Domain Names in Turkey

The single largest source of preventable brand-protection problems in Turkey is the gap between the trademark register and the domain name system. A foreign brand spends years building Turkish recognition, registers a Turkish trademark, then discovers that brandname.com.tr has been parked, monetized, or actively trafficked by a third party who registered it years earlier. Recovery is possible. It requires a Turkish-law-aware approach, command of the TRABIS dispute system, and trademark evidence assembled the way Turkish dispute panels actually want to see it.

At Leo Patent, we coordinate Turkish domain name strategy alongside trademark protection. This guide explains how the .tr namespace is administered under TRABIS, how dispute resolution actually works for .com.tr and the broader .tr family, what foreign brand owners need to do to recover hijacked domains, and how a coordinated trademark plus domain strategy prevents the problem from happening in the first place.

Why Domain Name Strategy in Turkey Matters

The .tr namespace is the Turkish country-code top-level domain (ccTLD). Until 2022, registration was administered by Middle East Technical University (METU/ODTÜ) under the so-called Nic.tr system. Since 14 September 2022, administration has transferred to TRABIS (Türkiye Alan Adı Bilgi Sistemi), the Turkish Internet Domain Registry, operating under the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK).

The transfer changed the rules in important ways:

• .tr direct registrations (without sub-domain such as .com.tr or .org.tr) became available on a first-come-first-served basis after a structured priority application period for prior rights holders.
• Documentary evidence requirements for some sub-domains were liberalized.
• A structured dispute resolution system under accredited dispute resolution service providers (UÇHS, including WIPO) was put in place.

Practical consequences for brand owners:

• A trademark registration in Turkey does not automatically reserve the matching .com.tr or .tr domain. Domain names must be registered separately.
• Bad-faith registrations of brand names in the .tr namespace are common. Recovery is possible but requires a structured dispute filing.
• Customs, e-commerce platform takedowns, and online enforcement strategies in Turkey rely on coordinated trademark, copyright, and domain rights.
• The .tr namespace operates independently from .com, .net, and gTLD disputes (which proceed under ICANN UDRP via WIPO and other accredited providers). A Turkish brand owner often needs a coordinated strategy across both.

Why Choose Leo Patent

Leo Patent is a Turkish intellectual property firm built around one principle: the trademark and patent attorney who advises you is the same person who answers your emails. No call centers. No outsourced advice.

The firm is led by Burak Unal, a registered Turkish Patent Attorney (Registration No. 1677) and registered Turkish Trademark Attorney (Registration No. 2900), licensed to represent clients directly before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT). Burak Unal is authorized to act before TÜRKPATENT on the trademark side, which is the legal foundation of any domain dispute. TRABIS administration, BTK regulatory matters, and dispute proceedings before accredited UÇHS providers (including WIPO) are not TÜRKPATENT matters. For these, Leo Patent works with our co-owner Mr. Kaan Karanfiloglu and a network of vetted authorized partner firms accredited for the relevant procedure.

Leo Patent is co-owned by Mr. Kaan Karanfiloglu, a senior Turkish lawyer and registered trademark attorney. Kaan Karanfiloglu is admitted to the Istanbul Bar Association (Registration No. 58270) and the Union of Turkish Bar Associations (Registration No. 133074). Domain dispute filings, court enforcement against cybersquatters, and BTK regulatory matters are handled in-house through Mr. Kaan Karanfiloglu and accredited partners.

What clients consistently tell us they value:

• Trademark and domain coordinated. A weak trademark base produces a weak domain dispute. We strengthen the trademark side first, then file the dispute.
• One firm for the whole picture. Turkish trademark prosecution, domain dispute filings, related litigation, and customs enforcement coordinated under a single engagement.
• Fluent English correspondence, with Turkish-language filings handled internally.
• Transparent flat fees for dispute filings and routine domain work.
• Same-day response on working days across EU, UK, US, and Gulf time zones.

About Burak Unal, Turkish Patent and Trademark Attorney

Burak Unal is a trademark attorney and patent attorney at Leo Patent. He graduated from Boğaziçi University in 2016 with a degree in Business Management, and went on to complete an MSc in Finance at the London School of Economics.

