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Traffic rules and fines in Montenegro

Montenegro uses European traffic regulations, but with some considerations.

  • The speed limit is 30mph (50km/h) within urban areas and 50mph (80km/h) outside urban areas. The speeding fine is from €30 to €2,000
  • Low beam must be on while driving day and night throughout the year. Failure to use low beam lights will result in a €30 fine
  • All passengers must wear seat belts. The fine is from €40 to €100
  • Vehicles within the roundabout have the right of way. The fine is from €100 to €450
  • Drivers can only make or receive cell phone calls by using a hands-free system. Holding a phone to your ear for a call while driving will cost you from €60 to €150
  • Children under 5 must travel in special child safety seats. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed in the front seat without a child safety seat. The fine is from €40 to €100
  • The blood alcohol limit for a driver is 0.2 permille. The drink driving penalty is from €70 to €2,000 or arrest
  • If a traffic light has an additional aspect, the main green light gives permission to go in all directions. This means that if the main green light is on and the right turn arrow is off, it is allowed to turn right anyway

In Montenegro, most fines may vary in a range between “from” and “to”. The maximum fine is issued to repeat driving offenders, drivers who have significantly exceeded the speed limit but “refuse to admit guilt”, in other words, behave aggressively and inadequately, use threats or offer a bribe.

When stopped by police in Montenegro, please make use of tranquillity and politeness. If you speak at least a bit of Montenegrin, it will be of help.

Say hello. Show your driver's license and vehicle registration certificate. If you are driving a hire car, you must have your rental agreement with you.

When stopped by police in Montenegro, please make use of tranquillity and politeness. If you speak at least a bit of Montenegrin, it will be of help.

Say hello. Show your driver's license and vehicle registration certificate. If you are driving a hire car, you must have your rental agreement with you.

The most popular cities for car hire in Montenegro

How to pay fines

In case of driving offence, the traffic officer will confiscate your driving license and issue a fine. Police officers are not allowed to collect money paid as fines so you will need to go to a bank or post office. When you come back with a payment receipt, the traffic officer will return your driving license. If it is after hours, you can pay on the next day, but then you will have to get your driver's license back at the police station in the city where you were caught up. That is, if you stay in Bar and were stopped by police in Tivat, you'll have to to go to the police station in Tivat to get your driver's license back on the next day.

In case of a major motoring offence, the driver will have to visit the police magistrate in the city where the offence was committed. The magistrate will decide on the fine amount and issue two documents with the details for payment of the fine and court's costs (about €20). You must pay them at a bank. Please note that you must complete two DIFFERENT authorities (for the fine and court's costs) by hand in three copies.

The cashier will keep one copy for the bank, while you will keep one copy for yourself, just in case, and bring one copy to the court. After the authorities have been checked, you will get your driving license and registration back.

You can avoid this lengthy procedure if you committed a minor crime and the fine is under €100. Before the police officer starts completing the documents, you can offer "payment on the spot" and explain that you are a tourist and that you plead guilty, but you broke the rules by accident, and apologise. Of course, it is illegal, but the officer may agree. Chances are you will be released without punishment.

Is it easy to drive in Montenegro?

If you travel to Montenegro for the time, you will have many questions: What are the roads like in the country? How do the locals drive? Will I be comfortable behind the wheel?

We’ll try to give exhaustive answers. Well, driving in this country is no big deal. Distances are not far between towns and cities, and the roads are in good condition. You will never lose your way or find yourself in the middle of nowhere if you have a map or navigation with you.

There are a few things to consider:

  • Locals drive aggressively but carefully and give way to pedestrians on crossings.
  • Some towns have narrow streets, and the vehicles parked on both sides of road cause additional obstruction. Thus, a two-way road is only one lane wide. How to drive in narrow streets. We can only advise to proceed with caution and give way whenever possible. The good news is that other drivers will give you way, too.
  • Sometimes two cars block an intersection, and the drivers are absorbed in conversation. Just honk the horn. They will drive forward and let you pass.
  • Mountain roads are sometimes twisty and narrow, about one and a half lane wide. You should keep your eyes open, but there’s nothing to fear because even buses pass one another easily. The rule of thumb followed by all drivers in Montenegro is that you give way if you are in a better position to pull over. Sometimes you need to reverse to the nearest passing place to let the oncoming vehicle pass.
  • There also wide mountain highways in Montenegro, with two lanes in each direction. It is very comfortable to drive on them, but there are specific principles to be observed: if you are cruising in the left lane and other drivers are honking horns in the daytime or flash high beams at night, you should move into the right lane and allow them to pass you on the left.
  • Headlight flashing is used to warn oncoming traffic about police on the road ahead.

Car rental in Montenegro