TAKIL and TAKAL: Which .tr Domain Names Are Restricted?

What are TAKIL and TAKAL for .tr domain names?

TAKIL and TAKAL are two name lists that Turkey's telecom regulator BTK keeps for ".tr" domains. TAKAL, the list of names closed to allocation, covers names nobody can register for reasons such as public order or morality. TAKIL, the list of restricted names, covers names only eligible parties can register, usually with documents.

In short, TAKAL means "no one gets this name", while TAKIL means "not everyone gets this name". Both lists run through TRABİS, the central .tr registry system. So when your registrar submits an application, the system checks the name against both lists. If there is a match, it shows a warning.

We are Talha Aslan and team, a digital marketing and web team based in Istanbul. However, we are not a domain registrar and we do not give legal advice. Instead, this guide relies on primary sources only. These are the Internet Domain Names Communiqué from BTK, the restricted names procedure approved by the Turkish ICT Board, and the official TRABİS help pages. We did not guess any step that those texts leave out.

What is TRABİS and who controls the lists?

TRABİS stands for the ".tr" Network Information System. The Internet Domain Names Communiqué describes it as the system that runs the central .tr database. It also maintains the public directory and processes applications in real time. The Information and Communication Technologies Authority of Turkey, known as BTK, operates it.

Before TRABİS, Nic.tr at Middle East Technical University managed .tr names. The transitional articles of the Communiqué cover that handover. Today you do not apply to TRABİS directly. Instead, you pick one of the accredited registrars that BTK lists on trabis.gov.tr.

As for the lists themselves, authority sits with BTK. Article 34 of the Communiqué says the Authority updates both lists when necessary. Therefore a registrar or a hosting company cannot add or remove a name; only the regulator can. You can find the full legal framework on BTK's domain names legislation page.

What does TAKAL, the closed names list, cover?

Article 34 of the Communiqué defines TAKAL clearly. It holds names that conflict with legislation, public order, national security, general morality, health or safety. The official TRABİS help page sums it up the same way: names refused for reasons such as public order and general morality.

In practice, the key point is simple. You cannot unlock a TAKAL name with paperwork. The official TRABİS answer is clear: if you get a TAKAL warning for a name, you cannot apply for it.

There is also a structural use. Article 28 of the Communiqué covers a future case. If BTK ever opens a new second level such as "a.new.tr", the label itself goes onto the closed list. In other words, TAKAL also protects the structure of the namespace, not only public morals.

That said, we could not find the full list published as a public file in official sources. In practice, you learn whether a name sits on TAKAL from the warning in your registrar's search or order screen.

What does TAKIL, the restricted names list, cover?

The second paragraph of the same article names three sources for TAKIL. First, names that belong to the public because of their historical and cultural value. Second, city names. Third, words such as "bank", "banka", "finans" and "bakanlık" (ministry). BTK restricts these to make fake financial and government domains harder to obtain.

Unlike TAKAL, a TAKIL name is not banned outright. However, BTK decides who may hold it, under which extension, and with what documents. Those details sit in the Procedures and Principles on Restricted Domain Names, which the ICT Board approved with decision 2020/DK-BTD/345 dated 15 December 2020.

Finally, a quick note on naming. Turkish texts use both "tahsise kısıtlı" and "tahsisi kısıtlı" for the restricted list. They refer to the same thing, and TRABİS uses the short form TAKIL.

What is the difference between TAKIL and TAKAL?

Put simply, the difference is whether the door is open. With TAKAL the door stays shut. With TAKIL the door is open, but there is a checkpoint in front of it. The table below compares both lists with an ordinary name that sits on neither list, based on the official texts.

The last column describes the usual case: registering a plain brand name under an extension like ".com.tr". For example, a company name without a city name or the word "bank" usually falls into that column.

Who can register names like Türkiye, Atatürk or T.C.?

Article 4 of the restricted names procedure answers this directly. The names "Turkiye", "Türkiye", "Ataturk", "Atatürk", "Turk", "Türk", "Türkiye Cumhuriyeti", "Turkiye Cumhuriyeti" and "T.C.", along with their derivatives and similar forms, belong under the ".gov.tr" extension as a rule.

