11.03.2026 16:42
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi stated, "We accept the plates issued by the Turkish Federation of Drivers and Automobile Owners regarding APP plates, and we will not impose any penalties on them." Minister Çiftçi also indicated that he would cancel the penalties that have been applied.
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi answered questions from journalists before the AK Party Parliamentary Group Meeting.
In response to reminders about the news that fines imposed during APP (non-standard) license plate inspections were canceled by his directive, Çiftçi stated that he observed a backlog in the field regarding APP plates and that they were evaluating measures related to this issue.
Çiftçi said:
"We accept the plates issued by the Turkish Federation of Drivers and Automobile Owners (TŞOF) regarding APP plates, there is no problem with them. We consider them valid, and we will not impose any penalties on them. However, if a citizen has made any alterations or changes to the plate after obtaining it from TŞOF, there is a fine of 4,000 lira for that."
"REGULATIONS ON FAKE PLATES ARE IN EFFECT, THERE IS NO FLEXIBILITY"
Çiftçi explained that there are also plates made in unauthorized places, saying, "We call them fake plates. The penalties for them are a bit heavier, around 140,000 lira... This is currently in effect. It's not just about the plate side of the issue, there is a security aspect, a dimension related to the fight against terrorism, and their use in drug trafficking and irregular migration. So, there is also a public safety aspect to the issue. Therefore, the regulation regarding fake plates is in effect, and there is no flexibility regarding that," he said.
"WE WILL CANCEL THE IMPOSED FINES"
Interior Minister Çiftçi continued:
"We have given our citizens until April 1 regarding altered or changed plates. Until that time, we will generally provide guidance and will not impose any penalties. Our citizens can be at ease about this matter. I have given instructions, and we will also cancel the imposed fines."
Emphasizing that how the plates should be printed is described in the relevant regulation, Çiftçi explained that when these rules are not followed, the plate reading systems do not recognize these plates. Çiftçi also reported that they are working on multimedia systems in vehicles.