Cheque (check)

A cheque (çek) is a Turkish negotiable instrument by which the drawer instructs the drawee, which must be a bank, to pay the stated sum to the holder. Under Turkish law a cheque is payable at sight.

It functions as a primary cash substitute in commercial life. Even if the issue date written on the cheque is a future day, the bank must pay upon presentation; the widespread practice of post-dated cheques does not override this rule. A cheque may be transferred by endorsement and enforced through the special execution procedure for negotiable instruments.

To preserve their rights, the holder must present the cheque to the bank within the statutory presentation period. Late presentation causes significant losses of recourse rights against the drawer and of access to the special enforcement route.