D2 License in Turkey: What Transfer and Tour Transport Firms Need
Most airport transfer and tour transport firms in Turkey operate under a D2 authorization. What it covers, the minimum fleet and capital, U-ETDS reporting and how it relates to travel agencies.
A D2 license (D2 yetki belgesi) is the authorization Turkey's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure issues for commercial, non-scheduled domestic passenger transport by bus. Most airport transfer and tour transport firms in Antalya and other resort areas operate under one. You apply on e-Devlet. You need buses you own with at least 75 seats in total and 30,000 Turkish lira in capital. This article is general information, not legal advice.
Who this is for
You may be a foreign entrepreneur planning a transfer company on the Turkish Riviera, a hotel group bringing transport in-house, or a tour operator wondering why your local partner keeps mentioning "D2". The rules below come from the current Road Transport Regulation, which changes several times a year.
The legal basis
- Road Transport Law No. 4925 (text in Turkish): commercial transport needs a Ministry authorization (Article 5).
- Road Transport Regulation (Karayolu Taşıma Yönetmeliği, Official Gazette 8 January 2018, issue 30295; text in Turkish), last amended on 16 May 2026.
D1, D2, D3 and D4 compared
Under the regulation a "bus" is any vehicle built to carry more than 9 people including the driver, so a 16+1 minibus counts.
| License | What it covers | Minimum requirement |
|---|---|---|
| D1 | Scheduled domestic routes | 150 seats in owned buses, 60,000 TRY capital |
| D2 | Non-scheduled domestic transport: transfers, tours, groups | 75 seats in owned buses, 30,000 TRY capital |
| D3 | Own-account transport, such as your own staff | 1 owned bus |
| D4 | Within a province and up to 100 km between cities | 1 bus; not issued for non-scheduled work alone |
Cars with up to 9 seats including the driver fall under the separate A licenses. Under Article 24, D2 holders with at least 8 owned buses may also register a limited number of cars, such as premium vans for VIP transfers. These cars must be owned, under 8 years old and no more than a quarter of the bus fleet.
Travel agencies and D2
Article 41 says that a licensed travel agency which includes road transport in its packages must either hold a D2 (or A1, A2, B1, B2, D1 or D4) or use a carrier that does. Agencies therefore either get their own D2 or sign a contract with a D2 firm.
The reverse does not apply. D2 is a transport license, not a travel agency license, and Turkish rules reserve tour and package sales, and agency transfers, for licensed agencies. Whether a D2 firm may sell transfers directly to tourists is debated in the sector. Get legal advice on your sales model, and see our article on how to get a TÜRSAB license for the agency side.
Requirements, including for foreigners
- Who can apply: individuals must be Turkish citizens, while companies must be set up and registered under Turkish law. Article 13 adds that foreigners receive the license they apply for if they meet the Foreign Direct Investment Law No. 4875 and the regulation's conditions. In practice, foreign founders usually apply through a Turkish limited or joint-stock company.
- Good repute: criminal record checks for owners, partners and managers.
- Tax and chamber registration, plus an address in the national e-notification system (UETS).
- Fleet and capital: 75 seats in buses registered to the company and 30,000 TRY capital or working capital. The buses that make up the minimum must not be older than 15 years.
- Professional competence: within 6 months of the first license, at least one person with a mid-level manager (ODY) certificate. A foreign national in that role also needs a notarised passport copy and a residence permit (Article 40).
- Drivers: the professional certificates and health reports required by the regulation.
- Fee: paid on application; it changes every year, so check the current amount on e-Devlet.
The license is valid for 5 years (Article 17). Each vehicle carries a vehicle card (taşıt kartı) showing the company name and license number.
U-ETDS passenger reporting
U-ETDS is the Ministry's electronic tracking system. D2 holders must report the vehicle plate, tracking data, crew and passenger details at least 1 hour before departure. For trips starting at an airport the deadline is 2 hours before, a rule added in October 2025. No-shows must be updated within 30 minutes. Your booking flow needs to collect passenger names and passport details early enough to meet this.
Your website
The regulation only requires scheduled operators (B1 and D1) to run a website with routes and fares. For D2 we found no rule that says "show the license number online". Two rules still matter. You must use only the short trade name you registered with the Ministry, and descriptive words in your name must match your license scope. Showing the company name, D2 number and any TÜRSAB number in the footer, in every language, is good practice for guests paying in advance. We describe that set-up on our tour agency website page, and our multilingual tourism site guide covers the language side.
Checklist
- [ ] Non-scheduled work confirmed, so D2 is the right license
- [ ] Turkish company set up and buses registered in its name
- [ ] 75 seats, 30,000 TRY capital, buses under 15 years old
- [ ] ODY-certified manager in place within 6 months
- [ ] Registered short name used on the site and vehicles
- [ ] U-ETDS reporting built into the booking flow, with the 2-hour airport rule
Summary
D2 is the legal basis for transfer and tour transport in Turkey. It does not make you a travel agency, though, and U-ETDS reporting shapes your daily operations. Choose the right license, keep your registered name consistent everywhere and plan passenger data collection from the first booking step. For a quote on a transfer or tour website, use our quote wizard.
Frequently asked questions
What does a D2 license allow?
Under Article 6 of the Road Transport Regulation, D2 covers commercial, non-scheduled domestic passenger transport by bus. Airport transfers, tours, events and group transport are typical uses.
How big must the fleet be?
Article 14 requires buses you own with at least 75 seats in total and 30,000 Turkish lira in capital or working capital. The buses that make up that minimum must not be older than 15 years.
Can a foreign-owned company get a D2?
Individual applicants must be Turkish citizens, but a company set up and registered under Turkish law can apply. The regulation says foreigners receive the license if they meet the Foreign Direct Investment Law and the regulation's conditions.
What is U-ETDS?
U-ETDS is the Ministry's electronic tracking system. D2 holders must report the vehicle plate, crew and passenger details at least one hour before departure, or two hours before trips starting at an airport.
Do I also need a travel agency license?
D2 is a transport license, not a travel agency license. Selling tours and packages is reserved for licensed agencies, so many transfer firms either hold both or work with an agency. Ask a lawyer how your sales model fits.
Is this article legal advice?
No, it is general information. The regulation changes several times a year, so check the current text and ask the Ministry or a local lawyer about your own business.
