Turkey’s Social Security Institution (SGK) has published Circular No. 2026/15, introducing significant changes to the deferral and installment procedure under Article 48 of Law No. 6183. The circular allows social security premium debts to be restructured at a lower interest rate and over a longer term. In this article, we summarize the scope of the regulation, the collateral-free deferral limits, the application requirements, and the final application deadline.
İçindekiler
What Does the Circular Change?
Circular No. 2026/15 introduces three key changes for deferral applications filed between June 16, 2026 and August 31, 2026:
- The maximum deferral term has been extended from 36 to 72 months.
- The collateral-free deferral threshold has been raised from TRY 250,000 to TRY 10,000,000.
- The deferral interest rate has been (temporarily) reduced from 39% to 29%.
Debts Covered by the Circular
The circular covers the following debts relating to periods before June 2026:
- Social security premium debts
- Unemployment insurance premium debts
- Finalized administrative fines
- Late payment penalties and late payment surcharges related to these receivables
Important: Debts relating to July 2026 and later periods are outside the scope of this Circular.
Collateral-Free Deferral
Whether collateral is required depends on the total debt followed by a given SGK unit:
- If the total debt is TRY 10,000,000 or less, no collateral is required.
- If the total debt exceeds TRY 10,000,000, collateral equal to 50% of the excess amount is required.
For example, if a unit’s total tracked debt is TRY 80,000,000, the required collateral is calculated as (80,000,000 – 10,000,000) ÷ 2 = TRY 35,000,000.
The collateral-free calculation is generally made on a provincial basis; however, in Istanbul it is calculated separately for each Social Security Center (SGM). Taxpayers with multiple debts within the same province or SGM are assessed on their combined total debt.
Deferral Term and Graduated Installments
The deferral term is determined based on the debtor’s liquidity ratio. Graduated (step-up) installment plans apply only to deferrals of up to 36 months; for deferrals exceeding 36 months (48, 60, or 72 months), graduated plans are not available and installments are set at equal amounts.
Application Deadline and Required Documents
The final application deadline is August 31, 2026. One of the following documents must be submitted with the application:
- Annex-1 Severe Financial Hardship Report, or
- Annex-1/b Financial Statement Form
If an application is submitted with missing documents, the applicant is asked to complete them; applications not completed in time are rejected. If the same individual is both a self-employed (Bağ-Kur) contributor and an employer, the two types of debt are not evaluated together — each is treated as a separate file. Taxpayers with debts at more than one SGK unit must apply separately to each unit; a single petition cannot cover all units. For applications sent by mail, the date the document is registered with the institution is taken as the reference date.
Deferral Interest Rate and First Installment (Down Payment)
Deferrals finalized by August 31, 2026 are subject to a 29% annual deferral interest rate. The first installment (down payment) must also be paid by this date; otherwise, the reduced 29% rate is lost and the deferral does not take effect.
Effect on Seizure and Enforcement Actions
- Seized assets may serve as collateral under Article 48/5 of Law No. 6183.
- Granting a deferral does not automatically lift existing seizures; as the debtor makes payments, only the seizure amount covering the remaining debt is retained, and any excess seizure may be released.
- Once the first installment is paid, enforcement, seizure, and sale proceedings are suspended, and vehicle capture flags are lifted.
- For assets already in the sale process, the sale is cancelled if the first installment and related costs are paid — though the seizure itself is not lifted.
Missed Installments and Cancellation of the Deferral
Even if 71 out of 72 installments have been paid on time, failure to pay the final installment by its due date will cancel the entire deferral. For this reason, closely tracking the installment schedule is essential.
Other Important Points
- Authority limits valid until August 31, 2026: deferral requests up to TRY 18 million in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, up to TRY 15 million in other metropolitan provinces, and up to TRY 13 million in non-metropolitan provinces are finalized by the relevant SGM/provincial directorates; amounts exceeding these limits are forwarded to central headquarters.
- Debts overdue as of August 31, 2026 may be added to an existing deferral plan if the first two installments have been paid and there are no missed installments; however, these debts cannot benefit from the 29% rate a second time.
- Debts relating to July 2026 and later cannot be added to an existing plan; a separate deferral application may be filed if requested, but the standard (non-reduced) deferral interest rate in force at that time will apply.
- Debts already restructured under law and still in good standing cannot be deferred again under this Circular.
- For transitional periods before June 4, 2026, the standard (previous) interest rates apply.
- Extensions may be requested for existing deferrals: up to 18 additional months for a liquidity ratio between 0.51 and 1.00, and up to 36 additional months for a ratio of 0.50 or below. Within this extension, the portion falling before June 16, 2026 is subject to the previous interest rates, while the portion falling afterward is subject to the 29% deferral interest rate.
Why It Matters
This Circular gives employers and insured individuals with premium debt the opportunity to restructure at a lower interest rate (29%), a higher collateral-free threshold (TRY 10 million), and a longer term (up to 72 months) — while also reducing the risk of seizure and enforcement action. It is important to remember that the deadline for application and first installment payment is August 31, 2026. Since this coincides with the deadline under the General Communiqué on Collection (Series B, No. 20), businesses with both tax and SGK debt should plan both processes together.
At Mete CPA & Auditing, we support you throughout the entire process — from assessing your collateral position and determining the most suitable installment plan, to preparing your application documents and tracking your payments. Contact us to review your situation regarding SGK premium debt deferral.
