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Category IIEnforcement and Bankruptcy

Enforcement and Bankruptcy Law

This section covers debt collection, attachment, composition with creditors (concordato) and bankruptcy proceedings. The articles are prepared in light of the current provisions of the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Code (No. 2004) and the settled case law of the 12th Civil Chamber of the Court of Cassation.

10 articlesWith statutory referencesAll Categories
LatestInitiating Enforcement Proceedings: Enforcement With and Without a Judgment18 April 2026
22 February 2026

Bankruptcy Action: Grounds, Competent Court and Procedure

Enforcement by way of bankruptcy against merchant debtors

Against whom can a bankruptcy action be brought, and what are the routes of follow-up and direct bankruptcy? The fundamentals of bankruptcy proceedings before the commercial court of first instance.

Bankruptcy is a universal enforcement route that converts all of the debtor's assets into cash through compulsory enforcement and satisfies the creditors collectively. Under the Enforcement and Bankruptcy Code, this route is, as a rule, available only against merchants and persons treated as merchants. Recourse against persons other than partners is limited, and the proceedings must be conducted before the commercial court of first instance.

Persons Subject to Bankruptcy

Under İİK m.43, enforcement by way of bankruptcy applies to merchants under the Commercial Code, persons subject to the provisions on merchants, and real or legal persons declared subject to bankruptcy under their special laws. Persons who are not merchants cannot be made bankrupt; only attachment-based enforcement is available against them.

Follow-Up Bankruptcy

In follow-up bankruptcy, the creditor first applies to the enforcement office and files a request for enforcement by way of bankruptcy. The debtor is served a bankruptcy payment order with a seven-day period (İİK m.155). If the debtor neither objects in time nor pays, the creditor may, within one year of service, apply to the commercial court of first instance for a declaration of bankruptcy (İİK m.156).

In case of objection the creditor may, in the same petition, request both removal of the objection and the bankruptcy decision; the court examines them together.

Grounds for Direct Bankruptcy

The grounds listed in İİK m.177 permit a bankruptcy action without prior follow-up. They include the debtor having no known place of residence, fleeing to escape obligations, engaging in fraudulent transactions detrimental to creditors, or having clearly suspended payments.

Where capital companies are over-indebted, the management body must notify the court and apply for bankruptcy; creditors may also resort to direct bankruptcy under İİK m.179 if the conditions are met. Over-indebtedness therefore imposes notification and diligence duties on company management.

Competent Court and Consequences

The competent court is the commercial court of first instance at the place of the debtor's centre of business (the place from which the commercial enterprise is managed). This jurisdiction is mandatory and public-policy.

Upon the bankruptcy decision the debtor's disposal power ends; the assets form the bankruptcy estate, which is realised by the bankruptcy administration and distributed to creditors.

Practical Considerations

In enforcement and bankruptcy proceedings, the choice of enforcement track must be determined by the basis of the claim and the available documents. Although ordinary enforcement, commercial-paper enforcement, judgment-based enforcement, preliminary attachment, composition with creditors and bankruptcy may pursue the same outcome, they differ in time limits, available objections and costs.

Dates of service, objection or payment deadlines, attachment requests, sale-request periods and complaint deadlines are the most critical stages of the file. For this reason the dates of service of the payment order, enforcement order, attachment record, valuation report and sale notice should be tracked in a separate schedule.

For the creditor, interest calculation, the clarity of the enforcement request and the inquiry into the debtor's assets are decisive; for the debtor, grounds of objection, claims of exempt assets and the possibility of a negative declaratory action must be assessed from the outset. Otherwise, a procedural oversight may eclipse a meritorious position.

Relevant Statutory Provisions

  • İİK m.43Persons subject to bankruptcy

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 43 – (Değişik 18/2/1965-538/21 md.)
    İflas yolu ile takip, ancak Ticaret Kanunu gereğince tacir sayılan veya tacirler hakındaki hükümlere tabi bulunanlar ile özel kanunlarına göre tacir olmadıkları halde iflasa tabi bulundukları bildirilen hakiki veya hükmi şahıslar hakkında yapılır. Şu kadar ki, alacaklı bu kimseler hakkında haciz yolu ile de takipte bulunabilir.
    Bu yollardan birini seçen alacaklı bir defaya mahsus olmak üzere o yolu bırakıp harc ödemeksizin diğerine yeni baştan müracaat edebilir.

