Short answer: In 2026 the lowest monthly fee a certified public accountant in Ankara may charge is 3,593 TL for a sole proprietorship keeping a business ledger with no employees, and 7,985 TL for the smallest company keeping balance-sheet books. Amounts are monthly and include VAT; no separate fee is charged for signing tax returns. The actual fee rises above this floor depending on the type of books, the number of employees and the monthly volume of documents.
“How much does an accountant charge in Ankara?” is one of the first questions we hear at our office. The answer does not depend on who you ask, because accounting fees have a legal floor. Every year the Ministry of Treasury and Finance publishes a minimum fee tariff for certified public accountants (SMMM) in the Official Gazette. The 2026 tariff was published in the Official Gazette of 17 December 2025 and took effect on 1 January 2026. Ankara is in the first group of provinces in this tariff.
In this article we set out the 2026 figures for Ankara in tables, explain what increases or reduces the fee, and list what to check when you collect quotes.
The 2026 Ankara accounting fee tariff
For sole proprietorships and self-employed professionals the tariff depends on two things: whether you employ staff and which type of books you keep. The amounts below come from the 2026 table published by the Ankara Chamber of Certified Public Accountants.
| Type of books | No employees (monthly) | With employees (monthly) |
|---|---|---|
| Business ledger (tradespeople, couriers, small retail) | 3,593 TL | 4,791 TL |
| Professional income ledger (doctors, lawyers, developers etc.) | 4,492 TL | 5,989 TL |
| Balance-sheet basis (most limited and joint-stock companies) | From 7,985 TL | Rises with scale |
The tariff amounts are minimums. An accountant may not agree to a fee below them, and there is no upper limit. Offers such as “accounting for 1,500 TL a month” either breach the tariff or leave out a significant part of the service.
How are fees set for balance-sheet companies?
Limited and joint-stock companies generally keep books on a balance-sheet basis. For these companies the fee depends on two measures: the size group of the business (micro, small, medium, large) and the monthly size of the e-ledger file. The bigger the ledger, meaning the more invoices and transactions in a month, the higher the fee.
| Business group | 0–12 MB | 12–24 MB | 24–36 MB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro (group 1) | 7,985 TL | 9,982 TL | 11,978 TL |
| Micro (group 2) | 8,784 TL | 10,980 TL | 13,176 TL |
| Small (group 5) | 11,179 TL | 13,974 TL | 16,769 TL |
| Medium (group 8) | 13,575 TL | 16,969 TL | 20,362 TL |
A newly formed limited company with a few employees that issues a few dozen invoices a month usually falls in the first row. Companies that sell heavily on marketplaces or process many purchase invoices see their ledger grow quickly, and the fee rises with it.
Source: 2026 SMMM minimum fee tariff, Ankara table (Official Gazette, 17.12.2025, issue 33110). Amounts are monthly and include VAT.
What increases or reduces the fee
The notes to the tariff contain several rules that change the fee even for the same type of books. Knowing them makes comparing quotes easier:
- 25% discount: Companies on a balance-sheet basis with no insured employees get a 25% discount on the bookkeeping fee.
- 50% discount for the first two years: Taxpayers who start keeping books under the real (gerçek usul) method for the first time in 2026, and those moved from the simplified method to the real method, pay half the fee for the first two years.
- 25% surcharge: Bookkeeping and tax return fees are 25% higher for businesses that apply inflation adjustment.
- Number of employees: Payroll, social security (SGK) filings and hiring or leaving notifications add workload. For larger teams, payroll is usually priced separately.
- Additional services: VAT refunds, incentive applications, support during tax audits, company changes and advisory hours may fall outside the monthly fee.
Fees for company formation and one-off transactions
Besides the monthly fee, the tariff sets a separate one-off minimum for certain transactions. If you plan to form a company, add these items to your budget. Fees, notary and trade registry costs are not included in these amounts.
| Transaction | 2026 minimum fee |
|---|---|
| Sole proprietorship formation (no staff / with staff) | 2,240 TL / 2,900 TL |
| Ordinary partnership formation | 3,990 TL |
| Limited company formation | 9,090 TL |
| Joint-stock company formation | 11,230 TL |
| Change of address | 4,540 TL |
| Share transfer | 5,330 TL |
We cover the steps and documents for forming a company in our guide to company formation in Ankara, and which type suits you in sole proprietorship or limited company.
