Glossary / Control Certificate
Control Certificate — explained
A control certificate is a pre-import approval document issued by the relevant ministry, before the goods enter the country, for products subject to inspection on grounds of human health, animal and plant health, or compliance with technical regulations.
A control certificate application is made directly to the authorised ministry for the relevant product group (depending on the product, this may be the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, or another institution), and it is expected to be finalised before the goods are actually imported; the result can be forwarded to the customs administration as an e-document through the Single Window System. The certificate is the preliminary approval indicating that the product may be imported; the outcome of the relevant ministry's actual inspection of the goods for regulatory compliance is communicated separately, through the conformity letter.
Which ministry issues the control certificate depends on the type of product; two products under the same customs tariff heading can fall under a different ministry's control depending on their intended use. This is why, before applying, it must be established through the GTİP which inspection list the product falls under.
A control certificate does not itself authorise import; it is the preliminary acceptance that the product may be inspected once it reaches customs. The actual arrival, inspection and confirmation of regulatory compliance of the goods at customs is a separate stage; the outcome of that stage is communicated through the conformity letter.
When You Encounter It
Whether a product group is subject to inspection becomes clear during GTİP determination, before the import decision is made. The control certificate application starts at this point, before the shipment sets off; if the application is made after the goods reach the port, the goods wait at customs or in a customs warehouse, and this wait generates demurrage and storage costs.
More than one inspection authority can be involved in the same shipment; for example, a food additive can be subject to both health and agriculture regulations at the same time. In that case, the applications are finalised separately, usually on different timelines, and planning has to follow the slowest process's schedule.
What It Doesn't Cover
- A control certificate alone does not authorise import; the goods must actually be inspected and found to comply with regulations. Holding the certificate is not a guarantee of passing inspection.
- Which ministry issues the certificate depends on the type of product; applying without first identifying the right institution for a given product wastes time. Which channel carries the result to the customs administration is covered on the Single Window System page.
Often Confused With
| Comparison | Difference |
|---|---|
| Control Certificate vs Conformity Letter | A control certificate is a pre-import approval document. The conformity letter, on the other hand, is the document through which the relevant ministry reports the outcome of its inspection after actually examining the goods. Whether a control certificate is a precondition for the conformity letter for a given product group, or whether the conformity letter is issued directly, depends on the annex of the communiqué the product is subject to. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues the control certificate?+
It depends on the type of product; relevant ministries such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security issue control certificates for the product groups within their own area of inspection.
Which products require a control certificate?+
It is required for product groups subject to inspection on grounds of human health, animal and plant health, or compliance with technical regulations; which products fall under which inspection is set out in the annexed lists of the relevant ministry's annual communiqué.
Where is a control certificate application made?+
The application is made to the relevant ministry (for agricultural products, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry), using the Control Certificate form set out in the annex of the communiqué. The result can also be forwarded as an e-document through the Single Window System, where it becomes visible to the customs administration.
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Let us apply the process we describe on this page to your own shipment as part of our Import Customs Clearance service — request a quote or ask us directly on WhatsApp.
Where This Term Comes Up in Our Work
Control Certificate is one of the documents we track in our import customs clearance service.
Import Customs ClearanceCustoms and tax procedures for your incoming shipments from abroad.The Turkish original of this page was reviewed by our licensed customs broker. This translation is provided for information; the Turkish version prevails.
Source
Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade — Customs Guide, Goods Subject to Import Licence or Conformity Inspection — In the agricultural product group, the control certificate process is additionally regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Communiqué on Import Inspection of Products Subject to Its Control; the communiqué is republished every year.
Last updated: September 27, 2026