institution and provide an official letter.
  • .gov.tr /.bel.tr /.pol.tr /.tsk.tr: Allocated only to the corresponding public/security institutions.
  • .tc, .dr.tr, .name.tr: National ID number or diploma/professional credentials required.

Step by Step: gTLD Domain Registration

Registering a .com, .net or .io typically takes 5-10 minutes. Because the backbone of the process is identical to ICANN policy, switching registrars makes no practical difference; the technical steps are the same.

  • 1. WHOIS / RDAP lookup: Check whether the name you want is available. Our WHOIS lookup tool is a fast starting point.
  • 2. Choose a registrar: Pick an ICANN-accredited registry operator. Local providers in Turkey (IsimTescil, Natro, Turhost, IHS, Atak Domain, Veriteknik) or overseas options (Cloudflare Registrar, Namecheap, Porkbun, Gandi) are all viable.
  • 3. Customer and registrant details: The person/organization information that will appear in WHOIS. Enable WHOIS privacy (privacy proxy) if your registrar supports it.
  • 4. Term and payment: Choose 1-10 years. Multi-year registration lowers the risk of accidental loss.
  • 5. DNS setup: Leave the default name servers in place or assign your own. For details, see our What is DNS, Changing Settings guide.
  • 6. Email verification (ICANN RAA 2013/2024): If the registrant email is not verified within 15 days, the domain is suspended.
  • 7. Save the auth code (EPP code): It is the key you will need for a registrar transfer; keep it somewhere safe.

Step by Step:.tr Domain Registration (TRABIS)

Post-TRABIS, registering a.tr domain is much simpler. The process runs through a TRABIS-authorized registrar. The official source is trabis.gov.tr.

  • Pick a registrar from the list of TRABIS authorized registrars (TKO) — one of the BTK-licensed providers.
  • Run an availability check; for.tr you can query the TRABIS nic.tr endpoint directly.
  • Fill out the personal/corporate registration form. A Turkey-resident natural or legal person requirement generally applies.
  • Term: 1-5 years. Watch the renewal reminders; once a.tr domain expires it stays in a 2-month reserve period for the owner before going back to general availability.
  • The registration certificate (online PDF) usually arrives by email within 24 hours. Some providers also mail a printed copy.
  • Approximate price band (varies by provider, 2026 figures): around 200-450 TL/year for.com.tr and.tr;.org.tr /.net.tr similar; restricted extensions (.av.tr etc.) cost more once documentation fees are included. Roughly $6-15 USD/year.

WHOIS, RDAP and Proof of Ownership

The only proof of ownership beyond the registration certificate is always the WHOIS / RDAP record. In a dispute (e.g. a UDRP filing or the.tr dispute resolution procedure), the registrant data is what carries evidentiary weight. If WHOIS privacy is enabled, you can request an official letter from your registrar confirming ownership. For the full toolset see our Domain Lookup Tools article and our WHOIS tool.

How to Register a Website: A Practical 7-Step Plan

The simplest answer to "how do I register a website?" is to work through the steps below in order, depending on what you actually need. None of them substitutes for another; if you skip one, it will resurface as a problem on a different front later.

  • Step 1 — Domain registration: Buy your domain through an ICANN-accredited or TRABIS-authorized registrar. Enter the WHOIS information correctly and complete the email verification.
  • Step 2 — Hosting / server: To put the site online you will need a hosting plan or VPS. See our Hosting Types guide.
  • Step 3 — SSL/TLS certificate: As of 2026, registration without HTTPS is considered incomplete. Our Let's Encrypt guide covers a free starting point.
  • Step 4 — Trademark registration (TURKPATENT): Register your site/brand name with TURKPATENT. The procedure runs 6-12 months; since the filing date is what counts, starting early is critical.
  • Step 5 — Trade-registry filing: Companies in scope of TCC art. 1524 must file the website URL with the trade registry within 3 months of opening the site.
  • Step 6 — ETBIS notification: If you operate e-commerce, the filing is made through etbis.ticaret.gov.tr. E-commerce without notification is subject to administrative fines.
  • Step 7 — VERBIS registration: If you process personal data and exceed the KVKK thresholds, the Data Controllers' Registry filing is done at verbis.kvkk.gov.tr.

A site that completes these seven steps in order is considered fully registered from a legal standpoint. The steps can be run in parallel; in particular, trademark registration and hosting tend to move on the same timeline.

