Websites & online stores for Istanbul businesses

What are the legal obligations for your website or online store in Turkey?

Any online sales activity in Turkey — from a full-fledged online store to a page that displays services and takes orders online — falls under the E-Commerce Regulation Law No. 6563. This law imposes clear disclosure obligations on the "service provider": displaying the full identity of the business (trade name, address, contact details, trade registry number, tax number) in a way that is easily accessible to visitors, as well as providing pre-contractual information about the goods or service, payment and delivery terms, and the right of withdrawal, before completing any sale.

Alongside this, any website — whether an online store or simply a company's informational site — that collects or processes personal data of its visitors or customers (through a contact form, membership account, notifications, or cookies) falls within the scope of Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698 (KVKK). This law requires the "data controller" to fulfill the disclosure obligation (Aydınlatma Yükümlülüğü) toward the data subject: publishing a clear disclosure notice explaining who processes the data, for what purpose, and on what legal basis, regardless of whether the site is an actual store or simply a basic informational website. Being "just a website" does not exempt it from this obligation if it collects any personal data from its visitors.

Important points to know

• An online store that does not disclose the business's identity or the terms of sale as required by Law No. 6563 exposes its owner to regulatory liability, regardless of its sales volume
• Any website that collects personal data without a disclosure notice compliant with KVKK is considered in violation of Law No. 6698, even if the site is simple and does not include an online store or payment system
• These obligations apply to small businesses just as they apply to large ones; the scale of the activity does not exempt it from the commercial disclosure requirement or from the disclosure obligation related to personal data

Frequently asked questions

Does a small online store need to comply with commercial disclosure rules? Yes. E-Commerce Law No. 6563 imposes disclosure obligations regarding the seller's identity and terms of sale on anyone selling goods or services online in Turkey, regardless of the scale of the activity.

Does a simple company informational website need to comply with KVKK even without an online store? Yes, if the site collects any personal data from its visitors — through a contact form, email registration, or cookies — it falls within the scope of Personal Data Protection Law No. 6698, regardless of whether or not it includes an online store.

Is a website built on a ready-made platform exempt from these obligations? No. The legal obligations under Laws No. 6563 and No. 6698 rest with the business owner and the data controller, regardless of the technology or platform used to build or host the website.

Last updated: 2026-09-07