In short
Travel leave is unpaid leave of up to four days in total for the journey there and back, granted to an employee who will spend paid annual leave away from the workplace's location, on request and with proof (Labour Law, Art. 56/6). When the conditions are met, the employer must grant it. Travel leave is not deducted from annual leave; it is requested together with the annual leave.
Key points
- Travel leave is only taken together with annual leave, which must be spent away from the workplace's location (Art. 56/6).
- It covers up to four days in total for the journey there and back, and it is unpaid.
- The employee must request travel leave and prove that the leave will be spent elsewhere; when the conditions are met the employer must grant it.
- The annual leave request states whether travel leave is requested (Annual Paid Leave Regulation, Art. 8).
- Travel leave cannot be deducted from annual leave (Art. 56/4).
What is travel leave?
Travel leave stops the time an employee spends travelling from eating into annual leave spent in another city. Art. 56/6 of Labour Law No. 4857 provides that the employer must grant up to four days of unpaid leave in total, to cover the journey there and back, to employees who will spend their paid annual leave away from the workplace's location, provided they request it and prove it.
The same rule is repeated in Art. 6 of the Annual Paid Leave Regulation. Art. 8 of the Regulation requires the employee to state in the annual leave request whether unpaid travel leave is requested.
Conditions for travel leave
| Condition | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Together with annual leave | Travel leave is not taken on its own; it covers the journey at the start and end of annual leave |
| Spent elsewhere | Annual leave must be spent away from the workplace's location |
| Request | The employee must ask for travel leave; the employer does not have to grant it unprompted |
| Proof | It must be shown that the leave will be spent elsewhere (for example a ticket or accommodation booking) |
| Length | Up to four days in total for the journey there and back |
The law does not specify which documents are sufficient. A travel ticket, an accommodation booking or a document showing the address during the leave is accepted in practice. The document should show that the employee will actually spend the leave elsewhere.
When the conditions are met, travel leave is not at the employer's discretion: the law says the employer "must grant" it.
Is travel leave paid?
No. The law expressly defines travel leave as unpaid. No wages are paid for these days, and they are reported to the SGK as missing days (Law No. 5510, Art. 86). An employer may be more generous and grant travel leave with pay.
Is travel leave deducted from annual leave?
No. Travel leave is separate leave added to annual leave; under Art. 56/4, other paid or unpaid leave granted by the employer cannot be offset against annual leave. For example, an employee with 14 days of annual leave who works in Izmir and will spend the leave in Erzurum can add up to four days of travel leave in total before and after the 14 days.
The law does not expressly address how travel leave affects annual leave entitlement. Because travel leave is tied to annual leave and granted by law, treating it as time worked for entitlement is an interpretation in the employee's favour.
How is travel leave requested?
Travel leave is requested together with the annual leave. The request states where the leave will be spent and how many days of travel leave are requested, and the supporting document is attached. Our annual leave request letter template includes a travel leave option.
Art. 8 of the Regulation adds one more point: an employee who returns without using the travel leave may not be allowed to start work before the travel leave period ends. In other words, if travel leave was requested, the employer can plan the return date accordingly.
What happens to travel leave if annual leave is split?
By agreement, annual leave can be taken in parts, one of which must be at least ten days (Art. 56/3). The law limits travel leave to "up to four days in total"; even if the leave is split, travel leave does not exceed four days in total. Which part it is used with depends on how the employee and employer plan it. See our guide to scheduling and splitting annual leave for the splitting rules.
How İzin360 handles it
- Travel leave is a separate statutory leave type: unpaid, not deducted from the annual leave balance and counted in working days.
- A document is required and the request goes to HR approval; the default limit is four days a year.
- It is planned with annual leave: it appears on the team calendar alongside the annual leave and in the payroll export as unpaid days.
Frequently asked questions
How many days of travel leave are there?
Up to four days in total for the journey there and back (Labour Law, Art. 56/6). The length is set as needed for the journey, up to four days.
Is travel leave paid?
No, the law defines it as unpaid leave. An employer may be more generous and grant it with pay.
Can the employer refuse travel leave?
If the employee will spend the leave elsewhere, has requested travel leave and has proved it, the employer must grant it (Art. 56/6). If any condition is missing, there is no right to travel leave.
What document is needed for travel leave?
The law does not list document types. A travel ticket, an accommodation booking or a document showing the address during the leave can be used to show that the leave will be spent elsewhere.
Legal basis
- Labour Law No. 4857, Art. 56
- Annual Paid Leave Regulation, Arts. 6, 8
- Law No. 5510, Art. 86