Driving in Turkey with a UK licence: the six-month rule, swapping it, and getting around Fethiye

You can drive in Turkey on your UK licence for your first six months, as long as you carry the right paperwork with it. After that, residents need a Turkish licence, and the swap is a morning at the population office rather than a driving test.

The short version

• Foreigners can drive in Turkey on a foreign licence for six months; after that you need a Turkish licence [1][2].
• While you're on your UK licence, the FCDO says you need a 1968 International Driving Permit or a UK licence notarised in Turkish [3].
• You swap at the district population directorate (nüfus müdürlüğü) by appointment, with a health report, a notarised translation and your licence [2].
• Speed limits for cars in 2026 are 50 km/h in town, 90 km/h on single carriageways, 110 km/h on dual carriageways and 120 km/h on motorways unless signs say otherwise [4].
• Without a car, Fethiye runs on dolmuşes, the shared minibuses. The Havaş bus from Dalaman airport cost around TRY 300 (about £4.45) in 2026 [5].

Your UK licence: the first six months

Turkey's population and citizenship directorate (NVİ) says that since 1 January 2016, foreigners can drive in Turkey on a licence issued abroad for six months, after which they must get a Turkish licence [2]. The FCDO's "Living in Turkey" guide says the same: if you're 18 or over you can drive for up to six months on your UK licence, and to keep driving after that you'll need to exchange it [1].

The FCDO's Turkey travel advice, updated 27 October 2026, adds the paperwork. When we checked on 8 November 2026, it said: "You need a 1968 international driving permit (IDP) or a UK driving licence notarised in Turkish to drive in Turkey." It adds that the 1949 IDP is no longer accepted, and that "You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel." [3]

There's a wrinkle. GOV.UK's general driving-abroad pages say not to apply for an IDP if you're moving abroad, because you'll exchange your licence instead [6]. In practice, if you're moving to Fethiye, either:

• get a 1968 IDP before you leave, from PayPoint shops in the UK for £5.50, carrying it alongside your photocard licence [7], or
• get a notarised Turkish translation of your licence from a notary (noter) once you're here. You'll need one for the exchange anyway [2].

A rental car company will usually want the IDP. The police want one or the other.

When does the clock start?

The six months run from when you start living here, so don't let it drift. Once you have your residence permit, start the exchange; our guide to the ikamet covers that step.

Exchanging your UK licence for a Turkish one

There's no test for a UK licence holder. You apply in person at a district population directorate (ilçe nüfus müdürlüğü), and Fethiye has its own [2]. Turkish consulates abroad don't take applications [2].

1. Book an appointment at randevu.nvi.gov.tr or by ringing Alo 199. Arrive at least 30 minutes early [2].
2. Get a driver's health report (sürücü sağlık raporu) from a family doctor or a hospital.
3. Get a notarised Turkish translation of your UK licence (or one approved by a consulate) [2].
4. Get your education certificate translated and notarised if it was issued abroad [2]. This catches many Brits out, so dig out your school-leaving or degree certificate before you move.
5. Pay the fees. There's a document fee, a charge (harç) and a small foundation contribution, paid at tax office counters, contracted banks or the PTT [2]. Amounts are set each year by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, so check the current figure when you book.
6. Take everything to the appointment: your original UK licence and a colour copy, the translation, your residence permit card and ID, the health report, one biometric photo, proof of blood group or a signed declaration, and the education certificate. Your criminal record is checked electronically [2].

You hand in your original UK licence with the application, so before you do, think about whether you'll ever want a UK licence again. DVLA needs a UK address to deal with licences, so renewing a UK licence while you live in Turkey isn't straightforward. Our guide to driving abroad on a UK licence has more on the UK side.

The rules of the road

Turkey drives on the right. A few things that differ from back home:

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = TRY 67.4414).

The FCDO says accidents are common, "mainly due to poor or reckless driving", and advises particular care at night [3]. Locally, the D400 coast road and the climb up to Hisarönü and Ölüdeniz are where you'll want your wits about you, along with livestock, unlit tractors and overtaking on blind bends. If you hire a moped, you need a licence with at least category A1 [3].

Hire car insurance from the rental company usually only covers third parties, says the FCDO [3]. Top it up. If you're thinking about driving your own car over from the UK, read our guide to bringing a UK car to Turkey first; there are strict customs time limits.

Getting around Fethiye without a car

Plenty of Brits in Fethiye town and Çalış manage without a car.

Dolmuşes

The dolmuş, a shared minibus that stops wherever you flag it, is how Fethiye gets around. Routes link the town centre and the otogar (bus station) with Çalış, Hisarönü and Ovacık, and Ölüdeniz, which takes roughly 20–30 minutes [5]. You pay the driver in cash [5]. Fares are low by British standards and set locally; services run frequently in summer and less often in winter, with earlier last departures. Carry small notes.

Taxis

Taxis are yellow, metered and found at ranks. In 2026, the airport taxi co-operative's fixed fares from Dalaman were roughly TRY 3,000 (about £44) to Fethiye centre and a little more to Hisarönü or Ölüdeniz, according to a fare guide updated in September 2026; confirm the price at the rank before you set off [5]. Around town, check the meter is on.

Dalaman airport

Dalaman airport is about 50 km (31 miles) from Fethiye along the D400 [5]. The Havaş airport bus runs to Fethiye's otogar in about an hour; a fare guide put it at around TRY 300 (about £4.45) in 2026, and a little less to Göcek; check the current fare at the airport [5]. From the otogar, a dolmuş or taxi gets you home. Our guide to choosing where to live compares airport run times by area.

Further afield

Intercity coach companies run from Fethiye's otogar to Antalya, Izmir, Istanbul and beyond, and they're comfortable and cheap compared with British coaches. For a weekend away, coaches beat driving.

If you're weighing up whether you need a car, ask in our community group for Brits in Turkey; people in your neighbourhood will tell you how well the dolmuş works in winter.

Sources

1. GOV.UK: Living in Turkey (updated 31 December 2025)
2. NVİ (Directorate General of Population and Citizenship Affairs): driving licence FAQ
3. GOV.UK: Turkey travel advice, safety and security (updated 27 October 2026)
4. Milli Gazete: 2026 speed limits and fines (22 October 2026)
5. HemenHesap: Dalaman airport to Fethiye and Ölüdeniz, every option in 2026 (updated 24 September 2026)
6. GOV.UK: Driving abroad if you live abroad
7. GOV.UK: International driving permits

Keep reading

• Bringing a UK car to Turkey
• Turkish residence permits for Brits: the ikamet
• Fethiye, Çalış and Hisarönü: choosing where to live
• Driving abroad on a UK licence