Driving in North Cyprus: Car Hire, Road Rules and Speed Limits

Some of the best hours of a stay in North Cyprus are spent behind the wheel: the coast road towards Salamis in the early light, the long run up the Karpaz peninsula, the bends over the Kyrenia mountains with the sea suddenly below you. Hiring a car turns a holiday into an itinerary of your own. This guide covers what to know before you take the keys, the rules of the road, and how to end an evening out without driving at all.

The basics in one breath

• Traffic drives on the left; cars are right-hand drive.
• At roundabouts, give way to the right, as in the UK.
• Limits usually run from 50 km/h in towns to 65 km/h on other open roads and 100 km/h on dual carriageways. Signs always win.
• Speed cameras are common.
• Seat belts are compulsory, phones stay out of your hand, and zero alcohol is the safe rule.

If you have never driven on the left

Visitors from the UK will feel at home. Everyone else needs a little time, and a little care:

1. Take your first drive at a quiet hour, not straight after a late flight.
2. Choose an automatic if you can, so you are not also learning to change gear with your left hand.
3. Say “keep left” out loud at every turn; the classic mistake is drifting to the right after turning onto an empty road.
4. Let your passenger be your co-pilot for the first day.

Speed limits

These are the general limits; posted signs take precedence, and with cameras common it pays to respect them.

Hiring a car

Licences

For a short visit, a Turkish, EU or UK licence is accepted, as are most others. Should yours use a script other than the Latin alphabet, carrying an International Driving Permit will smooth things along.

Age and young drivers

Depending on the company, you usually need to be at least 21 to 25 years old to rent, and younger drivers pay a surcharge. Terms vary, so check with your company before you book.

Red plates

Rental cars carry red number plates, known as Z-plates and marked “kiralık”. They tell other drivers you are a visitor, and they make your car easy to spot in a car park.

At the desk

Before you drive away:

1. Walk around the car and photograph any scratches or dents.
2. Ask what the insurance covers, what the excess is, and whom to call after an accident.
3. Confirm the fuel policy.
4. Confirm in writing where and when you will return the car.

Insurance and the Green Line

Cars hired in the north generally may not be driven to the south, and northern insurance does not cover the south. Bringing a southern rental car north depends on its contract allowing it; its insurance stops at the line, so you buy northern third-party cover at a booth at the crossing. The details, and the list of crossings that take cars, are in our guide to crossing between north and south.

Roads, fuel and parking

The main highways, Nicosia–Kyrenia and Nicosia–Famagusta, are dual carriageways and easy driving. The roads over the Kyrenia range are another matter: winding, scenic and best taken slowly, with overtaking saved for clear straights. Most fuel stations are full service, with someone to fill up for you; say how much you want and ask whether they take cards. Our page on North Cyprus currency and money covers cards and cash.

Day drives from Famagusta

Read up on Salamis before you go, and compare the best beaches in North Cyprus for the afternoon.

Phones and navigation

If you will navigate by phone, check your plan before you land: North Cyprus is outside EU roaming rules, and an EU or UK SIM can be charged international rates. A local SIM from Kuzey Kıbrıs Turkcell or KKTC Telsim, or an eSIM, keeps the map running. A phone holder keeps it out of your hand, as the law requires.

In the Karpaz national park area, wild donkeys wander onto the road, so drive slowly and do not feed them. Aim to be back from long drives before dark, so unfamiliar winding roads are taken in daylight.

After dinner, leave the car

The most elegant end to a long evening is a taxi back and the car waiting quietly at the hotel. With zero tolerance the safe rule on alcohol, an evening that includes a glass of wine or a cocktail is an evening without the wheel. If you are heading to LÉAA LOUNGE, a lounge in Famagusta for food, cocktails, coffee and wine, plan the ride home before you set out; you can look at the menu here.

In an emergency

After an accident or a medical emergency, call 112 for an ambulance. Save your rental company’s emergency number in your phone, and ask at the desk what paperwork they need after an accident.

Before you book a car, it is worth checking your documents in our guide to North Cyprus entry requirements; the North Cyprus travel guide puts the whole trip in context.