Who Needs a Psychotechnical Assessment Report? 2026 Regulations and Motorcycle Courier Requirements

Who Needs a Psychotechnical Assessment Report? 2026 Regulations and Motorcycle Courier Requirements

Road safety is about more than simply following traffic rules. A driver's ability to maintain attention, respond at the right moment, perceive their surroundings, and demonstrate appropriate psychomotor skills are all essential aspects of safe driving. This is where psychotechnical assessment comes into play.

A psychotechnical assessment evaluates essential driving-related abilities, including attention, perception, reaction time, reasoning, and psychomotor skills, through standardized tests. In Türkiye, certain groups of drivers may be legally required to undergo psychotechnical assessments, including those involved in specific traffic violations.

But which laws govern psychotechnical assessment reports? Who is required to undergo an assessment? And what has changed under the recent regulations affecting motorcycle couriers? Let's take a closer look at the current legal framework.

1. Highway Traffic Law No. 2918 and Driver's License Suspension

Having a driver's license suspended does not automatically mean that a psychotechnical assessment is required in every case. The requirement depends on the type of violation, the number of repeated offenses, and the conditions specified in the relevant provisions of the law.

Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol – Article 48:

If a driver's license is suspended following repeated alcohol-related driving violations, the driver may be required to undergo a psychotechnical assessment and a psychiatric examination, depending on the conditions established by law.

Speed Limit Violations – Article 51:

If a driver exceeds the speed limit by more than 30% on five occasions within a one-year period, calculated backward from the date of the latest violation, their driver's license is suspended for one year.

At the end of the suspension period, the law provides for the driver to undergo a psychotechnical assessment and a psychiatric examination.

Traffic Penalty Points – Article 118:

Drivers who accumulate 100 traffic penalty points for the second time within the same year have their driver's licenses suspended for four months.

These drivers must undergo a psychotechnical assessment and a psychiatric examination. If no condition preventing them from driving is identified, their licenses are returned at the end of the suspension period.

Therefore, the answer to the question, "My driver's license has been suspended. Do I need a psychotechnical assessment?" is not the same for everyone.

It is essential to determine which legal provision was applied to the violation.

2. Psychotechnical Assessment and Health Requirements

A psychotechnical assessment should not be considered merely a computer-based test. Its purpose is to evaluate the cognitive and psychomotor abilities necessary for safe driving.

During the assessment, various driving-related skills are measured, including attention, perception, reaction time, coordination, reasoning, and similar abilities.

In cases specified by legislation, a psychiatric examination may also form part of the assessment process.

For drivers engaged in commercial transportation, psychotechnical assessments have long been among the professional requirements associated with driving.

Therefore, it is important for commercial vehicle drivers to regularly check their required documents and expiration dates.

3. Road Transportation and Commercial Vehicle Drivers

If driving is your profession, documents such as the SRC Professional Competence Certificate, driver's license, and psychotechnical assessment report are likely to be familiar parts of your professional responsibilities.

Road transportation regulations establish various professional qualification and health requirements for drivers involved in passenger, freight, and cargo transportation.

However, the scope of these obligations may vary depending on the type of transportation activity, the vehicle being used, and the relevant operating authorization.

For this reason, it would be incorrect to assume that every commercial vehicle driver is subject to exactly the same requirements.

Drivers must hold the appropriate SRC certificate for their activities, meet the necessary health requirements, and possess any additional documents required by applicable legislation.

4. What Have the New Regulations Changed for Motorcycle Couriers?

With the growth of e-commerce and parcel delivery services, motorcycle couriers have become increasingly important in both road traffic and the transportation industry.

As a result, a clearer legal framework has been established for courier operations.

On May 15, 2025, amendments to the Road Transport Regulation explicitly defined courier operations for the first time.

The amendments introduced several provisions covering the scope of courier services, the types of shipments that may be transported, and the rules that courier businesses and drivers must follow.

SRC-KURYE Certificate for Motorcycle Couriers

Under the new framework, the SRC-KURYE Professional Competence Certificate was introduced for drivers transporting courier shipments by motorcycle or moped.

Under the applicable professional qualification regulations, SRC-KURYE is defined as a separate certificate category for drivers engaged in courier transportation using motorcycles or mopeds.

Initially, a one-year transition period was established for obtaining this certificate.

However, considering the industry's adaptation process, the deadline for obtaining the SRC-KURYE Professional Competence Certificate and the Courier Activity Certificate was subsequently extended to January 1, 2027.

There is an important distinction here:

The certificates explicitly covered by the extension until January 1, 2027, are the SRC-KURYE Professional Competence Certificate and the Courier Activity Certificate.

It would be incorrect to interpret this extension as automatically applying to psychotechnical assessment reports.

What About Psychotechnical Assessments for Motorcycle Couriers?

Under the regulations concerning motorcycle couriers, the SRC-KURYE certificate and psychotechnical assessment requirements are separate matters.

Therefore, it would be inaccurate to make a general statement such as:

"The transition period granted for SRC-KURYE also extends the psychotechnical assessment requirement until January 1, 2027."

The obligations applicable to motorcycle couriers must be evaluated together, considering the nature of their transportation activities, the type of vehicle used, and the current legal framework.

Remember to Check Your Certificate's Validity

It is important that psychotechnical assessments are carried out at authorized centers in accordance with applicable legislation.

Assessment results must also be processed in compliance with the relevant health requirements and official registration procedures.

For this reason, checking your certificate's expiration date well in advance is recommended.

This is particularly important if you actively operate a commercial vehicle or work as a professional driver, as expired documents may disrupt your professional activities.

If you are unsure about your current obligations, the most appropriate approach is to verify the legal grounds for any action taken against your driver's license and determine which documents are required for your specific transportation activity.


Cumhur UMUR
Traffic and Environmental Awareness Instructor