UK articles of association translation into Turkish

Model articles or bespoke articles

The articles of association (şirket ana sözleşmesi, esas sözleşme) are a UK company's constitution: how directors are appointed and decide, how shares are issued and transferred, how meetings are called. Since the Companies Act 2006 most small companies adopt the model articles, a standard text of about 20 pages, sometimes with a few amendments. Older companies and companies with investors have bespoke articles running to 40 or 60 pages, with share classes, pre-emption rights and drag-along provisions. The memorandum of association is now a one-page subscribers' statement and is usually filed together with the articles as the incorporation document.

Turkish registries hold a company's ana sözleşme on file and expect a foreign shareholder to produce the same. Before ordering, check whether your directorate wants the whole text or will accept the pages on directors' powers and share transfers; the difference in notary fees is considerable.

Where a Turkish office asks for the articles

• Trade registry. When a UK company founds a Turkish company or buys shares in one, the directorate checks that the UK company's constitution allows it and who may sign. Foreign documents in the file carry an apostille and a notarised Turkish translation. See setting up a company in Türkiye with UK documents.
• Ticaret Bakanlığı. A branch of a UK company is registered on the basis of the parent's articles, its incorporation certificate and a resolution appointing the branch representative.
• Banks. Corporate account opening in Türkiye for a UK company includes the articles in the KYC file.
• Courts and arbitration. Disputes about a director's authority to bind the company, or about share transfers involving Turkish parties.
• Notaries. A Turkish notary drawing up a power of attorney or signature circular (imza sirküleri) for a UK company reads the articles to see who is authorised.

Certified copy, apostille, Ankara

Order a certified copy of the articles from Companies House; the guidance prices incorporation documents at £44 for the standard service, and the certified copy carries the registrar's certification that the FCDO legalises directly. The e-Apostille at £35 within two working days suits the PDF copy; the paper service is £45. Alternatively a UK solicitor certifies a copy of the current articles and the FCDO apostilles the solicitor's signature, which is quicker where the company has amended its articles recently. We translate the articles, the certification and the apostille as one document; the translator sworn before an Ankara notary signs, the notary binds the translation to a copy of the apostilled articles, and the kaymakamlık apostilles the notarial certificate for £15 when the registry asks. Our guide setting up a company in Türkiye from the UK lists the full document set.

How we translate company constitutions

The text is legal drafting and we treat it as such. Terms of the Companies Act 2006 are matched to the Turkish Commercial Code (Türk Ticaret Kanunu) where a counterpart exists: director to yönetim kurulu üyesi or müdür depending on the company type, ordinary resolution to olağan genel kurul kararı, allotment of shares to pay ihracı. Where there is no counterpart, for example a company secretary or a drag-along right, we keep the English term with a translator's note. Article numbering is preserved so that a Turkish lawyer can cite a clause by the same number. See legal translation for the terminology policy.

Price for a long document

Model articles are about 20 pages of 1,000 characters, £130 at the standard rate; bespoke articles of 40 to 60 pages are £260 to £390. The economy tier cuts 20 per cent in return for double the turnaround, and most clients take it, because the trade registry timetable allows a week. Notarisation adds the Ankara tariff of about £13.50 per page plus £5, so a 20-page set costs roughly £275 more to notarise; an apostille of the translation is £15. No UK VAT is charged. Translation takes 4 to 6 working days at the standard rate, and the notary a further day. The PDF comes by e-mail and the wet-sealed original, which the registry keeps, goes by courier for £30 to the UK or to your adviser in Türkiye. No collection.