2 Ways to get a Turkish Driver’s License for Foreigners – Full Guide

You are in the right place! As a Turkish lawyer, I will outline the general processes for obtaining a Turkish driving license.

There is a very easy way to get a Turkish Driving License and a normal way to get a Turkish Driving License.

A foreigner can get a Turkish Driving License in two ways.

If they have a foreign driving license, they can easily convert a foreign driving license to a Turkish Driving License with some paperwork.

Alternatively, foreigners can enter exams to get a Turkish License.

In this post, I am going to explain these processes. Let’s start.

1. Easy Way- Converting Your Driving License

Converting your driving license is a lesser-known but effortless way to get a Turkish License for foreigners.

84 countries’ driving licenses have convertible status according to international agreements signed by Turkey.

This means if you hold a valid driving license from the countries listed in the table below, you can get Turkish driving with very simple paperwork without a driving exam.

The list of countries that issue convertible driving licenses

Albania	Austria	Armenia	Azerbaijan
Bahamas	Bahrain	Belgium	Belarus
Bosnia-Herzegovina	Brazil	Bulgaria	Croatia
Czech Republic	Chile	Central African Republic	Cuba
Costa Rica	Denmark	DR Congo	Ecuador
Estonia	Finland	France	Germany
Ghana	Greece	Guyana	Georgia
Holland	Hungary	Iran	Israel
Italy	Indonesia	Ivory Coast	Kazakhstan
Kenya	Kyrgyzstan	Kuwait	Latvia
Liberia	Lithuania	Luxembourg	Macedonia
Morocco	Montenegro	Mexico	Mongolia
Moldova	Monaco	Niger	Norway
Pakistan	Philippines	Peru	Poland
Portugal	Qatar	Romania	Russia
San Mario	Spain	Senegal	South Africa
South Korea	Seychelles	Serbia	Slovakia
Slovenia	Sweden	Swiss	Tajikistan
Thailand	Tunisia	Turkmenistan	Ukraine
Uzbekistan	United Arab Emirates	United Kingdom (UK)	Uruguay
Vatican	Venezuela	Zimbabwe

If you hold one of the driving licenses of the countries mentioned in the table, you are exempt from the driving exams.

The biggest drawback of this method is that the Turkish authorities will take your original driving license and deliver it back to your country’s issuing authority.

You would not be able to use your country driving license in Turkey anymore.

However, you must still fulfill age, education, and health requirements.

Where do you need to apply to replace/convert your foreign driving license with a Turkish driving license?

You can apply to any population registry (Nüfus Müdürlüğü) to convert your home country’s driving license to a Turkish driving license.

Which documents are required to get a Turkish Driving License?

Here is the method to convert your driving license to a Turkish one. The process is very straightforward and painless.

Be sure to make an online appointment (especially in metropolitan areas) when you are ready to submit the documents.

The documents required are:

• Your Driving License (original and color photocopy)
• Translation of your Driving License (obtained from a Turkish Public Notary or Turkish Consulate) 
• Passport
• Health Report checking health requirements.
• Fee
• One biometric photograph
• Declaration of blood type
• Education documents (Proving that you have at least completed elementary school level)
• Criminal record

Source: Turkish Population Registry website.

You can contact the nearest Turkish Population Registry located in every city or municipality for more detailed inquiries.

You do not need to have a Turkish License to drive in Turkey. You can drive with your foreign driver’s license for up to 6 months. You can see more details here, Driving in Turkey as a Tourist: A Turkish Lawyer’s Guide.

2. Normal Way – Obtaining A Turkish Driving License with Exams

The course length is around 3 three weeks. Then you have to take the written exam, and you will be required to pass the driving exam.

If you have an unconvertible driving license (like a US or Australian Driving License) or do not have any driving license, you should first enroll in a driving course for theoretical studies.

Steps for Getting A Turkish Driver’s License.

1. Find a school for driving courses.

You need to take 30 hours of theoretical classes before you can take the written exam. The courses are about traffic rules, first aid, mechanics and related subjects.

In these courses, you are taught common-sense rules and information every driver should know.

2. Pass the online exam

You will be given a book when you enroll in the course. Also, a quick search on the internet will reveal other books and supplementary study sources in foreign languages.

Additionally, do not worry about the exam language.

The exam is an online exam, and foreigners can take the exam in Arabic, Chinese, English, German, French, Persian, and Russian. The exam has 50 questions with multiple options.

You need to answer 35 questions correctly to pass the exam.

3. Take the Driving Lessons

After passing the written exam, you will be taking 12 hours of driving lessons. After these courses, you are eligible for the driving test. If you fail the test, you can take the test three more times.

If you pass the test, you will be given your temporary driving license, and your permanent driving license will arrive by mail.

What are the advantages of having a Turkish Driving License?

After six months of your entry to Turkey, your foreign driving license is invalid. The monetary fine for driving with an invalid license may be deemed a small penalty.

Yet, there are other consequences of not driving with a valid driving license in Turkey.

The first one is insurance coverage.

If you are not driving with a valid license in case of an accident, insurance will not cover the damages and compensation. Especially the compensation for third parties can be a huge blow to your finances.

Secondly, not having a valid license and damaging a person’s health and well-being can be considered a serious criminal offense.

The other advantages of having a Turkish Driving License are listed below.

• A Turkish driving license lowers your insurance premium for car rentals as well as your own car.
• Turkish driving license is EU compatible, and you can use it in EU countries as a valid driving license.
• You will have a valid ID and will not need to carry your passport while driving.
• You can indefinitely have the right to drive in Turkey without any time limit.

Also, if you wish to learn my tips on renting a car in Turkey or driving in Turkey, please check my article on “Essentials of Renting A Car in Turkey and Driving Tips”