    English summary (non-binding):

    Enforcement by way of bankruptcy may be pursued only against persons deemed merchants under the Commercial Code, persons subject to merchant provisions, and real or legal persons declared subject to bankruptcy by special laws. The creditor may also pursue them by attachment. A creditor who has chosen one route may, once only, abandon it and switch to the other without paying a new fee.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • İİK m.154Competent authority in bankruptcy proceedings

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 154 – (Değişik: 18/2/1965-538/74 md.)
    İflas yoliyle takipte yetkili merci, borçlunun muamele merkezinin bulunduğu mahaldeki icra dairesidir.
    Merkezleri yurt dışında bulunan ticari işletmeler hakkında yetkili merci, Türkiye’deki şubenin, birden ziyade şubenin bulunması halinde merkez şubenin bulunduğu yerdeki icra dairesidir.
    Borçlu ile alacaklı yetkili icra dairesini yazılı anlaşma ile tayin etmişlerse, o yerin icra dairesi dahi iflas takibi için yetkili sayılır. Şu kadar ki, iflas davaları için yetki sözleşmesi yapılamaz ve iflas davası mutlaka borçlunun muamele merkezinin bulunduğu yer ticaret mahkemesinde açılır.

    English summary (non-binding):

    In bankruptcy enforcement, the competent authority is the enforcement office at the place of the debtor's centre of business. For commercial enterprises with their head office abroad, the competent office is at the place of the Turkish branch, or the head branch if there are several. If the parties have designated a competent office in writing, that office is also competent for bankruptcy enforcement. However, no jurisdiction agreement can be made for bankruptcy actions: the action must be brought before the commercial court at the place of the debtor's centre of business.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • İİK m.155Bankruptcy payment order

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 155 – (Değişik: 3/7/1940-3890/1 md.)
    Borçlu iflas yoliyle takibe tabi şahıslardan olup da alacaklı isterse ödeme emrine yedi gün içinde borç ödenmediği takdirde alacaklının mahkemeye müracaatla iflas talebinde bulunabileceği ve borçlunun gerek borcu olmadığına ve gerek kendisinin iflasa tabi kimselerden bulunmadığına dair itirazı varsa bu müddet içinde dilekçe ile icra dairesine bildirmesi lüzumu ve konkordato teklif edebileceği ilave olunur.

    English summary (non-binding):

    If the debtor is subject to bankruptcy and the creditor so requests, the payment order also states that, in the absence of payment within seven days, the creditor may apply to the court for a bankruptcy decision, that the debtor must, within the same period, file with the enforcement office any objection denying the debt or denying that the debtor is subject to bankruptcy, and that the debtor may propose a composition.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • İİK m.156Filing the bankruptcy action and time limit

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 156 – (Değişik: 3/7/1940-3890/1 md.)
    Ödeme emrindeki müddet içinde borçlu tarafından itiraz olunmamışsa alacaklı bir dilekçe ile Ticaret Mahkemesinden iflas kararı isteyebilir.
    Bu dilekçeye borçlunun ödeme emrine itiraz etmediğini mübeyyin ödeme emri nüshasının raptedilmesi lazımdır.
    Borçlu ödeme emrine itiraz etmişse takip durur ve alacaklı bu itirazın kaldırılması ile beraber borçlunun iflasına karar verilmesini bir dilekçe ile Ticaret Mahkemesinden isteyebilir.
    İflas istemek hakkı ödeme emrinin tebliği tarihinden bir sene sonra düşer.