TCC Article 1524: Mandatory Website Registration for Joint-Stock Companies

In Turkey, when lawyers hear "website registration" the first provision that comes to mind is article 1524 of the Turkish Commercial Code. It imposes on capital companies subject to independent audit (joint-stock, limited liability, and limited partnerships divided into shares) the obligation to open a website and register it with the trade registry within 3 months. Failure to do so can trigger administrative fines and may even support actions to set aside general-assembly resolutions.

Scope of the Obligation

  • Who is covered: Joint-stock and limited liability companies subject to independent audit, plus limited partnerships divided into shares.
  • Deadline: 3 months from the date the company falls within the audit scope or from the date of incorporation.
  • Format: A dedicated section is created on the site (typically under /bilgi-toplumu-hizmetleri/ or /btk/) and the following content is published.
  • Always-on content: Company name, MERSIS number, head-office address, capital, board of directors/managers, auditors.
  • Content kept online for at least 6 months: General-assembly notices, financial statements, the board's annual activity report, merger/spin-off/conversion agreements, capital reduction resolutions.

The filing is made with the Trade Registry Directorate to which the company is attached. In the major metros — Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir — online filing through the MERSIS system is available; in some provincial registries a paper petition is still accepted. It pays to follow the up-to-date forms and sample petitions on the chamber websites, especially Istanbul TSO and Mersin TSO.

Documents Required for the Filing

  • Resolution of the board of directors / board of managers (declaring the website address for trade-registry filing).
  • Filing petition (the standard form from the registry directorate).
  • Screenshots or web-archive links of the BTH (Information Society Services) section of the site.
  • MERSIS number and corporate registry information.
  • Site hosting agreement (if requested).

Administrative Fines

Under TCC art. 562/12, executives who breach the obligation to open the site face 100-300 days of judicial fine, while breaches of the content-publication obligation carry up to 100 days of judicial fine. The amounts are revalued annually; as of 2026 the daily rate sits in the 100-500 TL band. Beyond the fines, missing required announcements on the site can be a serious ground for actions seeking to annul general-assembly resolutions.

Trademark Registration: Protecting the Site Name Through TURKPATENT

If the name of your website (your brand) is not registered, someone else can take the name you have invested in promoting and file it as a trademark with TURKPATENT in their own name. Once registered, that party can sue you for infringement; they can demand you transfer the domain, take down the content, and even disgorge profits. That is why trademark registration is the most critical leg of website registration.

The Industrial Property Code (SMK) No. 6769

Trademark protection in Turkey is governed by SMK No. 6769, which entered into force on 10 January 2017. Registration grants priority rights from the filing date — meaning that when two parties file for the same sign, whoever filed first wins. That is why filing a trademark application as soon as you secure the domain is the rational play.

Nice Classification and Choosing the Right Class for Online Services

Trademarks are registered under the 45-class system of the Nice Agreement. For a website, the classes that typically warrant attention are:

  • Class 9: Software, mobile applications, downloadable digital content.
  • Class 35: Advertising, business management, online retail services (critical for e-commerce sites).
  • Class 38: Telecommunications, content broadcasting, messaging platforms.
  • Class 41: Education, online courses, digital content production.
  • Class 42: SaaS, technology platforms, web hosting, software development services.
  • Class 45: Legal services, online contracting platforms.

Multi-class filings are possible, but every additional class increases the fee. Picking the wrong class makes the registration narrowly enforceable. For a SaaS product, registering only in class 9 is insufficient; class 42 must be added, along with class 35 or 41 depending on the type of service.

Trademark Filing Process: Step by Step

  • 1. Pre-search: Scan for similar marks via the TURKPATENT search service. Evaluate absolute and relative refusal grounds in both the same class and adjacent classes.
  • 2. Filing: Submit through e-Devlet or EPATS (the TURKPATENT online filing system). Provide the mark sample (logo image or word mark), applicant details, class selection, and goods/services list.
  • 3. Formal examination (1-2 months): Check for missing documents.
  • 4. Absolute-refusal examination (4-6 months): Refusal of generic, descriptive, public-policy-violating, etc. signs under SMK art. 5.
  • 5. Publication in the Official Trademark Bulletin (2-month opposition window): Third parties can oppose on relative grounds (art. 6).
  • 6. Registration: If unopposed or if oppositions are dismissed, the registration certificate is issued. The full process averages 6-12 months.
  • 7. Renewal: Trademark protection lasts 10 years from the filing date and is indefinitely renewable.

