New Rules on Instalment Sales: The 12-Month Limit and the Periods in Force

With the amendment published in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) dated October 15, 2026, the provision setting a general 12-month upper limit in the regulation has been changed with respect to instalment sales of goods and services other than housing by retail businesses, and the power to determine instalment periods and to introduce additional restrictions has been given to the Ministry of Trade (Ticaret Bakanlığı). However, this amendment does not mean that unlimited instalments can be offered on purchases. In the implementation table announced by the Ministry of Trade on the same day, the general maximum instalment period is still shown as 12 months, and special periods have been set for various goods and services.

What changed in Article 12/B of the Regulation?

The amendment to the Regulation on the Principles and Rules Applicable to Retail Trade, published in the Official Gazette dated August 6, 2016 and numbered 29793, redrafted the first and second paragraphs of its Article 12/B and repealed the third, fourth and fifth paragraphs of that article.

Under the new provision, the Ministry of Trade is authorized to determine instalment periods or to introduce additional restrictions in instalment sales of goods and services other than housing. This power is relevant for transactions that, regardless of whether a negotiable instrument is issued, also cover periods in which, after the sale of goods or services, the debt is spread into instalments or payment is deferred in return for a certain fee.

The decisions to be taken by the Ministry within this scope are to be announced on the Ministry’s website and sent to the higher professional organizations. The amendment entered into force on the date of its publication.

Has the general 12-month limit really been abolished?

Although the general 12-month provision previously written directly into the regulation has been removed, in actual practice there has been no move to unlimited instalments for all products. With an official announcement published on October 15, 2026, the Ministry of Trade announced the periods to be applied to retail instalment methods such as sales against promissory notes (senetli satış) that fall outside the scope of the decisions of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK).

In the table published by the Ministry, the general maximum period for goods and services other than housing is 12 months. Different upper limits apply to special product and service categories. For this reason, the statement “the 12-month instalment limit has been abolished” is liable to be misunderstood when used without taking into account the decisions announced by the Ministry on the same date.

Which instalment periods apply as of October 15, 2026?

The periods below are shown, according to the table in the Ministry of Trade’s official announcement dated October 15, 2026, for retail instalment sales methods other than the credit card, shopping loan and consumer financing methods determined by the BDDK. Since the periods may change if a new Ministry decision is published later, the announcement in force on the transaction date should also be checked.

Note on application: The expression “0 months” in the table indicates that instalments are not permitted in that category. Special periods longer than the general 12-month period are separate exceptions announced by the Ministry for the category concerned.

Does the same change apply to credit card purchases?

No. According to the Ministry of Trade’s statement, the maturity arrangements for sales made through credit cards, shopping loans and consumer financing are determined by BDDK decisions. The Ministry’s table of October 15, on the other hand, concerns retail instalment methods outside these methods, such as sales against promissory notes.

It is therefore not correct for a consumer who wishes to buy a product by credit card to treat the maximum period in the Ministry’s table as the number of instalments that will apply directly to their own card. The type of sale, the means of payment, the product group and the BDDK or Ministry decision in force on the transaction date should be assessed together.

Why is there a separate 40,000 TL threshold for mobile phones?

The Ministry of Trade’s statement dated October 15, 2026 indicated that, in sales of new mobile phones, the threshold amount applied as 20,000 TL has been raised to 40,000 TL, and that the period of 12 months for devices of 40,000 TL or less and the period of 3 months for new mobile phones above that amount have been maintained. For refurbished mobile phones, an option of 12-month maturity with no amount limit was announced.

This arrangement should not be read as meaning that the same instalment limit will apply to all mobile phone financing methods. Depending on the type of financing used, the relevant BDDK decisions should also be examined separately.

What should businesses and consumers pay attention to?

When setting the terms of instalment sales, retail businesses should look not only at the general text of the regulation but also at the decision on instalment periods in force published on the Ministry’s website and at the special legislation to which the payment method used is subject. It is important that these distinctions are shown correctly in sales systems, website statements, product pages and contract texts.

For consumers, the total sale price, the number of instalments, any deferred-payment charge and the financing method used must be explained in an understandable manner before the contract is concluded. The number of instalments under a contract does not change automatically merely because the new regulation has been published; the existing contract terms and the rules in force on the transaction date should be examined separately.

In particular, if a debt is to be spread into instalments or a payment deferred at a later stage, its cost and the applicable legal regime should be assessed separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can instalments now exceed 12 months?

Not automatically for every product. The table in the Ministry’s announcement dated October 15, 2026 sets the general limit at 12 months; longer special periods exist, for example, for domestic travel and accommodation and for certain vehicle groups.

Has the 12-month limit for credit cards been abolished?

This amendment to the regulation did not directly abolish credit card instalment periods. For credit card, shopping loan and consumer financing transactions, the relevant BDDK decisions should be consulted.

How many instalments are possible for refurbished mobile phones?

The Ministry of Trade’s announcement dated October 15, 2026 specified 12 months with no amount limit for instalment sales methods within the Ministry’s remit. Rules specific to the financing method used should be assessed separately.

Where can I follow the new instalment periods?

The announcements on instalment sales by retail businesses to consumers on the Ministry of Trade’s official website and, for credit card/financing transactions, BDDK decisions should be followed. The publication of the regulation in the Official Gazette and the announcement of the Ministry’s subsequent decisions on instalment periods are separate acts.

Relevant provisions of the amending regulation (October 15, 2026)

ARTICLE 1 — The first and second paragraphs of Article 12/B of the Regulation on the Principles and Rules Applicable to Retail Trade, published in the Official Gazette dated August 6, 2016 and numbered 29793, have been amended as follows; the third, fourth and fifth paragraphs of the same article have been repealed.

New 12/B (1) — The Ministry is authorized to take decisions determining instalment periods, or introducing additional restrictions in this regard, in instalment sales of goods and services other than housing carried out with or without the issuance of negotiable instruments, including periods in which, after the sale of goods or services, the debt is spread into instalments or payment is deferred in return for a certain fee.

New 12/B (2) — Decisions taken under the first paragraph are announced on the Ministry’s website and sent to the higher professional organizations.

ARTICLE 2 — This Regulation enters into force on the date of its publication.

ARTICLE 3 — The provisions of this Regulation are executed by the Minister of Trade.

Official sources and scope of this publication

• Official Gazette: October 15, 2026, No. 33401 — Regulation Amending the Regulation on the Principles and Rules Applicable to Retail Trade. Text in the Official Gazette
• Ministry of Trade: Announcement on instalment sales by retail businesses to consumers, October 15, 2026
• Ministry of Trade: Statement on the new arrangement aligned with BDDK decisions, October 15, 2026
• Ministry of Trade: Statement on the amendment to the Regulation on the Principles and Rules Applicable to Retail Trade

This content has been prepared on the basis of official statements accessible on October 18, 2026. Instalment periods may change with subsequent Ministry and BDDK decisions; in particular, the currency of the implementation table should be checked before it is used.