Driving Licence Turkey

[bickern]

As I have had a Turkish licence for many years I find it ideal as acceptable ID in Turkey and some may be surprised it has more use than just driving.

But, the reason for the post is that many in Turkey pop out every six months and get a stamp on their passport but with the borders shut that could prove problematic.

If you go to the Nufus office you can apply for a Turkish Licence quite easily. They will take your UK licence from you and give you a receipt you can use in the meantime.

An unfortunate problem occurs in that when they send it to the UK to be checked, you don't get it returned as they will not post it back to Turkey; meaning you have to then apply for a duplicate licence and having it posted to your UK address (or change to a friends address).

If you need any copies/replacements of your education certificates then you can apply online at:

https://www.gov.uk/replacement-exam-certificate

If you are too old they send a form saying you have had secondary education I believe.

Remember: Your insurance could be invalid if you drive illegally.

Hopefully other members will be able to update the current situation as I did it about 12 years ago at the Police Station and a lot has changed since then.

 

[Chris295]

I got my first Turkish driving licence about 10 or 12 tears ago too. I was lucky I think, they didn't send me to the Maliye to pay the 300 or so Lira and they didn't take my UK licence off me either, just wrote down the codes on a form and gave me back the licence.

Recently I got an updated Turkish licence as all licences have to be renewed before the end of next year and that was simple too although health and eyesight checks made it a bit more time consuming.

 

[villabaris1]

Yes those were the days. No long forgotten exam certificates to find, no handing in the UK licence and oh so much simpler - and cheaper
I too exchanged my old Turkish licence for the new style last year and found it very simple and straightforward.

 

[ted j]

I found the UK.gov site absoluteley useless
I went to secondary school , never got a leaving certificate as our classes were the first to try out new exams, a "Central schools exam certificate"
They told us the results wouldn't be available for 6 weeks and I know very few went back into school to pick them up
The government site doesn't recognise ANY school in the North west , I even tried one which I knew is actually still open and they can't find it
To get a leaving certificate is virtually impossible (even Doc Martin can't) and I can't see any other way round it

I got no such form sent when I tried, my old school got demolished in 1969 and they only kept documents for 7 years, the system didn't recognise any details whatsoever.....I know loads of folks here that are the same
Maybe an amnesty of some sort

The annoying thing is if I show my licence to a Turk, they usually say "Wow, you can drive all these things?" That has happened 3 times as when i got the bike someone joked that my licence didn't cover it (it does, I took a motorbike test as well as later, a car test ) and I won't be going anywhere at the mo as we are over 65

 

[bickern]

I need to update my licence to the new one, I take it I just go to Nufus and get a form.

Can I just go to my local doctor for the health check like last time or hospital?

 

[enoch]

I found the UK.gov site absoluteley useless
I went to secondary school , never got a leaving certificate as our classes were the first to try out new exams, a "Central schools exam certificate"
They told us the results wouldn't be available for 6 weeks and I know very few went back into school to pick them up
The government site doesn't recognise ANY school in the North west , I even tried one which I knew is actually still open and they can't find it
To get a leaving certificate is virtually impossible (even Doc Martin can't) and I can't see any other way round it

I got no such form sent when I tried, my old school got demolished in 1969 and they only kept documents for 7 years, the system didn't recognise any details whatsoever.....I know loads of folks here that are the same
Maybe an amnesty of some sort

The annoying thing is if I show my licence to a Turk, they usually say "Wow, you can drive all these things?" That has happened 3 times as when i got the bike someone joked that my licence didn't cover it (it does, I took a motorbike test as well as later, a car test ) and I won't be going anywhere at the mo as we are over 65

What do we do after 70 when you get a new one every year from the uk?

 

[ted j]

It's every 3 years, keep up a UK address and go to a Greek island to stock up on pork products every 6 months

 

[bickern]

Turkish one stays valid so you don't need to renew it and you can use it in the UK; as far as I am aware that is.

 

[enoch]

Turkish one stays valid so you don't need to renew it and you can use it in the UK; as far as I am aware that is.

Just the same as here 6 months . But you do not need a school report

 

[ted j]

They won't let you change it if you live in a different district, I asked

 

[villabaris1]

Turkish one stays valid so you don't need to renew it and you can use it in the UK; as far as I am aware that is.

