Ken Grubb 1,421 Posted August 4, 2012 Report Share Posted August 4, 2012 If you have been a legal residence of Turkey for six months, you can no longer drive legally on your home country's driving license. You must get a Turkish driving license. Although this may not always be enforced, if you are involved in an accident, the police are likely to charge you with driving illegally. Your car insurance company may also refuse to pay on claims, citing the fact that you are not properly licensed. Also, car rental companies may refuse to rent a car to you if you are not licensed in Turkey. Here's an article on how to get a Turkish driving license. Quinn, Norm and tartist 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JustinM 46 Posted April 21, 2019 Report Share Posted April 21, 2019 Ken, Have you heard of this changing? I went to my local town hall in Bakirkoy and they stated they have no agreement with the US and I would have to complete the course with both written and practical exam. Looking for alternatives here. Thank you Justin Ken Grubb 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Grubb 1,421 Posted April 26, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2019 I had heard of it, but thought perhaps the official involved was misinformed! It used to be that they just needed a letter from the state involved saying that they were authorized to issue driving licenses. Then you would be issued a Turkish driving license based on your US license. Oh, well, apparently it has changed. Thanks for letting us know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
greenstein 122 Posted April 27, 2019 Report Share Posted April 27, 2019 Justin, As far as I know, the first message still applies to all foreigners. I'm working at a company whom my colleagues are foreign citizens are having the same problem and they are enrolling driving courses at least a paper that proves you're going to a course in case of police stop. Ken Grubb 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Selim1984uk 2 Posted August 30, 2019 Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 Can you get a Turkish Driving License but keep your own one? (mine is UK) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
REDDERS 327 Posted August 30, 2019 Report Share Posted August 30, 2019 The Law changed in Jan 1st 2016 when our UK Ambassador met with the Turkish Authorities who changed the requirements for foreigners for the need to show a schooling certificate to obtain a Turkish driving licence. All TC's have to do this so they insisted foreigners do the same... This of course was going to prove to be a massive problem for many of the older expats as some left without exam certificates or since the 60's had mis laid them when moving to Turkey . After a day of negotiations an agreement was made that as long as the foreign licence holder obtained a fresh incoming stamp in their passport every 6 months,then they could continue to drive on their translated & noterised licence. as per Article 88- (Amended with title: RG-17/4 / 2015-29329) Go here, https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg3&clang=_en ….to find countries that are included in the Convention. If your country is NOT listed then it’s not possible to make a licence exchange.. The only way to obtain a Turkish driving licence is to take driving lessons & the test . USA is not part of this convention...so a licence exchange is not possible, American passport holders will need to take Turkish driving lessons & test to obtain a Turkish driving licence... Selim1984uk...no you can't keep your UK licence..it's sent back to the DVLA on issue of your Turkish licence. But if/when you re locate back to the UK you simply apply for it to be returned to you & you'll surrender your Turkish one to the DVLA. Against all the rumours in expat land,you can hire cars in the UK showing a Turkish licence. Ken Grubb and IbrahimAbi 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Matrix 2 Posted February 4, 2020 Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 On 30/08/2019 at 22:45, REDDERS said: The Law changed in Jan 1st 2016 when our UK Ambassador met with the Turkish Authorities who changed the requirements for foreigners for the need to show a schooling certificate to obtain a Turkish driving licence. All TC's have to do this so they insisted foreigners do the same... This of course was going to prove to be a massive problem for many of the older expats as some left without exam certificates or since the 60's had mis laid them when moving to Turkey . After a day of negotiations an agreement was made that as long as the foreign licence holder obtained a fresh incoming stamp in their passport every 6 months,then they could continue to drive on their translated & noterised licence. as per Article 88- (Amended with title: RG-17/4 / 2015-29329) Go here, https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg3&clang=_en ….to find countries that are included in the Convention. If your country is NOT listed then it’s not possible to make a licence exchange.. The only way to obtain a Turkish driving licence is to take driving lessons & the test . USA is not part of this convention...so a licence exchange is not possible, American passport holders will need to take Turkish driving lessons & test to obtain a Turkish driving licence... Selim1984uk...no you can't keep your UK licence..it's sent back to the DVLA on issue of your Turkish licence. But if/when you re locate back to the UK you simply apply for it to be returned to you & you'll surrender your Turkish one to the DVLA. Against all the rumours in expat land,you can hire cars in the UK showing a Turkish licence. I don't see Canada on the list either. I have a Canadian passport and UAE driving license and UAE is on the list. Can I exchange my UAE license with the Turkish one? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
