How do you exchange a foreign driving licence in Türkiye in 2026?

Exchange, called tebdil (conversion of a foreign licence), depends on the issuing country, current reciprocity or treaty position, authenticity and licence class. Check the country and each class with NVİ before ordering translations. Its bilateral-agreement page is useful, but the office must confirm whether your exact licence qualifies.

Category mapping matters. A car entitlement does not automatically carry a motorcycle. Turkish M, A1, A2 and A motorcycle classes have separate age, power and experience rules, while heavy-vehicle classes can carry medical and validity conditions. Ask which Turkish class the foreign category produces.

If the country or class is not exchangeable, the six-month foreign validity does not become permanent. You must qualify through the Turkish learner, theory and practical testing route that applies to the requested class.

Book a driving-licence appointment through NVİ's appointment portal, e-Devlet (the government online-service portal) or Alo 199, then attend a Nüfus Müdürlüğü (civil registry office) in person. Take the original foreign licence and a colour copy, passport and evidence of lawful residence or identity accepted for your case.

NVİ's current exchange list also requires a Turkish translation certified by a noter (notary who certifies documents and signatures) or Turkish consulate; a sağlık raporu (medical fitness report for driving); one biometric photograph; a blood-group document or declaration; and education evidence, with a certified Turkish translation when issued abroad. The criminal-record check is listed but normally checked electronically. If the system cannot retrieve it, ask what official document to bring.

Pay the current licence charge, card charge and foundation share through an accepted channel. Use NVİ's live fee page rather than an old table. Foreign education or civil documents may require an apostille, which certifies a public document's origin for international use, or another official legalisation route before translation. Confirm that sequence with the Turkish consulate or receiving office.

NVİ may ask the issuing authority to verify that the licence is genuine, valid and not suspended. Processing can therefore outlast the six-month driving window. Filing an exchange request does not extend permission to drive.

The office maps approved classes and may retain or return the foreign licence through the official exchange process. Ask for the handling record and do not report the original lost merely to keep two active documents. Check the delivered Turkish card's classes and restriction codes before driving.

An International Driving Permit, or IDP (a standard translation document used with the original licence), does not create an extra Turkish entitlement. It is not valid alone and does not extend the six-month period. Visitors should carry the original licence and any translation or IDP required for its format.