Foreign-owned and foreign-plated vehicles in Türkiye are subject to specific legal and administrative rules that differ in some important respects from ordinary vehicles registered to Turkish citizens. In particular, there is an important distinction between a vehicle purchased and registered in Türkiye by a foreign national and a vehicle registered abroad and temporarily brought into Türkiye. Therefore, the vehicle’s registration status, where it was purchased, its customs status, the owner’s residence status, and who is permitted to use the vehicle must be considered separately.

What are MA–MZ plates? MA–MZ plates are a special group of registration plates used for vehicles belonging to foreign individuals or legal entities in Türkiye. Under the relevant vehicle registration regulations, vehicles belonging to foreign natural or legal persons that are purchased in Türkiye or brought from abroad and registered in Türkiye may be registered with plates in the MA–MZ series. Therefore, an MA–MZ vehicle does not necessarily have to have been imported from abroad. A foreign national living in Türkiye may purchase a new or second-hand vehicle in Türkiye and, when the vehicle is registered in their name, it may receive an MA–MZ plate.

For this reason, it is important not to confuse MA–MZ registration plates with the temporary importation of a foreign-registered vehicle into Türkiye. MA–MZ refers to a special registration category for vehicles belonging to foreigners. By contrast, a vehicle registered abroad and temporarily brought into Türkiye is subject to a separate customs regime, under which rules such as the 185-day requirement, the maximum 730-day period in applicable cases, and other customs obligations may apply.

Can a foreign national purchase a vehicle in Türkiye? Yes. Foreign nationals who are legally present in Türkiye can purchase a new or second-hand vehicle and register it in their own name, provided that the relevant identification and registration requirements are fulfilled. If the vehicle is purchased in Türkiye and registered in the name of a foreign national, it may be registered with an MA–MZ plate depending on its registration status. The fact that the vehicle has an MA–MZ plate does not, by itself, mean that the vehicle was brought into Türkiye from abroad under a temporary customs regime.

When purchasing a second-hand vehicle, checking only the price and technical condition is not sufficient. Before completing the transaction, the buyer should check whether the vehicle is subject to a lien, pledge, injunction or other transfer restriction; whether there are outstanding taxes or other debts; whether the vehicle inspection is valid; whether compulsory traffic insurance is in place; and whether there are any other restrictions recorded in the vehicle registration system. The transfer should be completed through official procedures, and the buyer should make sure that the vehicle is properly registered in their name.

A vehicle purchased in Türkiye with an MA–MZ plate is not necessarily subject to the same rules as a vehicle temporarily brought from abroad. A vehicle purchased in Türkiye and registered in Türkiye is a vehicle registered under the Turkish registration system. In contrast, a vehicle registered in another country and temporarily brought into Türkiye is subject to the temporary-entry provisions of customs legislation. Therefore, the 185-day requirement and the 730-day maximum period applicable to certain temporarily imported vehicles should not automatically be applied to every MA–MZ vehicle. The vehicle’s actual registration and customs status must be examined.

What is the 185-day requirement for bringing a foreign-registered vehicle into Türkiye? For people who wish to temporarily bring a vehicle registered abroad into Türkiye, one of the main requirements is generally that the person has been outside Türkiye for at least 185 days during the previous year. This is determined based on the person’s residence and entry-exit records rather than simply their nationality. Therefore, being a foreign national or holding a Turkish residence permit does not automatically give a person the right to bring a vehicle registered abroad into Türkiye under the temporary-entry regime.

How long can a temporarily imported vehicle remain in Türkiye if the foreign owner has a Turkish residence permit? For vehicles temporarily brought from abroad, a foreign national who holds a valid Turkish residence permit may, depending on their circumstances, receive a vehicle period linked to the validity of their residence permit. However, this period cannot exceed 730 days, or two years. Therefore, 730 days is a maximum legal limit, not an automatic period granted to every foreign national with a Turkish residence permit. The person’s residence permit and other legal conditions must also be taken into account.

Can a person obtain another 730-day period simply by taking the vehicle out of Türkiye and bringing it back? No. If the vehicle’s entire permitted period has been used, a short trip outside Türkiye followed by re-entry does not automatically create a new 730-day period. For the vehicle to be brought into Türkiye again, the relevant legal requirements must be satisfied again. In particular, after the full period has been used, the vehicle itself must meet the applicable requirement concerning the period it has remained outside Türkiye.

Therefore, the commonly circulated statement that “you can take the vehicle out of Türkiye for a few days and bring it back to start a new two-year period” is incorrect. The period already used, the vehicle’s customs status and the person’s residence and travel history are considered together. If the full permitted period has not yet been used, different rules may apply to the remaining period.

Who can drive a foreign-plated vehicle? This is an important area in which the rules have changed. Under the rules applicable in 2026, where the vehicle owner who resides abroad is present in Türkiye, certain close family members may use the vehicle, provided that they meet the legal conditions. These include the owner’s spouse, parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren. In particular, the relevant family members must satisfy the applicable conditions, including the requirement concerning residence abroad, and must be able to establish their family relationship and residence status when required.

