Traffic Fines in Turkey (2026) — Complete Guide for Foreigners

It depends heavily on which violation. Ordinary infractions like an unfastened seatbelt (₺1,246), using a hand-held phone (₺2,719), or an expired inspection (₺2,719) still move with the annual revaluation rate. But since Law No. 7574 took effect on 27 February 2026, high-risk violations were pushed far higher: speeding starts at ₺2,000 and rises to ₺30,000 plus a 90-day licence suspension for 66km/h+ over the limit; drunk driving starts at ₺25,000; driving on a suspended or cancelled licence is now ₺200,000; and fake number plates carry a ₺140,000–₺280,000 fine.

Law No. 7574, published in the Official Gazette on 27 February 2026, is a 36-article reform of the Highway Traffic Law (2918 sayılı Karayolları Trafik Kanunu). It replaced the old percentage-based speeding scale with a flat km/h-over scale, introduced steep escalating fines for repeat red-light and drink-driving offences, created new offence categories for "drift"/stunt driving and aggressive tailgating, and sharply raised the fine for driving on a suspended or cancelled licence to ₺200,000. It also tightened the conditions for getting a cancelled licence back, requiring a psychotechnical/psychiatric evaluation and retraining on top of any waiting period.

The simplest routes without a Turkish bank account are: paying in cash or by card at any PTT post office using the fine or plate number, or using the QR code printed on newer fine notices. If you hold Turkish residency and an e-Devlet password, you can pay directly at turkiye.gov.tr or via the Interactive Tax Office at ivd.gib.gov.tr. Ziraat, Vakıfbank and Halkbank ATMs also accept trafik cezası payments.

Yes — fines apply regardless of nationality. If a camera catches a foreign-registered vehicle, the notice goes wherever the vehicle is registered, but Turkey has no blanket automatic enforcement agreement with other countries the way EU members do with each other, so follow-through varies. If you are stopped by police in person, the fine is issued immediately no matter what plate you're driving on. Rental cars are billed to the rental company, which then charges your card.

Urban areas (within a city or town): 50km/h. Rural roads (devlet yolu): 90km/h. Dual carriageways: 110km/h. Motorways (otoyol): 120–130km/h depending on the section. Posted signs override these general limits, and average-speed camera zones on motorways are clearly signed.

Since the 2026 reform, speeding fines are set by how many km/h you exceed the limit by, not by percentage: ₺2,000 for 6–10km/h over, rising in steps to ₺30,000 for 66km/h or more over the limit. From 46km/h over the limit, a licence suspension (30, 60 or 90 days depending on the tier) is added on top of the fine.

The general threshold for an administrative fine is 0.50 promille (50mg/100ml blood alcohol). Commercial and public-service drivers (taxi, minibus, bus, truck) are held to a much stricter 0.20 promille. A first offence over 0.50 promille now carries a ₺25,000 fine and a 6-month suspension; a second offence is ₺50,000 and a 2-year suspension; a third or later offence, or refusing the test altogether, results in a ₺150,000 fine and the licence being cancelled for 5 years.

Yes. Holding a phone to make a call, text, or look at the screen while driving carries a ₺2,719 fine. Hands-free calling through a Bluetooth headset or the car's own speakers is permitted. This is one of the fines that was not restructured by the 2026 law and simply moves with the standard annual increase.

The gantry photographs your plate automatically. If you top up your HGS balance within 15 days of the violation, you're only charged the original toll — no penalty. Miss that window and pay between day 15 and day 45, and an extra penalty (roughly the toll amount again) is added. Leave it unresolved past day 45 and the fine rises to roughly 4 times the original toll, with a formal notice posted to the vehicle's registered address. Unpaid toll fines need to be cleared before a Turkish-plated vehicle can renew its annual inspection.

Yes, and the 2026 reform made this far more direct. Speeding by 46km/h or more over the limit triggers an automatic 30–90 day suspension on top of the fine. A third drink-driving conviction, or refusing an alcohol/drug test, cancels the licence for 5 years. Six red-light violations within 12 months also results in cancellation, with a suspension already kicking in at the third. Getting a cancelled licence back generally requires a new application, a psychotechnical/psychiatric evaluation, and completing retraining — not just waiting out a clock.

If you have Turkish residency, log into e-Devlet (turkiye.gov.tr) and search "Araç Plakasına Yazılan Ceza Sorgulama", or use the Interactive Tax Office at ivd.gib.gov.tr. Turkish and foreigner ID holders can also use the EGM's own portal at onlineislemler.egm.gov.tr with just a plate number and ID number, without an e-Devlet password. There is no reliable way to check a fine using only a licence plate with no ID number attached.

Yes. You can object within 15 days of the notification date, filed with the local sulh ceza hakimliği (magistrate's criminal court) in the province where the fine was issued — some fine notices also list an online objection route. The 25% early-payment discount window (1 month) is longer than the 15-day objection window, so you can usually still object first and pay at a discount afterwards if the objection fails quickly — but if the process drags past the 1-month mark, you lose the discount either way, so weigh the fine amount against the cost and time of contesting it.

Unpaid fines don't just disappear. For Turkish-plated vehicles, outstanding fines block the annual roadworthiness inspection (muayene) and any change of ownership until settled, and late fees accrue monthly at a rate set by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. For foreign-plated or rental vehicles, unresolved fines are more likely to surface at your next entry into Turkey, at a border check, or when import paperwork is renewed, rather than through automatic enforcement abroad.

Yes. Because the fine notice for a camera-issued violation is sent to the registered owner — the rental company — the company pays it and then charges the amount to the card you used at pickup, almost always adding its own administrative handling fee on top. This fee varies by company and is usually specified in the small print of the rental agreement, so check it before you sign.

Yes. Paying within 1 month of the notification date entitles you to a 25% discount on the fine amount under Article 115 of the Highway Traffic Law — this window was extended from an older 15-day rule by a January 2024 regulation change. After that month, the full amount is due, and unpaid balances start accruing monthly late-payment interest.