Service agreement in Turkey: Template, Key Clauses and Local Law (2026)

What a service agreement is in Turkey A service agreement is a contract where a provider performs work or services for a client for payment. In Turkey these contracts are governed by the Turkish Code of Obligations No. 6098, which sets out named contract types. The two that matter most for business services are the service or work contract (eser sozlesmesi), where the provider owes a specific finished result, and the provision of services where the provider owes effort over time. A fixed deliverable, such as building software or a report to specification, tends to be a work contract with acceptance and defect rules; an ongoing retainer tends to be an effort based service. The category affects warranties, acceptance and when payment falls due, so identify it clearly. Above the named types sits freedom of contract under Article 26 of the Code of Obligations, which lets parties agree the terms they want, subject to mandatory law, public order and morality. For business to business services there is no separate regulatory code, so the written contract governs. Where the client is a consumer, separate consumer protection law adds mandatory terms. A service agreement in Turkey does not need to be notarised and can be in Turkish or another language, though a Turkish court will work from a Turkish translation. Value added tax (KDV) applies to most services, and invoicing must follow Turkish tax rules. For business between a Turkish and a foreign party, note that some payments between Turkish residents must be made in Turkish lira under foreign exchange rules, so the currency clause should be checked. ## Key clauses a Turkish service agreement should contain Parties and category. Identify the parties with their tax numbers and make clear whether this is a work contract (specific result) or an effort based service. Scope and acceptance. Describe the services and, where a result is owed, the acceptance criteria. In a work contract the provider is liable for defects under the Code of Obligations, so acceptance and defect notice periods should be defined. Price, invoicing and VAT. The fee, payment days, late payment interest, and whether the price is exclusive of value added tax (KDV). Address the currency in light of Turkish foreign exchange rules. Term and termination. Fixed or rolling, notice period and termination for breach. Note that the Code of Obligations allows a client to terminate a work contract before completion against compensation, so address this expressly. Liability. A liability cap and exclusion of indirect loss. Mandatory law limits how far liability for gross fault can be excluded, so keep the clause within what the Code allows. Intellectual property. State who owns deliverables and whether rights are assigned or licensed, because they do not pass automatically on payment. Confidentiality. A confidentiality clause supported by the Code of Obligations duty of loyalty and, for registered businesses, unfair competition rules in the Turkish Commercial Code. Governing law and disputes. Turkish law and a chosen forum, the competent Turkish courts or arbitration, for example under the Istanbul Arbitration Centre (ISTAC). ## A simple service agreement structure you can adapt 1. Parties and tax numbers.

2. Definitions and the Code of Obligations category (work or service).
3. Scope, deliverables and acceptance.
4. Charges, invoicing, VAT, currency and interest.
5. Term and termination.
6. Intellectual property.
7. Confidentiality and data protection.
8. Warranties and limitation of liability.
9. Force majeure.
10. Governing law (Turkish) and disputes.
11. Signatures. This is a starting point, not legal advice. For high value or cross border services, have a Turkish lawyer review it, particularly the currency and defect liability clauses. ## Points that catch people out The first is the currency rule. Turkish foreign exchange regulation requires certain contracts between Turkish residents to be priced and paid in Turkish lira, with exceptions, so a foreign currency price can be unenforceable in part. Check the current rules before fixing the currency. The second is defect liability in work contracts. The Code of Obligations gives the client rights where the result is defective, with notice periods, so both parties should define acceptance and the defect window clearly rather than rely on the default. The third is the line between a service agreement and employment. If an individual provides services under the client's direction and control, over fixed hours and integrated into the business, a Turkish court can find an employment relationship with Labour Law protections, regardless of the label. Keep a genuine services engagement independent in substance. ## Keeping the agreement and everything after it in one place Signing the service agreement is the easy part. After that someone must track the renewal and notice dates, remember the acceptance and defect terms, find the right version in a dispute, and reread the liability and IP clauses when the relationship changes. Across inboxes and drives, that is how renewals get missed and old drafts get argued over. The idea worth keeping is that drafting a contract, checking it for risky clauses, editing it in plain language, and tracking its dates and obligations are one connected job, and it is far easier when it all lives in one place. That single workspace idea is what Adira is built around for business contracts. Adira is India first today, with other jurisdictions on its roadmap, so for Turkey specific points such as foreign exchange currency rules or defect liability you would confirm the detail with Turkish counsel. The direction holds anywhere: a service agreement you can trust is one that stays in one place, in step, with its dates in view.