Things to Know About Vehicles with Foreign Plates

Things to Know About Vehicles with Foreign Plates

There are many questions about vehicles with foreign license plates. Who can enter Turkey with vehicles with foreign license plates? What are the documents required to enter Turkey? What is the time allowed for vehicles to be brought to Turkey? We will give answers to many questions in this content.

Who can enter Turkey with a vehicle with a foreign license plate?

• Those residing abroad can temporarily bring a land vehicle with a foreign license plate registered in their name at their place of residence to Turkey.
• Persons residing in the European Union and European Free Trade Union countries can bring their vehicles registered in their names outside the European Union and European Free Trade Union countries.
• Persons who will bring vehicles must first be residents abroad; this condition must be met. “Residence abroad” means that the person who normally resides abroad has been abroad for at least 185 days in the last year, backwards from the date he wishes to enter Turkey.
• Persons who will bring a vehicle must have a residence abroad. Persons working on ships, temporarily working at the construction site, or staying at the hotel, even if they have actually spent 185 days of the last year abroad, are not considered to be residents abroad because they do not reside abroad.
• Turkish citizens who go abroad for the purpose of working, studying, or on a temporary assignment cannot temporarily bring their land vehicles with foreign license plates to Turkey, as they have moved their residence to Turkey.

Things to Know About Vehicles with Foreign Plates

How is the 185-day period calculated?

• In the above-mentioned case, the 185-day period calculation is made through the program according to the passport entry and exit records obtained from the General Directorate of Security. In order not to calculate the 185-day period incorrectly, persons who have entered and exited Turkey with different passports or IDs in the last year should inform the customs administration.
• As a result of the calculation, those who have spent more than 185 days in total in the last year, intermittently or uninterruptedly, and normally reside abroad, meet the condition of being a resident abroad. The requirement to stay abroad for 185 days at each entry is checked by the customs administration, and the vehicles of those who meet this requirement are allowed to enter.
• You can inquire whether you meet this requirement by using the “Residence Inquiry” service available at www.turkiye.gov.tr. In addition, it is possible to inquire about the entrance and exit procedures to the dormitories from the same address by using the “Entry/Exit Document Inquiry to the Dormitory” service.
• Before setting off, making inquiries at the turkiye.gov.tr address or making time calculations from the entry and exit information registered in the passport will prevent any unjust treatment at the customs gates.

185-Day Condition for Retired from Abroad

• The 185-day period stipulated in the condition of being resident abroad is not required for the vehicle registered in their name, which will be brought to Turkey for the first time by those who have retired from abroad.

• If the retirees who went abroad by car without using the entire 730-day period want to re-enter Turkey by car, provided that it is within the time limit to benefit from the remaining time, the condition of being resident abroad for the daily period is not required from these people, and the remaining time is given to their vehicles, and they are allowed to enter.

Things to Know About Vehicles with Foreign Plates

What are the documents required for entry to Turkey?

The following documents are required by the customs officer when entering Turkey:
• Proof of ownership (driver’s license) showing that the vehicle is registered in the country of residence,
• The driver’s license of the person who brought the vehicle,
• Document showing residence abroad, depending on the situation (passport, identity document, residence permit)
• A traffic insurance policy valid in Turkey,
• A person’s passport or substitute identity document,
• For those who retired from abroad, a Turkish-translated pension certificate approved by the consulate or embassy,
• A valid power of attorney or lease agreement, as the case may be.
• A notarized or consular-approved Turkish translation document showing that the persons who will bring the vehicles belonging to the legal entity are the company partners or employees.
The customs registration of vehicles is free.

How long is the time given to the vehicles brought to Turkey?

