Croatia Montenegro
Croatia 
MontenegroLast reviewed July 2026
Crossing the border
Croatia and Montenegro 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 Montenegro
- Headlights on at all times.
- Carry a reflective vest and triangle.
- 0.03% alcohol limit.
- Tunnel toll on the Sozina route.
What to see when you arrive in Montenegro
- the Bay of Kotor
- the walled town of Budva
- Durmitor National Park
- Sveti Stefan islet
- the Tara River Canyon
Once you're driving in Montenegro
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
Foreign licences are valid for up to 12 months; an International Driving Permit must be carried alongside the original if your licence is not printed in the Latin alphabet and is recommended for all non-EU drivers.
Tolls & road charges
There is no vignette; tolls are paid per use, chiefly the Sozina tunnel on the Bar-Podgorica route (about EUR 2.50-3.50 for a car) and the new Bar-Boljare motorway, payable by cash or card at booths.
Parking in the cities
Paid zones operate in Podgorica, Kotor, Budva and other towns at roughly EUR 0.50-1 per hour, often via attendant, meter or SMS. Coastal old towns like Kotor are largely pedestrianised, so use peripheral car parks to avoid towing.
Fines & camera enforcement
Police frequently enforce speeding and tunnel overtaking (notably inside Sozina) with on-the-spot fines typically starting around EUR 30-60; phone and seatbelt offences are also fined. Rental firms recharge camera/police fines to the renter.
If you have an accident
Call 112 for police and ambulance. By law you must not move the vehicles before police attend and document the scene; an official police report is mandatory for any insurance or rental-damage claim.
Driving in the capital
Beyond Podgorica's busy roundabouts, the serpentine Kotor-Lovcen 'Ladder of Kotor' switchbacks and narrow Bay of Kotor coastal road are extremely tight, with blind hairpins, tunnels and oncoming buses demanding caution.
Sources: rac.co.uk · tollguru.com · tyremap.com · autoeurope.com