Motorway Speed Limit 2026: Limits and Penalties by Vehicle Type

On highways in Turkey, the speed limit for automobiles is 130 km/h on motorways operated by the General Directorate of Highways (KGM), and 140 km/h on motorways operated under the Build-Operate-Transfer (YİD) model. On divided roads the limit is 110 km/h, on intercity two-way roads 90 km/h, and within residential areas 50 km/h. Limits are lower for minibuses, buses, trucks, and motorcycles, and as of 2026 speeding fines are graded according to the km/h difference.

In this guide, we present the speed limits valid as of 2026 from the table in Article 100 of the Highway Traffic Regulation (Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği), and the penalty amounts from Article 51 of the Highway Traffic Law (Karayolları Trafik Kanunu), as amended by Law No. 7574 published in the Official Gazette on February 27, 2026. If you are heading out on a long journey from Ankara, traveling with a rental car, or wondering what a speeding fine you received means, the sections below will be directly useful to you.

Speed limits by vehicle type table (2026)

The basis for speed limits is Article 100 of the Highway Traffic Regulation (Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği). The article sets maximum speeds by road type for vehicles without trailers, unless a traffic sign indicates otherwise. The table below reflects the values in the current regulation text published on mevzuat.gov.tr.

All values in the table are in km/h. The 130 and 140 km/h values in the automobile row are based on the regulation's provision granting the Ministry of Interior (İçişleri Bakanlığı) the authority to raise the speed limit for automobiles by up to 20 km/h. The KGM's motorway restrictions page also states that the maximum speed on access-controlled highways is 130 km/h on KGM motorways and 140 km/h on BOT motorways. This increase applies only to automobiles; on motorways, minibuses and buses cannot exceed 100 km/h, pickup trucks 95 km/h, and trucks 90 km/h.

Vehicles with trailers and speed limiters

According to the regulation, the maximum speed for vehicles with a trailer or semi-trailer is 10 km/h lower than the limit for the same type of vehicle without a trailer. This means a car towing a caravan or trailer is limited to 100 km/h, not 110, on a divided road. For M2 and M3 class buses and minibuses that are required to have speed limiters, the device is set to 110 km/h; for N2 and N3 class trucks and tractor units, it is set to 99 km/h.

There is also a minimum speed

Except in mandatory circumstances, the minimum speed on intercity roads is 15 km/h, and on motorways it is 40 km/h. Driving unnecessarily slowly on a motorway is also against the rules; the law separately prohibits obstructing the progress of other vehicles by driving well below the speed limit indicated by signage.

The difference between motorways, divided roads, and urban roads

The reason the same vehicle travels at different limits on different roads is the physical structure of the road. To apply the correct limit, you first need to recognize which road you are on.

• Motorway (access-controlled highway): Entry and exit are only via grade-separated interchanges and toll booths, and the road is enclosed by wire fencing or walls. Pedestrians, bicycles, tractors, and construction machinery cannot enter. Stopping, parking, making U-turns, and reversing are prohibited on motorways; in the event of a breakdown, a brief stop is allowed in the rightmost emergency lane.
• Divided road: Travel directions are separated by a median, but intersections may be at grade, and there may be residential areas and businesses along the roadside. The automobile limit is 110 km/h.
• Intercity two-way road: You share the same platform with oncoming traffic; the automobile limit is 90 km/h. Overtaking is the riskiest maneuver performed here.
• Within urban areas: The general limit for all motor vehicles is 50 km/h. Provincial and district traffic commissions may raise this limit on divided roads where pedestrian crossings are provided via underpasses and overpasses.

In Ankara, you feel this difference most on divided roads passing through the city, such as Eskişehir Road, Konya Road, and Istanbul Road. On these roads, higher limits set by commission decision and lower limits near intersection approaches can come one after another. The rule is simple: the general limit in the regulation applies unless a sign indicates otherwise; if there is a sign, the value on the sign is binding.