• Turkish citizens residing abroad and foreign nationals holding a residence permit in Turkey have the right to keep and use their vehicles with foreign license plates in Turkey for up to 2 years (730 days).
• Vehicles of foreign nationals holding a residence permit in Turkey are given the period specified in the residence permit, not exceeding 730 days.
• Foreigners who do not have a residence permit in Turkey are given a total of 90 or 180 days.
• If vehicles belonging to legal entities (car, minibus, land vehicle, pickup truck, and motorcycle) are brought to Turkey with a power of attorney, a period of up to 90 days is granted.
• Depending on the nationality and residence of the person, the period to be given to the vehicles brought with rent cannot exceed the period specified in the rental agreement, provided that it does not exceed 730 days.
The time given to the vehicle can be used in one go or in parts. However, the requirement to stay abroad for 185 days at each entry is checked by the customs administration, and the vehicles of those who meet this requirement are given entry permits.

Who Can Benefit From the One-Month Period?

• 185 days if one or both conditions are not met, provided that they are residing abroad; persons residing in the European Union and European Free Trade Union countries are given one month for their vehicles registered in these countries.
• This period is given upon entry to Turkey and is used once. Those who are currently in Turkey with their vehicle and those who are granted a one-month period within 365 days from the date of entry to Turkey cannot benefit from this right.
• Passport, identity card, residence permit, etc. belonging to the European Union and European Free Union countries of those who will benefit from the one-month period. They are required to document their residence with documents.

How to Benefit from the Remaining Time

• If non-residents arriving in Turkey by car bring their vehicle within the last 185 days from the date of entry, the time used is deducted from 730 days and the remaining time is given.
• If foreign nationals (except for residence permit-blue card holders) who come to Turkey by automobile bring their vehicle within the last 180 days from the date of entry, 90 days are deducted from the used time and the remaining time is given.
Can someone else’s vehicle be brought to Turkey?
• Vehicles with foreign license plates belonging to someone else can be brought to Turkey by power of attorney or lease in the following cases:
• The person bringing the vehicle by proxy and the owner of the vehicle are residing outside the Customs Territory of Turkey,
• The person bringing the vehicle is registered in the country of residence (except for persons residing in the European Union and European Free Trade Union countries),
• Existence of a lease agreement for vehicles brought on lease

What Documents Are Required When Bringing Someone Else’s Vehicle? 

If the vehicle is brought to Turkey with a power of attorney, one of the following documents must be submitted to the customs office, depending on the situation: 
• Embassy, consulate, or notarized power of attorney 
• A power of attorney to be drawn up between the person who brought the vehicle and the owner of the vehicle, if they are present at the customs office of entry, and which will be approved by the customs, 
• A document issued by real persons among themselves and approved by the official authorities of the relevant country, such as customs, municipality, police, or court, 
• In case the vehicles belonging to legal persons are brought to Turkey with a power of attorney, the following documents are submitted to the customs administration in addition to these: 
• A power of attorney containing the signature and approval of the company owner or the board of directors for vehicles belonging to legal persons, 
• A document stating that the persons who will bring the vehicles belonging to legal persons are company partners or employees, 
• If the vehicle is rented, the rental contract must be submitted to the customs office. 
Notary- or consular-approved translations of the above-mentioned documents must also be submitted to customs. 

Things to Know About Vehicles with Foreign Plates

Who can use foreign vehicles? 

• Vehicles with foreign license plates: the permit registered in the vehicle program can be used by the beneficiary, his spouse, parents, and children residing abroad. 
• Except for emergencies, it is not possible to drive the vehicle other than with the persons mentioned above, even if the license holder is in the vehicle. • Mothers, fathers, spouses, and children who do not meet the requirement to reside abroad cannot drive vehicles with foreign license plates. 
• Persons who will drive the vehicle must bring with them documents (identity card, passport, etc.) showing that the permit holder is a spouse, parent, or child residing abroad. Vehicles of those who cannot prove this situation with documents during road inspections are closed to traffic and handed over to customs for the necessary procedures. 
• Except for those listed above, persons other than the rightful owner cannot use the vehicle, even if they have a power of attorney. A power of attorney obtained from Turkey or abroad for the use of the vehicle by anyone other than the license holder shall be deemed invalid. If this situation is detected during road inspections, the vehicle is banned from traffic and delivered to customs for the necessary procedures. In addition, those who use the vehicle unfairly and those who use it in this way are fined separately. 

