---
title: "Distance sales contracts: legal must-haves in Turkey"
author: "Performetic Ekibi"
url: "https://www.performetic.com/en/blog/distance-sales-contract-turkey-ecommerce-legal-requirements"
published: "2026-04-10T08:00:00.000Z"
updated: "2026-10-05T02:41:59.800Z"
---

# Distance sales contracts: legal must-haves in Turkey

> Any store selling online to consumers in Turkey must, under Law No. 6502 and the Distance Contracts Regulation, give pre-contract information before payment, obtain the consumer's confirmation of it and state clearly that the order creates a payment obligation. Without that confirmation the contract is deemed not formed. Contact and transaction guide sections are also mandatory.

## What must an online store in Turkey legally have?

A store selling online to Turkish consumers must present the pre-contract information form before payment and have the consumer confirm it, provide the distance sales contract in a storable form, show the total price including tax and shipping, confirm the order without delay, and keep "contact" and "transaction guide" sections on the homepage.

> Note: This article explains Turkish rules for brands selling to consumers in Turkey. It is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the texts on mevzuat.gov.tr as of October 2026 (last updated: October 2026). Have your contract templates reviewed by a Turkish lawyer.

These duties come from three main texts: **Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection** (especially Article 48), the **Distance Contracts Regulation** based on it (Official Gazette 27 November 2014, No. 29188), and **Law No. 6563 on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce** with its **Regulation on E-Commerce Intermediary Service Providers and E-Commerce Service Providers** (Official Gazette 29 December 2022, No. 32058).

## What counts as a distance contract?

Under Article 48 of Law No. 6502, a distance contract is concluded without the simultaneous physical presence of seller and consumer, within a system organised for distance selling, using means of distance communication up to and including the moment the contract is concluded. Most consumer orders through your website, app, phone or messaging fall within it.

Article 2 of the Regulation excludes certain areas, including financial services, package tours, residential rentals, gambling and daily consumables delivered regularly to the home by the seller.

## What must the pre-contract information include?

Article 5 of the Regulation requires the consumer to be informed of **all** of the following before accepting the contract:

- The main characteristics of the goods or services,
- The seller's name or trade name and MERSİS or tax ID number (and the marketplace's details where relevant),
- Full address, phone and similar contact details, plus any separate complaint channel,
- The total price including all taxes, plus any shipping and delivery charges,
- Delivery or performance time consistent with what your ads promised, and complaint handling methods,
- The conditions, period and procedure of the right of withdrawal and **the carrier designated for returns**,
- The address, fax or email for withdrawal notices,
- Where withdrawal does not apply, information on that,
- That disputes can go to consumer arbitration committees, or to consumer courts subject to mandatory mediation.

This information forms an integral part of the contract and the burden of proof lies with the seller (Art. 5/2 and 5/6). If additional charges were not disclosed, the consumer does not have to pay them (Art. 5/3).

## How and where must it be shown?

Article 6 sets the format: at least **12-point size**, in clear, plain and legible language, in writing or on a durable medium. For online sales, in addition:

- Main characteristics, total price, withdrawal information and withdrawal exceptions must be shown together **immediately before the consumer commits to pay**,
- Any delivery restrictions and accepted payment methods must be stated **before the order is placed** at the latest.

Article 7 has a sharp consequence: the seller must ensure the consumer **confirms** having received the pre-contract information; otherwise **the contract is deemed not to have been formed**. A mandatory, unticked checkbox at checkout is therefore common. Under Article 8, if the consumer is not clearly told that placing the order means an obligation to pay, they are not bound by the order, so review your payment button wording. For the conversion side of checkout design, see our [checkout optimization guide](/en/blog/checkout-page-optimization-guide).

## Which sections and documents must your site have?

| Section or document | What it must contain | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| "Contact" on the homepage | Trade name, MERSİS number, head office address, KEP, email, phone, brand and professional chamber if any | E-commerce Regulation Art. 5 |
| "Transaction guide" on the homepage | Ordering steps, whether the contract is stored and for how long it is accessible, error-correction tools, alternative dispute resolution if any | E-commerce Regulation Art. 7 |
| Pre-contract information form | Everything listed in Article 5 | Distance Contracts Reg. Arts. 5-7 |
| Distance sales contract | Terms in a form the buyer can store | Law 6563 Art. 3/4, E-commerce Reg. Art. 8 |
| Order confirmation | Confirmation via the site plus at least one of email, SMS or phone | E-commerce Regulation Art. 9 |
| Privacy and personal data texts | Privacy rules applied, KVKK privacy notice | Law 6563 Art. 3, Law 6698 Art. 10 |

## What about the order and payment step?

Article 8 of the E-commerce Regulation and Article 4 of Law No. 6563 require the **total price including taxes and delivery costs** to be clearly visible before payment details are entered. Buyers must also get an order summary and tools such as "undo" to spot and correct input errors before ordering.

