What Is the Digital Tax Office? How Is It Used?

Launched on October 7 , 2023, the Digital Tax Office aims to bring together under a single platform the services provided by GİB through different electronic applications. In addition to transferring the services provided through the Interactive Tax Office and Internet Tax Office to the Digital Tax Office, applications such as the Hazır Beyan System (pre-filled returns), Defter-Beyan System (bookkeeping and filing system), and e-Declaration can also be accessed through the platform.

In this respect, the Digital Tax Office is not merely a screen where tax debts can be viewed or payments can be made. Particularly for businesses, it is an important electronic transaction channel that provides centralized access to many GİB services used in tax, accounting, and finance processes.

What Is the Digital Tax Office?

The Digital Tax Office was developed to provide single-point access to services offered electronically by the Revenue Administration, to enable tax-related returns, notifications, correspondence, petitions, and other documents to be submitted electronically, and to allow the results of completed transactions to be tracked electronically.

The system enables individuals, companies and other taxpayers to carry out the tax-related transactions available to them online.

One of the main features of the Digital Tax Office is that it brings together under a common structure electronic services that were previously provided through different GİB applications. In this way, it aims to reduce taxpayers' need to access separate systems for different transactions and to provide more centralized access to electronic tax services.

With the launch of the Digital Tax Office, the process of transferring services provided through the Interactive Tax Office and Internet Tax Office to the new platform according to a specific plan also began. Efforts to transfer services provided electronically by GİB to the Digital Tax Office and to expand the scope of the system are ongoing.

How to Log in to the Digital Tax Office

The Digital Tax Office can be accessed at dijital.gib.gov.tr.

Users can log in to the system:

• With a Turkish Republic ID number, tax identification number, or user code and password,
• Via e-Government.

Passwords previously obtained for the Interactive Tax Office, Internet Tax Office, Book-Declaration System, Ready Declaration System, or e-Notification System can also be used to log in to the Digital Tax Office.

Users who do not have a Digital Tax Office password can obtain one by registering via e-Government. For companies, another matter as important as logging into the system is determining under which user and authorization the transactions are carried out. In businesses where more than one person is involved in tax, accounting, and finance processes, it is important to evaluate user information and access authorizations together with duties and responsibilities.

Who Can Use the Digital Tax Office?

The Digital Tax Office is not intended solely for companies or persons engaged in commercial activities. Individuals, sole proprietorships, companies, and other taxpayers can benefit from the services offered in the system according to their circumstances and authorizations.

The transactions a user can access may vary depending on taxpayer status, transaction type, user authorization, and the conditions of the relevant service.

Furthermore, not every transaction in the Digital Tax Office requires users to log in. Certain quick payment, document verification, and calculation services provided by GİB can also be used without logging into the system.

What Transactions Can Be Performed Through the Digital Tax Office?

The scope of transactions that can be performed through the Digital Tax Office is quite extensive. Depending on the user's taxpayer and authorization status, the following main transactions can be performed through the system:

• Checking and paying tax debts,
• Paying taxes, fees, and certain penalties,
• Submitting petitions and applications,
• Tracking application results,
• Viewing e-Notifications,
• Obtaining certain letters and documents related to taxpayer status,
• Viewing tax assessment (accrual) and payment information,
• Verifying various documents,
• Calculating taxes and late payment surcharges and interest,
• Accessing other GİB electronic applications.

The Digital Tax Office's main screen also includes various services under the headings Quick Payments, Verifications, and Calculations that do not require users to log in.

For example, payments relating to Motor Vehicle Tax (MTV) and traffic fines, title deed fees, passport fees, driver's license fees, and other fees and charges supported by the system can be made through the Quick Payments section.

The Verifications section provides verification services for e-Documents, taxpayer registration letters and tax debt status letters, Digital/Interactive Tax Office documents, documents showing beneficial ownership status, and other supported documents. The Calculations section also includes calculation tools for various matters such as income tax, Motor Vehicle Tax, and late payment surcharges and interest.

As the services offered in the system may be updated over time, the current options for the transaction to be performed should be checked directly through the Digital Tax Office.

How to Check and Pay Tax Debts Through the Digital Tax Office

Taxpayers who log in to the Digital Tax Office can view their tax debts through the system. Information on overdue and not-yet-due debts, as well as the total debt status, can be accessed in the system, and the details of the relevant debt can be reviewed. For debts that can be paid, the transaction can be completed by following the relevant payment steps.

This feature facilitates centralized payment tracking, particularly for businesses that have obligations relating to different types of taxes and periods.

However, for businesses, it is also important to verify that the payment has been associated with the correct tax type, period, and obligation, in addition to completing the payment transaction. Following payment, collection information should be checked and the necessary records should be transferred to the accounting process.

