Many foreigners wonder how to buy a car in Turkey and what are the things that must be taken into account when buying a car in Turkey
In this article, we will talk about all aspects of foreign car ownership in Turkey and we will answer the most important questions raised on this topic.
Can a foreigner buy a car in Turkey?
Yes, of course, any foreigner can buy a car in Turkey, but that is provided that the foreigner possesses one of the following two documents:
- • Short-term stay in Turkey of all kinds: (tourist - family - student residence)
- • Work permit in Turkey
The car is registered in Turkey for foreigners through the notary.
How to register cars in Turkey
In order to register a car in Turkey, the following documents are required:
- • passport
- • A copy of the passport translated into Turkish and certified by the notary "Notre"
- • Residence card in Turkey
- • A copy of the residence card
Please note that the car showroom is also authorized to register your car in Turkey under your name directly at the Traffic Department within the state in which you reside, and the registration fees are added later to the price of the car.
If you want to register the car yourself, or you want to register your car that you brought from your country to Turkey, the following documents must be submitted to the Traffic Registration Office at the Traffic Department in the state in which you reside:
- • Residence card in Turkey or work permit.
- • A traffic insurance policy for the car, which Turkish insurance companies can obtain.
- • TÜVTÜRK Vehicle Inspection Report, which is a vehicle inspection station in Turkey.
- • A vehicle registration document registered by the notary "Notre".
After that, you can get a Turkish plate regularly if the car was purchased from inside Turkish territory.
How to register the car coming from outside Turkey
If you want to import a car from outside Turkey, you need the same documents that we talked about, plus each of the following documents:
Temporary entry document for the vehicle (No. 49 / A):
In the event that the car is imported from abroad, this document must be obtained from the Customs Administration, and the validity period of this document is only 15 days. During this period, the vehicle registration transaction must be completed in your name at the Traffic Department and these documents you need:
- • The registration document issued by your country, translated into Turkish and certified by the Notre Department.
Foreign traffic signs to be replaced.
But if it is a car imported from abroad and brought to Turkey, it will get a Turkish plate that begins with the letters MA
Taxes of buying a car in Turkey
When buying a car in Turkey, it should be taken into account that there are types of taxes and fees that must be paid, which are:
- • Vehicle registration fees in Turkey, to be paid one time upon registration.
- • Vehicle inspection fee by the TÜVTÜRK Vehicle Inspection Office, which is paid once every two years.
- • These fees vary according to the type of vehicle: commercial / truck / four-wheel drive ... etc.
- • A car engine tax, paid once every year, and its value varies according to the car’s specifications: size of its engine / date of manufacture, etc.
- • Traffic insurance tax on the car, paid once every year, and it also varies according to the type of vehicle.
Vehicle tax is estimated based on:
- • The price of the car
- • car specifications
- • production date
- • Type of car
- • Using the car
In the event that the car is inherited or given to another person, ownership transfer tax must be paid, which ranges from 1 to 30% of the car price.
Customs taxes on imported cars may reach 180%.
Syrians buy a car in Turkey
For Syrians who have temporary residency in Turkey, some Notre offices facilitate the purchase of a car in Turkey for them through the temporary residence card, provided they have a Syrian ID card and passport.
However, not all Notre offices do this, so the Syrian should, before buying the car, inquire of the Notre offices near his place of residence, or those in their state, until arriving at Notre agree to register the car in Turkey for Syrians with temporary residency.
If the Syrian has a short-term residency or work permit, you can do that like any other foreigner in Turkey.
Driving license in Turkey for foreigners
In order to be able to drive a car in Turkey, there are three ways to obtain a driver's license that allows you to move around your car in Turkey freely and without being exposed to any legal violation in this regard, and the three methods are:
- • Extracting a Turkish driver's license
- • Converting your driver's license to Turkish
- • Use of an international driver's license
Common questions about buying cars in Turkey for foreigners
Can a foreigner sell, lease or loan his foreign car in Turkey?
- • Unfortunately, it cannot. All cars that have a traffic plate that start with the letters MA are temporary and cannot be sold, donated or officially rented. As for the Turkish car, you can do all the previous procedures regarding it.
Who owns the right to drive a foreign car in Turkey?
- • The person who registered the car in his name, the wife, parents and grandparents, children and grandchildren, and the brother does not have the right to drive his brother’s car, and no person other than the aforementioned has the right to drive a foreign car, and doing so is considered a violation of the law that causes payment of a material violation and seizure of the car.
I have a car in Turkey and I want to take it outside of Turkey, how do I do that?
- • Visit the traffic registration office, hand in the temporary traffic document and traffic plates, and receive your registration document and traffic plates “issued from outside Turkey,” and then you will be given a temporary exit document valid for seven days.
