Green Card Countries — Does Turkey Accept Yours?

Turkey is a member of the International Motor Insurance Certificate system — commonly called the Green Card system — but not all countries' Green Cards include Turkey as a covered territory. Whether your Green Card covers Turkey depends entirely on your country of registration and your specific insurer. Here is how to check and what to do if Turkey is not included.

What is the Green Card system?

The International Motor Insurance Certificate (IMIC) — universally known as the Green Card — is a standardised insurance document created in 1949 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. It allows drivers to travel internationally using their home-country insurance, without needing to purchase separate cover in each country they visit.

The system is managed by the Council of Bureaux (CoB), and as of 2025 it has 48 member countries, covering Europe, parts of Asia, and North Africa. When you cross into a member country, your Green Card is accepted as proof of at least third-party liability insurance.

Crucially, the Green Card only works if your country's bureau has a bilateral agreement with the bureau of the country you are entering — and only for the countries listed on your specific Green Card document.

Turkey in the Green Card system

Turkey is a member of the Green Card system. The Türkiye Sigorta Acenteleri ve Brokerları Birliği (TSAB) is Turkey's national bureau, which means Turkish insurers participate in the Green Card network.

However, Turkey being a Green Card member does not mean your Green Card automatically covers Turkey. Coverage depends on your issuing country's insurer — they must specifically agree to extend cover to Turkey and list TR on your Green Card document without crossing it out.

Many European insurers — particularly those in northern and western Europe — exclude Turkey from standard motor policies. Turkey sits at the edge of the Green Card territory and is perceived as a higher-risk market for some underwriters. This means a Green Card issued in Germany may include Turkey for one driver but not another, depending on their insurer's policy.

How to check if your Green Card covers Turkey

A physical Green Card document looks like a folded sheet of paper (traditionally green, though now often white) with a list of country codes on the front. To check Turkey coverage:

1. Find the country codes list. It will be a grid of two-letter country codes — for example DE (Germany), FR (France), IT (Italy), TR (Turkey).
2. Locate TR. Find the code for Turkey: TR.
3. Check if TR is valid:
   • If TR is printed clearly and not marked in any way → Turkey is covered
   • If TR is crossed through with a line → Turkey is NOT covered
   • If TR is circled → Check with your insurer — circling sometimes means special conditions apply
   • If TR does not appear at all → Turkey is NOT covered

If you are unsure about your Green Card, call your insurer before you travel. Ask specifically: "Does my Green Card include Turkey (TR) as a covered territory?" Get confirmation in writing.

What does TR crossed out mean?

When TR is crossed out on a Green Card, it means your insurer has excluded Turkey from your cover. This is a deliberate exclusion — not an error or omission. Your home-country policy does not provide any insurance cover in Turkey for that vehicle.

This is particularly common for:

• UK drivers (since Brexit, many UK insurers exclude Turkey)
• Drivers in countries that have limited bilateral insurance agreements with Turkey
• Standard (not specialist) policies that default to EU-only coverage

If TR is crossed out, you must purchase a Turkish MTPL policy. There is no workaround — Turkish customs and traffic police will not accept a Green Card with TR crossed out as valid insurance.

Which countries' drivers always need Turkish MTPL?

Drivers from countries that are not Green Card members always need to purchase Turkish MTPL at or before the border, regardless. The major non-member countries relevant to Turkey travel include:

• Georgia — not a Green Card member; Turkish MTPL always required
• Russia — not a Green Card member; Turkish MTPL always required
• Ukraine — Green Card member, but check TR coverage with insurer
• Azerbaijan — not a Green Card member; Turkish MTPL always required
• Armenia — not a Green Card member; Turkish MTPL always required

Additionally, even drivers from Green Card member countries often need Turkish MTPL because their specific policy excludes Turkey. UK drivers, in particular, should assume they need Turkish MTPL and verify with their insurer only if they want to avoid the additional cost.

The simplest approach for any foreign driver: purchase Turkish MTPL insurance before you travel. It removes any uncertainty and is accepted at every Turkish border crossing without question.

Green Card vs Turkish MTPL — key differences

This is one of the most commonly confused points for foreign drivers. Here is a clear comparison:

Our recommendation: Even if your Green Card technically includes Turkey, buying a Turkish MTPL policy from a local broker is faster at the border, cheaper, and removes all uncertainty. It is the document Turkish authorities are trained to recognise.