Is it possible to go abroad without a car? 

To leave the vehicle in Turkey and go abroad, one of the following procedures should be followed: (1) delivery of the vehicle to the customs office, 
• Giving a letter of undertaking stating that the vehicle will not be used by someone else, by applying to the nearest customs office, or by using the “Foreign Departure Commitment and Removal of Commitment” service available at www.turkiye.gov.tr. -State. 
The delivery time of the vehicle to the customs office stops; the time continues for registered exits. 
If a commitment is made, the vehicle must be parked at the address declared to the customs office, and it is not possible for the vehicle owner to drive the vehicle, including his spouse, children, mother, and father residing abroad. 
In the event that it is determined that the vehicle has not been delivered to the customs administration in passport transactions or that no undertaking has been given, the license holder is directed to the customs administration. For this reason, before going abroad without a vehicle, it is necessary to apply to the nearest customs office or to give a commitment via e-government in order not to experience any grievances.

Can a foreign vehicle be used abroad with a power of attorney?

A vehicle with a foreign license plate can be found abroad with a valid power of attorney.
In order for the vehicle to go abroad with a power of attorney, all of the following conditions must be met:
• Submission of a valid power of attorney,
• The person who will transfer the vehicle abroad is a resident abroad,
• Application of the power of attorney and the power of attorney together to the customs administration (if the embassy, consulate, or notarized power of attorney is submitted, it is sufficient for the person receiving the power of attorney to apply to the customs administration).
• Transactions for vehicles to be taken abroad with a power of attorney are made 15 days before the vehicle’s last departure date, except for justifiable reasons.

Is it possible to transfer ownership of the vehicle to Turkey?

Vehicles with foreign license plates cannot be transferred to someone else in Turkey. However, the transfer of ownership to another person within the family unit is permitted with the right to import the vehicle registered with the vehicle’s temporary entry document, foreign vehicle temporary entry card, or foreign vehicle temporary entry form.

In which situations are penalties regarding vehicles applied?

In case the following situations are detected regarding vehicles with foreign license plates, a fine of one fourth of the customs tax amount is applied in accordance with Article 238 of the Customs Law No. 4458, and the vehicle is received by the customs administration and sent abroad:
• Using, renting, lending, transferring, or selling vehicles brought to Turkey without permission,
• Use by people who do not have rights,
• Changing the parts entered by the vehicle and registered in the document without obtaining permission from the customs administration,
• Not to go abroad within the first 3 months following the end of the stay in the country or not to be delivered to any customs office within this period,
• Pretending to fulfill the foreign residence requirement without informing the customs office that one has entered Turkey with more than one passport or identity card,
Following the end of the residence period of the vehicles, in the case of going abroad within 1 (one), 2 (two), and 3 (three) months, a fine of 1.046 TL, 2.092 TL, and 3.138 TL is applied for the year 2023, respectively. This amount is increased every year at the revaluation rate determined in accordance with Tax Procedure Law No. 213 compared to the previous year.
If they can’t prove that they have a justifiable reason, a fee of 4.184 TL is charged for 2023. All departures made until the date of determination in accordance with subparagraph (e) of the sixth paragraph of Article 241 of the Customs Law Fines are applied.

How do I repair crashed vehicles?

Repairs of vehicles in need of repair due to an accident, if requested by vehicle owners or authorized persons, are carried out at a place deemed appropriate by the customs and under customs supervision.
What is a pre-declaration?
It is an application that provides convenience for passengers coming to Turkey with pre-declared vehicles. Maximum 15 days before departure from the “e-Transactions” menu on the Ministry of Commerce website (www.ticaret.gov.tr) or the “e-Government Gateway” (https://www.turkiye.gov.tr). By using the “Vehicle Pre-Declaration Application” (/gtb-tasit-on-declaration) that can be accessed, information about the person and the vehicle can be entered into the application via mobile phone, tablet, or computer, and transactions can be made in this way. made. It is carried out in less time at the customs gates.

Source: https://ticaret.gov.tr/

Things to Know About Vehicles with Foreign Plates