An important condition is that the vehicle owner must be in Türkiye. If the owner leaves Türkiye, the above-mentioned family members generally cannot continue using the vehicle during the owner’s absence. Therefore, if the owner has left Türkiye, their spouse, parents, grandparents, children or grandchildren cannot simply continue driving the vehicle in Türkiye, even if they would otherwise qualify as permitted family members.

Can a friend, relative or another person drive the vehicle? As a general rule, foreign-plated vehicles cannot be freely used by anyone. A friend, acquaintance, sibling or another person does not automatically acquire the right to use the vehicle merely because the owner has given verbal permission or issued a power of attorney. The persons permitted under the applicable legislation and the relevant exceptions must be respected. Unauthorized use may result in customs or administrative penalties.

In particular, a person who is not among the permitted family members should not assume that they can freely drive the vehicle simply because the owner is sitting inside it or because they have a power of attorney. There are limited exceptions for emergency situations, but these should not be interpreted as a general authorization for regular vehicle use.

Special consideration for MA–MZ vehicles purchased in Türkiye: Vehicles purchased and registered in Türkiye by foreign nationals may have specific restrictions concerning who is permitted to use them. Relevant registration rules include provisions concerning use by the owner, their spouse and children, as well as, under certain conditions, a driver formally employed under an official contract. Therefore, for an MA–MZ vehicle purchased in Türkiye, it is important not to rely solely on the general rules applicable to temporarily imported foreign vehicles. The vehicle registration certificate (ruhsat) and the restrictions recorded in the registration system should also be checked.

What happens if the owner leaves Türkiye? This issue is particularly important for vehicles temporarily imported from abroad. When the owner leaves Türkiye, the rules concerning who may use the vehicle must be strictly observed. As a general principle, family members who would otherwise be permitted to use the vehicle cannot use it while the owner is outside Türkiye. Where the owner leaves Türkiye without taking the vehicle out, customs procedures may provide options such as leaving the vehicle under customs supervision or making the required declaration that the vehicle will not be used, depending on the circumstances.

Insurance and vehicle inspection are mandatory. Vehicles used in Türkiye must comply with the applicable compulsory traffic insurance and vehicle inspection requirements. Foreign-plated vehicles temporarily brought into Türkiye must also have valid insurance coverage in Türkiye. Having a foreign or MA–MZ plate does not exempt a vehicle from insurance, inspection or other technical requirements.

Motor Vehicle Tax and other financial obligations: For MA–MZ vehicles registered in Türkiye, Motor Vehicle Tax (MTV) and other applicable financial obligations must be taken into consideration. Particularly when purchasing a vehicle in Türkiye, buyers should check the vehicle’s tax and debt status before completing the transaction. For second-hand vehicles, outstanding debts and transfer restrictions should be checked in advance to avoid problems during registration and transfer.

Traffic fines and motorway, bridge and tunnel charges: Foreign-plated vehicles are not exempt from Türkiye’s traffic laws. Traffic fines and motorway, bridge and tunnel tolls must be paid in accordance with the applicable rules. In particular, for vehicles temporarily imported from abroad, unpaid traffic fines or toll debts may cause problems when the vehicle is being taken out of Türkiye. The Ministry of Trade also provides online services through which information concerning foreign-plated vehicles and their permitted periods can be checked.

What happens if the permitted period is exceeded? A vehicle temporarily imported into Türkiye must be taken out of the country before the end of its permitted period or otherwise dealt with in accordance with customs legislation. In 2026, penalties for exceeding the permitted period by one, two or three months are respectively TRY 2,988, TRY 5,976 and TRY 8,964. Longer violations may result in significantly heavier sanctions under Article 238 of Customs Law No. 4458.

Can an MA–MZ vehicle be sold or transferred? The possibility and conditions for transferring an MA–MZ vehicle depend on the vehicle’s registration status, how it was acquired and whether any customs restrictions apply. A vehicle purchased and registered in Türkiye is subject to different transfer rules from a vehicle that was brought into Türkiye under a temporary customs regime. Therefore, before selling or purchasing an MA–MZ vehicle, the buyer and seller should verify its status with the relevant registration authorities and, where applicable, customs authorities.

For foreigners planning to purchase a vehicle in Türkiye, it is therefore essential to determine how the vehicle will be registered, what type of plate it will receive, what restrictions will appear on the registration certificate, and who will legally be permitted to use it. This is particularly important when purchasing a second-hand MA–MZ vehicle. Before paying for the vehicle, the buyer should check ownership, outstanding debts, transfer restrictions, insurance, inspection status and all special conditions recorded in the vehicle registration.

These general guidelines are based on the regulations and official information applicable in 2026. However, the outcome may vary depending on the person’s nationality, residence status, how the vehicle was acquired, its registration category and, where applicable, its customs status. For individual cases, the current information recorded in the vehicle registration certificate (ruhsat), official registration systems and customs records should be treated as decisive.