Documents: Turkish to English Turkish → English
Turkish driving licence (sürücü belgesi) translation
Certified English translation of a Turkish driving licence (sürücü belgesi), the card issued since 2016 and the older paper licence, for UK insurers, employers, car hire and courts. Turkish licences cannot be exchanged at the DVLA. £10, next working day.
What the receiving body requires
“If you need to certify a translation of a document that's not written in English or Welsh, ask the translation company to confirm in writing on the translation: that it's a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document’; the date of the translation; the full name and contact details of the translator or a representative of the translation company.”
Source:
· checked 29 August 2026The Turkish licence and what is on it
Since 1 January 2016 Turkish driving licences (sürücü belgesi) have been issued as a card by the district registry offices (nüfus müdürlüğü) on behalf of the Directorate General of Population and Citizenship Affairs; before that they were issued by the traffic police. The card follows the numbered field layout used on European licences: 1 surname, 2 given names, 3 date and place of birth, 4a date of issue, 4b expiry, 4c issuing authority, 5 licence number, 7 signature and 9 the categories held. The reverse has a table giving, for each category, the date first obtained (10), the expiry (11) and restriction codes (12), with 01.01 for glasses being the commonest. Blood group appears as well. A car licence is valid for ten years and a lorry or bus licence for five.
The older paper licence, folded and laminated, shows the class (sınıf) held, the date of issue (verildiği tarih), the issuing traffic registration office and a photograph, with handwritten entries on some. Both versions are still seen in the UK, and we translate either, including the restriction codes with their meanings, the issuing office and any handwritten notes.
When a UK body asks for it
- Insurers. A UK motor insurer prices a policy partly on how long you have held a licence. The category table on the back of the card shows the date each category was first obtained, which is the figure the insurer wants; a certified translation lets them read it. Turkish no-claims history is a separate document; see no-claims letter translation.
- Employers. For a driving role during your first year in Great Britain, an employer checking that you hold a full licence for the vehicle category concerned.
- Car hire and leasing companies, some of which ask for a translation of a non-EU licence.
- Courts and police. Where a driver is asked to produce a licence after a stop or a collision, or where the date a licence was obtained is relevant in proceedings.
The DVLA is not on this list. Türkiye is not a designated country for licence exchange, so a Turkish licence cannot be swapped for a British one and no translation changes that. A new resident of Great Britain can drive on a full Turkish licence for 12 months from the date of becoming resident; after that a provisional licence, a theory test and a practical test are required. A translation is not needed to drive during the 12 months. See translations and the DVLA and our guide to driving in the UK on a Turkish licence.
What the translation must contain
Insurers and employers do not publish their own certification rule and accept the gov.uk standard quoted below: a written confirmation that the translation is true and accurate, the date and the name and contact details of the translator or company. Our certification page provides these, with the company's Ankara Trade Registry number and signature, and both sides of the licence are attached as a copy.
The categories are copied as printed (B, A2, BE, C1 and so on) and not converted to UK categories, since the letters mostly coincide and any difference should be assessed by the reader, not silently adjusted. The restriction codes are translated with their meanings, and the date first obtained for each category is written out in full so that a “licence held since” figure can be read without ambiguity.
Apostille and international driving permits
No UK body has asked us for an apostille on a driving licence, and the card cannot be apostilled directly. Türkiye issues international driving permits through the Turkish Touring and Automobile Club; the UK does not require one for a Turkish licence during the 12 months, and a permit is multilingual, so it needs no translation from us.
Price and turnaround
Front and back of the card, or the whole paper licence, come to under 1,000 characters, so the certified translation costs £10.00, certification included, with no UK VAT. Delivery is within 1 working day as a certified PDF, or the same day with the fast option for a scan received before 11:00 UK time. If an insurer wants the paper version, a signed hard copy by courier from Ankara costs £30. We have no UK office and cannot offer collection.
What you receive
- Translation of both sides of the licence card or the full paper licence, with restriction codes explained and category dates written out
- Certification page in the gov.uk wording, dated and signed, with company credentials
- Copy of the licence attached
- Certified PDF by e-mail; courier hard copy optional
Frequently asked questions
Can I exchange my Turkish licence for a UK one if I have it translated?
No. Exchange is limited to designated countries, and Türkiye is not one of them. After 12 months of residence in Great Britain you need to apply for a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests. A translation is only useful for insurers, employers and similar bodies.
Which date does the insurer want: the licence issue date or the category date?
Normally the date you first obtained the category you drive on, which is field 10 on the back of the card. A renewed card shows a recent issue date in field 4a, which understates your experience; the translation shows both so the insurer can use the right one.
My licence is the old paper type. Is that a problem?
No. We translate the paper licence in the same way. Note that Türkiye required holders to replace paper licences with the card; if yours has not been replaced, an insurer may ask whether it is still valid, which is a question for the issuing office.
What do the codes like 01.01 mean?
They are restriction codes. 01.01 means the holder must wear glasses. We translate each code that appears on your licence with its meaning.
Do you translate the international driving permit as well?
Not usually. The permit is printed in several languages, including English, and UK bodies read it as it is. If a body specifically asks for a certified translation of it, we can provide one.