Mandatory and Voluntary Mediation in Türkiye 2026

المسافر · Aug 29, 2026

Mandatory and Voluntary Mediation in Türkiye 2026

Arabuluculuk is a legal process in which a registered, impartial mediator helps the parties reach agreement. The mediator does not decide the case or force anyone to accept a settlement.

Discussing documents during a legal consultation

Practical overview

Route	Meaning
Mandatory mediation	A precondition in specified disputes
Voluntary mediation	Agreement to attempt a settlement
Settlement agreement	Its effects must be reviewed before signature

Two different forms of mediation

Mandatory pre-action mediation — dava şartı arabuluculuk: for disputes specified by law, an application must be made before bringing a court claim. A claim filed without completing this prerequisite can be dismissed on procedural grounds.

Voluntary mediation — ihtiyari arabuluculuk: parties agree to use mediation for a private-law dispute involving rights they are legally entitled to dispose of.

Which disputes require mediation?

The principal statutory categories include:

Employee and employer claims, employment payments and compensation, and reinstatement claims.
Certain commercial claims concerning money or compensation.
Consumer disputes to be brought before a consumer court, subject to statutory exceptions.
Tenancy disputes, apart from specified enforcement eviction procedures.
Partition of movable or immovable property and termination of co-ownership.
Condominium and neighbour-law disputes.

The label of a dispute is not enough: the remedy sought, parties and nature of the contract can change the analysis.

The 2026 consumer threshold

For 2026, consumer disputes below TRY 186,000 fall within the consumer arbitration committee route rather than an ordinary consumer court claim. At or above that threshold, check whether mandatory mediation applies before proceedings in the consumer court. The Ministry of Trade's official 2026 notice confirms the threshold.

Applying and appointing a mediator

Apply to the courthouse mediation bureau, arabuluculuk bürosu, or to the designated civil court of peace registry where there is no separate bureau. There is no fee simply for submitting the mandatory mediation application.

The bureau appoints a mediator from the official register, although the parties may agree on a particular registered mediator under the rules. Verify the mediator's registration before paying anyone.

What happens next?

The bureau registers the application and appoints the mediator.
The mediator contacts the parties and sends an invitation.
Meetings take place in person or through an appropriate arrangement.
The process ends with agreement or no agreement, and a final record is issued.

Supply accurate contact details for the other party. Errors can delay proceedings or cause a dispute about whether an invitation was properly made.

Limitation periods and other deadlines

The law provides for the suspension of limitation and expiry periods between the mandatory mediation application and the final record. Keep both the registration evidence and final record. Do not assume that every deadline in a separate procedure is covered, or leave filing until the final day without checking the applicable rule.

Organising documents and an online application

Fees in 2026

The Ministry of Justice published the 2026 minimum mediation fee schedule in the Official Gazette on 26 December 2025.

The application to the mandatory mediation bureau is free.
If no agreement is reached, the state covers an initial period under the statutory rules; responsibility for further costs and eventual recovery depends on those rules.
If an agreement is reached, fees are calculated under the tariff and are normally shared equally unless the parties agree otherwise.

Voluntary mediation involves fees and expenses under the tariff and the parties' agreement. Request a clear explanation of the calculation and a receipt.

When a lawyer is useful

A lawyer is not compulsory in every mediation. Advice is particularly valuable where a settlement involves eviction, substantial concessions, a general release, interest or lengthy instalments, transfer of ownership, confidentiality, contractual penalties, employment rights or tax implications. A representative's power of attorney must contain any special authority required for mediation and settlement.

What the agreement should specify

Check the parties' names and identities, dispute, amount or other obligation, payment dates, account and payment method, currency, interest, consequences of delay, costs, mediator's fees, mutual concessions, scope of the release, enforcement arrangements and signatures.

Do not confirm that you have received all your entitlements if payment has not arrived or the scope of the release is unclear.

Enforceability

A mediation agreement may become enforceable under the statutory conditions and procedure. Certain agreements signed by the parties, their lawyers and the mediator can have the force of an enforceable court document without a further endorsement; special categories may require additional checks or approval. Confirm the rule for the actual agreement before signing.

Civil mediation and criminal reconciliation

Civil mediation differs from uzlaştırma, the criminal reconciliation procedure used during investigations or trials for offences covered by the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Common mistakes

Avoid bringing a claim before completing required mediation, ignoring an invitation, giving the wrong address, signing a general release in return for partial payment, failing to keep the final record, assuming the mediator represents either side, paying without a receipt or confusing civil mediation with criminal reconciliation.

Seeking assistance with an application

Records and checks

Document	Purpose
Invitation and file number	Identify the office and appointment
Contracts and calculations	Identify sums and rights claimed
Final record	Record the outcome and next step

Mandatory and Voluntary Mediation in Türkiye 2026

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