Turkey to impose permanent licence bans on candidate drivers for serious traffic offences

The Turkish parliament is reviewing a draft omnibus bill that would make permanent revocation of a candidate driver’s licence possible for three serious violations: drifting, making illegal lane changes, or failing to yield to emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire trucks. Under the current system, licences are only suspended for a limited period, but the proposal would introduce a much harsher, permanent penalty.

Official data show that between 2017 and 17 June 2026, 161,347 candidate drivers had their licences cancelled, with 123,072 revocations linked to driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or stimulants. In 2025 a record 31,978 licences were cancelled, the highest annual total since the program began. Candidate drivers make up about 8.7 % of Turkey’s 38.9 million licensed drivers, roughly 3.4 million people.

If the bill passes, offenders of the specified offences will lose their licences permanently and will have to undergo a new application process before regaining the right to drive.