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

The Renewal Process for Old Driver's Licenses is Completed

In Turkey, the period for replacing old-style driver's licenses (driving licenses) with new-style driver's licenses has ended as of October 31, 2023. The new-style driver's licenses, which were first issued on January 1, 2016, initially had a deadline of December 31, 2020 for citizens. However, this period was extended a total of 4 times to prevent citizens from experiencing hardship.

Minister Yerlikaya's Call

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

Concerning Number of Those Who Did Not Renew

Since 2016, 35 million 794 thousand 515 people have received the new-style driver's license, while 1 million 799 thousand 172 people have not completed the license renewal process. The validity of old-style licenses has expired as of October 31, 2023. This situation increases the risk of being stranded and facing legal issues.

Changes in Driver's License Renewal Fees

Driver's license renewal fees have also become an important topic. The renewal fee for Class B driver's licenses is set at 7,438 lira 60 kuruş instead of the previous 15 lira. This high amount may be another factor that accelerates citizens' decision to renew their licenses.