Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Information and Services in Turkey Section => Cars, Bikes, Scooters, MOTs, Speeding... => Topic started by: Carolyn1957 on January 15, 2013, 17:22:57 PM
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As the driving licence debate rumbles on and on and on as to whether UK driving licences are valid in Turkey I emailed the DVLA yesterday to ask whether a GB licence is valid / renewable for someone living outside the EU. Here is the response I got today.
Dear Mrs Young
Thank you for your email received on 14/1/13. Your email reference number is 11xxxxx.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency would be unable to issue a further British Licence to anyone who resides overseas for the greater part of the time.
Changes to British legislation resulting in the implementation of the Second EC Directive on Driving Licences (91/439/EEC) since 1 January 1997, have required that driving licences are granted only to drivers who are resident in this country.
I hope this clarifies matters for you.
Regards
S Keeley
Customer Enquiries Group
DVLA
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THAT should be sent to the consulate, to be put on their website.
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Good idea Batman! I'll do it now - there's nothing on their site needless to say!
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That is not an answer to your original question though, is it ??
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It has answered the part about renewing of licences Gordon which is something. I did start wading through the relevant EU directives to see if I can find an answer to the other bit but forgot how bloody boring and hard going they are! I now know that to be deemed a resident of an EU member country you have to live there for 185 days a year. The directive she referred to remains silence on the other part so either there is another directive or they have yet to make that bit up!
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I found the below link the other day for a friend coming to UK from Turkey, they will be resident and can only use their licence for 1 year, then they will have to take a theory and practical driving test (and pass) to be able to continue to drive in the UK.
It does actually say somewhere on the question sheet that if you move abroad to countries outside EU (in this case Turkey) and no longer registered as a UK Resident then your driving licence is not valid in the chosen country of residence.
Most ex-pats have a UK address where there are registered and thus think it OK to retain their licence and drive.
https://www.gov.uk/driving-in-great-britain-on-non-gb-licence
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/behavior/driving_licence_en.htm
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The residency requirement is a minimum of 185 days a year. In the normal course of things this would probably never be checked up on - until there was a problem. An astute insurance company wishing to avoid a payout after an accident might ask for a check on a third party's movements. It is easy and probably take only moments to check a person's movements in and out of a country if a court directs that a check be made.
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Exactly, but I think it is a chance a majority of expats moving outside the EU take, only to suffer the consequences at a later date should they arrive.
Another tick on my list on why I feel good to move back to the UK. ;)
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"It does actually say somewhere on the question sheet that if you move abroad to countries outside EU (in this case Turkey) and no longer registered as a UK Resident then your driving licence is not valid in the chosen country of residence."
Can you point out where this is Loz? I have looked and can't find it.
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Eric the task is set! I know I completed online in a dummy run and it came back, note to self, always use bookmarks. I will find it again.
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This is the site that I used, I have a gateway password and could only get so far when it decided my non UK address was not acceptable. I will phone our local Portsmouth DVLA tomorrow.
https://www.gov.uk/change-address-driving-licence
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Loz has just this minute come off the phone after being in touch with our nearest DVLA office in Portsmouth. When she asked the question re. the validity/legality of a U.K. Drivers License being used in Turkey, she was informed that the matter would HAVE to be discussed with the relevant authority in Turkey. There would/could be HUGE problems in the case of an accident/other motoring offence, where it would/could be deemed that the holder of the U.K. license was, in fact, driving a vehicle without the proper legal documents, with all of the legal penalties that this offence would incur.
There was a definitive NO to the question re. renewing the U.K. license to an Ex-pat living in Turkey. The renewal is only accepted from persons who are resident in the U.K. , whether or not these persons are living abroad and having a secondary U.K address or not .
The fact that many Ex-pats have a U.K. address, ( to be used, I suppose) as some sort of 'bolt-hole', is therefore totally irrelevant.
I hope this has been of help.
Gordy.
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"..the matter would HAVE to be discussed with the relevant authority in Turkey"
This already has been done, and the answer by the Turkish authorities is put into their traffic law which states;
1. Tourist visa = British licence is all that is needed, as long as it covers the class of vehicle you are driving.
2. Residence permit = British licence translated into Turkish and notorised, and it covers the class of vehicle you are driving.
3. Turkish nationality - Turkish driving licence required.
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Okey dokey.
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"..the matter would HAVE to be discussed with the relevant authority in Turkey"
This already has been done, and the answer by the Turkish authorities is put into their traffic law which states;
1. Tourist visa = British licence is all that is needed, as long as it covers the class of vehicle you are driving.
2. Residence permit = British licence translated into Turkish and notorised, and it covers the class of vehicle you are driving.
3. Turkish nationality - Turkish driving licence required.
Can you post the link to the actual traffic law please Eric?