as012a2568 40 Posted February 4, 2020 Report Share Posted February 4, 2020 It might also be worth pointing out that even though something is the law, it might be subject to interpretation in some of the districts. I can remember taking my driving license to the police department in our local town and being told not to worry because if I was stopped it would be OK and that I didn't need to change my UK license. This was in 2017 and I was well past my 6 months limit. Eventually I went to our main city and was still told that I needed to provide a schooling certificate, something which I have never had cause for in over 30 years!. I looked at taking my Turkish Driving license or completing a local course at university in order to obtain the necessary certificate of education, both of which were impractical and clearly ludicrous. I went home to think about it and sat at my desk. Staring at me on the wall was a certificate from the Chartered Insurance Institute, suitably embossed with the Queen's emblem and a seal. Hmmm. I thought, I wonder?. The following week I took this down to the noter's office, had it translated and stamped, and then submitted it along with all my other paperwork. Suffice to say, I now have my Turkish driving license having surrendered my UK one. IbrahimAbi 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fouzi 0 Posted July 19, 2020 Report Share Posted July 19, 2020 Any update on how to get Turkish Driving License? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
REDDERS 327 Posted July 19, 2020 Report Share Posted July 19, 2020 Nothing has changed at all. First you need to go to your local Nufus office with a translated / notarised copy of your foreign licence to get started,assuming the country that issued your licence has an agreement with Turkey. Go here, https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg3&clang=_en ….to find countries that are included in the Convention. If your country is NOT listed then it’s not possible to make a licence exchange.. The only way to obtain a Turkish driving licence is to take driving lessons & the tes Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IbrahimAbi 643 Posted August 9, 2020 Report Share Posted August 9, 2020 Is there a list of the documents that we will need to get a Turkish driving licence by trading a UK one? i did look around but can only find a page to say that it was being updated. Has anyone done it recently? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ken Grubb 1,421 Posted August 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 I haven't, but you can call the Nüfus ve Vatandaşlık İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü (Nüfus) at 199. They have an English option. IbrahimAbi 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IbrahimAbi 643 Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 If I succeed I will add a brief report Quote Link to post Share on other sites
REDDERS 327 Posted August 10, 2020 Report Share Posted August 10, 2020 I too am in the process of applying,but this list from my files website from last year that a Surgery member sent to me..so you can use it for now as guidance. A GUIDE TO WHAT DOCUMENTS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR AN APPLICATION.: [ This WILL differ ,province to province] The list below is from when applications were made via the Trafic Polis, now it’s to the Nufus,so until the process & documents required can be confirmed, the list below should only be used as a rough guide. As of 3rd Jan 2020 please ad 23.73% to the fees shown below. 1 Photocopy of RP card 2 notarised translation of education certificate 3- 4 x biometric photos 4- Notarised driving license translation 5- Doctor’s report ..inform Doctor/Hospital you need checks for drivers licence[Approx 200tl]..if over 65 you may be required to have a hearing and eye test as well. 6- Blood type card 7- Criminal Record check ,from your local Turkish court. (free) 8- Schooling certificate 9- 134.00 TL Licence fee [to be paid at the tax office] 10- 915.70TL for car type licence [ class B] paid at the tax office..[ tax for A1 or A2 motorcycle category:+ 164.40 TL] 11- NEW OIV Tax 54.60tl. 12- Donation to Polis Foundation 25tl 13- Proof of address from Nufus Registry office [or the e-devlet website.] IbrahimAbi and Ken Grubb 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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