So what happens if a private company wants a ".com.tr" name with one of these words? According to the text, BTK decides by reviewing whether the applicant is eligible and whether the name will serve the public interest. The door is not shut; still, the decision belongs to BTK and approval is not guaranteed.

That matters for international brands entering Turkey. If your local brand name includes "Turk" or "Türkiye", treat the domain as unconfirmed until the review ends. Settle this before you print packaging, signage or launch creative, because a forced rename later costs far more than an early check.

Who can register domains with city or district names?

City names are one of the explicit TAKIL categories. Under the procedure, each province name can go to the governor's office under ".gov.tr". Likewise, each district name can go to the district governor's office under ".gov.tr". If more than one request comes in for the same province or district name, the first come, first served rule applies.

Under other extensions, BTK again reviews applications with province or district names. Specifically, it checks whether the applicant is eligible and whether the name will serve the public interest.

For local businesses this is a real planning factor. For example, a tourism or real estate startup aiming for a ".com.tr" name that is just a city name should not expect automatic approval. On the other hand, your registrar's search screen will show whether a name that combines a city with your brand triggers a warning. Also note that a city in the domain is not a requirement for local visibility. We cover the other selection criteria in our guide on how to choose a domain name for your business.

Why are public institution names and abbreviations restricted?

Paragraph four of Article 4 covers public bodies listed in DETSİS, the central registry of state organizations. It applies to names that contain a body's full name or its widely known abbreviation. As a rule, only the relevant public body can hold such a name.

Put simply, the goal is to make it harder for someone to trick citizens into entering data on a fake government site. The Communiqué gives the same reason for restricting finance and government names, namely to make deceptive domains harder to obtain.

Applications from other parties are not banned. However, BTK decides on eligibility, and the applicant must state the intended use of the domain and add supporting information and documents. So if an NGO, a publication or a software project has a name that resembles a public body's abbreviation, prepare that statement carefully from the start.

Can you register a domain with bank, finance or leasing in it?

You can, but in most cases only licensed institutions get these names. Under the procedure, domains containing the names of investment firms licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) go only to those firms. The same rule covers institutions licensed by the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency (BDDK).

The BDDK categories in the text include:

• Banks.
• Financial leasing, factoring and financing companies.
• Financial holding companies and asset management companies.
• Turkish representative offices of foreign banks.
• Institutions licensed under the Turkish bank card and credit card legislation.

In addition, domains containing "finans", "finance", "finansman", "bank", "banka", "lease", "leasing", "finansalkiralama", "factoring" or "faktoring" go to these institutions as a rule. For everyone else, BTK reviews eligibility case by case. For instance, if an accounting app or a personal finance blog uses "finans" in its name, the application goes through this review.

Which other names can be on the list, and how do you find out?

The last paragraph of Article 4 sets a general rule for any other TAKIL name. In these cases BTK looks at four things: the applicant's eligibility, the intended use of the domain, whether it will serve the public interest, and under which extension it can go.

In other words, the official texts do not list every TAKIL word, and BTK can update the list when needed. That is why we do not recommend relying on third party compilations of "banned words". The reliable check is to search the name at your chosen registrar and see whether a TAKIL or TAKAL warning appears.

If someone already holds the name, our WHOIS lookup tool will show it. According to the Communiqué, the TRABİS directory hides the name and address of individual holders unless they give explicit consent. So you may not always see who owns a domain, but you will usually see that it is taken and when it expires.

How do Turkish characters and spelling variants work?

According to the TRABİS help pages, individuals and companies can register domains with Turkish characters such as ğ, ı, ü, ş, ö and ç. That means you can also secure the Turkish spelling of your brand.

However, Turkish characters are not a way around TAKIL. Look at the examples in the procedure: "Turkiye" and "Türkiye", "Ataturk" and "Atatürk", "Turk" and "Türk" all appear side by side. The text also extends the rule to "derivatives and similar forms" of these names.

So if you plan both an accented and a plain spelling, expect the same review for both. In practice, our team suggests building the main site on the plain spelling and using the accented version as a redirect domain. That way you also reduce typing errors in email addresses and ad copy, especially for audiences outside Turkey.

What should you do after a TAKAL warning?

