Driving in Croatia: licences, car rental and road rules

Use this to decide whether a car pays off for your dates and route. Rates are 2026 estimates for a compact automatic booked ahead; walk-in prices at Split and Dubrovnik airports in August run far higher.

Check your licence first. A US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand or Irish photocard licence is normally accepted for short visits, but an International Driving Permit is the safe backup and is required by some rental companies and for some non-EU licences. Carry the licence, the IDP if you have one, your passport and the rental agreement together; police can ask for all of them.

Book before you fly for summer. Airport desks at Split, Dubrovnik and Zadar sell out in July and August, and automatic cars go first. Compare a small local operator with the international brands, but read the damage policy: Croatian coastal roads throw up stone chips, and excess waivers are the main add-on cost. Confirm in writing whether the price includes unlimited kilometres, a second driver, and cross-border cover.

At pickup, walk the car with the agent and photograph every panel, wheel and the windscreen, plus the fuel gauge and odometer. Note existing damage on the form before you sign. Check the fuel rule: most rentals are full-to-full, some are full-to-empty with a premium refill charge. Check whether the car has a vignette or toll transponder, and ask which countries the insurance actually covers — the standard policy often excludes Bosnia and Montenegro.

On the road, motorways are tolled and take cards or cash at the barrier; the A1 is the main north–south route. Fuel is sold by INA and other chains, and unmanned stations take cards. Petrol is expensive by US standards, cheaper than Italy. In summer, plan around Friday and Saturday afternoon traffic on the coast road and at the Krka and Plitvice entrances.

Croatia drives on the right. Speed limits are typically 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h outside, 110 km/h on expressways and 130 km/h on motorways, with lower limits in rain and for new drivers; signs on the day override this. Seat belts are compulsory for everyone, children under 12 need an approved seat or booster, and phones must be hands-free. The alcohol limit is 0.05% for most drivers and effectively zero for under-24s — the simplest rule is not to drink at all if you are driving.

Parking is the real cost of a coastal car. Old towns in Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar and Trogir are pedestrian or near-pedestrian, with paid lots on the edge; Hvar and Korčula take cars only on the ferry and have very little space in season. Blue-zone street parking is paid by app or meter, and illegal parking is towed quickly in summer. If your accommodation is inside a walled town, ask the host where to leave the car before you arrive.

Two traps catch visitors. First, cross-border trips: driving to Mostar or Kotor in a Croatian rental needs the company's permission and a green card, and some policies void cover without it. Second, the bura, a cold, strong northerly wind that closes the Maslenica bridge and some coastal sections in winter; check forecasts and follow police closures. In summer, the risk is queue traffic, not weather.