How do you set up automatic bill payment?
How to give your bank a standing order that pays your electricity, water, gas and phone bills on time.
Short answer
Open your bank's mobile app, go to Payments, then Bill Payment and Automatic Payment Instructions. Pick the utility company, type the installation or subscriber number printed on your bill, choose the account or credit card the money will come from, and confirm with the SMS code. Check the My Instructions list to make sure the new record shows as Active.
What you need
Step by step
Gather the bill details
Find the installation number, subscriber number or contract account number printed on your latest bill. Banks match the utility through this number, so a single wrong digit stops the instruction from being created. Note the company name too, since the distribution company and the retail supplier are often two different entities.
Open the Payments menu
Log in to your bank's mobile app or internet branch. Tap the Payments tab in the bottom menu, which some banks label Payment Transactions. From there choose Bill Payment.
Choose the standing instruction option
On the Bill Payment screen select Automatic Payment Instruction or Create Instruction, then tap Define New Instruction. Do not confuse this with the one-off payment screen, which only clears the current month's bill and sets nothing up for the future.
Enter the company and subscriber number
Pick the bill type such as Electricity, Water, Gas or Phone/Internet, then find your provider in the list. Type the installation or subscriber number exactly as it appears on the bill, with no spaces. The app displays the subscriber name on screen; if that name looks wrong, go back and recheck the number.
Pick the payment source
Select the current account or credit card the payment will be drawn from. With a card the amount lands on your statement; with an account it is debited on the due date. Some banks offer a Set Limit field, and any bill above the cap you enter will not be paid automatically.
Confirm and verify
Review everything on the summary screen and tap Confirm. Enter the verification code sent to your mobile number to finish. You will see a confirmation screen with an instruction reference number, so save a screenshot of it.
Check the My Instructions list
Go to Payments and then My Instructions, sometimes called My Automatic Payment Instructions, and confirm the new record shows as Active. To be sure the utility has registered it on their side, call their customer service or check the payment method in their online account portal.
Watch the first bill closely
After the instruction is live, follow your account activity or card statement to confirm the next bill was actually collected. If it was not, the utility may not have processed the instruction yet. Pay that bill manually and ask your bank to check the instruction status.
Tips
Watch out
Setting up automatic payment does not mean you can stop watching your bills. The instruction can look Active at the bank while the utility has not completed the match on their side, which leaves the bill unpaid and accruing late interest. Check your account activity for the first two billing cycles.
Frequently asked questions
+Is an automatic payment instruction free?
Most banks charge nothing to set up a bill instruction, but some apply a small fee per collection. Confirm it in the current product information form of the bank you are using.
+How do I cancel the instruction?
In mobile banking go to Payments, then My Instructions, select the record and tap Cancel Instruction. Cancelling does not reverse a payment that has already been collected for that period.
+Will automatic payment cause problems if I want to dispute a bill?
The instruction pays whatever amount arrives, so if you plan to dispute a bill, cancel the instruction temporarily before the due date or use your bank's payment limit feature.
+Is there a difference between setting this up at the utility and at the bank?
Both result in automatic collection; through the utility you register your card or IBAN with them directly. Never set up instructions on both channels for the same bill, since that risks a double payment.
+I cannot find my installation number. What now?
Log in to the utility's online transaction centre with your ID number to view your subscription details, or call their customer service and ask them to look it up by address.
Sources and verification
Last verified: 13 Eylül 2026. tell us. Menu names follow Turkish retail banking apps; wording varies slightly by bank.
This content is for information only; for official procedures the relevant institution’s current announcements take precedence. Details: disclaimer.