Renting a car is the easiest way to see Croatia properly, but most people arrive with the same handful of questions: what licence do I need, what does the insurance actually cover, where am I allowed to park in Dubrovnik, and can I take the car across the border. Here are straight answers to the 15 we get asked most.

1. Do I need an International Driving Permit to drive in Croatia?

Most visitors can drive in Croatia on their valid national driving licence. That includes drivers from the EU, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and most countries in North and South America.

An International Driving Permit is only required if your licence is not written in Latin script or cannot be clearly read. In that case the IDP must be presented together with your original national licence. The permit is a translation, so it is never valid on its own.

2. What is the minimum age to rent a car in Croatia?

The minimum age is usually 21, though some vehicle categories require the driver to be 23 or 25. Drivers under 25 may also pay a young driver fee. It varies by category, and the exact amount appears on your booking quote before you confirm.

3. Can I rent a manual or an automatic car?

Both are available. Manual cars are far more common in Croatia, while automatics are limited in number and usually priced higher. If you need an automatic, book it as early as you can, especially for July and August when the automatic fleet sells out first.

4. Do I need full insurance when renting a car?

Standard insurance is already included in our rental price. It covers third party liability (TPL), collision damage waiver (CDW) and theft waiver (TW). What it does not do is remove your liability entirely: Standard insurance carries an excess, which means you are responsible for damage up to a certain amount. Theft waiver works the same way, it caps what you owe at the excess rather than reducing it to zero.

If you would rather not carry that risk, Premium insurance (the SCDW upgrade) reduces or removes the excess on most car groups. Both the excess and the Premium upgrade vary by car category and are shown on your quote and your contract, so you always see the figure before you sign. You can read the full breakdown on our insurance page.

One rule that protects you, and it matters more than the tier you choose

Under Croatian law, for any rental insurance to apply after an accident you must call the police to the scene and have an alcohol test taken at the time of the accident. If that does not happen, the cover is void, the excess cap stops applying and you are liable for the full repair, whichever insurance you bought. It takes a phone call, and it is the single most important thing to remember on the road.

5. What is the fuel policy for rental cars?

Our fuel policy is same to same. You return the vehicle with the fuel level it had when you picked it up, whether that was full or partial. It is simple and transparent, and it means you only ever pay for the fuel you actually used.

A traveller refuelling a rental car at a petrol station in Croatia

6. How do I pay for tolls on Croatian motorways?

Croatian motorway tolls can be paid in cash, by credit card or with an electronic toll device (ENC). Some rental cars are fitted with an ENC device, so it is worth asking in advance which applies to your vehicle. If the car does not have one, the manned and automated toll booths accept cards without any trouble.

7. What are the driving rules in Croatia?

Driving is on the right-hand side. Seat belts are mandatory for everyone in the car, speed limits are clearly marked, and drink-driving laws are strict and strictly enforced. Dipped headlights must be used during the day in the winter months. Roads along the coast are scenic but narrow and winding in places, so allow more time than the map suggests.

8. Can I drive into Dubrovnik Old Town or other historic centres?

No. Dubrovnik Old Town and most Croatian historic centres are pedestrian-only zones. You park outside the walls and continue on foot. The same applies in the old cores of Split, Trogir, Korčula and Ston.

9. Where can I park near Dubrovnik Old Town?

This is the question worth reading twice, because it is the one that most often costs visitors money.

The whole area around the Old Town is a special traffic regulation zone. Access is limited to residents, authorised services and vehicles with a valid permit, and the zone is monitored by cameras that read every licence plate automatically. Any unauthorised entry is fined automatically to the vehicle's owner, which for a rental car means the rental company, and the fine is then passed on to the renter under the rental terms. The system is typically active from March through November.

If you are staying in private accommodation inside the zone, your host can register your licence plate with the city so that your entry is authorised. Two things are worth knowing about that. First, the plate has to be registered before you first drive in, and a host who registers it late does not prevent the fine. Second, staying inside the zone does not by itself permit entry, since the accommodation may have no parking at all. Rental companies cannot issue these permits, as they are managed by the City of Dubrovnik and local property owners.

If you are staying outside the zone, park in the New Town and reach the Old Town by bus, taxi or Uber. Confirm the parking arrangement with your accommodation before you drive anywhere near the walls.

Aerial view of Dubrovnik Old Town walls with the car parks and access roads outside them

10. How do I get from Dubrovnik Airport to the Old Town?

You can take the airport shuttle bus, a taxi, a pre-booked private transfer, or simply pick up a rental car at the airport. The shuttle is the cheapest option and the taxi is the most direct, but if you plan to leave the city at any point during your stay, collecting the car on arrival saves you paying twice for the same journey.

11. What are the best day trips from Dubrovnik by car?

The Pelješac Peninsula and its wineries, the island of Korčula, and the walled town of Ston with its salt pans and oysters are the classic three, and all of them are comfortable day trips. If you want to leave the country for the day, Kotor and Perast in Montenegro and Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina are both within reach.

Children playing in a stone street in Ston below the town's historic defensive walls

12. Can I drive from Dubrovnik to Montenegro?

Yes. Kotor is roughly 1.5 to 2 hours away depending on how busy the border crossing is, and the drive along the Bay of Kotor is one of the best in the region. You will need valid identification for everyone in the car and cross-border approval arranged with us in advance, which brings us to the next question.

13. Is a day trip from Dubrovnik to Mostar worth it?

Yes, if you are happy with a long day. Mostar is about 2.5 hours each way, and the Old Bridge, the bazaar streets and the mix of cultures make it one of the most memorable stops in the region. Leave early, and remember the same cross-border approval rules apply.

The Old Bridge in Mostar arching over the turquoise Neretva river

14. Can I take a rental car across borders?

Yes, to all EU countries and to our Western Balkan neighbours including Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Albania. Cross-border travel always has to be approved by us in advance, because the car needs the right documentation on board before it leaves the country.

For countries outside the EU you also need Green Card insurance, which is added as a cross-border fee on your booking. The fee is shown on your quote before you confirm. What you cannot do is decide at the border, so tell us where you are heading when you book and we will have the paperwork ready. If you are planning a one-way trip rather than a return, our guide to one-way rentals covers how that works.

15. Should I book a car in advance or wait until I arrive?

Book in advance, especially between May and September. Early booking gets you a better price and a far wider choice of vehicles, and in peak season the walk-up availability at Dubrovnik and Split airports is thin to non-existent. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pick-up, so booking early costs you nothing in flexibility.

Still have a question?

If something about your trip is not covered here, ask us before you book rather than after. We would much rather spend five minutes on an email than have you find out something inconvenient at the counter or, worse, at a border crossing.