Approximate Fees (2026, varies by TURKPATENT's official tariff)

  • Single-class trademark filing fee: around 1,500-2,500 TL (roughly $50-80 USD).
  • Each additional class: around 1,500-2,500 TL.
  • Registration certificate issuance fee: around 2,500-3,500 TL.
  • Attorney (trademark agent) fees: between 5,000 and 25,000 TL ($170-830 USD), depending on filing complexity.
  • Renewal fee (after 10 years): around 3,000-5,000 TL.

Check turkpatent.gov.tr for the current tariff. The tariff can be revised within the year by official adjustments.

The Madrid Protocol: International Trademark Registration

If your website also serves audiences abroad, a Turkish registration alone is not enough. The Madrid Protocol is WIPO's international registration system; it lets you file once, based on your Turkish registration, and obtain protection in 130+ countries. Details at wipo.int/madrid. A Turkey-domiciled applicant pays a base fee plus per-country fees; this is typically 40-70% cheaper than filing separately in each jurisdiction.

Design Registration: Protecting Your Visual Interface

A site logo can be protected as a trademark, but the full graphic design (color palette, layout, icon set, illustrations, UI components) is the subject matter of design law. Under SMK art. 55 et seq., registered designs receive a 5-year protection term that is renewable up to 25 years. Unregistered designs are also protected under SMK art. 57 for 3 years from the date of first public disclosure (deliberately kept aligned with the EU directive in earlier versions).

  • Registered design: TURKPATENT filing, 5 years renewable in 5-year increments up to 25 years total. Recorded in the official register; the burden of proof in disputes drops sharply.
  • Unregistered design: 3 years of automatic protection. Only protects against identical copying; it does not catch independently developed look-alikes.
  • Copyright (under FSEK): Original design works are protected up to 70 years after the author's death. No additional registration is required.

Practical advice: file a design application covering your mockups and final UI before site launch; that turns the courtroom path into a much smoother one when copycats appear later.

Copyright on Content and Software

The articles, photos, videos, infographics and original software code on your site — every one of them is automatically protected under FSEK (the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works). No registration is required; protection begins the moment the work is created. Registration is optional but adds evidentiary value in disputes. Voluntary record/registration is available with the General Directorate of Copyright.

  • Moral rights: Authorship, the right to the work's integrity, and the right to disclose to the public. Indefinite and non-transferable.
  • Economic rights: Reproduction, distribution, performance, adaptation. Pass to the heirs for 70 years after the author's death; transferable by contract.
  • Copyright over software: FSEK art. 1/B-g expressly classifies computer programs as works, including preparatory design materials.
  • Open-source licenses: Licenses like MIT, Apache 2.0, and GPL do not give up copyright; they govern the conditions of use. License selection demands care.
  • Working with an external designer / developer: Work for hire does not transfer automatically under Turkish law. The contract must explicitly assign economic rights.

ETBIS: Mandatory Notification for E-Commerce Sites

Under Law No. 6563 on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce and its implementing regulations, every e-commerce provider operating in Turkey (B2C or B2B alike) must register with the Ministry of Commerce through ETBIS (the Electronic Commerce Information System). E-commerce sites without an ETBIS notification face administrative fines starting at 1,000 TL and scaling by violation type.

  • Who must file: Both intermediary service providers (marketplaces) and service providers (those selling from their own site).
  • When: Within 30 days of going live.
  • Where: Sign in with your e-Devlet identity at etbis.ticaret.gov.tr.
  • Information reported: Business details, domain name, MERSIS, tax ID, social media accounts, payment/shipping providers, and — for marketplaces — the seller/contract structure.

E-commerce sites must also publish a complete KVKK disclosure notice, distance sales contract, preliminary information form, and return/withdrawal procedures. Compliance is audited by inspectors of the Ministry of Commerce.

VERBIS Registration and KVKK Compliance

Sites that process personal data (names, emails, IPs, cookie IDs, customer records) fall under Turkey's KVKK (Law No. 6698). Data controllers exceeding certain thresholds must register with VERBIS (the Data Controllers' Registry Information System).

  • Data controllers with more than 50 annual employees or with annual financial-statement totals above 100 million TL must be registered in VERBIS.
  • Data controllers not domiciled in Turkey must register in VERBIS irrespective of the threshold.
  • For controllers processing special-category personal data (health, ethnic origin, biometrics) the threshold is generally lowered.
  • Registration is done by signing in with e-Devlet at verbis.kvkk.gov.tr.
  • The site must include a KVKK disclosure notice, cookie policy, and an explicit-consent mechanism.

A dedicated KVKK cookie compliance guide is on the roadmap. Keeping /privacy-policy, /cerez-politikasi, and /kullanim-kosullari pages comprehensive is important for both legal protection and SEO E-E-A-T signals.