The short answer: do not push the same name; create an alternative. According to TRABİS, you cannot apply for a name once the system flags it as TAKAL, and documents do not change that.

Here is the order we recommend:

1. Ask your registrar to confirm in writing whether the warning is TAKAL or TAKIL.
2. If it is TAKAL, think of a different name that keeps the brand's meaning, rather than testing spelling variants.
3. Check new candidates for domain availability first, then for trademark conflicts.
4. Secure the final name together with campaign assets, packaging and social media handles.

Why avoid spelling variants? Because the list exists to block a problematic meaning, and a variant with the same meaning may run into the same review. Moreover, a name like that can cause separate trouble in ad platform policy reviews and email deliverability.

How do you apply for a TAKIL domain?

The process runs through an accredited registrar. The TRABİS help page says that anyone who wants a TAKIL name can choose one of the registrars listed on the BTK site and apply there. Articles 5 and 7 of the procedure then describe the flow:

1. You choose a registrar listed on trabis.gov.tr.
2. You send your application and documents to the registrar, and the registrar forwards them to TRABİS.
3. BTK reviews the application under the Regulation, the Communiqué and the relevant procedures.
4. If needed, BTK asks you for more information or documents through the registrar.
5. If BTK approves, you receive the domain, and the registrar informs you.

We make no promises on timing here, because the official texts give no day count for TAKIL reviews. Plan accordingly: for a project with a fixed launch date, building the main domain around a TAKIL name is a risk.

Which documents does a TAKIL application need?

The documents depend on which TAKIL category the name falls into. Article 6 of the procedure describes three cases.

• Names like Türkiye or Atatürk, province and district names under ".gov.tr", and public body names follow a separate procedure. You then supply the documents it sets for that extension.
• SPK and BDDK licensed institutions supply their operating license, a domain request letter signed by an authorized person, and proof of that person's signing authority.
• Province or district names under other extensions and finance keywords need a statement of intended use. This also covers public body names that other parties request, plus supporting documents.

Article 8 adds a practical point. If the relevant information can reach TRABİS electronically and BTK can verify it, BTK may not ask for the documents at all. Your registrar can tell you which documents your specific case needs.

What happens if BTK rejects or later cancels the domain?

A rejection is not the end. According to Article 7, if BTK does not approve an application, it sends the reason and the missing items to the registrar through TRABİS. The registrar then informs you. You can then fix the gaps and apply again.

The reverse case is stricter. Under Article 8, if BTK finds that a TAKIL name went to a party that is not eligible, it informs the parties and cancels the domain. So an approval does not guarantee that the name stays with you forever.

For site owners this is a concrete risk. If you have tied SEO work, ad accounts, business email and an SSL certificate to a domain, a cancellation hits all of them. We explain how email depends on the domain in our business email with a custom domain guide. Also, the certificate side sits in our SSL certificate guide.

How do document based .tr extensions relate to TAKIL and TAKAL?

These are two separate layers, and people often mix them up. Whether documents apply depends on the extension. TAKIL and TAKAL, by contrast, depend on the name itself.

According to the TRABİS page on document based allocation, the extensions that need documents are ".av.tr", ".bel.tr", ".dr.tr", ".edu.tr", ".gov.tr", ".k12.tr", ".kep.tr", ".pol.tr" and ".tsk.tr". The TRABİS help pages list ".com.tr", ".org.tr", ".net.tr", ".web.tr", ".gen.tr", ".tel.tr", ".name.tr", ".biz.tr", ".tv.tr", ".info.tr" and ".bbs.tr" as extensions without document requirements, allocated on a first come, first served basis.

So even under ".com.tr", a TAKIL match can trigger a document request, and a TAKAL match blocks the name. Conversely, under an extension like ".av.tr", you still provide that extension's documents even if your name sits on neither list. See the TRABİS page on document based allocation for details.

Do these rules affect transfers, ownership changes and renewals?

TAKIL and TAKAL apply at allocation. Still, it helps to know the rules that apply afterwards. The Communiqué sets out the following points:

• To change registrars, you use an authorization code that TRABİS creates for each domain.
• TRABİS rejects a transfer request within sixty days of the first allocation or of the previous transfer.
• Transfers, sales and ownership changes do not change the domain's allocation period.
• An ownership change needs proof such as inheritance, a merger or the transfer of trademark rights.
• During a dispute, the domain stays frozen; you cannot edit or transfer it, but you can renew it.

