1.8 Million Drivers Did Not Renew Their Licenses: The Deadline Has Expired.

The Renewal Process for Old Driving Licenses is Complete

In Turkey, the deadline for replacing old-style driver's licenses (driving permits) with new-style driver's licenses has ended as of October 31, 2023. The new-style driver's licenses have been issued since January 1, 2016, and the deadline for citizens initially was set for December 31, 2020. However, in order to prevent any grievances among citizens, this deadline has been extended a total of 4 times.

Minister Yerlikaya's Call

The Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya warned citizens to renew their licenses throughout October via social media, emphasizing that "Do not wait until the last day." He pointed out that this process would not be extended again. Following these calls, a total of 275,608 people applied to renew their licenses in October. By the end of the workday today, 40,771 people have applied for the renewal process.

Worrying Number of Those Who Did Not Renew

Since 2016, a total of 35 million 794 thousand 515 people have obtained the new-style driver's license, while 1 million 799 thousand 172 individuals did not complete the license renewal process. The validity of old-style licenses has ended as of October 31, 2023. This situation increases the risk of being stranded on the road and facing legal issues.

Driving License Renewal Fees Changed

Driving license renewal fees are also an important topic on the agenda. The renewal fee for B class driving licenses has been set at 7,438 lira 60 kuruş instead of 15 lira. This high amount may be another factor accelerating citizens' decision to renew their licenses.