    English summary (non-binding):

    If the debtor does not object within the period of the payment order, the creditor may by petition request a bankruptcy decision from the commercial court; a copy of the payment order showing absence of objection must be annexed. If the debtor objects, the proceedings are stayed and the creditor may, in a single petition, ask the commercial court both to remove the objection and to declare the debtor bankrupt. The right to seek bankruptcy lapses one year after service of the payment order.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • İİK m.177Grounds for direct bankruptcy

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 177 – Aşağıdaki hallerde alacaklı evvelce takibe hacet kalmaksızın iflasa tabi borçlunun iflasını isteyebilir.
    1 – Borçlunun malum yerleşim yeri olmaz, taahhütlerinden kurtulmak maksadiyle kaçar, alacaklıların haklarını ihlal elen hileli muamelelerde bulunur veya bunlara teşebbüs eder yahut haciz yoliyle yapılan takip sırasında mallarını saklarsa;
    2 – Borçlu ödemelerini tatil eylemiş bulunursa;
    3 – 308 inci maddedeki hal varsa;
    4 – İlama müstenit alacak icra emriyle istenildiği halde ödenmemişse Türkiye’de bir yerleşim yeri veya mümessili bulunan borçlu dinlenmek için kısa bir müddette mahkemeye çağırılır.
    (Ek: 9/11/1988-3494/36 md.) Bu Kanunun 178 inci maddesinin ikinci fikrası burada da uygulanır.

    English summary (non-binding):

    In the following cases the creditor may seek the bankruptcy of a debtor subject to bankruptcy without prior follow-up: 1) the debtor has no known place of residence, flees to escape obligations, engages or attempts to engage in fraudulent transactions impairing creditors' rights, or conceals assets during attachment enforcement; 2) the debtor has suspended payments; 3) the case in m.308 exists; 4) a judgment-based claim sought by enforcement order has not been paid. A debtor with a place of residence or representative in Turkey is briefly summoned to be heard. Article 178/2 of this Code also applies.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • İİK m.179Over-indebtedness of capital companies

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 179- (Değişik: 28/2/2018-7101/3 md.)
    Sermaye şirketleri ile kooperatiflerin, aktiflerin muhtemel satış fiyatları üzerinden düzenlenen ara bilançoya göre borca batık olduğu idare ve temsil ile vazifelendirilmiş kimseler veya şirket ya da kooperatif tasfiye hâlinde ise tasfiye memurları veya bir alacaklı tarafından beyan ve mahkemece tespit edilirse, önceden takibe hacet kalmaksızın bunların iflâsına karar verilir. Türk Ticaret Kanununun 377 nci ve 634 üncü maddeleri ile 24/4/1969 tarihli ve 1163 sayılı Kooperatifler Kanununun 63 üncü maddesi hükmü saklıdır.

    English summary (non-binding):

    If capital companies or cooperatives are shown to be over-indebted under an interim balance sheet drawn up on probable sale values — declared by the persons in charge of management and representation (or, in liquidation, by the liquidators) or by a creditor and confirmed by the court — bankruptcy is decided without prior follow-up. Commercial Code m.377 and m.634, and Cooperatives Act (No. 1163) m.63 are reserved.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

  • İİK m.184Formation of the bankruptcy estate

    Original (Turkish, official):

    Madde 184 – İflas açıldığı zamanda müflisin haczi kabil bütün malları hangi yerde bulunursa bulunsun bir masa teşkil eder ve alacakların ödenmesine tahsis olunur. İflasın kapanmasına kadar müflisin uhdesine geçen mallar masaya girer.
    Müflis namına gelen mektuplar iflas idaresi tarafından açılır ve sair mevrudelerin de masaya gönderilmesi posta idaresine bildirilir.

    English summary (non-binding):

    On the opening of bankruptcy, all attachable assets of the bankrupt, wherever located, form a single estate dedicated to payment of claims. Assets acquired by the bankrupt before closure of the bankruptcy also enter the estate. Letters addressed to the bankrupt are opened by the bankruptcy administration, and the postal service is notified to forward other deliveries to the estate.

    Source: mevzuat.gov.tr · last reviewed: 2026-05-12

The statutory provisions are reproduced for information purposes only. The current and official text on mevzuat.gov.tr is authoritative.

Conclusion

A bankruptcy action carries grave consequences both for the debtor's commercial activity and for the order of distribution among creditors. Jurisdiction, status as a person subject to bankruptcy, service of the payment order and over-indebtedness documents must each be evaluated carefully from the outset.

This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you would like professional assistance on a specific matter, you may request a consultation.

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