The practical link to TAKIL is this. If you plan to take over a restricted name, the safest assumption is that the new holder must also be eligible for it. The official texts do not address this case directly, so get a firm answer from your registrar or from BTK.

How should TAKIL and TAKAL shape your brand and project naming?

A common and costly mistake in brand and web projects is testing the domain only after the logo, signage and print work are done. TAKIL and TAKAL show why that order is backwards.

We suggest this check sequence:

• Search the name at a registrar under ".com.tr" and any other target extension, and look for a TAKIL or TAKAL warning.
• If the name includes a city, "Turk", "bank" or "finance", add review time to the schedule.
• Run a first screen with our trademark search tool and our trademark class finder.
• Check that social handles and short domain alternatives are free.

This check does not replace a formal trademark search; it only gives you an early filter. Once the name is final, our brand identity service can help you build the visual identity around it.

When should you not handle this yourself?

For an ordinary name under an extension without document requirements, you do not need anyone; the registrar's screen is enough. In some cases, however, it is better to hand the process to specialists.

For example, if your application relates to an SPK or BDDK license, your legal or compliance team should prepare the documents. Likewise, a ".gov.tr" application for a public body goes through that body's IT unit and its official correspondence process. If a cancellation, ownership change or dispute is involved, talk to a lawyer; this article is not legal advice.

Our role usually comes next: once the domain is final, we build the site, set up DNS and hosting correctly, and plan search visibility. We handle these steps as part of our web design service. To check DNS records yourself, try our DNS lookup tool.

What are the most common myths about TAKIL and TAKAL?

Here are the most common wrong assumptions, set against what the official texts say.

• "I can get a TAKAL name with documents." You cannot; TRABİS does not accept applications for these names.
• "A TAKIL name is banned." It is not; the right party can get it under the right extension with the right documents.
• "The lists never change." They can; the Communiqué lets BTK update them when needed.
• "Once approved, the name is mine for good." BTK can cancel a TAKIL name that went to an ineligible party.
• "Extensions without document rules have no limits." If the name is on TAKIL, BTK review still applies.

One more mix up comes up often. Domain registration and hosting are separate services, so changing your host does not change your domain's allocation status. We cover hosting criteria in our guide on how to choose web hosting.

Why does TAKIL matter for ecommerce and corporate sites?

In ecommerce, the domain carries your checkout page, shipping notifications and invoice emails. As a result, any uncertainty around the domain affects every customer touchpoint, not only the homepage.

For example, an installment sales startup with "finance" or "leasing" in its name might file payment provider applications under that domain before the TAKIL review ends. If the review fails, it then has to redo many of those applications. Similarly, a local store built around a city name has to redo signage and vehicle graphics if it cannot get the domain.

That is why we put the domain check in the first week of ecommerce projects. We list other launch essentials in our ecommerce website starter checklist.

Where can you follow the official sources?

For administrative rules like TAKIL and TAKAL, the binding source is always the current legal text. You can read the Internet Domain Names Communiqué with all amendments on Turkey's official legislation portal. The Communiqué has changed several times through amendments in the Official Gazette, so check the current version rather than a quote in an old blog post.

We recommend following these three sources:

• BTK's domain names legislation page, for the Regulation, the Communiqué and Board decisions.
• trabis.gov.tr, for the registrar list, document rules and announcements.
• The TRABİS registrar help pages, for short official answers on TAKIL and TAKAL warnings.

Third party articles, ours included, only summarize these texts. When you make a decision, give the final word to the official text and to a written answer from your registrar.

Key takeaways on TAKIL and TAKAL

In short, TAKAL is a closed door, so do not waste time there. TAKIL is a controlled door: the right party can pass with the right extension and documents, but BTK makes the call and gives no time guarantee.

The practical order looks like this. Search the name early and confirm the warning type in writing. Then prepare documents and a statement of use if it is TAKIL, or pick a new name if it is TAKAL. Finally, do not commit to a logo, signage or campaign budget before the domain is final. Follow that order and the domain step stops being an obstacle and becomes a solid starting point for your brand in Turkey.