• Patent Attorney Registration No.: 1677
• Trademark Attorney Registration No.: 2900
• Trademark and Patent Attorney Practice: Registered before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT)
• Languages: Turkish (native), English (professional), French (professional), Chinese (professional)

Burak Unal handles the trademark-side of Turkish domain strategy: the underlying Turkish trademark registration, the prior-rights assessment, the evidence base for confusing similarity, the trademark portfolio coordination supporting domain dispute filings. He is authorized to act before TÜRKPATENT in Turkey. TRABIS proceedings, BTK matters, dispute filings before accredited UÇHS providers, and court enforcement are handled by our co-owner Mr. Kaan Karanfiloglu and authorized partner firms, with Burak Unal coordinating the trademark evidence side.

He serves foreign brand owners entering Turkey, Turkish brand owners protecting domain real estate, and acquirers post-deal cleaning up inherited domain portfolios.

The .tr Namespace: Sub-Domains and What They Mean

TRABIS administers the entire .tr namespace. Some sub-domains carry sector-specific eligibility rules; others are open. Common categories:

For most international brand owners, the priority is .com.tr (the dominant Turkish commercial domain by recognition) and .tr direct (the highest-value short form available since 2022).

Domain Registration in the .tr Namespace

Registration Mechanism

Registration is processed through accredited TRABIS registrars (TRABIS-yetkili kayıt operatörleri), which are commercial registrars accredited by BTK. The applicant chooses an accredited registrar, submits the application electronically, and receives the domain on the registrar’s confirmation. Registration terms range from 1 to 5 years, renewable.

Eligibility and Documentation

Since the TRABIS transition, eligibility documentation requirements have been simplified for most open sub-domains. Restricted sub-domains (.gov.tr, .edu.tr, .k12.tr, .pol.tr, .av.tr, .dr.tr, .tel.tr) still require sector-specific documentation. For commercial use, .com.tr and .tr direct are the pragmatic targets and require minimal documentation.

Priority Application Period

When TRABIS launched .tr direct registrations in 2022, a structured priority application period allowed prior rights holders (existing .com.tr registrants, registered Turkish trademark holders) to claim the matching .tr direct domain ahead of the open phase. That phase has closed; .tr direct domains are now generally allocated on a first-come-first-served basis among applications filed through accredited registrars.

Renewal and Lapse

Domains must be renewed before expiry. After expiry, a grace period applies before the domain re-enters the available pool. Lapsed domains of valuable brands are a frequent target for opportunistic re-registration, sometimes by the original registrant’s own competitors.

.tr Domain Dispute Resolution: How It Works

The TRABIS Regulation introduced a structured alternative dispute resolution system for the .tr namespace. Disputes are filed before accredited Dispute Resolution Service Providers (Uyuşmazlık Çözüm Hizmet Sağlayıcısı, or UÇHS). WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is among the accredited providers.

Substantive Test

To succeed in a .tr domain dispute, the complainant must show, broadly along ICANN UDRP lines:

• The disputed domain name is identical or confusingly similar to a sign in which the complainant has a right (most commonly a registered Turkish trademark, but other prior rights are accepted).
• The respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the disputed domain.
• The disputed domain has been registered or is being used in bad faith.

All three elements must be established. The test is closely modeled on the well-established UDRP framework, with adaptations for Turkish law and language.

Procedure and Timing

• Language. Filings are typically in Turkish. Some accredited providers accept English in defined circumstances.
• Timeline. From filing to decision typically takes 30 to 60 days.
• Cost. Official UÇHS service fees plus trademark and patent attorney fees. Significantly cheaper and faster than court litigation.
• Decision. A panel decision can transfer the domain to the complainant, cancel the registration, or reject the complaint.
• Appeal. Either party can challenge the decision in court within the regulatory deadline.

Evidence

Strong dispute filings rely on:

• A registered Turkish trademark in the brand name. We strengthen the trademark side first where needed.
• Evidence of the brand’s reputation in Turkey (sales, marketing, online presence, prior recognition by Turkish authorities).
• Evidence of bad faith: pay-per-click parking pages, sale offers to the brand owner, redirection to competitors, prior pattern of similar registrations by the respondent, registration timed around the brand’s Turkish entry.
• Evidence that the respondent has no legitimate interest: no actual use, no demonstrable preparation to use, no nickname or trade name corresponding to the domain.

Coordinated Strategy: Trademark Plus Domain

The strongest Turkish brand protection strategy treats trademark and domain as a single workflow.

Before market entry:

• File the Turkish trademark in all relevant Nice classes.
• Register .com.tr and .tr direct in the brand name.
• Register defensive variants and obvious typo-domains where commercially justified.
• Record the trademark with TÜRKPATENT and consider customs recordal.

