Can I pay motorway tolls in cash in Türkiye? HGS for foreign drivers
Türkiye's motorway and bridge toll booths don't take cash or cards; tolls are paid electronically with an HGS tag. For visitors arriving in a foreign-registered or hired vehicle: the tag, topping up, toll violations and leaving at the border.
Teknovan Editorial Team ·
No. Türkiye's motorway and bridge toll booths don't accept cash or bank cards; the toll is collected electronically through an HGS tag (electronic toll tag) stuck to the windscreen. If you're coming in a foreign-registered vehicle, you need to get the tag and top it up yourself. In a vehicle hired in Türkiye the tag usually comes with the car, but check in the contract how the tolls will be charged to you.
This post focuses on what's different for visitors arriving in Türkiye in a foreign-registered or hired vehicle. For licence categories, speed limits and preparing for the road with a campervan, see our post on getting ready for Turkish roads by campervan. The information below is correct as of writing (November 2026); rules can change, so check the latest with the General Directorate of Highways (KGM).
Why can't you pay at the booth?
On Türkiye's toll motorways and bridges, manned booths with barriers have all but disappeared. Vehicles drive through the toll lane without stopping, a reader records the windscreen tag and the number plate, and the toll is deducted from the account linked to the tag. The old OGS (automatic toll system) was abolished in 2022; today the only system is HGS (Hızlı Geçiş Sistemi, fast pass system).
So don't drive onto a motorway thinking "I'll pay at the booth". If you have no tag or not enough balance, the crossing is still recorded and counts as a toll violation (ihlalli geçiş). Toll roads are signed "Ücretli" (toll) or "HGS"; the "avoid tolls" option in navigation apps also helps.
How to get HGS for a foreign-registered vehicle
A regulation published in summer 2026 (Official Gazette of 29 July 2026) sets out the rule for foreign-registered vehicles clearly: the driver must subscribe to a toll system and carry a tag with enough balance. The rule applies to everyone driving a foreign-registered vehicle, including Turkish citizens arriving in their own car.
- Get the tag. HGS tags are sold at PTT (post office) branches, PTT agents and partner banks. At some land border crossings a PTT point sells tags; this has started at Dereköy, for example. Bring your passport and the vehicle registration document.
- Check the class. The tag is charged according to your vehicle's class. This matters for campervans and caravans; see below.
- Stick the tag on the windscreen. The driver is responsible for the tag being in the right place and the number plate being legible.
- Top up. You can top up at PTT branches, on the PTT website and app, or through the channels of the bank you bought the tag from. Which channels work with a foreign card can vary; ask the clerk when you buy the tag and make the first top-up there.
- Watch the balance. On a long route, bridge and motorway tolls add up quickly. Checking the balance once a week is enough.
You can see these steps at a glance in the diagram below.
If you're coming in a hired vehicle
There are two different cases:
- A vehicle hired in Türkiye. Most Turkish-registered hire cars come with an HGS tag fitted, and tolls are charged to you at the end of the rental. Ask the company for this in writing: is there a tag, at what rate and when will tolls be taken from your card, and who pays the penalty for a toll violation? When you collect the car, check the tag is on the windscreen.
- A vehicle hired abroad and brought to Türkiye. This counts as a foreign-registered vehicle. You must buy the tag and top it up yourself. Also check beforehand that the foreign rental company allows the vehicle into Türkiye.
The same logic applies to hired campervans. If you're driving a hired campervan to a campsite you booked on Teknokamp, make sure the tag is in the vehicle when you plan the bridges and motorways on your route.
Your campervan's vehicle class: which tariff do you pay?
Tolls vary by vehicle class, which is set by the number of axles and the axle spacing. The exact definition is in KGM's tariff tables; in practice you'll meet these cases:
| Vehicle | Usually which class? |
|---|---|
| Two-axle car, axle spacing under 3.20 m | Class 1 |
| Two-axle, axle spacing 3.20 m or more (many motorhomes, vans) | Class 2 |
| Car + single-axle caravan (three axles in total) | Class 3 |
| Car + twin-axle caravan (four axles in total) | Class 4 |
When you buy the tag, register the class according to your vehicle registration and axles. When towing a caravan, the reader counts the car and caravan together. The difference between classes isn't small; in the July 2026 tariff, the Class 3 toll on the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge was almost twice the Class 2 toll (figures in our road preparation post). You can see current amounts on KGM's tariff page.
If your balance runs out: the 15-day rule and penalties
If you have no tag or not enough balance, the crossing counts as a violation. According to news reports on the 2026 regulation for foreign-registered vehicles, the tiers are:
| When you pay after the crossing | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Within the first 15 days | The toll only, no penalty |
| Between day 15 and day 45 | Toll + a penalty equal to the toll |
| After day 45 | Toll + a penalty of four times the toll |
You can see what you owe on KGM's toll violation page under the "Yabancı Plaka" (foreign plate) tab by entering just your number plate. You can pay at PTT branches. The most important change is this: customs won't let a foreign-registered vehicle with unpaid tolls or administrative fines leave Türkiye. The debt can be paid by card at the customs gate or in cash at the cashier, but paying before you join the border queue is less stressful.
A short checklist:
- When you notice your balance has run out, top up the same day and check what you owe.
- Two or three days before leaving, check your plate for any debt.
- Keep a screenshot of the payment receipt.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay by credit card at the motorway booth?
No. On toll motorways and bridges payment is taken electronically via the HGS tag. You only use your card when topping up the tag.
I drove through without a tag. What should I do?
Don't panic. If you pay the toll within 15 days of the crossing, there is no penalty. Check on KGM's toll violation page under the foreign plate tab and pay at PTT.
Can I leave the country if I owe tolls?
As of writing, no. Customs won't approve the exit of a foreign-registered vehicle with unpaid tolls and penalties. The debt can also be paid at the customs gate.
Is every motorway a toll road?
No. Many state roads and ring roads are free. Navigation apps and road signs show the toll sections.
Which class do I pay with a caravan in tow?
A car with a single-axle caravan usually counts as Class 3, and with a twin-axle caravan as Class 4. Register the tag's class accordingly.
When planning your route between campsites, see our post on money, cards and tipping on a camping holiday for other practical money matters, and our phone and SIM card guide for staying online on the road.
Sources
- General Directorate of Highways (KGM), toll violation check and motorway tolls
- New rule for foreign-registered vehicles: those who don't pay can't leave, NTV
- New rule for foreign-registered vehicles: those with debts can't cross the border, CNBC-e
- HGS tag sales start at the Dereköy border crossing, İşçi Haber
- When will OGS end, where to get HGS, Posta
- PTT, HGS services
Image credits
Photos illustrate the region; they are not photos of the campsites themselves.
- Finike sahil yolu: Kurt Basis, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