The old style Turkish licence had no expiry date. The new Turkish licence is valid for 10 years from the date you exchanged the old one irrespective of if you are over 70 by then. Mine expires 2029 when I will be 74.
The start date and expiry dates are on the front of the licence.

 

[immac]

Turkish one stays valid so you don't need to renew it and you can use it in the UK; as far as I am aware that is.

Last time I was in UK, I used my Turkish licence to hire a car, and it was not questioned.
Old style Turkish licence (according to my man who does these things for me) needed to be replaced by end of last year. I see different dates suggested on this thread.

Ian

 

[villabaris1]

Old style Turkish licence (according to my man who does these things for me) needed to be replaced by end of last year. I see different dates suggested on this thread

The date has been extended. According to the latest info on Doc Martin's excellent group files.

..UPDATING A TURKISH LICENCE TO THE NEW EU STYLE TURKISH LICENCE.
Holders of the old style Turkish licence card have until Dec 2022 to update to the new ”EU” style card.

As always people can access the Doc's constantly updated and accurate files without needing to be on Facebook. Follow the link...

https://docmartinssurgeryforexpatsinturkeyblog.wordpress.com/blog/groupfilesindexpage/

 

[bickern]

Last time I was in UK, I used my Turkish licence to hire a car, and it was not questioned.
Old style Turkish licence (according to my man who does these things for me) needed to be replaced by end of last year. I see different dates suggested on this thread.

Ian

It was end of this year, that was why I was in no rush, but if now extended further even less of a rush.

 

[MiddleEarth]

As I have had a Turkish licence for many years I find it ideal as acceptable ID in Turkey and some may be surprised it has more use than just driving.

If you go to the Nufus office you can apply for a Turkish Licence quite easily. They will take your UK licence from you and give you a receipt you can use in the meantime.

Norman, many thanks, unfortunately not everyone on the forum is from the UK, for those who are not see the following:

CHAPTER XI
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS
B. Road Traffic
19 . Convention on Road Traffic
Vienna, 8 November 1968
https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewD...g_no=XI-B-19&chapter=11&Temp=mtdsg3&clang=_en

For any country NOT listed it is not possible to make a license exchange. The only way to obtain a Turkish driving license is to take driving lessons and pass a test.This includes residents of the United States...

Briefly, the below will cost over 2,500 TL
First you have to participate in 21 night-time hours of classroom instruction, in Turkish. You may purchase a course book, in Turkish, to study.

Then you must take an online test at an authorized testing center. The good news is that this test is given in Arabic, English, and Turkish. The bad news is that the English version of this online exam is so terrrible that Google does a better job of translating the Turkish. Unfortunately you will have 50 minutes to answer 50 questions and that is not enough time to decipher the nearly unintelligible questions. Unless your Turkish is very, very, good, it might be a good idea to hire someone Turkish who is recommended by the driving course who knows the exam well to go with you.

Then, if you pass the online test you will have to endure another 14+ hours of actual driving practice and in-car instruction.

Then, if you successfully navigate all of that, you will, after paying several hundred TL, be issued your license.

Enjoy, all of this was whilst we were in the Antalya region, your experiences may be different.

 

[evo80]

That's ridiculous .If this is the case ,why is their driving so bad.?

 

[MiddleEarth]

That's ridiculous .If this is the case ,why is their driving so bad.?

Have you ever tried to drive a car in Miami? Prepared me for driving a car in Istanbul where the "rules" of the road were in constant flux and learned in the midst of the deed.

You can lead a horse to water, but ya cain't make it drink.

 

[Kanga]

Never mind Miami, why are the Turkish driving standards so low if the requirements are so complex?
Or is that just for foreigners who want a TC licence, and not Turkish nationals?

 

[IbrahimAbi]

I have to state that I do not think Turkish driving is poor. Having driven in Istanbul, Kuwait, Baghdad, Damascus, Cairo, and countless other cities, I know which place I would choose. Generally here driving is predictable and relatively slow.

 

[bickern]

Norman, many thanks, unfortunately not everyone on the forum is from the UK, for those who are not see the following:


For any country NOT listed it is not possible to make a license exchange. The only way to obtain a Turkish driving license is to take driving lessons and pass a test.This includes residents of the United States...

This is news to me to be honest, is that because different states have different tests or the US is felt to have low driving standards?

Not wanting to escalate to US bashing or anything, it just came out of the blue and I would have thought the US driving requirements would be just as strict, and conforming to an acceptable standard to Turkey.