Speeding fine 2026: km/h tiers

The most important change of 2026 was in speeding fines. Law No. 7574, adopted on February 12, 2026, and published in the Official Gazette (Resmî Gazete) dated February 27, 2026, entering into force, rewrote Article 51 of the Highway Traffic Law (Karayolları Trafik Kanunu). Instead of the percentage brackets in the old system, a nine-tier fine table was introduced based on how many km/h the limit was exceeded by. The tiers are separate for inside and outside residential areas.

The amounts are valid as of February 27, 2026, when the law entered into force. According to the Misdemeanor Law (Kabahatler Kanunu), administrative fines are increased at the revaluation rate at the beginning of each calendar year; therefore, the amounts will change in 2027 and beyond. Base your assessment on the amount in the citation you receive, and check the General Directorate of Security (Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü) and the e-Devlet fine inquiry screen for current information.

Example calculation

A car measured at 152 km/h on a highway operated by the General Directorate of Highways (KGM) where the limit is 130 km/h has exceeded the limit by 22 km/h. Since the highway is outside a residential area, it falls into the 21-25 km/h tier and the fine is 6,000 TL. If the same 22 km/h excess had occurred in the city on a 50 km/h street (72 km/h), it would result in an 8,000 TL fine from the 21-25 km/h tier within residential areas. The reason urban tiers start more narrowly is that even a few km/h difference at low speeds seriously increases the risk of hitting a pedestrian.

Is the 10% tolerance still in place?

This became the most confused topic of 2026. The provision in Article 101 of the Highway Traffic Regulation (Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği) stating that drivers who exceed the maximum speed limit by 10% will not be subject to proceedings under Article 51 of the Law continues to appear in the current text on mevzuat.gov.tr. The Law, however, now defines the fine tiers directly in km/h: fines are stipulated starting from 6 km/h excess in the city and 11 km/h excess outside the city. On a 50 km/h street, 6 km/h is already more than 10% of the limit; however, we could not verify an official explanation of how the two regulations will be applied together on 130 or 140 km/h highways. The safe approach is simple: do not let the needle go above the value on the sign.

To avoid getting fined: common speeding mistakes

• Not reducing speed when transitioning from a highway to a divided road: When the highway ends, the car limit drops from 130 or 140 to 110. Missing the sign after the toll booth is one of the most common fines.
• Ignoring the residential area sign: The moment you enter a town on an intercity road, unless there is a sign to the contrary, the limit is 50 km/h and urban fine tiers apply.
• Driving at the car limit with a trailer: When towing a trailer or caravan, the limit drops by 10 km/h.
• Treating road work signs as temporary: Speed signs in construction and maintenance zones are also binding.
• Braking when you see a camera: In average speed corridors, this method does not work and also creates a hazard for the vehicle behind you.

License Revocation and Penalty Points

A license can be revoked for speeding in two different ways: directly due to the speed tier or due to accumulated penalty points.

Revocation Due to Tier

Under the new Article 51, exceeding the speed limit by more than 46 km/h within residential areas or more than 51 km/h outside residential areas results in both a fine and license revocation. The durations are applied separately for each violation: 30 days at tier 7, 60 days at tier 8, 90 days at tier 9. For the return of a revoked document, all administrative fines within the scope of the Law must have been paid in full. A license revoked for the fifth time under this article within one year counting back from the most recent violation is returned only after a psycho-technical assessment and a psychiatric specialist examination.

The 100 Penalty Points Rule

According to Article 167 of the Highway Traffic Regulation (Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği), penalty points determined in the schedule annexed to the regulation are recorded on the driver's record with each traffic fine. Within one year counting back from the date of the violation:

• the license of a driver who exceeds 100 points for the first time is revoked for 2 months and a training requirement is imposed,
• the license of a driver who exceeds 100 points for the second time is revoked for 4 months, and a psycho-technical assessment and psychiatric examination are required for its return,
• a driver who exceeds 100 points for the third time is referred to the criminal court of peace (sulh ceza hâkimliği).

We do not provide point values because we could not verify from an official source how many points speeding violations correspond to under the new km/h tiers. You can check your own points via e-Devlet (Turkey's e-government portal).

