Bulgaria Romania
Bulgaria 
RomaniaLast reviewed July 2026
Crossing the border
Bulgaria and Romania share a land border you can cross by car. Keep your passport, national driving licence and International Driving Permit together, and check opening hours and any toll or vignette requirements before you travel.
Driving rules in Romania
- Road vignette (rovinietă) required.
- Headlights on outside built-up areas.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy (0.0%).
- Reflective vest and triangle mandatory.
What to see when you arrive in Romania
- Bran (Dracula's) Castle
- the painted monasteries of Bucovina
- the medieval citadel of Sighișoara
- the Transfăgărășan road
- the Danube Delta
Once you're driving in Romania
Destination-specific detail sourced from national road authorities, motoring clubs and rental policies — the things that catch cross-border drivers out.
Driving on a foreign licence
EU/EEA and International Driving Permits are accepted; you must hold a full valid licence (rental firms typically require it for at least one year). Non-Latin-script licences need an accompanying IDP.
Tolls & road charges
Romania uses the electronic Rovinieta vignette (no physical sticker) required on national roads for all vehicles except motorcycles; buy online at e-rovinieta.ro or at fuel stations for 7-day, 30-day, 90-day or annual terms. Driving without it risks a fine of at least about 50 EUR. The Fetești-Cernavodă bridge has a separate toll.
Parking in the cities
Bucharest uses pay-and-display zones with varying tariffs and app payment; park on the right in the direction of traffic. Illegal parking is fined and cars are towed, especially in the centre.
Fines & camera enforcement
Fines scale by penalty-point bands: speeding 50+ km/h over the limit can cost around 265+ EUR with 9-20 points and a 90-day licence suspension; phone use and no seatbelt are ticketed. Rental firms forward camera fines to the renter.
If you have an accident
Call 112 for any injury, unsettleable damage or blocked traffic; police notification is mandatory for accidents with death or injury. Photograph the scene, exchange insurance/registration details, and use the amicable European report only for minor agreed damage.
Driving in the capital
Bucharest traffic is notoriously congested, especially on the central ring and Piața Unirii; the A1 motorway is complete only Bucharest-Pitești, so expect crowded national roads beyond it.
Sources: theromanianlawyers.com · europa.eu · romaniatourism.com · expatcenter.ro