Car rental companies in Turkey face an important regulatory shift following the publication of the Regulation on the Rental of Motorized Land Vehicles in the Turkish Official Gazette on August 15, 2026, with its general provisions scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2027. The significance of this regulation is that it no longer treats rental activity solely as a general commercial service. Instead, it establishes a dedicated framework covering authorization certificates, fleet standards, vehicle requirements, contracts, deposits, and electronic platforms.

For the owner of a car rental company, the question is no longer simply: Do I have a registered company? It is now: Is rental activity shown in the official records? Do I have an authorization certificate? Does my fleet comply with the vehicle number, age, and mileage requirements? And do my contracts, deposit system, and advertisements comply with the new rules?

First: What Is the Scope of the Regulation?

The regulation applies to the rental of motorized land vehicles when the service is provided to consumers, with a particular focus on short-term rentals. It defines a short-term rental as one that does not exceed 29 days for the same customer, whether concluded as a single rental or through consecutive periods.

Some cases fall outside the scope of the regulation, including long-term rentals, rentals where the lessee is not a consumer, car-sharing rental services, and the rental of camping vehicles. Each company should therefore look beyond the general description of its activity and review the types of contracts it actually offers: Are they short-term tourist rentals, corporate rentals, long-term rentals, or a mixed model?

This classification is important because the practical obligations may vary according to the nature of the service. The review should preferably be completed before the effective date so that the company’s procedures are not based on an inaccurate classification.

Second: The Authorization Certificate Has Become Central to the Activity

The regulation states that commercial vehicle rental activity may not be conducted without an authorization certificate. The certificate is issued separately for each establishment and is not transferable.

The main conditions for obtaining it include having the company or establishment registered for tax purposes, registered with the relevant chamber or professional body, and having vehicle rental listed among its business activities in both the tax and chamber records. The regulation also imposes conditions on the person responsible for the rental activity, including being of legal age, holding the required educational qualification, not being subject to specified disqualifying circumstances, and obtaining a relevant professional competence certificate.

For foreign-owned companies or companies established by Arab investors in Turkey, having an existing company is not sufficient if car rental activity has not been correctly added to the official records. The company may therefore need to review its articles of association, trade registry, tax registration, and chamber records before applying for the certificate. If the company is still being established or needs to amend its activity, the process can begin with a review of its structure through the guide to establishing a company in Turkey.

Third: The Minimum Number of Vehicles Does Not Limit the Number of Companies in a City

One point that has caused confusion in the market is that the regulation does not set a permitted number of rental companies for each city. The confirmed requirement concerns the number of vehicles that a company must own or include in its fleet, and this varies according to the location of the business.

If the company operates in a province with a metropolitan municipality and in a district with a population exceeding 30,000, it must have a fleet of at least 10 vehicles. At least 5 vehicles must be registered in the company’s name, while the remainder may be secured through leasing. In this case, the fleet must also include at least 2 hybrid or fully electric vehicles, one of which must have been manufactured in Turkey.

In districts with a population not exceeding 30,000, as well as in provinces without metropolitan municipalities, the company must have at least 5 vehicles. At least 2 vehicles must be registered in the company’s name, while the remainder may be secured through leasing.

The practical point is that the location of the branch or business premises may affect the minimum fleet requirement. Each branch must also be assessed separately because the regulation indicates that the minimum vehicle requirement must be met by each branch according to its circumstances.

Fourth: Vehicle Age, Mileage, and Condition

The regulation sets clear conditions for vehicles that may be rented. Except for classic vehicles, a vehicle may not be more than 6 years old based on its model year. Electric vehicles exceeding 300,000 kilometres may not be rented, while the limit for other vehicles is 180,000 kilometres.

The requirements are not limited to age and mileage. A vehicle must not have a record of severe damage, its periodic inspection must remain valid, and it must have compulsory financial liability insurance. Renting a vehicle whose scheduled maintenance was not completed on time is also prohibited.

This means fleet management will become an essential part of legal compliance. Maintenance, inspection, insurance, and mileage records can no longer be treated solely as internal operational files. They may affect both the vehicle’s eligibility for rental and the company’s ability to obtain or retain its authorization certificate.

