Government Support for Kosher Certification in Turkey
Under the Turkish Ministry of Trade's Market Entry Documents Support program, a significant share of accredited certification costs — including kosher certification — can be reimbursed by the government. This page summarizes the scope and how the application generally works.
What is the Market Entry Documents Support program?
Run by the Turkish Ministry of Trade's Directorate General of Exports, this program reimburses exporting companies for a portion of the accredited quality and compliance documents (including audit, testing, and certification fees) needed to enter target markets. Kosher certification can fall within its scope.
Support rate and annual cap
The program typically covers around 50% of eligible costs; the exact rate, annual cap, and covered expense items are periodically updated by the Ministry. We recommend confirming the current terms with the Ministry of Trade's official sources at the time of application.
What expenses can be covered?
- Certification audit fees
- First-year certificate usage fees and renewal fees paid in subsequent years — the support isn't a one-time benefit; you can reapply each time the certificate is renewed
- Required test/analysis report costs
Training, consulting services, and travel expenses are generally outside the scope of the program. To qualify for the support in renewal years, the company generally needs to have actually exported during the validity period of the previous certificate.
How does the application process work?
To benefit from the support, the kosher certification process generally needs to be completed (year one) or the annual renewal needs to have taken place, with the relevant expenses (audit, certificate usage/renewal fees, etc.) documented by invoice. Your company then prepares an application file following the procedure set by the Ministry of Trade, typically within a set window from the date the document was issued. As Türkiye STAR‑K, we help organize the documentation gathered during certification so it's ready for this application — for the initial certification as well as every annual renewal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there government support available for kosher certification?
Yes. Kosher certification obtained from a globally recognized agency such as STAR‑K can fall within the scope of the Turkish Ministry of Trade's Market Entry Documents Support program, which can cover a significant share of eligible costs.
When should I apply for the support?
In general practice, the relevant expenses (audit, certificate usage or renewal fees) need to have been actually paid and documented by invoice. This applies not just to the initial certification but to every annual renewal as well, so the application can be repeated each year.
Let's plan how to use government support alongside your certification process
Tell us about your company and products, and we'll plan the STAR‑K kosher certification process and the government support application together.
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