Traffic rules are to be strictly observed in Montenegro. If you violate the rules, the police will issue a fine to you. The range of penalties is listed in the Law on Road Safety in Montenegro (available in Serbian).
Below is an extract from the above law that will help you understand how much you will have to pay for different driving offences.
From €30 to €80
This is the minimum fine you will have to pay if you exceed the speed limit by up to 10km/h outside an urban area or if you forget to turn on the low-beam headlights when driving in the daytime.
From €40 to €100
This is what you are going to pay if you decide to transport a child under the age of five without a child safety seat.
If you exceed the speed limit by 10-30km/h outside urban areas and by up to 10km/h within urban areas, beware that the traffic officer will have every right to impose a fine on you.
If you fail to wear seatbelts. This applies to both the driver and passengers.
If you don’t use turning signals when required, the police officer will be fully entitled to issue a penalty to you.
From €60 to €150
You can face this fine if you exceed the speed limit by 30-40km/h outside towns and by 10-20km/h within urban areas.
If you travel with children up to twelve years old, you should never let them ride in the front seat. Drunk people are not allowed to ride in the front passenger seat.
Children under the age of three can travel in the front passenger seat only in a child safety seat.
Always wear a helmet when riding a motor scooter or motorcycle in the country. This applies to both the driver and the passenger.
When you are a pedestrian, disregarding designated crossing points or passing through red traffic lights can carry a fine.
When you are driving a registered vehicle without license plate numbers or without a vehicle registration certificate.
Failure to use winter accessories between November 15th and March 30th on snow-covered roads can carry a fine of €60 to €150.
By winter accessories we mean that:
- The vehicle must be equipped with tyre snow chains of proper size
- The drive wheels must be fitted with winter tyres that feature an “M+S” marking and a snowflake symbol
- The tread depth must be at least 4mm.
From €70 to €200
Be ready to be fined if you exceed the speed limit by 20-30km/h within residential areas and by 40-50km/h outside residential areas.
You will also be fined if your blood alcohol content is from 0.3 to 0.5 permille.
Driving on grass verges, footways and footpaths, and in other restricted areas can also carry penalties.
Wrong-way driving on a one-way street attracts a fine, too.
If you violate paid parking rules or park your car in a restricted place, please don’t be surprised when a police officer issues a fine to you.
From €80 to €300
Before travelling in a big group in Montenegro, be sure to check the maximum allowed number of passengers in the vehicle registration certificate. Transporting more passengers will result in a fine.
From €100 to €450
You will have to pay this penalty if you exceed the speed limit by 50-70km/h on non-urban roads and by 30-50km/h in towns.
Vehicles must yield the right-of-way to the pedestrians who are within a crosswalk or indicate their intention to cross the road.
This range of penalties for motoring offences includes most fines charged for illegal overtaking on the road.
It is strictly prohibited to go through a red or yellow light. Driving through a yellow light is allowed when it is required to avoid an accident.
Be ready to pay the penalty if you get behind the wheel of an unregistered vehicle or with an expired registration certificate.
Failure to observe the right-of-way (priority) rules is punished with penalties.
From €150 to €1,000
This fine is imposed when the speed is 70-90km/h over the limit outside built-up areas and 50-70km/h above the speed limit within built-up areas. If you decide to trick the police radar system by using a radar jammer that can compromise the operation of radar speed guns, you’ll be given a ticket immediately. It is also illegal to advertise, sell, and even have any devices used for radar jamming and deception in your vehicle.
You will be in trouble if you drive against the direction of traffic. When you hear a traffic officer's order to stop, you must obey immediately. Otherwise, the police will have the power to give you a ticket.
The travellers driving without driver’s licenses in the country will be punished as well.
Do not try to overtake or dangerously pass other vehicles because this is a legally enforceable offence.
You can get a fine from €300 to €2,000 or imprisonment for 60 days
You will have to pay the fine if you exceed the speed limit by more than 70km/h when operating a vehicle on an urban road or by more than 90km/h outside a built-up area.
Drunk drivers with blood alcohol reading above 0.5 permille will also get into legal trouble.
If you refuse to submit to chemical testing to determine blood alcohol concentration (BAC) or the presence of drugs in your system, the police officer can give you a ticket or arrest you.
Aggravating factors
As you may have noticed, all fines are quoted in ranges. In the typical case, a minimum punishment is issued. However, some factors can increase the amount of penalty:
- Major motoring offence
- Disrespect towards a police officer
- Repeat driving offence, etc.
Naturally, all people travelling to Montenegro would like to know how exactly fines are issued to foreigners. Read on to learn more.
How non-residents are fined in Montenegro
- When stopped by traffic police, greet the officer politely and show all the required documents, such as driving license, vehicle registration certificate, and car rental agreement.
- The officer will your documents, inform you of the offence, and ask you to get out of the car and get into the police car.
- To fill out an infringement notice, the traffic officer will need only your driver's license and vehicle registration certificate. If the police require your passport, say that you left it in the safe in your hotel room.
- After filling out the infringement notice, the officer will tell you the date and time when you must appear before the court. It is worth noting that if you committed a driving offence within the limits of a specific town, you would be required to attend the court in that town.
- As a rule, courts are open till 11am or noon in Montenegro. All your documents and a copy of infringement notice will be delivered to the court. Motoring offences are usually heard by a magistrate.
- At the appointed time, you must appear before the magistrate who will decide the amount of penalty depending on the gravity of the offence and on your behaviour. A good strategy would be to plead guilty to the motoring offence.
- The magistrate will impose a penalty and court costs (sudski troskovi) and issue appropriate notices. You will have to go with those notices to the nearest bank and pay the fine.
- A bank officer will give you a payment slip (uplatnica) per notice.
- Each payment slip must be filled out in 3 copies on carbon paper. After you complete the slips and pay, the bank officer will give you 2 copies of each slip.
- Submit one copy to the court and keep one for yourself. If you have done everything correctly, the police officer will return your documents, and your motoring offence story ends!
How to avoid troubles when paying fines
- Try to "come to terms" with the traffic officer on the spot. It is illegal, but in case of a small fine, the police can meet you halfway.
- Apologise sincerely for your actions.
- Try to be friendly with the police and tell them how much you like Montenegro. You might be released without a fine.
- Be open and kind when speaking to the traffic officers.
Remember to observe the traffic rules in Montenegro for ultimate travel experience!
