Driving Licence for Foreigners in Turkey
How can foreigners get a driving licence?
1- Changing foreign driving licence to Turkish driving licence
2- Obtaining a driving licence by going to a driving school. (Obtaining a driving licence by passing a driving test in Turkish or English)
Now let’s detail these two methods for you in order:
There are two ways for foreigners to obtain a driving licence in Turkey. Foreigners can exchange their driving licence for a Turkish driving licence in Turkey or they can get a driving licence by attending a driving licence course like any Turkish citizen. Driving licences obtained from foreign countries can be used for 1 year for Turkish citizens and 6 months for foreign citizens from the date of entry into Turkey.
1-How to Convert a Foreign Driving Licence into a Turkish Driving Licence
In order to benefit from this method, the country where we obtained our driving licence is important. The country where the foreigner has obtained the driving licence must first be one of the ‘Member Countries of the Driver’s Licence Convention’. If you are carrying the driving licence of one of the countries party to the international agreement, then you can change your driving licence with a Turkish driving licence. In other words, if the country you get the driving licence from is one of the countries listed below, you can take advantage of the driving licence exchange option for foreigners in Turkey.
Countries party to the driving licence exchange agreement:
How to change driving licence for foreigners?
If foreigners have a driving licence from one of the countries listed above, they can change their driving licence at İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate). The path to be followed is as follows:
1- In order to change your driving licence, you make an appointment at İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) where your address is registered. You can go to https://randevu.nvi.gov.tr/ and make an appointment from the ‘sürücü belgesi’ tab.
2- On the appointment day, you go to İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) and submit the necessary documents. (Detailed documents are explained below)
3- İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) will take the necessary documents from you and write an official letter to the country where you obtained the driving licence and find out whether your driving licence is valid. When the approval letter comes from the country where you received the driving licence, İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) sends a message to the phone number received from you and you go to İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) by making an appointment again with your documents. You complete your driving licence application and wait for your driving licence to be sent to your address.
Note: The issue to be considered here is that when you go to İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) for the first time, you are not asked to pay the health report and driving licence fees. If you receive a positive letter from the country where you get the driving licence, then you make an appointment at İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) by paying the fees and getting your health report and you go.
Documents required to exchange driving licences for foreigners
The foreigner must visit İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate)twice for the change of driving licence. Accordingly, it is necessary to make a distinction here as the documents required for the first and second time
Documents you need to take with us when we go to İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate)for the first time;
1- Education certificate (Primary school, high school or higher education graduation certificates)
Your education certificate must be apostilled and notarised Turkish translation.
2- Notarised Turkish translation of foreign driving licence
3- Colour photocopy of foreign driving licence
4- Identity document of the person (residence permit card or work permit card, blue card)
İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate), which receives these documents from you, writes to your country and continues your process according to the answer of this letter. If you receive a positive letter from your country stating that you have a driving licence, a message will be sent to your mobile phone and after receiving this message, you can go to https://randevu.nvi.gov.tr/ from İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) and make an appointment under the ‘Sürücü Belgesi’ tab. In this appointment, the person who wants to change his/her driving licence should take the following documents with him/her;
Documents to be taken to İlçe Nüfus Müdürlüğü (The District Population Directorate) for the second time:
1- Payment of the required fees (no need for receipts, the system automatically sees them)
2- Obtaining the health report
3- Submission of the original driving licence
The District Population Directorate receives the foreign driving licence certificate.
4- Biometric photograph
5- Photocopy of identity document
2- Obtaining a driving licence by going to a driving school
You can also get your driving licence with the help of a driving school. The process here is as follows. You agree with a driving school and the driving school gives you English lessons and lessons with an English booklet. After approximately 1.5 months of learning time, driving lessons are given. These lessons last approximately 8 hours. Then an exam day is determined and the exam is in two stages. If you pass the written test exam with many questions and if you pass this exam, you are entitled to get a driving licence if you pass these exams.
Documents required for driving licence course registration:
1- Health report
2- Biometric Photograph
3- Certificate of educational status (primary school and later)
4- Criminal Record
The process of obtaining a driving licence with a driving school takes approximately 2.5 months after the procedures are started. According to 2025 year, driving school prices are currently 16.550,00 – TL.
Note: If you live in Turkey and do not have time for driving licence procedures, you can request assistance by contacting our company, you can carry out all the procedures for you through our company’s lawyer.
Is a driving licence obtained from abroad valid in Turkey?
Foreigners are required to obtain a Turkish driving licence if they will stay in Turkey for more than 6 months.
Turkish citizens can use their driving licences obtained from foreign countries in Turkey for 1 year and foreign citizens can use them for 6 months. These people have to get a Turkish driving licence after the expiry of the period. In short, the use of a foreign driving licence in Turkey only gives you the opportunity to drive for a limited period of time.
Foreigners and Turkish citizens can apply to the relevant Population Directorate to change their foreign driving licences by taking the driving licence exam by going to the driving course or by taking the driving licence exam as of the expiry of their driving licences according to the periods mentioned above.
For those who want to read the official and detailed explanation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the subject : Obligation to obtain a driving licence for foreigners.
Is my driving licence from Turkey also valid abroad?
As of 01.01.2016, the new type of driver’s licence can be used in 84 countries (COUNTRIES PARTY TO THE CONVENTION ON HIGHWAY TRAFFIC) with driving licences obtained from Turkey in accordance with the Traffic Agreement. Driving time in other countries may vary according to the legislation of the countries.
You can find the member countries of the road traffic convention in the list above.
Lawyer Cihat BALTAŞ
Lawyer Cihat BALTAŞ graduated from Police College in 2006, Police Academy in 2010, Yalova Law Faculty in 2016 with a degree and has worked and specialised in foreign law throughout his professional life. Cihat BALTAŞ, who is currently working as a lawyer in Kadıköy, Istanbul, is the founder of BaltaşGlobal law and consultancy office.