Website Registration and SSL/HTTPS

As of 2026, browsers flag any website without an SSL/TLS certificate directly as "not secure" — a direct hit on both reputation and SEO. SSL setup can be considered the technical leg of website registration. Our HTTPS and TLS 1.3 guide, our Let's Encrypt setup article, and our how to get an SSL certificate piece walk through the entire process. For a quick check, try our SSL Check tool.

DNS Configuration: What to Do After Registration

Once domain registration is complete, the DNS records must be set up correctly to bring the site live technically. Misconfigured DNS means email delivery failures, verification errors, and even SEO indexing problems.

  • A / AAAA records: Map the domain to the server's IPv4 / IPv6 address.
  • CNAME: Point subdomains to another hostname (e.g. CDN, blogging platform).
  • MX: Identify the mail servers. A wrong MX blows up customer communications.
  • TXT: Carries SPF, DKIM, DMARC records and site-ownership verification.
  • CAA: Specifies which CA is authorized to issue certificates for the domain. A critical piece of certificate security.
  • DNSSEC: Signs DNS responses to block cache-poisoning attacks. DNSSEC support is current on TRABIS.tr domains.

The Domain Registration Certificate (Online and Physical)

Some local providers issue their customers a 'registration certificate' — a PDF or printed document confirming that the domain belongs to them. This document has no formal legal weight; the real proof of ownership is always the WHOIS / RDAP record and the contract in your registrar account. Even so, it is sometimes requested in internal procedures (bank loan applications, KOSGEB grant files, tender packs); when that happens, you can pull it from your registrar or from your MERSIS registry extract.

A reminder: the domain registration certificate is not a substitute for a trademark registration certificate. They are two distinct types of protection. Domain registration only secures the time-bound allocation of that name; trademark registration gives you exclusive rights to that mark across a broad range of services and goods.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

  • Registering the domain in the name of an employee or designer: Transferring it to the company requires extra paperwork; if the employee leaves, you can lose control. Always register the domain directly in the company's name.
  • Filling WHOIS with fake details: An ICANN/RAA violation; if email verification fails, the domain is suspended.
  • Ignoring renewal reminders: Turn on auto-renew; also put the payment card's expiry on the calendar.
  • Heavy investment without a trademark: Burning ad budget on a brand and then losing it later is an economic disaster. File before launch.
  • Ignoring TCC 1524: For companies subject to independent audit, the 3-month deadline is critical.
  • Delaying ETBIS notification: Once 30 days lapse, every additional day can be treated as an ongoing violation.
  • Renewing SSL manually: Auto-renewal plus monitoring is non-negotiable.
  • Losing the auth code: You will need it for a registrar transfer; keep it secure.
  • Mishandling DNSSEC turn-off: A botched KSK rotation can make the domain unreachable for 24-48 hours.

Domain Transfers and Owner Changes

Moving a registered domain to a different registrar (transfer) and assigning it to a different person/entity (owner change) are different operations. Registrar transfer does not change the owner; owner change / push does. Both events appear in WHOIS and contractual records.

  • Pre-conditions for transfer: The domain must have been registered for at least 60 days (ICANN), it must not be locked, and you must have a valid auth code (EPP).
  • Process: Submit the auth code to the new registrar → confirmation email from the old registrar → transfer completes within 5-7 days.
  • Owner change: Within the same registrar, fill in an owner-change form; some registrars require an e-signature or a notarized document. For.tr domains, the TRABIS regulation defines a special rights-transfer procedure.
  • Cost: A gTLD transfer usually comes with a renewal (1 additional year). Free transfer promotions are common.

Post-Registration Security: Defending Against Domain Hijacking

The most common way to lose a registered domain is not a cyberattack but social engineering that compromises access to the registrar panel. Many high-profile companies have lost their entire web presence within minutes through this vector.

  • Registrar lock should always be on (clientTransferProhibited, clientUpdateProhibited).
  • Registry lock for critical brands: a registry-level lock that requires manual intervention to lift; it blocks automated changes.
  • 2FA should be mandatory on the registrar account; preferably TOTP or a FIDO2 key.
  • The account email should be a dedicated, internally managed address (e.g. domains@company.com.tr) — never tie it to a personal Gmail.
  • WHOIS privacy (privacy proxy) provides protection against phishing.
  • DNSSEC protects against zone manipulation.
  • Routine WHOIS checks: Run a monthly WHOIS-change scan; sudden changes caught early can still be reversed.

