Despite the well-developed public transport system in Turkey, a personal car often proves to be the only convenient method of reaching many destinations, travelling across the country and generally choosing your own routes rather than subscribing to the preset routes of minibuses and intercity buses.
Like everywhere else, Turkey has its own rules and legislative norms regulating car ownership and usage, including for foreigners.
Under what conditions can foreigners import and use cars in Turkey? Where should the vehicle be serviced, what are parking costs, is insurance required — answers to these and other details about car ownership in Turkey are detailed in another article.
And today, we'd like to share the knowledge of those who have been living and working in Turkey for over 20 years – employees of Tolerance company. They practically live on the road, constantly showing real estate in different parts of Turkey to their clients and know everything about life here.
How to get a driving licence in Turkey?
It's an amazing country and you would naturally want to explore every corner by car.
You can drive on a foreign licence here for six months.
However, some may have issues with their licences back in their home countries, some might have only recently reached the legal age to drive, or maybe you've finally found tranquillity and are ready to live as you've always wanted: comfortably, interestingly and with your own car.
Driving instruction for a driver's licence in Turkey takes about two to three months – the duration depends on the exam dates set by the Ministry of Education.
Two weeks are set aside for theory studies, after which an exam is given.
Then comes practice – a compulsory 14-18 practical lessons of 45 minutes each. And another exam after that.
Some driving schools offer lessons in English and Russian; the theory exam questions and answer options are also translated.
To join a driving school, the following documents are required:
-4 biometric photographs;
-Current ikamet (residence permit) or kimlik (Turkish citizen's passport);
-Diploma or certificate of education, translated into Turkish and notarised;
-Medical check-up certificate, which can be obtained in any private clinic. Simply request a "certificate for driving school" in Turkish, and they will understand.
-Foreign passport– a copy with a Turkish translation and notarisation is required, but if you have already acquired Turkish citizenship, for example, after buying a property, you won't need a foreign passport;
With these documents, you can approach a driving school and start your lessons. The cost of learning varies across different schools.
In 2023, the average was $400-450. However, prices are continually rising. In addition to tuition, you will need to pay separately for taking two exams – theory and practical driving.
International driving licences are issued for 10 years. After 10 years, they must simply be exchanged for new ones - you won't need to retake the exams.
All that's required is to take a new photograph and pay the new card fee. The initial fee for gaining a licence at the end of 2023 is 3260 lira or roughly $110.
Road Traffic Accidents in Turkey. What should one do in case of an accident?
What should a driver do if they are involved in a road traffic accident in Turkey?
If you're involved in a collision (regardless of whether it's your fault or not), the procedure should be as follows:
1) Turn off the engine, put on a high-visibility vest and place emergency stop signs on both sides of the vehicle (by law, there should be two emergency signs in the car).
The subsequent actions depend on the severity of the accident, and whether the parties can agree at the scene. If the accident isn't serious and importantly, if the participants can agree amongst themselves, there's no need to call the police. Things are resolved quite quickly:
2) Take as many photos and videos of the damaged cars as possible - from various angles, - to later provide them to the insurance company. Then, if the cars obstruct traffic, they can be moved to a safe location.
3) Next, together with the second party involved in the accident, you will need to fill out a special protocol in duplicate. This form can be downloaded via this link - keep it in your car just in case.
4) Send a copy of the protocol and photos to the insurance company responsible for damage compensation: this is, if you're at fault then to your insurance, and if not - to the second driver's company.
If more than two cars are involved in an accident, you may use multiple protocol forms. All drivers must sign every form.
But, if agreement cannot be reached, or if the case is more serious, the police should be called. Until their arrival, you shouldn't move the car – unless it is on a busy roadway, where a stationary vehicle obstructs the flow of traffic.
If you decide to move the car, remember to take thorough pictures first.
Police should obligatory be called if:
- One of the participants in the road traffic accident does not have a driving licence, or the licence does not match the category of vehicle,
- If the age of the driver is insufficient for operating the vehicle,
- If one of the accident participants does not have insurance (a green-card is considered insurance for foreigners),
- If there's suspicion of the driver being under the influence of alcohol or psychotropic drugs,
- If a state vehicle is involved in the accident,
- If a government property or property of third parties is damaged during the accident,
- The police should obligatory be called if there are casualties or fatalities.
You can call the traffic police at Trafik polisi - 155. If the incident occurred in an area served by the Gendarmerie, you can call them at Jandarma - 156.
If there are casualties, you can call for an ambulance on emergency number 112.
After calling the police and ambulance, you should call your insurance company, — its number is indicated on your policy.
If you have rented a car, the first call you should make is to the rental company. Rest of the process will be managed by their staff.
There's also a helpline for foreigners: - Telephone 157. They can assist in a variety of situations – legal rights protection, emergencies, but they are not directly related to road accidents.
Once the traffic police have drawn up the documents, be sure to get the case number and contact details from the officer for future reference, if a dispute arises.
Don't forget to copy for yourself the video from the dashcam, photograph the insurance policies and license plates of the other vehicles involved in the RTC, and swap contact details with them.
Clearly, an RTC is a distressing situation, especially for those who don't speak Turkish.
No matter how much the local drivers and their support groups may raise their voices or gesticulate, it's important to remember that Turkey has a good police force, and everything is done lawfully. Just follow the procedure and put your emotions aside.
We hope you won't experience such situations. But if you ever find yourself in an RTC, you'll now know what to do.
If you're considering a move to Turkey, we're always ready to assist. Trust the professionals, choose Tolerance! We're here to help you with the choice, purchase and deed registration of Turkish real estate!
Most importantly, our service doesn't end with your purchase, and our team is ready to answer your questions even after the transaction.
We'll be glad to answer all your questions, contact us on Whatsapp +90 (532) 158 42 44
If you're planning to move to Turkey, get in touch with our experts who will find the best options for your budget.
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