Before launching a large-scale investment in Türkiye, one of the most critical questions is: “Is this investment eligible for an Investment Incentive Certificate—and if so, which incentives can we benefit from?” The reason is straightforward: financing structure, tax burden, the cost of imported machinery and equipment, and cash flow projections can change significantly with a properly designed Investment Incentive Certificate.
As of 2026, the investment incentive framework is implemented under Decision No. 9903 on State Aids for Investments. The backbone of the system is to classify investments based on their type and location (region) and to define differentiated incentive instruments accordingly.
In this article, we address—within a legal and practical framework—what an Investment Incentive Certificate is, how it is obtained, how certificate inquiries are conducted, incentive regions (2026), and the most common issues encountered in practice, particularly under Solar Energy Systems (GES) investment incentives.
What Is an Investment Incentive Certificate?
An Investment Incentive Certificate is an official document enabling an investor to benefit from incentive instruments, provided that the investment satisfies the statutory requirements. These incentives may include VAT exemption, customs duty exemption, tax reductions, employer social security premium support, interest/profit-share support, investment land allocation, and other instruments that can materially reduce the investor’s economic burden. The incentive system and its components are regulated in detail under Decision No. 9903.
Importantly, the certificate does not constitute a standalone “permit to invest.” Separate compliance obligations—such as zoning, environmental and energy regulations, and licensing/permit processes—must be evaluated independently. In many cases, however, an investment’s economic feasibility depends heavily on obtaining the correct certificate and implementing it accurately.
In addition, the Investment Incentive Certificate is not only a one-time application outcome; it is a continuous lifecycle process involving revisions/amendments, time extensions, and completion endorsement (completion certification) throughout the investment period. Proper planning aligned with your company’s objectives is essential to maximizing the benefits available under the incentive regime.
Structure of the Investment Incentive System
Under Decision No. 9903, the incentive system consists of:
- Türkiye’s Century Development Initiative,
- Sectoral Incentive Scheme, and
- Regional incentives.
Within this framework, the scope of available incentives is determined by the investment’s:
- sector (energy, manufacturing, software, etc.),
- characteristics (e.g., technology-focused, green transformation, digital transformation),
- location (incentive regions / potential sub-region advantages),
- scale, and
- any special conditions set out in the legislation.
From a corporate investment planning perspective, the most effective approach is to determine—before finalizing the investment decision—which incentive scheme the project falls under and which expenditures will be included within the certificate scope. This is particularly important for project-finance-heavy investments such as GES, where legal and financial structuring should be handled together.
Which Investments Are Eligible for an Investment Incentive Certificate?
As a general principle, an Investment Incentive Certificate is granted to investments that are considered support-eligible under the legislation and meet the required conditions. In practice, certificates are most commonly issued for:
- Manufacturing investments (capacity increase, modernization, new facilities),
- Energy investments (including renewable energy),
- Storage/logistics investments (subject to eligibility conditions),
- Service investments such as tourism, healthcare, and education (depending on statutory criteria),
- Digital transformation / green transformation-focused investments.
What Is GES (Solar Energy Systems) Investment Incentive Support?
In practice, GES (Solar Energy Systems) incentives typically appear in three main scenarios:
1) GES projects for electricity generation
Whether on land or rooftop, factors such as the project scale, grid connection and “call letter” processes, equipment list (panels, inverters, mounting structures, transformers, cabling, SCADA, etc.), and investment classification directly affect how the certificate is structured.
2) Rooftop / on-site GES investments for self-consumption
For industrial facilities seeking to reduce energy costs, the investment’s link to the main activity, facility capacity, and correct classification of expenditure items become key.
3) GES equipment manufacturing and supply chain investments
For investments in the manufacturing of panels, cells, inverters, cables, mounting structures, energy storage components, etc., the certificate can often be positioned within a more strategic framework depending on the technology and value-added profile of the project.
Critical points when structuring a GES incentive certificate:
- Machinery and equipment list: This is the most “auditable” component of the certificate. Incorrect item descriptions often require revisions later. Moreover, the risk of certain items being treated as out-of-scope may create serious compliance consequences.
- Construction, civil works, and infrastructure items: In GES projects, infrastructure and construction expenditures can represent a substantial portion of total investment. Correct classification is essential.
- Contract suite: EPC contracts, supply agreements, O&M (operation and maintenance), guarantees, liquidated damages, and acceptance criteria also generate risk within incentive implementation.
- Synchronization with permit/licensing processes: Incentive documentation should not be confused with energy-law procedures; however, the timeline and documentation sets must be managed in coordination.
If your objective is to obtain an incentive certificate for a GES investment, it is not sufficient to proceed merely at the “let’s submit an application” level. A holistic review of the investment model, contract structure, expenditure breakdown, and financing helps minimize later revision/non-compliance risks that may materially increase costs. In such projects, legal review often directly impacts financial outcomes. You may contact our specialized team for proper legal due diligence and planning.
What Are the Investment Incentive Regions? (2026)
As of 2026, incentive regions are divided into six regions listed in Annex-2, taking into account provinces’ socio-economic development levels.