Monthly accounting cost in three examples
To make the figures concrete, take three types of business we often see in Ankara. The amounts are the 2026 tariff floors; an actual quote may differ with document volume and additional services.
- A motorcycle courier working through a platform: No employees, keeps a business ledger. The floor is 3,593 TL; if they became a taxpayer for the first time in 2026, the 50% discount can bring it down to 1,797 TL for the first two years. See our courier sole proprietorship guide for details.
- A dentist with a practice in Kızılay: Employs one assistant and keeps a professional income ledger. The floor is 5,989 TL; payroll for a single employee is covered by this fee.
- A new software company with three partners: A limited company with two employees issuing a few dozen invoices a month. It starts at 7,985 TL in the first row of the micro group and may qualify for the first-two-years discount.
Even in the same city and the same year, the range is wide. That is why it is more reliable to check which row of the tariff your business falls into than to rely on a single “average accounting fee” you see online.
Why a cheap quote can turn out expensive
Comparing accounting fees on the monthly figure alone is misleading. The real cost comes from a missed filing, miscalculated VAT or an incentive nobody noticed. The penalty and late-payment interest on a single late tax return often exceed several months of accounting fees. You can see how much late-payment interest can add up to with our late interest calculator.
To judge whether a quote is really cheap, ask three questions: Which returns does the monthly fee include? Up to how many employees are payroll and SGK covered? Is support for a letter from the tax office or an audit charged extra? The answers should be in a written service agreement.
What to check when collecting quotes
- Ask which row of the tariff the quote is based on, and check that your type of books and employee status are correct.
- Get the services covered by the monthly fee listed item by item: VAT, withholding, provisional tax, annual return, Ba-Bs forms, e-ledger certificates.
- Ask for a list of services charged extra; it is the easiest way to avoid surprises.
- Agree how you will send documents, and who will reply to you, through which channel and how quickly.
- Verify the accountant’s licence on TÜRMOB’s member lookup page.
We collected the questions to ask in how to choose an accountant in Ankara. If you are unhappy with your current accountant, our guide to switching accountants explains how to move without disruption.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the monthly accounting fee in Ankara in 2026?
Under the 2026 tariff it is at least 3,593 TL for a business ledger with no employees, at least 4,492 TL for a professional income ledger, and at least 7,985 TL for the smallest company on a balance-sheet basis. Amounts are monthly and include VAT.
Can an accountant charge less than the tariff?
No. The minimum fee tariff is binding on accountants; a fee below it cannot be agreed. Very low quotes usually mean some services have been left out.
Do I pay extra for tax returns?
Taxpayers whose books are kept by a certified public accountant do not pay a separate signing fee for VAT, withholding and income or corporate tax returns. These returns are included in the monthly bookkeeping fee.
Why is accounting more expensive for a limited company?
Limited companies keep double-entry books on a balance-sheet basis and have additional obligations such as the e-ledger and provisional tax. That is why the tariff floor is roughly twice that of a business ledger.
Is there a discount for a newly formed company?
Yes. For those who start keeping books under the real method for the first time in 2026, tariff fees are 50% lower for the first two years. Balance-sheet businesses with no employees also get a 25% discount.
Summary
In Ankara, the accounting fee is not a free price set by bargaining but a service fee built on a floor published in the Official Gazette. In 2026 that floor starts at 3,593 TL for a business ledger and 7,985 TL for balance-sheet bookkeeping. When comparing quotes, look less at the figure and more at the scope, how communication works and whether responsibilities are defined in writing.
If you would like to know which row of the tariff your business falls into and what your monthly fee would be, get in touch; we will share a fixed monthly fee in writing, at our office in Kızılay or in an online meeting.
The amounts in this article apply to 2026. The tariff is renewed every year, and we will update this article when the 2027 figures are published.
