Export proceeds in Türkiye: the 180-day rule, DAB and what to do if the currency has not arrived

A Turkish exporter must bring the money for each shipment into a Turkish bank within 180 days of the actual export date, and the bank must close the export account with a document, the İBKB or the older DAB. This guide explains the rule, the 35 percent sale requirement, and the steps and evidence to use when the buyer has not paid in time.

What the 180-day rule says

Under Article 3 of Communiqué No. 2018-32/48, which implements Decision No. 32 on the Protection of the Value of the Turkish Currency, proceeds of exports made by persons resident in Türkiye must be transferred or brought to the bank that mediated the export, and the period "may not exceed 180 days from the actual export date." The date that counts is the actual export, not the invoice date and not the contract date. The Central Bank Export Circular (İhracat Genelgesi) repeats the rule: Article 4 calls 180 days the maximum period and Article 8 requires the acceptance certificate to be issued within it. Longer periods exist only for defined cases: 365 days for contractor exports abroad, 90 days after the due date where the contract sets payment more than 180 days after export, and special rules for consignment and credit exports (Article 5). Responsibility for timely repatriation lies with the exporter (Article 6).

DAB, İBKB and the 35 percent sale rule

When the currency arrives, the bank links it to the customs declaration and issues the document that closes the export account. The Communiqué calls it the Export Proceeds Acceptance Certificate (İhracat Bedeli Kabul Belgesi, İBKB). The older Foreign Exchange Purchase Document, the DAB (Döviz Alım Belgesi), may still be used while the tracking system is not in operation, and the Circular allows only one of the two to be issued per transaction (Article 30). Separately, Temporary Article 4 of the Circular, as published by the Central Bank, requires at least 35 percent of the proceeds tied to an İBKB or DAB to be sold to the issuing bank, up to 31 January 2027 inclusive. The bank passes the amount to the Central Bank at that day’s buying rate and pays the exporter the full lira equivalent. The percentage has been changed several times, so confirm it with your bank on the day of the transfer.

If the currency has not arrived

First establish why. Ask the buyer for the payment confirmation (an MT103 or equivalent) and ask your bank whether the transfer reached a correspondent or was returned. A payment sent by a third party, in an unexpected currency or without a reference to the export is a common cause of delay; our guide on incoming transfers explains the checks. If the 180 days pass and the export account is still open, the intermediary bank must report it to the tax office within five business days (Communiqué, Article 8). The tax office then sends the exporter a notice giving 90 days to bring the proceeds or to show a ground for extra time. If neither happens, the file can be referred to the public prosecutor. Do not wait for the notice: write to the bank earlier, record every contact with the buyer, and keep the evidence that the delay does not come from your side.

Extensions and force majeure

The Communiqué allows additional time in two situations. For force majeure (Article 9 lists events such as the buyer’s insolvency, strikes, government measures, war, loss of the goods and legal disputes), extensions are granted in six-month periods. For other documented obstacles that are not force majeure, extensions are considered in three-month periods, and longer requests go to the Ministry of Treasury and Finance (Article 8). The evidence matters more than the argument: the sales contract, invoice, customs declaration, correspondence, the claim filed with a court or insurer abroad, and the court or registry documents concerning the buyer. Documents issued abroad normally need a Turkish translation and an apostille or consular legalisation before the Turkish authorities will rely on them. Deductions allowed by Article 7, such as freight, insurance, commission and discount costs up to market rates, reduce the amount to be repatriated and should be declared with proof.

Special cases and a working checklist

Several situations change the picture. Exports to the countries listed in Annex 2 of the Circular are outside the first paragraph of Article 3 of the Communiqué (Circular, Article 4). Under Temporary Article 1, for exports to Ukraine and Russia, proceeds declared in foreign currency may also be accepted in Turkish lira. Certain service, transit and small export transactions up to USD 5,000 or equivalent may be freely used (Article 22). Where the exporter sells the receivable to a bank or factoring company, the Ministry decides who is responsible (Communiqué, Article 6). For each export keep the contract, invoice, customs exit declaration, bank advice, SWIFT message and all correspondence about delay. Review the open export accounts with your bank every month, not at day 170, and ask the bank in writing which documents it needs for an extension before the notice period begins.

Sources

• tcmb.gov.tr — Central Bank of Türkiye: Export Circular (İhracat Genelgesi), Articles 4, 8, 30 and Temporary Article 4
• ms.hmb.gov.tr — Communiqué No. 2018-32/48 on Decision No. 32 (Ministry of Treasury and Finance copy, March 2023 consolidation)
• mevzuat.gov.tr — Law No. 1567 on the Protection of the Value of the Turkish Currency
• alomaliye.com — accountant commentary on the DAB sale rate (secondary source; the Central Bank text prevails)

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