Fifth: Contracts, Deposits, and Customer Protection

The regulation governs the contractual relationship with customers in greater detail. A written or electronic rental agreement must be concluded before the vehicle is delivered. The contract must include the company’s details, the renter’s and additional drivers’ details, vehicle information, the rental period, fuel or energy status, mileage, paid and complimentary services, insurance terms, the deposit, penalties, additional charges, and the circumstances in which liability for damage arises.

The regulation also sets limits on deposits. For rentals not exceeding 6 days, the deposit may not exceed the value of 3 rental days. For rentals lasting from 7 to 29 days, or weekly rentals, the deposit may not exceed the value of 7 rental days. The deposit refund process must be completed within the prescribed period after the vehicle is returned or the reservation is cancelled, according to the stated circumstances.

Another important point is that customers may not be charged for normal wear and tear resulting from ordinary use, and no amount may be deducted from the deposit for that reason. The regulation also emphasizes documenting vehicle delivery and return and requires the company to provide a continuous communication channel for breakdown and damage cases.

Sixth: Platforms and Advertisements Are Also Subject to Oversight

The regulation does not apply only to rental companies; it also extends to advertising and electronic intermediary platforms. Platforms must verify the authorization certificate before accepting a rental company as a member or publishing its advertisements. Certain information must also appear in each advertisement, and the company’s right to advertise the vehicle must be verified.

This development is important for rental companies that rely on websites and applications to attract customers. Maintaining an active advertisement is no longer merely a marketing matter; it is also connected to the compliance of the authorization, vehicle information, and registered business activity. Existing platform agreements should therefore be reviewed before the transitional deadlines, and companies should ensure that the information provided to platforms matches their actual records.

Seventh: Transitional Deadlines That Matter to Existing Companies

The regulation takes effect on January 1, 2027. Companies that are already established and conducting vehicle rental activity when the regulation enters into force must obtain the authorization certificate by July 1, 2027 to continue operating.

Existing companies have a longer transitional period for the minimum fleet size and the vehicle age and mileage requirements. These conditions will not apply to them until January 1, 2028, provided they satisfy the requirements for benefiting from the transitional period. Separate deadlines also apply to platforms and their existing contracts.

These periods do not mean that planning should be postponed. A company with an ageing or insufficient fleet needs a financial and operational plan before the end of the transitional period, as purchasing vehicles, changing financing arrangements, or adding hybrid or electric vehicles cannot usually be completed within a few days.

Eighth: What Should a Car Rental Company Owner Do Now?

The most practical way to address the regulation is to turn it into an operational compliance checklist:

• Review the type of rental service you provide: short-term, long-term, consumer-focused, or business-focused.
• Confirm that vehicle rental activity is included in the tax and chamber records.
• Review the location of the business and its branches, as the minimum fleet requirement is affected by the place of operation.
• Check the number of vehicles registered in the company’s name and the number secured through leasing.
• Create a record for each vehicle covering its model year, mileage, energy type, insurance, inspection, maintenance, and damage status.
• Update contract templates, delivery and return forms, the deposit policy, and the reservation cancellation policy.
• Review the advertisements and platforms you use and confirm that their information matches the company’s records.
• Coordinate with your licensed accountant before making changes to the registered activity, fleet, or branches, as administrative changes may have tax and accounting implications.

Accurate monthly statutory accounting has become more important for rental companies because business records, invoices, contracts, and maintenance, insurance, and financing expenses must be properly organized and available for review. You can learn more about this through the article on the importance of hiring a certified accountant to manage your tax obligations in Turkey.

Summary for Car Rental Company Owners

The new regulation does not merely seek to impose restrictions on the market. It moves the car rental sector to a higher level of regulation through authorization certificates, compliant fleets, specified vehicle age and mileage limits, clear contracts, controlled deposits, and oversight of platforms and advertisements.

If you own a car rental company in Turkey, the correct step now is to review your position before the transitional deadlines: Is your company eligible for the authorization certificate? Does your fleet comply? Do you need to amend your registered activity or branch structure? And do your contracts and accounting system support compliance?

Aldewan Consultancy can help you review your company’s position in relation to establishment, registered activities, official registrations, and monthly statutory accounting so that you can enter the new phase with a clear plan.

Request your consultation now to assess your company’s position and prepare an appropriate compliance path before full implementation begins.