Furthermore, the debt information displayed in the system and an official tax debt status letter may not serve the same purpose. Where an official document is required for submission to a public institution, bank, or third party, the relevant document or application service must be used.

Can Petitions and Applications Be Submitted Through the Digital Tax Office?

Yes. Electronic petitions, notifications, and applications can be submitted through the Digital Tax Office for matters supported by the system. This feature makes it possible to submit requests to the relevant unit for certain tax-related transactions without physically visiting a tax office.

In addition to transaction and application services for different matters, the Digital Tax Office also provides the option to submit petitions where applicable.

However, it should not be assumed that every tax-related transaction can be carried out through a general petition. If the Digital Tax Office provides a specific application, notification, or request screen for the transaction, the relevant service must be used. For businesses, it is important not only to submit applications electronically but also to track them until they are concluded. Recording information such as the application date, transaction number, relevant tax office, and result notification where necessary increases the traceability of the process.

How Are E-Notifications Tracked in the Digital Tax Office?

Tax notifications sent electronically by GİB can be accessed through the Digital Tax Office. E-Notification is a system that enables documents required to be served under tax legislation to be delivered electronically to taxpayers.

A particularly important point regarding e-Notifications is that the date of service does not depend on the date on which the document is opened by the user. Documents sent through the Electronic Notification System are deemed to have been served at the end of the fifth day following the date on which they reach the recipient's electronic address.

Therefore, checking e-Notifications only when an email or SMS notification is received is not an adequate tracking method. It is particularly important for taxpayers who are required to use the electronic notification system to regularly check their electronic notifications.

Since certain periods for responding, making payments, filing objections, or submitting documents in tax-related transactions may begin based on the date of service, tracking e-Notifications is directly part of deadline management for businesses.

What Is the Difference Between the Digital Tax Office and the Interactive Tax Office?

The Digital Tax Office and the Interactive Tax Office are not the same concepts. The Interactive Tax Office has operated as one of GİB's applications through which taxpayers can carry out various tax-related transactions electronically.

The Digital Tax Office, on the other hand, was developed more comprehensively to bring together under a single platform the services provided electronically by the Revenue Administration.

With the launch of the Digital Tax Office, it was envisaged that the services provided through the Interactive Tax Office and Internet Tax Office would be transferred to the new system according to a specific plan. Users can also log in to the Digital Tax Office using their previously obtained Interactive Tax Office passwords.

Therefore, it would not be accurate to define the Digital Tax Office merely as "the new name of the Interactive Tax Office." The Digital Tax Office is a more comprehensive platform that brings together access to the Interactive Tax Office, Internet Tax Office, and GİB's other electronic applications under a common structure.

What Is the Difference Between the Digital Tax Office and E-Government?

The Digital Tax Office and e-Government are platforms used for different purposes. The Digital Tax Office is the Revenue Administration's electronic service platform for tax-related transactions. The e-Government Gateway, on the other hand, provides centralized access to the electronic services of different public institutions.

As the two systems are integrated for authentication purposes, users can log in to the Digital Tax Office using their e-Government credentials.

Therefore, e-Government is not a system that replaces the Digital Tax Office; it is one of the methods that can be used to access the Digital Tax Office.

How to Obtain a Digital Tax Office Password

User credentials previously obtained from GİB's relevant systems can be used to log in to the Digital Tax Office.

Passwords previously obtained for:

• Interactive Tax Office,
• Internet Tax Office,
• Defter-Beyan System,
• Hazır Beyan System, or
• E-notification System

can be used to log in to the Digital Tax Office.

Users who do not have a password can obtain a Digital Tax Office password by registering with their e-Government credentials. When transactions are to be carried out on behalf of a company, consideration must be given not only to whether the user can log in to the system but also to whether the user is authorized to carry out transactions on behalf of the relevant company.

What Should Businesses Consider When Using the Digital Tax Office?

Although the Digital Tax Office enables many transactions to be carried out without visiting a tax office, transactions conducted electronically continue to have tax and legal consequences. Therefore, for businesses, using the platform should not be regarded merely as accessing the system with a username and password.

In particular, it is important to manage the following areas within corporate processes:

• User and authorization management: The duties and responsibilities of persons accessing the system on behalf of the company should be determined, and login credentials should not be shared in an uncontrolled way. Access rights should be reassessed in the event of personnel or duty changes.
• E-Notification and deadline tracking: Electronic notifications should be checked regularly, and statutory deadlines based on the date of service should be monitored.
• Application tracking: The results of petitions, notifications, and applications submitted electronically should be monitored, and transaction numbers and relevant records should be retained where necessary.
• Payment control: It should be verified that tax payments are recorded against the correct tax type, period, and obligation.
• Document and record management: Important electronic documents, application results, and payment records relating to tax transactions should be retained within the business's record-keeping system.
• Use of official channels: User information and payment data should only be used through GİB's official electronic services, and transactions should not be carried out through links whose reliability has not been verified.

