What is the Penalty for Using an Unregistered Phone?

What is the penalty for using an unregistered (smuggled) phone under Law No. 5607? First and foremost, using an unregistered phone is a crime in Turkey. Therefore, the penalty ranges from one to five years of imprisonment or a judicial fine equivalent to up to 10,000 daily units. Individuals who acquire goods without subjecting them to customs procedures are considered smugglers. Consequently, bringing goods that require customs procedures into the country without completing those procedures is a crime. Using an unregistered phone is defined as import smuggling. So, what is the penalty for selling an unregistered phone?

What is the Penalty for Selling an Unregistered Phone?

In line with the Smuggling Law (Law No. 5607), bringing phones into the country without subjecting them to the customs procedures specified in Article 3/1 is a crime. The perpetrator of smuggling is subject to up to five years of imprisonment and a judicial fine of up to 10,000 daily units. For phones smuggled into the country through various means outside of official customs gates, the penalty is increased by the rate specified in Article 3/1.

What Happens if We Purchase an Unregistered Phone?

Is purchasing an unregistered phone a crime? In short, the answer is "Yes." Engaging in smuggling and using smuggled products constitutes a crime. If your IMEI number is not registered with the BTK (Information Technologies and Communication Authority), you are using an unregistered phone. If you knowingly purchase an unregistered phone, you may be sentenced to imprisonment for one to five years. Furthermore, you may be obligated to pay a judicial fine.

How Can You Tell if a Phone is Unregistered?

There are several ways to identify unregistered phones and devices. If you have such a suspicion, you should find your IMEI code by dialing *#06# in the phone's dialing section. Then, you can verify the status by clicking the link provided below, pasting the IMEI code, and starting the inquiry: https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/imei-sorgulama

How to Register an Unregistered Phone?

Unregistered phones typically operate for about 2 to 4 months from the moment they are brought into Turkey. After this period, the phone is blocked from use. To continue using the phone, passport registration is mandatory. To check if the device is eligible for registration, click the link: https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/btk-imei-kayit-hakki-sorgulama. By filling in the required information on the link, you must pay the relevant registration fee (harç).

International Phone Registration Fee

The fee (harç) required to register phones illegally brought into the country from abroad was set at 2,732 TL in 2022. This fee increased to 20,000 TL in 2023, 31,692 TL in 2024, and reached a record high of 45,614 TL in 2025.

The Deritel blog presented this news regarding phones.