Payment Period, Discount, and Objection

Traffic administrative fines must be paid within one month from the notification of the ticket; a 5% late fee is applied monthly to fines not paid within one month. According to Article 17 of the Misdemeanors Law (Kabahatler Kanunu), a 25% discount is applied to administrative fines paid within the payment period, and making a payment does not eliminate the right to object. An objection to a fine is filed with the criminal court of peace within 15 days at the latest from notification.

Radar, EDS and average speed corridor

The law states that speed can be detected "by speed-measuring technical devices or various technical methods"; the regulation also specifies that measurements can be made not only with radar and similar devices but also with a stopwatch or different methods. In practice, you will encounter three methods:

• Fixed or mobile radar: Measures the instantaneous speed of the vehicle at a single point. Measurements by traffic units on the roadside also fall into this group.
• Electronic Detection System (EDS): License plates are identified through cameras, and the report is served on the vehicle owner. Since the driver is not stopped at that moment, the fine arrives days later.
• Average speed corridor: Average speed is calculated based on the travel time between two measurement points. Slowing down when you see a camera and then speeding up does not work in this system, because the total time along the corridor is measured.

It is prohibited to keep devices in the vehicle that detect the location of radar or warn the driver. As of 2026, an administrative fine of 185,000 TL is stipulated for the operator who keeps such a device in their vehicle, and 370,000 TL for those who manufacture or import the device, and the device is confiscated. The distinction between general warnings in navigation apps and this prohibition is determined not by the app itself but by the legislation; never install such a device in a rental car.

Highways departing from Ankara and 2026 toll fees

When leaving Ankara for out of town, the most frequently used controlled-access roads are the Anatolian Motorway (Akıncı-Çamlıca section, direction Istanbul), the Ankara-Niğde Motorway (direction Kırıkkale, Kırşehir, Cappadocia and Çukurova) and the Ankara Ring Motorway surrounding the city. Whichever motorway you are on, the valid value for automobiles is written on signs along the road; the general rule of KGM (General Directorate of Highways) is 130 km/h on KGM-operated sections and 140 km/h on YİD (Build-Operate-Transfer) operated sections.

Ankara-Niğde Motorway toll fee

According to the "Ankara Niğde Motorway 2026 Year Toll Tariff" published on the KGM website, the toll fees for some exits for class 1 vehicles (automobiles) entering from the Ankara Alın toll booth are listed below. The tariff was checked on October 24, 2026.

Toll fees are updated at least once a year. Before setting off, check the current tariff on the KGM's "Motorway and Bridge Toll Fees" page. For budget planning with the toll fees of the Anatolian Motorway, bridges and other routes, you can check our intercity motorway and toll fees guide. If you are heading towards Cappadocia, the journey guide from Ankara to Cappadocia includes route and break suggestions.

Ankara Ring Motorway and city exits

The ring motorway connects the Esenboğa Airport road, Eskişehir road, Konya road and Istanbul road connections. In the morning and evening hours, congestion increases due to traffic heading to organized industrial zones and technoparks; during these hours, following distance is more critical than speed limit. Pay attention to reduced speed limits indicated by signs on junction approaches and connecting ramps.

How do speeding fines and HGS toll charges apply to rental cars?

In the past, for violations committed with a rental car, the ticket was normally issued to the license plate—that is, to the vehicle owner. Law No. 7574 added a new paragraph to Article 116 of the Karayolları Trafik Kanunu (Highway Traffic Law): If it is determined from rental records accessible to law enforcement under the Kimlik Bildirme Kanunu (Identity Notification Law) that the vehicle was rented on the date of the violation and the renter has an address suitable for service, the administrative fine decision report is issued directly in the name of the renter and the fine is collected from the renter.

Thanks to this arrangement, the fine reaches the person who was driving the car that day more quickly and transparently. In cases where it cannot be issued in the renter's name, the fine is sent to the vehicle owner and passed on to the renter according to the provision in the rental agreement. Personal sanctions such as license revocation also concern the driver; the company renting the vehicle cannot assume these consequences.

On the HGS side, the general practice is as follows: The HGS tag on rental cars is assigned to the vehicle itself, and highway and bridge tolls incurred during the rental period are reported to the renter at or after vehicle return. Since details may vary from company to company, read the relevant clause of your contract. You can also find parking and violation notifications in our step-by-step HGS and traffic fine guide; our car rental agreement guide explains the contract clauses.