Because the province-based classification (which province belongs to which region) is set out in the annexes to the Decision and may change over time, the relevant annex should be reviewed for the planned investment location using the most current version.
From a corporate perspective:
- Region 1: more developed provinces; relatively fewer advantages
- Region 6: the highest intensity of support (particularly advantageous for employment and social security premium supports)
In certain investments—especially within Organized Industrial Zones (OIZs) or Industrial Zones, or under specific conditions—sub-region advantages may apply, enabling an investment to benefit from more favorable support levels. Because these technical distinctions can materially influence site selection, they should be assessed at the very beginning of the project.
If your company is in the site selection stage—particularly for energy and manufacturing projects—an “incentive regions” assessment requires legal risk analysis not only in terms of incentives, but also zoning/permits, infrastructure connections, lease/allocation models, and contractual security packages. Early legal support can help prevent future administrative disputes and ensure the incentive system is applied correctly to your investment structure. For robust analysis and effective legal positioning, you may contact our office.
How to Obtain an Investment Incentive Certificate
Applications for an Investment Incentive Certificate are prepared and evaluated through an electronic process on E-TUYS. Decision No. 9903 defines E-TUYS as a web-based system managed by the General Directorate of Incentive Implementation and Foreign Capital.
A corporate application flow typically includes:
1) Defining the incentive strategy
Clarify investment scope, investment type, site selection, and expenditure items.
2) Authorization and user definitions (E-TUYS readiness)
Establish internal authorizations, e-signature structure, the project team, and representation mechanisms (proxy/authorized representative).
3) Preparing the application file and annexes
Including, for example:
- Investment information form, capacity and technical explanations
- Proforma invoices / quotation letters
- Machinery and equipment lists
- Financing plan and (if applicable) credit structure
- For GES: project-specific documentation (EPC scope, technical specifications of equipment, etc.)
4) Submission and tracking via E-TUYS
Manage requests for additional documents, revisions, and list updates during evaluation.
5) Post-issuance implementation and compliance
Accurately manage import/delivery processes, VAT exemption implementation, revisions, time extensions, and completion endorsement documentation.
Obtaining the certificate is only part of the process; correct implementation is equally critical. Especially in GES investments, if delivery and price breakdowns in EPC/supply contracts are inconsistent with the expenditure items covered by the certificate, substantial corrective work may be required later. If you would like your incentive certificate process to be reviewed together with your project contracts, you may contact our office.
How to Inquire About an Investment Incentive Certificate
One of the most frequently needed operational actions is certificate inquiry. Via e-Government, the Ministry of Industry and Technology – Investment Incentive Certificate Inquiry service allows users to query certificate information of certificate-holding companies.
Additionally, e-Government provides a separate verification screen for confirming domestic machinery and equipment items covered under a certificate.
In practice, inquiries can be made by logging into e-Government and entering the certificate number/ID under the “Investment Incentive Certificate Inquiry” service.
What Is Investment Incentive Consulting?
Investment incentive consulting refers to end-to-end support for structuring the investment in line with the incentive regime, preparing the application file, managing E-TUYS processes, and monitoring implementation—including revisions and completion endorsement.
In corporate projects, consulting typically splits into two tracks:
- Technical/financial consulting: feasibility, machinery lists, proforma management, expenditure classification, E-TUYS operations, etc.
- Legal consulting: contract suite (EPC/supply/O&M), guarantees, representation/proxy structures, land allocation/lease/easements, compliance and audit risk, dispute management in tax/incentive implementation, legal research, and legal risk assessment.
The most costly mistakes in investment incentive projects are usually not outright “application rejections,” but implementation-stage misalignments. Particularly in GES projects, if contract and expenditure breakdowns are not structured correctly, both incentive utilization and audit processes become significantly riskier. For a project-start legal risk assessment, you may contact our specialized law office.
Assessment and Conclusion
As of 2026, an Investment Incentive Certificate is not merely a “support document”; it is a strategic instrument that directly affects the investor’s tax burden, import costs, and financing plan. Since applications are managed through E-TUYS, accurate technical documentation and a properly structured machinery/equipment list are essential. Accordingly, selecting the correct incentive scheme while still in the planning stage reduces the risk of legal issues during later phases such as revisions, time extensions, and completion endorsement.
Especially for GES (Solar Energy Systems) investments, the investment model (self-consumption vs. generation), contract suite (EPC, supply, O&M), separation of expenditure items, and permitting timelines must be handled as one integrated framework. Otherwise, the risk increases that the investment may not fully benefit from the certificate’s advantages, certain expenditures may be deemed out-of-scope, or administrative/tax disputes may arise during implementation. In this context, the choice of incentive region is determinative not only in terms of support rates, but also from an operational and legal infrastructure standpoint.
If you would like to clarify your investment’s incentive scope, properly plan the “how to obtain an Investment Incentive Certificate” process, or conduct inquiry and compliance checks for an existing certificate, we can evaluate your project together with a legal risk assessment at the start of the investment. To place your commercial activities on a robust legal foundation, you may contact our specialized law office.