On detecting an existing third-party registration:

• Confirm the trademark base is strong.
• If trademark is unregistered, file immediately to establish the right.
• Investigate the respondent (commercial activity, prior pattern, identifiable owner).
• Send a measured cease-and-desist where appropriate (handled by our co-owner Mr. Kaan Karanfiloglu).
• File a TRABIS dispute through an accredited UÇHS where C&D fails or is not appropriate.
• For non-.tr domains (.com, .net, .info, country-code TLDs in other markets), file ICANN UDRP through WIPO or another accredited provider, coordinated through partner firms.

Post-recovery:

• Transfer the recovered domain to the brand owner’s account at an accredited registrar.
• Update DNS to neutralize any residual misuse.
• Add the recovered domain to the trademark and customs enforcement watch list.
• Where damage was significant, consider civil action handled by our co-owner Mr. Kaan Karanfiloglu.

Common Mistakes Brand Owners Make in Turkish Domain Strategy

After many years of advising on Turkish brand protection, the most expensive mistakes we see are predictable:

1. Filing the trademark and forgetting the domain. A trademark without a domain leaves an open door. Coordinated registration costs a fraction of a recovery dispute.
2. Treating .com or EU domains as enough. .com and EU TLDs are not substitutes for .com.tr and .tr direct. Turkish consumers and Turkish search engines surface .tr domains.
3. Sending an aggressive cease-and-desist to a sophisticated cybersquatter. Skilled cybersquatters use overly aggressive C&D letters as evidence of harassment. Tone and content matter. We draft these with care.
4. Filing a dispute without trademark backing. Disputes without a registered Turkish trademark (or other strong prior right) are difficult to win. Trademark first, dispute second.
5. Letting valuable domains lapse. Domain expiry is one of the most common ways foreign brand owners lose the .com.tr they should have kept. Calendar discipline.
6. Ignoring the .tr direct registration since 2022. .tr direct is the most valuable short-form Turkish domain. Failing to register it leaves it for someone else.
7. Mixing up TRABIS disputes with ICANN UDRP. .tr disputes go to accredited UÇHS providers under TRABIS rules. .com and gTLD disputes go to ICANN UDRP. The procedures, evidence rules, and panels differ.
8. Not investigating the respondent before filing. Some respondents have plausible legitimate interests. Filing without investigation can produce a losing decision and complicate future strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who administers .tr domain names in Turkey?

Since 14 September 2022, the .tr namespace is administered by TRABIS (Türkiye Alan Adı Bilgi Sistemi), the Turkish Internet Domain Registry, operating under the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK). Registration is processed through accredited TRABIS registrars.

2. Can a foreigner register a .com.tr or .tr domain?

Yes. Since the TRABIS transition, foreign individuals and companies can register most .tr sub-domains, including .com.tr and .tr direct. Some sub-domains (.gov.tr, .edu.tr, .av.tr, .dr.tr, .pol.tr) remain restricted to qualifying entities.

3. What is the difference between .com.tr and .tr direct?

.com.tr is the traditional Turkish commercial sub-domain, established under the Nic.tr system and continued under TRABIS. .tr direct is the shorter, top-level country-code Turkish domain, opened to general registration in 2022 after a priority phase for prior rights holders. Both are commercially valuable; the most-used pattern is to hold both.

4. How do I recover a hijacked .com.tr domain?

Through a dispute filed before an accredited UÇHS (Uyuşmazlık Çözüm Hizmet Sağlayıcısı), including the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center. The complainant must show identity or confusing similarity with a prior right (typically a registered Turkish trademark), absence of legitimate interest in the respondent, and bad-faith registration or use. A successful decision results in transfer or cancellation.

5. How long does a .tr domain dispute take?

Typically 30 to 60 days from filing to decision. Significantly faster than court litigation.

6. How much does a .tr domain dispute cost?

The cost depends on the chosen UÇHS provider, the number of disputed domains, and panel size. As of 2026, a typical single-domain .tr dispute (UÇHS official fees plus trademark and patent attorney fees) falls in the range of EUR 1,500 to 4,000. Leo Patent provides a written quote before filing.

7. Do I need a Turkish trademark to win a .tr domain dispute?

Strongly recommended, although other prior rights (well-known marks, trade names with documented use, EU trademarks with Turkish reputation) can support a complaint. A Turkish trademark registration is the single strongest evidence base. Where the trademark is missing, file it first.