Particularly in businesses where tax, accounting, and finance teams consist of different individuals, it is important to clearly define Digital Tax Office processes within the allocation of duties. In this way, system access, transaction execution, and subsequent controls can be managed within a defined process rather than through independent individual tracking.

Use of the Digital Tax Office does not eliminate businesses' obligations relating to declarations, notifications, payments, and other requirements arising from tax legislation. The platform is one of the main service channels that enables many transactions associated with these obligations to be carried out electronically.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Digital Tax Office

I cannot log in to the Digital Tax Office. What should I do?

If you experience problems logging in to the Digital Tax Office, you should first check the Turkish identity number (T.C. Kimlik No.), tax identification number, or user code and password being used. Users can also log in to the system via e-Government. If there is a password-related issue, registration and password procedures can be completed via e-Government. If a transaction is to be carried out on behalf of a company, the user's authorization to carry out transactions on behalf of the relevant taxpayer should also be checked.

Can transactions be carried out on behalf of a company in the Digital Tax Office?

Yes. Authorized persons may use the services offered in the Digital Tax Office on behalf of legal entities within the scope of their authorizations. However, being able to access the system does not mean that every user can carry out all transactions on behalf of the company. Depending on the nature of the transaction, the user must have the necessary representation and transaction authority.

Can a tax debt clearance letter be obtained from the Digital Tax Office?

Electronic services relating to tax debt status can be accessed through the Digital Tax Office, and a tax debt status letter can be requested if the relevant conditions are met. However, seeing on the screen that there is no tax debt is not the same as obtaining an official tax debt status letter to be used for a specific institution or transaction. The document must be generated or requested through the relevant service according to its intended purpose.

How can the result of an application submitted through the Digital Tax Office be tracked?

The status of applications and requests submitted through the Digital Tax Office can be tracked through the relevant transaction or application screens. For businesses, it is important to record the date on which the application was submitted and the transaction information, track the application until it is concluded, and retain the resulting documents together with corporate records.

Why might a tax debt still appear in the Digital Tax Office even after it has been paid?

The time it takes for debt and collection information to be reflected in the system after payment may vary depending on the payment channel used and the status of the transaction. Collection information should be checked after payment. If the debt continues to appear or the payment is not matched with the relevant obligation, it may be necessary to have the matter reviewed through the relevant tax office or GİB's support channels together with the payment information.

Is it necessary to visit the tax office separately for transactions carried out through the Digital Tax Office?

There is no need to separately visit a tax office for many transactions that can be completed electronically through the Digital Tax Office. However, depending on the nature of the transaction, additional document submission, verification, or other procedures to be carried out by the tax office may be required. Therefore, the transaction steps and result notifications specified in the relevant electronic service should be followed.

Does leaving an e-Notification unopened in the Digital Tax Office change the date of service?

No. The fact that an electronic notification has not been opened by the user does not, by itself, postpone the date of service. A document sent through the Electronic Notification System is deemed to have been served at the end of the fifth day following the date on which it reaches the recipient's electronic address. Therefore, regularly checking the e-Notification account is particularly important for monitoring statutory deadlines.

Can an accountant or certified public accountant (mali müşavir) carry out transactions on behalf of a company in the Digital Tax Office?

The electronic transactions that a certified public accountant (mali müşavir) or other accounting professional may carry out on behalf of a company may vary depending on the nature of the relevant transaction, the authorizations assigned to the professional, and the authorization structure within GİB systems. Therefore, working with a professional does not mean that all transactions in the Digital Tax Office can automatically be carried out on behalf of the company. It is also necessary to determine which transactions will be monitored by whom within the company's tax and accounting processes.

Should documents and records be retained after transactions are carried out in the Digital Tax Office?

Particularly for businesses, payment documents, electronic applications, transaction numbers, result letters, and other records important to tax processes should be retained within the framework of the relevant retention obligations and the company's record-keeping system. The fact that a transaction has been carried out through the Digital Tax Office does not automatically eliminate obligations relating to the submission of the relevant documents and records when required.

Conclusion

The Digital Tax Office brings together the Revenue Administration's electronic tax services under a common platform, enabling taxpayers to carry out many tax-related transactions online.

The ability to perform transactions such as tax debt inquiries and payments, submission of electronic petitions and applications, viewing e-Notifications, document verification, and access to different GİB applications electronically facilitates the conduct of tax-related transactions for both individual taxpayers and businesses.

For businesses, however, effective use of the Digital Tax Office is not limited to accessing the system. Managing user authorizations, tracking e-Notifications and related deadlines, monitoring the results of electronic applications, controlling payments, and regularly retaining transaction records are important parts of the process.

For this reason, the Digital Tax Office should be considered one of the main points of contact for electronic transactions carried out with GİB in businesses' tax and accounting operations.