How long can you drive in Northern Cyprus with foreign driving licenses?

Getting around without a car in the northern part of the island is quite problematic. Fortunately, you can drive a car with your national driving license for some time after arriving on the island.

• How long can you drive with a national license?
• What to do when the rights expire?
• The nuances of driving with your license when applying for a residence permit
• Other questions about driver's license

HOW LONG CAN YOU DRIVE WITH A NATIONAL LICENSE?

By law, a foreign citizen has the right to use a driver's license of his state during the entire period of validity of a tourist visa. A tourist visa is a stamp indicating the number of days of legal stay in the TRNC. Usually, this is 30 days, in rare cases they can deliver either less or more. Maximum - 90 days.

WHAT TO DO WHEN THE RIGHTS EXPIRE?

If you decide to stay on the island for a longer period than a tourist visa allows, you need to apply for a residence permit. Once you have received a residence permit, you don't have the right to drive on a foreign driver's license and you need to apply for a local license.

THE NUANCES OF DRIVING WITH YOUR LICENSE WHEN APPLYING FOR A RESIDENCE PERMIT

A residence permit in Northern Cyprus takes quite a long time to obtain - from application to receipt it can take several months. During this time, you are no longer entitled to drive on your license if your tourist visa (usually 30 days) has expired. But even without a fully issued residence permit, you won't be able to obtain a local license. We recommend taking a screenshot of your progress in obtaining a residence permit and presenting it in case of questions from the traffic police.

OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT DRIVER'S LICENSE

How to get a local driver's license?

Briefly - undergo training at a local driving school, then pass theoretical and practical exams at the police. There used to be an option to take an external exam based on the rights of another country, but it has disappeared today. Read more about the procedure for applying for a local license here.

Where to buy a car?

You can buy a car in Northern Cyprus even without obtaining a residence permit. You can just come to a car dealership, or you can buy it second-hand - we have instructions on how to do this.

The largest Telegram forum in Northern Cyprus has a section for car enthusiasts, there you can ask questions on automotive topics, and one of the 17 thousand participants will probably know the answer!