8. Are .tr disputes handled the same way as ICANN UDRP for .com domains?

Substantively similar (the three-element test of identity or confusing similarity, lack of legitimate interest, and bad faith), but procedurally separate. .tr disputes go to UÇHS providers under TRABIS rules. .com and gTLD disputes go to ICANN UDRP through WIPO and other accredited providers. We coordinate both through our network where a brand owner needs parallel filings.

9. Can I appeal a .tr dispute decision?

Yes. Either party can challenge the decision in the Turkish courts within the regulatory deadline. Court litigation handled by our co-owner Mr. Kaan Karanfiloglu.

10. What evidence proves bad faith in a .tr dispute?

Common evidence includes pay-per-click parking pages displaying competitor links, offers to sell the domain to the brand owner at inflated prices, redirection to competitor websites, prior pattern of registering similar third-party brand names, registration timed around the brand’s Turkish market entry or trademark filing, and absence of any legitimate use over an extended period.

11. Can I register a domain that includes someone else’s trademark in Turkey?

Generally no, where the use would constitute infringement, dilution, or bad-faith trafficking. Legitimate use cases (descriptive use, fair criticism, fan sites with no commercial element) are narrow and fact-specific. Risk assessment is part of the consulting work.

12. Should I register defensive variants of my brand?

For high-value brands, yes. Common variants include the Turkish-translated form of the brand, common typo-domains, plural forms, and combinations with descriptive Turkish words (such as brandname-turkiye.com.tr). Defensive registration cost is low compared to dispute or recovery cost.

13. Can I transfer a .tr domain between registrars?

Yes. Transfers between accredited TRABIS registrars are processed through the standard TRABIS transfer mechanism, subject to authorization codes and identity verification. Transfers between holders (assignments) are also processed through TRABIS, typically supported by an underlying assignment agreement.

14. What happens to a .tr domain when its trademark base is invalidated?

A successful trademark invalidation can affect the dispute outcome and the rights underpinning the domain. This is a strategic consideration in cybersquatting cases and acquisition due diligence. Coordinated trademark plus domain advice is essential.

15. Can I register a .tr domain through Leo Patent?

Yes. We coordinate registration through accredited TRABIS registrars on behalf of clients, integrated with the trademark filing strategy. We do not act as the accredited registrar ourselves; the registration goes through an accredited operator with our coordination and oversight.

16. Does Leo Patent handle ICANN UDRP disputes for .com and gTLD domains?

Yes, through coordinated engagement with WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center and accredited partner firms. The trademark evidence side, where a Turkish trademark is part of the evidence base, is handled by Leo Patent directly.

17. What is the role of WIPO in Turkish domain disputes?

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is an accredited UÇHS for the .tr namespace in addition to its long-standing role administering ICANN UDRP for global TLDs. WIPO panels are commonly used for .tr disputes, particularly by international brand owners.

18. Can I monitor third-party .tr registrations of similar names?

Yes. Brand-watch services and registry monitoring can flag new registrations of similar names. We coordinate these as part of an overall Turkish brand protection program.

Protect Your Domain Names in Turkey: Talk to a Registered Turkish IP Firm

If you are a foreign brand owner protecting Turkish domain real estate, a Turkish brand owner consolidating your portfolio, or a rights holder facing a hijacked .com.tr or .tr direct domain, Leo Patent can help. We offer:

• A free initial assessment of your domain question
• A written flat-fee quote covering trademark coordination, registration, and dispute filing
• Direct, English-language correspondence with a registered Turkish patent and trademark attorney
• Coordinated handling of TRABIS registrar work, UÇHS dispute filings, ICANN UDRP for non-.tr disputes, and court enforcement, through our co-owner Mr. Kaan Karanfiloglu and authorized partner firms

Contact Leo Patent today for domain name work in Turkey.

Email: [email protected] Website: www.leopatent.com

Trademark side handled directly before the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT). TRABIS and UÇHS work coordinated through authorized partners.

Important Note: Leo Patent offers trademark and patent attorney services for intellectual property registration and consulting in Turkey. We don’t offer lawyer services.

You can verify our trademark and patent license at TürkPatent at this website https://www.turkpatent.gov.tr/vekil-arastirma. You can type Burak Ünal at the search bar to verify our official license.