Drugs: 4 to 24 years in prison
Illegal drugs, including cannabis, carry severe penalties: expect 4 to 24 years in prison and heavy fines for possessing, using or smuggling them, including in transit through airports.
Local Rules for Travellers
🇹🇷 Local Rules in Turkey for Travellers
Turkey (Türkiye) welcomes millions of visitors, and a few of its laws are worth knowing in advance: insulting the nation, the flag or Atatürk is a crime (online posts included), you must carry photo ID, and buying or exporting antiquities can lead to years in prison. These rules were checked against Türkiye's Ministry of Trade and the UK government's official travel advice for Turkey.
🚫 Drugs & cannabis
🍺 Alcohol
Beware of fake and illegally made alcohol
People have died or become seriously ill in Turkey, including in Istanbul, after drinking illegally produced spirits and counterfeit bottles of branded alcohol.
🚬 Smoking & vaping
No smoking indoors or on public transport
Smoking is illegal on public transport and in all indoor workplaces and public places, and restricted in some outdoor venues for cultural, sports or entertainment events.
🏛️ Public places & behaviour
Insulting the nation, flag or Atatürk is a crime
It is illegal to insult the Turkish nation or national flag, and insulting the President or Mustafa Kemal Atatürk is a criminal offence. These laws can apply to online comments and images wherever and whenever you posted them. Defacing Turkish banknotes is also illegal.
No photos of military sites; ask before photographing people
Don't take photos of or near military or official installations, and ask permission before photographing people.
🤝 Local customs
Dress modestly in mosques
Dress modestly when you visit a mosque or religious shrine, to avoid causing offence.
🪪 ID, fees & documents
Carrying photo ID is required by law
It is illegal not to carry photo ID in Turkey. Always carry your passport; in busy areas, especially Istanbul, the authorities may stop people for ID checks.
US$50 and $100 notes may be refused
Banks and exchange offices may refuse US$50 and $100 notes because of a surge in counterfeits, so avoid accepting them where possible.
🚗 Driving
Don't drink and drive; helmets compulsory on bikes
Police fine drunk drivers and can confiscate their licence for 6 months. Riding a motorcycle or moped without a helmet is illegal.
🛃 Customs & what you can bring
Buying or exporting antiquities: up to 12 years in prison
Buying or exporting antiquities is illegal and can lead to a fine and 5 to 12 years in prison. Some old items sold in markets and antique shops can be sold legally inside Turkey but not taken out, so check an item's status before you buy.
Duty-free: 600 cigarettes, 1 L spirits
Passengers may bring 600 cigarettes and either 1 litre of spirits over 22% or 2 litres of drinks up to 22% duty-free, plus gifts up to €430 (€150 under age 15). Under-18s get no tobacco or alcohol allowance.
Don't leave with more than $5,000 in Turkish lira
There is no limit on the money you bring in, but you must not take Turkish lira worth more than US$5,000 out of the country, and other currency worth more than US$5,000 must be declared when leaving.
Law, venue rule, custom or advice?
Every rule on this page is labelled, so you can tell what is enforced by law from what is simply polite.
- Law
- Set by national, regional or city law. Breaking it can mean a fine or worse.
- Venue rule
- A rule set by a venue or operator, such as a bath, museum, hotel or transport company.
- Local custom
- Not a law, but expected behaviour. Ignoring it can cause offence.
- Safety advice
- Practical advice from an official source to keep you out of trouble.
Sources checked for this page
- UK government travel advice (FCDO) for Turkey
- UK government travel advice (FCDO) for Turkey
- Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade
Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll check it against the source.