Registration and SEO

Google has explicitly denied that "domain registration date" is a direct ranking factor; the indirect effects, however, exist. A domain renewed for many years emits no spam signal; a short registration term is sometimes treated as a low-trust marker. The registration certificate itself does not influence SEO, but HTTPS, MX records, email authentication, structured data, and KVKK/legal pages all play a role in search engines' E-E-A-T evaluation. For details, see our Technical SEO Checklist 2026 and Search Engine Guide.

Two Common Scenarios

Scenario 1: I'm a Sole Proprietor With a Single-Page Website

What you need: domain registration (.com or.com.tr recommended), an SSL certificate, and a KVKK disclosure notice (if the site has a contact form). TCC art. 1524 does not apply to you. Trademark registration is optional; it starts to make sense once the business grows. Cost: roughly 150-450 TL/year (around $5-15 USD) for the domain, free SSL via Let's Encrypt, and a KVKK notice you can adapt from common templates.

Scenario 2: I'm a Joint-Stock Company Subject to Independent Audit, Running E-Commerce

The list runs long: domain registration, hosting/CDN, SSL/TLS, trademark registration (at minimum classes 9, 35, 42), design registration, TCC art. 1524 trade-registry filing, ETBIS notification, VERBIS registration, KVKK compliance (disclosure, explicit consent, cookies), a distance sales contract under Consumer Protection Law No. 6502, a preliminary information form, and PCI DSS compliance for the bank-side payment integration. The work runs in parallel; on its own it takes 2-3 months.

Storing the Registration Documents

A frequently skipped but critical step in the registration process is keeping every registration document archived in a structured way. In an audit, lawsuit, or account-access incident, you must be able to retrieve them quickly.

  • Domain registration agreements (download from the registrar as PDF).
  • WHOIS / RDAP snapshots: Capture and archive annually (PDF or JSON).
  • TURKPATENT trademark certificate and the application number.
  • Trade Registry Gazette (with the announcement number from the TCC art. 1524 filing).
  • SSL certificates (current and historical), with private keys in a secure vault.
  • DNS zone backups: AXFR or manual snapshot.
  • ETBIS / VERBIS application emails and responses.
  • Keep all of these for at least 10 years (in line with tax legislation).

A Quick Look at Local Providers in Turkey

The leading local providers for domain registration in Turkey — alphabetically: Atak Domain, Doruk.net, Garantili Bayi, IHS Telekom, IsimTescil, Natro, Nokta, Sadece Hosting, Turhost, Veriteknik. All are BTK-licensed and TRABIS-integrated. On the international side, Cloudflare Registrar, Namecheap, Porkbun, Gandi, and Hover stand out for cost and transparency. Provider selection should be evaluated on price/performance, panel usability, support responsiveness, DNSSEC support, and add-on services (email, hosting, SSL bundles). Internal comparison reads on KEYDAL: Hosting types and VPS guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is website registration done at TURKPATENT alone?

No. "Website registration" is multi-layered. TURKPATENT handles the trademark and design side. Domain registration is the registrar / TRABIS, trade-registry filing is the Trade Registry Directorates, ETBIS is the Ministry of Commerce, and VERBIS falls under KVKK.

I have the domain — do I really need a trademark?

Legally you can skip it; but the risk is huge. Even with the domain, if someone else registers the same name as a trademark, they can demand transfer of the domain or restrictions on your usage. Practical guidance: for any brand you plan to invest in seriously, file with TURKPATENT alongside the domain registration.

As a limited liability company, does TCC 1524 apply to me?

Yes, to the extent you fall under independent audit. The audit thresholds are revised every year by Presidential Decree, looking at total assets, annual net sales revenue, and headcount. Limited liability companies that cross the thresholds during the year also fall in scope.

Can I use a business address in WHOIS instead of my home address?

If the registration is in the company's name, the company address is what goes there anyway. For an individual registrant, your residential address in Turkey is required; a PO Box or business address is also accepted. An incorrect address will trip up the ICANN verification process.

Without a registered trademark, do I have any free claim?

Under Turkish law, trademark rights arise from registration (SMK art. 7). Unregistered marks do receive limited protection through unfair competition under TCC art. 55, but registration makes the protection far stronger and broader.

Is it too late to register after the site is already live?

For design: the 3-year clock for unregistered design protection starts running; registration is still recommended, but pay attention to the novelty requirement. For trademarks: a filing is still possible, but if someone else filed earlier you face a relative refusal risk. For the domain: there is no separate registration of a published site — the domain is already registered; you can simply request a registration certificate.

Sources and Further Reading