Obstacle at Customs for Foreign Vehicles
Official titleRegulation on Tolls and Administrative Fines Pertaining to Foreign-Plated Vehicles on Toll Motorways and the Collection of Penalties
New procedures and principles regarding the toll motorway passages and the collection of penalties of foreign-plated vehicles have been determined; the payment of debts prior to exit from customs has been made mandatory.
Before
The provisions of the former regulation dated 17/2/2017 used to be applied.
After
An exit restriction at customs and a graduated penalty (15-45 days) system have been introduced through full integration between systems.
Details of the Regulation
This regulation published by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure governs how tolls and administrative fines shall be collected from foreign-plated vehicles using toll motorways in Turkey. According to the regulation, in the event that owners of foreign vehicles who commit a violation passage make payment within 15 days, no penalty shall be applied. While the penalty is applied as 1 fold for payments made between 15 and 45 days, a penalty in the amount of 4 times the toll fee shall be collected in cases exceeding 45 days.
The most important regulation is the integration of these debts at customs gates. By interconnecting the systems of the General Directorate of Highways (KGM), the Ministry of Trade, and the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, foreign-plated vehicles with debts will not be permitted to leave the country. Payments may be made in cash or by credit card at customs cash desks.
60% of the penalties imposed on motorways operated by private companies (Build-Operate-Transfer) shall be transferred to the general budget as a service share, and 40% shall be given to the relevant operating company. With this regulation, the former regulation dated 2017 has been repealed.
Questions You Might Have
- I have a foreign-plated vehicle and made a violation passage, how much time do I have?
- You have 15 days to pay only the toll fee without paying any penalty at all.
- What happens if I go to customs while having a debt?
- The customs civil servant sees the debt on the screen and does not permit the vehicle's departure until you make the payment.
- Are penalty rates different on private motorways (BOT)?
- No, on roads operated by both the state and the private sector, the penalty rate is standard at 4 times the fee.
Key Terms
- İhlalli Geçiş
- Passage through a toll road without a subscription or without maintaining an adequate balance.
- Erişme Kontrollü Karayolu
- A motorway where entry and exit are prohibited except at designated locations, subject to allocation for transit traffic.
- Muhasebe Birimi
- The cash desk and financial center where public debts and collections are monitored.
Affected Sectors
- Logistics
- International transport
- Tourism
- Customs operators
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REGAS Commentary
This regulation aims to prevent public and private sector losses arising from foreign-plated vehicles leaving the country without paying their motorway debts in Turkey. The 'no exit permission' rule at customs gates will increase collection efficiency to near 100%. While the 15-day 'penalty-free payment' period provides a reasonable advantage for drivers, exceeding the 45-day period imposes a severe financial burden (a 4-fold penalty).