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I have said so many times, both on here and FB, that both Koray Atak and Yacup Yilmaz (Both appointed legal translators by the courts) have spoken to the head of the Traffic Police in Mugla. The head of the traffic police told both of them on different days, that the above is Turkish Law. We also asked our Insurance agent, independently, and he said exactly the same.
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I asked if you had a direct link to the regulations that are being referred to - it just seems odd that some people are being told, by the Police, that they need to have a Turkish licence, and are being given a fixed period of time to get one. Loz has put links to relevant DVLA and EU rules and I have posted the response I have had direct from DVLA. I assumed that someone somewhere could provide similar information re the Turkish rules that are being referred to!
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A good Article found in Fethiye Times, http://www.fethiyetimes.com/guides/160-how-to-guides/5378-fethiye-times-diy-turkish-driving-licence-guide.html (http://www.fethiyetimes.com/guides/160-how-to-guides/5378-fethiye-times-diy-turkish-driving-licence-guide.html)
To be on the side right side of your insurance company ask your insurers if your current licence is valid, and should you be unfortunate to have an accident during the term of the policy will you be covered. Remember, Insurance companies are very happy to take your money and will find any loophole not to have to pay out.
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Yes Loz, we always asked if a translation was all that was required and was always told it was OK. BUT that was using a UK address of one of our sons, because we no longer had an property in the UK. Yes, we did have a translation, but when he moved, we realised we either had another translation done for HIS new address, knowing full well it was possibly going to drop us in it at some point ( -OR him), or we just bit the bullet and got a Turkish licence and be done with it. We took the latter option.
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I asked if you had a direct link to the regulations that are being referred to - it just seems odd that some people are being told, by the Police, that they need to have a Turkish licence, and are being given a fixed period of time to get one. Loz has put links to relevant DVLA and EU rules and I have posted the response I have had direct from DVLA. I assumed that someone somewhere could provide similar information re the Turkish rules that are being referred to!
I don't have a direct link to the law in question. We were told by the head of Mugla traffic police, which is good enough for me. I don't question British police if they tell me the law so why should I question Turkish police?
He also said that there was a change in the law last year which affected Turkish nationals who emigrated from Turkey and then return some years later. They have to get a Turkish licence (if their old one expired, or if they gained a driving licence abroad) after 12 months of being back in Turkey. This last part is causing the confusion, according to Koray after talking to Mugla Police, as some police officers may be incorrectly enforcing this across the board.
Whether anyone gets a Turkish licence or not means nothing to me, its personal choice. What I am saying is that there is no legislation which says a UK licence is not valid here and Turkish Law has been explained by the Head of Mugla Traffic Dept.
I am not arguing my point over and over any more.
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Surely asking Koray Atak or Yacup Yilmaz to get the law number from the Head of Traffic Police, would clear up this discussion once and for all.
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Posted elsewhere:
Hello, At the recent British Consulate meeting here in Didim and Akbuk it was announced that you do not have to have a Turkish driving licence now BUT you must have your UK card licence translated and notarised in Turkey and carry this translation with you in your car/wallet. The British Consulate also said that if any insurance company refused to insure you or charge you more because you don't have a Turkish licence then this is wrong according to the Turkish Highway Driving Law (don't know the exact name) and its article 40 section G. For more information I would e-mail the British Consulate for more information.
So if you have a UK card license no matter whether you should or not it would appear that if it is translated then you are OK.
I wonder f they translate the expiry date near the picture ???
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That is fine as long as someone got / renewed their UK photocard licence before coming to live in Turkey and as long as they attain the age of 70 within 10 years or less of getting that photocard licence in the UK. The email from DVLA states they would be unable to issue a further British Licence to anyone who resides overseas for the greater part of the time.
Changes to British legislation resulting in the implementation of the Second EC Directive on Driving Licences (91/439/EEC) since 1 January 1997, have required that driving licences are granted only to drivers who are resident in this country.
Their words not mine!
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Has anyone had their UK photocard license translated and notorised recently - if so any useful contact and guide price ?
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Posted elsewhere:
Hello, At the recent British Consulate meeting here in Didim and Akbuk it was announced that you do not have to have a Turkish driving licence now BUT you must have your UK card licence translated and notarised in Turkey and carry this translation with you in your car/wallet. The British Consulate also said that if any insurance company refused to insure you or charge you more because you don't have a Turkish licence then this is wrong according to the Turkish Highway Driving Law (don't know the exact name) and its article 40 section G. For more information I would e-mail the British Consulate for more information.
So if you have a UK card license no matter whether you should or not it would appear that if it is translated then you are OK.
I wonder f they translate the expiry date near the picture ???
Sent from my ARCHOS 80 COBALT using Tapatalk 2
Thank you we rest our case.....
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I thought you might :))
I agree with you - you can look for reasons to complicate this but basically if you still have your UK photo card license - forget how or why you have it - then this appears to cover your particular requirements ;)
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