Checklist before taking a rental car on a long trip

1. Identify the highways and toll sections on your route, and check the current tariff of KGM (General Directorate of Highways).
2. Read the rental agreement to understand how traffic fines and HGS tolls are passed on.
3. Perform a handover inspection of the vehicle, including dashboard indicators and tires.
4. Set up navigation before the journey; do not handle your phone while driving.
5. Plan a break every 2 hours, and don't make one driver handle the whole long trip.
6. Check the weather forecast and follow precipitation and icing warnings during the winter months.

Safe following distance: legal measure

Following distance is not just a recommendation, it is a legal obligation. According to Article 107 of the Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği (Highway Traffic Regulation), the following distance is at least half the vehicle's speed in km/h in meters; this distance may also be the distance the following vehicle will cover in 2 seconds. So when driving at 120 km/h, there must be at least 60 meters between you and the vehicle ahead.

According to Article 56 of the Law, a driver who does not follow the vehicle ahead at a safe and sufficient distance is subject to an administrative fine of 5,000 TL as of 2026. For practical measurement, choose a fixed point on the roadside (pole, sign); when the vehicle ahead passes that point, start counting. If you reach the same point before saying "one thousand one, one thousand two", you are too close.

Speed in winter and rain: the posted limit is not always safe

The speed limit is the upper limit set for good conditions. Article 52 of the Law obliges drivers to adjust their speed to the vehicle's load and technical characteristics, and to the conditions required by visibility, road, weather, and traffic conditions. Reducing speed when approaching intersections, bends, hilltops, tunnels, and roadworks is also a requirement of the same article. So, in rain or snow, driving below the limit may not be enough; a speed that is not appropriate for the conditions is also a punishable offence.

In Ankara, during the winter months, icing on bridges and viaducts in the morning hours, and snow and fog on intercity roads passing through high areas can be seen. Since braking distance increases on wet surfaces, doubling the legal 2-second following distance, and in foggy weather reducing your speed to one at which you can stop within your visibility distance, is a sensible approach. For more detailed recommendations, you can check our winter driving guide.

Choosing a vehicle for long-distance travel

Hours of driving on the highway make the vehicle's comfort and luggage capacity more important. An automatic transmission reduces fatigue on long journeys; an SUV stands out for a large family and plenty of luggage, while a premium sedan stands out for business travel. The daily prices (VAT included) of comfort, SUV, and premium class vehicles suitable for long-distance travel in the Fores Car Rental fleet are as follows:

The diesel-powered Ford Focus and Skoda Superb ease the fuel budget over long distances; the Peugeot 3008 and Renault Austral are suitable for family trips with their high seating position and spacious luggage capacity. For all vehicles and other classes, you can check the current price list. Prices for monthly and corporate use are quoted upon request.

For the general framework of traffic rules for transportation within Ankara, our traffic rules and safe driving guide and our long-distance road safety guide provide complementary information.

If you are planning a long journey from Ankara via the highway, we can help you choose the vehicle that suits your route and the number of passengers. Our team, providing car rental in Ankara services since 2006, is ready to assist with Esenboğa delivery and long-term options; you can use our online reservation page to see available dates.

References

1. Official Gazette, February 27, 2026, Issue 33181: Law No. 7574 on Amendments to the Highway Traffic Law (Karayolları Trafik Kanununda Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Kanun)
2. mevzuat.gov.tr: Highway Traffic Law No. 2918 (Karayolları Trafik Kanunu) (Art. 51, 52, 56, 115, 116)
3. mevzuat.gov.tr: Highway Traffic Regulation (Karayolları Trafik Yönetmeliği) (Art. 100, 101, 107, 167)
4. mevzuat.gov.tr: Misdemeanors Law No. 5326 (Kabahatler Kanunu) (Art. 17, 27)
5. General Directorate of Highways: Restrictions and Prohibitions on Motorways
6. General Directorate of Highways: Ankara Niğde Motorway 2026 Toll Tariff
7. General Directorate of Highways: Motorway and Bridge Toll Fees