Toll Roads in Turkey — Traveling with a Ukrainian Car

How to safely travel with a Ukrainian car in Turkey

If you are planning a trip to Turkey with a car that has Ukrainian plates, it’s important to prepare in advance and take into account several key points to avoid problems when paying for toll roads in Turkey and at the border.

1. Power of attorney for driving a car in Turkey
   If someone other than the owner is driving the car, a notarized power of attorney with a translation into English or Turkish is required. This document confirms the driver’s right to operate the vehicle. However, if the car owner is in the vehicle but not driving, a power of attorney is not required, provided that all car documents and identification papers are in order.
2. Toll roads and the HGS system in Turkey
   In Turkey, most toll roads and bridges operate through the HGS (Hızlı Geçiş Sistemi) system. To use these roads, the car must be registered in the HGS system and a special sticker must be obtained and affixed to the windshield. It is important to monitor the balance on the HGS account, as driving on a toll road without sufficient funds will be recorded as a violation.

A feature of toll roads in Turkey is their complete automation. There are no barriers or cashiers at the entrances to indicate the need for payment. Tolls are recorded solely by the vehicle’s license plate, and drivers may not even notice that they have entered a toll road.

3. Paying fines in Turkey and the 15-day period
   If you accidentally drive on a toll road without enough balance in your HGS account, you have 15 days to pay the fine without penalty. After this period, the fine will be quadrupled compared to the original toll amount. For example, if the standard toll is 100 TL, after 15 days you will owe 500 TL, including the fine. It’s important to remember that if fines are unpaid, the car will not be allowed to leave the country at the border.

To check and pay fines, you can use the following service (the page opens slowly but works):
https://webihlaltakip.kgm.gov.tr/WebIhlalSorgulama/Sayfalar/Sorgulama

When checking the vehicle’s fines, the editorial team found that a fine was listed, which had been paid when leaving Turkey a year ago. However, the fine is still listed in the system. Therefore, it is useful to keep the receipt or pay by card (to preserve the receipt) if you paid the fine at the border and plan to enter Turkey again soon.

4. Payment at the border for toll roads in Turkey
   If you haven’t been able to pay toll road debts in advance, you can do so at the border before leaving the country. However, be aware that if there are unpaid fines, you will not be allowed to leave Turkey until they are fully paid.

Conclusion
For safe travel with a Ukrainian-registered car in Turkey, it is important to prepare carefully: make sure all documents are in order, register in the HGS system, and monitor the balance on your account. The automation of toll roads in Turkey requires special attention to avoid additional costs and problems at the border.

If you are traveling further through Romania, be prepared for the possibility that they may ask for a technical inspection certificate for your vehicle at the border.