License RequirementsUS Licence in Turkey 2026: Valid Six Months From Your Entry
Yes. A foreign visitor may drive on a home licence for six months from entry to Turkey. The US State Department accepts a US licence alone; an IDP is optional.
Yes. A US licence is valid in Turkey for six months from the date you enter the country. The US State Department does not require an IDP alongside it, though carrying one helps.
The six-month rule
Turkey’s Road Traffic Regulation, article 88(b), as rewritten in the Resmî Gazete of 5 June 2020, sets out how foreigners may use a licence issued abroad:
- You may drive on it for at most six months from your date of entry into Turkey.
- After six months, you must exchange it for a Turkish licence to continue driving. Applications go to any population registration office.
The clock starts at entry, not at the start of a rental.
Is an IDP required?
The US State Department’s country page lists, for stays up to 180 days, a valid US licence, or an IDP together with a US licence, as acceptable. So an IDP is not a legal condition for a US licence holder. It is also not a reliable translation in Turkey: the US is a party only to the 1949 Geneva Convention, so the permits issued by AAA and the American Automobile Touring Alliance (AATA) are 1949 IDPs, and UK government travel advice states that in Turkey “the 1949 IDP is not accepted any more”. If you want a document that a traffic officer or a rental desk will recognise, the one that advice names is a licence notarised in Turkish: a Turkish translation certified by a notary or a Turkish consulate.
Motorway tolls: HGS, not cash
Turkey’s motorways and Bosphorus bridges use the HGS electronic toll system. A rental car should come with an HGS tag or sticker linked to an account; confirm it at pick-up. If a car passes a toll point without a valid balance, the highways authority allows the toll to be paid within 15 days without a penalty; after that an administrative fine is added.
Other rules to know
- Alcohol: the State Department puts the limit at 0.05 % blood alcohol, with a fine and six-month licence confiscation for drivers over it.
- Phones: using a mobile phone while driving is illegal.
- After a crash: leave the vehicles where they are until police tell you to move them, even for a minor collision.
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Sources
- Resmî Gazete no. 31146, 5 June 2020: amendment of article 88 of the Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği (six months from entry for foreigners; exchange afterwards): https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2020/06/20200605-4.htm
- US Department of State, Türkiye international travel information (licence and IDP, alcohol limit, accident procedure): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Turkey.html
- GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Turkey, road travel (“The 1949 IDP is not accepted any more”): https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey/safety-and-security
- UN Treaty Collection, 1949 Convention on Road Traffic (United States 1950; not a party to the 1968 Convention): https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XI-B-1&chapter=11&clang=_en
- Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü, HGS (toll payment within 15 days): https://www.kgm.gov.tr/Sayfalar/KGM/SiteTr/Otoyollar/HGS.aspx
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Related Questions
Yes. Article 88(b) of Turkey's Road Traffic Regulation lets foreigners drive on a licence issued abroad for up to six months from their date of entry. The US State Department says a valid US licence, or a US licence with an International Driving Permit, is acceptable for that period.
Not according to the US State Department, which lists a US licence alone as acceptable for stays up to 180 days. Do not count on an AAA or AATA permit as a translation, though: US-issued IDPs follow the 1949 convention, and UK government travel advice says Turkey no longer accepts the 1949 IDP. If you want a document a traffic officer or rental desk can read, carry a Turkish translation of your licence certified by a notary or a Turkish consulate.
The foreign licence stops being valid for driving in Turkey. To keep driving you must exchange it for a Turkish licence; applications go to any population registration office (nüfus müdürlüğü).