Driving guides
Practical, plain-English guides to renting and driving a car in Türkiye: documents, deposits, insurance, road rules, fuel, tolls, parking and the best day trips from Dalaman.
How car hire pickup works at Dalaman Airport
At Dalaman Airport (DLM) our staff meet you at the airport car park after you collect your luggage and introduce your car. Because you add your flight number when booking, we track your landing and wait if you are delayed. You show your licence and passport, check the car, sign the agreement and pay us directly; nothing is paid in advance.
Driving in Turkey: rules and tips for visitors
Driving in Turkey (Türkiye) is on the right, and the standard limits for cars are 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h on single-carriageway roads outside towns and 110 km/h on divided highways, unless signs show otherwise. The blood-alcohol limit for private car drivers is 0.5 g/l, seat belts are compulsory for everyone, and hand-held phone use while driving is banned. Main roads on the Dalaman coast such as the D400 are in good condition, but drive defensively.
Documents, age and licence rules for car hire in Turkey
To rent a car at Dalaman you need a valid driving licence usually held for at least two years, your passport or ID, and you must be at least 21 for most cars. Turkish rules let tourists drive on their home licence for up to six months from entry, but an International Driving Permit (IDP) is recommended and is needed if your licence is not in the Latin alphabet; UK travel advice says UK drivers should carry a 1968 IDP or a notarised Turkish translation.
Car hire deposit and insurance in Turkey
When you hire a car from us at Dalaman, we take a deposit at pick-up (the amount is shown on each car), which is released after you return the car in the agreed condition. Standard cover (CDW, collision damage waiver) is included, and our cover, the excess and any full cover options are explained at pick-up. You pay the rental itself at pick-up in cash or by card; nothing is charged when you book.
Fuel, tolls and parking on the Dalaman coast
On the Dalaman coast you fill up at attended petrol stations that take cards and cash, choosing petrol (benzin, usually unleaded 95) or diesel (motorin) as your rental car requires. The only toll on the main routes from Dalaman Airport is the Göcek tunnel on the D400 towards Fethiye; there are no motorway tolls in the area. Town centres such as Fethiye and Marmaris use paid car parks and attended street parking.
Road trips from Dalaman by rental car
The best road trips from Dalaman follow the D400: east to Göcek, Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Saklıkent Gorge and on to Kalkan and Kaş, or west to Dalyan's Iztuzu beach, Köyceğiz lake, Marmaris and Akyaka. Most are easy day trips of 30 minutes to 2.5 hours each way from Dalaman Airport. With a rental car from €27 per day, you can combine beaches, ancient cities and mountain scenery on your own schedule.
Automatic or manual car hire at Dalaman?
Choose an automatic for Dalaman if you are not confident with manual hill starts, because roads to Ölüdeniz, Kayaköy, Faralya and the Marmaris peninsulas are steep and winding. Automatic models in our fleet include the Hyundai i20 and the hybrid Toyota Corolla, and they are popular in summer, so book early. Manual cars such as the Clio, Egea and Sandero suit confident drivers who want the widest choice.