With the increasing number of drivers and vehicles in Turkey, the General Directorate of Security (Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü) offers new services under laws introduced by the social state to regulate traffic. When buying a brand-new car, there are several steps and documents required by law. Procedures for purchasing a new vehicle differ somewhat from those for second-hand cars. For zero-kilometer vehicles, the dealer you buy the car from typically handles the registration procedures through a traffic consultant provided by the dealership. These procedures must be completed with a notarized signature, and the dealer coordinates with a notary to finalize the vehicle documentation. One of the transactions the dealer and notary handle is license plate allocation (plaka tahsis).
To enable the dealer to complete the sale, the buyer must grant power of attorney to the dealership. With the notarized power of attorney and a copy of the buyer’s identity card, traffic consultants employed by the dealer carry out the vehicle registration on behalf of the buyer. Traffic consultants also complete the license plate allocation process. Finalizing registration for the purchased vehicle requires a set of documents: the buyer’s identity card, the vehicle sales invoice issued at purchase, the dealer’s authorization certificate that permits issuing the sales invoice, the dealer’s compulsory financial liability insurance certificate, proof of payment of the Special Consumption Tax (Özel Tüketim Vergisi) as required by law, the allocated license plate, vehicle registration and traffic documents, and a new registration file obtained from the drivers’ chamber (şoförler odası). All these documents must be complete for the sale to proceed; if even one document is missing, the sale and plate allocation cannot be completed. If the buyer is a corporate entity rather than an individual, additional documents such as a trade registry extract and signature circular from the Chamber of Commerce are required.
If you plan to buy a brand-new vehicle with a customs traffic certificate (gümrük trafik şahadetnamesi), you must present specific documents including the customs traffic certificate, a conformity certificate, compulsory financial liability insurance as required by law, proof of plate allocation and registration, the buyer’s traffic document, a new registration file from the drivers’ chamber, proof of payment of Special Consumption Tax, and the buyer’s Turkish ID card (with TC identification number). All listed documents must be present for a customs-certified vehicle purchase; missing documents will prevent completion of the transaction. After obtaining the certificate, the vehicle’s registration must typically be completed within about three months from the certificate’s issue date.
What Is Plate Allocation?
Plate allocation is a traffic service organized by the General Directorate of Security that allows drivers to reserve a preferred license plate. This service is available every weekday starting from the beginning of official working hours (08:30), when new plates are loaded into the system. If you reserve a plate online, you can hold it exclusively for 24 hours; if you do not complete the reservation within 24 hours, the reserved plate loses its hold and returns to the system.
How Is Plate Allocation Done?
When buying a new car you must first complete vehicle registration procedures. Registration is handled at the traffic registration office (trafik tescil bürosu), and you should prepare the necessary documents before visiting. Required documents include the sales invoice issued by the dealer, the dealer’s authorization certificate, a vehicle conformity certificate, compulsory financial liability insurance policy, proof of Special Consumption Tax payment, the buyer’s identity card, and the vehicle registration file issued by the drivers’ chamber. If you buy a brand-new vehicle and decide to change the plate during the notarized sale, you will be given a new plate that reflects your city’s plate code. Allocation continues in sequence according to the current series’ numbers or letters.
You can also perform plate allocation online by accessing the EGM website. Each province’s Police Department page supports the transaction. After opening the relevant page, you will find a form that must be completed to access the plate allocation system.