Article 19 of the Distance Contracts Regulation matters for upsells: any charge beyond the agreed main price needs the consumer's **separate express consent**. If paid add-ons (gift wrap, extended warranty) were **pre-ticked** and the consumer paid, the amount must be refunded immediately.

## Delivery time and record keeping

- **Delivery:** Under Article 48 of Law No. 6502 and Article 16 of the Regulation, the seller must deliver within the promised time, and except for personalised goods this **cannot exceed thirty days**. If it is exceeded, the consumer may terminate.
- **Impossibility:** If performance becomes impossible, the seller must notify the consumer within three days of learning of it and refund all payments within fourteen days at the latest. The Regulation states that **being out of stock is not impossibility**.
- **Records:** The seller keeps information and documents on withdrawal, information and delivery duties for **three years** (Art. 20). Article 11 of Law No. 6563 requires records of transactions under that law to be kept for **ten years**.

## Pre-launch compliance checklist

1. Make "contact" and "transaction guide" directly reachable from the homepage.
2. Build the pre-contract form with every Article 5 item, filled dynamically with order data.
3. Show main characteristics, total price and withdrawal information together right before payment.
4. Collect confirmation with a mandatory, unticked checkbox and log it.
5. Make sure the payment button clearly expresses the obligation to pay.
6. Email the pre-contract information and contract after the order (durable medium).
7. Never pre-select paid options.
8. Keep delivery promises consistent across ads, product pages and the pre-contract form.

How flexibly your platform handles these fields is one of the criteria in our [Shopify vs WooCommerce vs ikas guide](/en/blog/shopify-vs-woocommerce-vs-ikas).

Scaling ad spend is far safer on a store with solid legal foundations. When you are ready, request a free growth analysis via our [contact page](/en/contact) and plan the advertising and conversion side with the Performetic team.

## Key takeaways

- Pre-contract information must include **every** item in Article 5 of the Distance Contracts Regulation, in at least 12-point text.
- Without the consumer's **confirmation**, the contract is deemed not formed.
- The total price, including tax and shipping, must be shown **before payment details are entered**.
- "Contact" and "transaction guide" sections on the homepage are mandatory.
- Paid add-ons cannot be pre-ticked.
- Delivery may not exceed 30 days; being out of stock is not impossibility.
- Keep transaction records for at least three years, and Law 6563 records for ten.

## FAQ

### Is the pre-contract information form the same as the distance sales contract?

No. Pre-contract information is given before the contract is formed, covers the items in Article 5 of the Turkish Distance Contracts Regulation and must be confirmed by the consumer. The distance sales contract is the concluded contract itself. Because the Regulation treats the pre-contract information as an integral part of the contract, the two texts must match.

### What happens if I take orders without the confirmation checkbox?

Under Article 7 of the Regulation, the seller must ensure the consumer confirms having received the pre-contract information; otherwise the contract is deemed not formed. Make confirmation a mandatory step before payment and keep a record of it, because the burden of proof is on the seller.

### Can I add the shipping fee later in the checkout?

The total price, including taxes and delivery costs, must be clearly shown before payment details are entered. Under Article 5 of the Regulation, a consumer who was not informed of extra charges does not have to pay them. Settle the shipping fee before the payment step at the latest.

### Do these rules apply to foreign brands selling to Turkish consumers?

These are Turkish consumer protection rules for distance contracts with consumers in Turkey. Whether and how they apply to a foreign seller depends on how and where you sell, for example through a Turkish marketplace or your own localised store. A Turkish lawyer can confirm your position before launch.

## Sources

- [Distance Contracts Regulation (mevzuat.gov.tr, Turkish)](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=20237&MevzuatTur=7&MevzuatTertip=5)
- [Law No. 6502 on Consumer Protection (Turkish)](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=6502&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5)
- [Regulation on E-Commerce Intermediary Service Providers and E-Commerce Service Providers (Turkish)](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=39927&MevzuatTur=7&MevzuatTertip=5)
- [Law No. 6563 on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce (Turkish)](https://www.mevzuat.gov.tr/mevzuat?MevzuatNo=6563&MevzuatTur=1&MevzuatTertip=5)