International Driving Permit Turkey

Most foreign visitors need an International Driving Permit alongside their valid original licence to drive legally in Turkey, with rental companies typically expecting one as well.

• Visitors can drive in Turkey on a valid original licence for a limited initial period after entry.
• Turkey requires the 1968-format IDP — the older 1949 Geneva-only format is no longer accepted.
• If your licence uses a non-Latin alphabet, a notarized Turkish translation is expected alongside it, in addition to or instead of an IDP.
• Rental companies commonly request an IDP regardless of your licence's language, so it's worth having one ready before you arrive.
• Turkey drives on the right, with the driver's seat on the left side of the vehicle.

Turkey's motorways use a single camera-based electronic toll system, road conditions vary sharply between major routes and remote areas, and drink-driving is strictly enforced.

• HGS (Hızlı Geçiş Sistemi) is Turkey's only electronic toll system nationwide — cameras read your plate automatically, with no toll booths to stop at.Commonly reported
• The older OGS toll tag system was fully decommissioned in March 2022, so HGS is the only system a rental car needs today.Commonly reported
• Roads between major cities are generally well maintained, though the UK government's own travel advice notes remote areas can have poor surfaces.Commonly reported
• The UK government's travel advice describes accidents in Turkey as common, mainly due to poor or reckless driving.
• That same guidance recommends extra caution when driving at night.
• The standard blood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/L for most drivers.Commonly reported
• Drivers towing a caravan or trailer, and commercial and public transport drivers, face a zero-tolerance limit.Commonly reported
• Police can carry out random breath tests at any time, and every driver involved in an accident is breathalysed.Commonly reported
• Speed is enforced through a mix of fixed and mobile radar, with traffic fines often payable on the spot.Commonly reported

Self-drive car rental is available at every major Turkish airport and resort town, with most providers setting age and licence-history requirements above the legal minimum.

• The legal minimum driving age is 18, but rental companies typically require drivers to be at least 21, sometimes with a young-driver surcharge.Commonly reported
• Istanbul Airport, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, and Antalya Airport all have rental counters from major providers reachable from the arrivals area.Commonly reported
• Most rental cars already come fitted with a working HGS toll tag — confirm with your provider how toll charges are billed to you.Commonly reported
• One-way rentals are common for Cappadocia-based road trips, letting you pick up in Kayseri or Nevşehir and drop off in a different city like Antalya.Commonly reported
• Typical documents requested at pickup include your original licence, an IDP if applicable, your passport, and a credit card for the deposit.Commonly reported

Keep your original driving licence and your International Driving Permit together as your standard document set any time you're driving in Turkey.

• Your original licence and your IDP should be kept together and accessible at all times, along with your passport.
• The UK government's own travel advice recommends approaching police checkpoints slowly.Commonly reported
• That same guidance advises against photographing military or official installations.Commonly reported
• Emergency services across Turkey can be reached on 112.Commonly reported