Latvia Lithuania
Latvia 
LithuaniaLast reviewed July 2026
Crossing the border
Latvia and Lithuania 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 Lithuania
- Headlights on day and night.
- Winter tyres mandatory Nov–Mar.
- 0.04% alcohol limit; zero for novice/professional drivers.
- Reflective vest and triangle required.
What to see when you arrive in Lithuania
- the old town of Vilnius
- the Hill of Crosses near Šiauliai
- the Curonian Spit
- Trakai Island Castle
- Kaunas' interwar architecture
Once you're driving in Lithuania
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 licences are valid; other visitors should carry an International Driving Permit with their national licence, as Lithuanian police and rental companies frequently ask for it, especially when the home licence is not in the Latin alphabet.
Tolls & road charges
There is no toll or vignette for passenger cars - only trucks and buses need the e-vignette tied to the plate; driving a rental car costs nothing on the road network, though the truck e-vignette rose roughly 5-8% from 1 January 2026.
Parking in the cities
Vilnius Old Town sits in paid zones payable via meters or apps (e.g. m.Parking); never park on tram lines, within 15m of a bus stop or 5m of a junction, and use guarded car parks as break-ins occur.
Fines & camera enforcement
Police can issue on-the-spot fines: speeding 20 km/h over starts around EUR 30 rising to EUR 450+ for 50 km/h over, and driving without a required (truck) vignette risks up to EUR 300. Camera fines for rentals are billed to the renter with a handling fee.
If you have an accident
Call 112 for injuries; damage-only collisions need not involve police if both parties agree and complete the European Accident Statement, but you must notify the rental supplier and obtain an accident report, and leave vehicles in place where there is injury or dispute.
Driving in the capital
Much of Vilnius's UNESCO Old Town is narrow, one-way and partly pedestrianised with a low-speed regime; park on the perimeter rather than driving into the historic core.
Sources: rac.co.uk · europa.eu · tyremap.com · tollguru.com