How to Buy a Car in Turkey as a Foreigner?

Foreigners can buy a vehicle in Turkey from car dealers, auto showrooms, or online. Car dealers give you all the documents to buy a car before you go to the notary for the sale process. If you think of buying a used car, you need some additional documents. But first, you must have a valid residence permit to purchase a car in Turkey.

If you are coming to Turkey for a short holiday, you may prefer renting a car or taking a cab while getting around. However, if you are relocating to Turkey or will stay in the country for a longer period, you might want to buy a car in Turkey.

Buying a Car in Turkey as a Foreigner

You might have questions in mind such as can foreigners buy vehicles in Turkey?

Yes. Foreigners can buy cars in Turkey. You can buy new or used cars. You can find auto showrooms and car dealers in every city. Besides, there are several popular websites where you can find used cars for sale.

If you want to buy a new car in Turkey, you can visit car dealers to choose a car. You can find car dealers of almost all brands in Turkey. If you buy a new car from one of these companies, they will help you with the sales process. New car prices in Turkey change depending on the car brand and features you seek while buying a car.

If you are buying a new car from car dealers, they will provide you with all documents needed to buy a car before you go to the notary for the sales transaction. When buying a new car in Turkey, you will need the following documents:

• Notary Bill of Sale
• Sales Invoice
• Highway Conformity Certificate
• Special Consumption Tax (SCT) Receipt
• Compulsory traffic insurance

If you are buying a used car in Turkey, you should be careful about what you are buying. Whether you buy from an auto showroom or from someone you have found online, you should get a vehicle report. You can get a vehicle report from car expertise companies. This report shows all features and the history of the car. You can learn if the vehicle has any accident history or if any parts have been changed.

Car sales are done at notaries in Turkey. You can find a notary public office in all districts in Turkey. Before going to the notary public, you should ensure that all required documents are ready. If you are missing one of these documents, the transaction will not be done by the notary.

Required documents for used car sales at the notary public in Turkey are:

1. License (ruhsat) and traffic document: The seller will provide
2. Notary sales document: Notary office supplies
3. Valid identity document: Your ID, passport with notarized translation, or Turkish driving license
4. Power of Attorney: If the transaction will be done by a proxy
5. Valid address and phone number: You must provide a valid address and phone number

Foreigners also need a sworn translator for all transactions at the notary public, as required by law. As all papers are prepared in the Turkish language, a translator must tell you what is written on the papers before you sign them.

As you go to the notary office with all the required documents, they will prepare the sales contracts within a short time. Your translator explains the agreement to you in your mother tongue. If you agree to the conditions written on the sales agreement, both parties sign the papers. It is a very simple and swift process to buy a car in Turkey.

Tax-Free Cars in Turkey for Foreigners

While Turkey is famous for its low cost of living and affordable property prices, cars and technological tools are the most expensive items in the country. However, the good news is that foreigners residing in Turkey with work permits can buy new cars with tax exemption. These vehicles are registered with blue number plates. So, they are known also as blue plate cars.

Foreigners who are eligible to buy tax-free cars can also buy used blue plate vehicles from other foreigners. Tax-free vehicles are exempt from Special Consumption Tax (SCT) and Value Added Tax (VAT). However, the exemption does not cover the banderole tax which is the annual road tax.

Foreigners who can buy blue plate vehicles in Turkey are:

• Work permit holders
• Foreign press workers
• Foreign teachers and students
• Retired foreigners
• NATO and EU staff

Buying a tax-free vehicle is a bit different than buying any car. Used tax-free car sales from one foreigner to another occur at the seller’s consulate. The transaction of buying a new car with tax exemption occurs at the notary public. The process is very similar to buying a normal car in Turkey except for some additional documents. These are;

• Residence/work permit
• Tax receipts
• Notary certificate

Turkish citizens and foreigners who do not fulfill some conditions can not buy tax-free cars in Turkey. So, if you have bought a tax-free car and want to sell it, you can sell it to a foreigner who is eligible to buy it. However, don’t worry about it. Some companies assist in selling your tax-free car within a reasonable time frame.

The Turkish secondhand car market is favorable. You might think that your car loses value after using it for some time. That’s not the case in Turkey. Cars are in high demand in Turkey. So, you can even sell for a profit after you use a car for a period.

Further Reading

If you want to learn about the traffic regulations and driving in Turkey, you can read our article; Buying a Car and Traveling to Turkey

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