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A crash-barriered road running down a bare limestone headland towards the Adriatic in Croatia, with low islands visible offshore.

Croatia

Drives on the right · EUR · Emergency 112
LAST VERIFIED 2026-09-13

Driving in Croatia

Croatia is a country most people drive in summer, along one motorway, to reach the coast — and much of what catches visitors out follows from exactly that. The A1 towards Split and Dubrovnik is a ticket-and-barrier toll road: take a card on entry, pay on exit by cash or card, with an ENC tag for the non-stop lanes. In July and August the exit plazas queue badly, and the ENC discounts are worth having — around 21.7% on a standing-order arrangement, and roughly 33.5% in the off-season window from November to March. Note that some lanes and whole stations are now cashless. Headlights are mandatory at all times, year-round, which is easy to forget if you have crossed from Hungary or Italy where the rule is narrower. Winter equipment is required on marked sections from 15 November to 15 April — a surprise to people who think of Croatia as a warm country, but the inland route over the mountains is a different climate from the coast. Parking is the other coastal-specific issue. Cities use colour-coded paid zones via machine or app, and tow-away enforcement in tourist centres is brisk rather than theoretical. Dubrovnik's Old Town is closed to general traffic entirely. Otherwise: 50 in towns, 90 on rural roads, 130 on the motorway, and a 0.5‰ alcohol limit that is zero for anyone under 24 or licensed under two years.

Speed limits

Urban
50 km/h
Rural / outside built-up areas
90 km/h
Motorway
130 km/h

Alcohol limits

General limit
0.5‰
Novice drivers
0.0‰

Mandatory equipment

  • •Warning triangle
  • •Hi-vis vest
  • •First aid kit
  • •Spare bulb kit

Winter tires & snow chains

From 15 November to 15 April, winter tires (or summer tires plus snow chains carried on board) are required on marked sections, and can be required outside this window when conditions demand it — signs indicate where the rule applies.

Tolls

System
Toll booths

Motorways charge tolls at booths, paid on exit (cash/card) or via an electronic toll tag.

Full motorway tolls guide →

More things to know before you drive

Seatbelts
Mandatory front and rear.
Mobile phone use
Hands-free only while driving.
Child seats
Children under 12 or shorter than 150 cm require an appropriate child restraint.
Headlights
Dipped headlights mandatory at all times, day and night, year-round.
Low-emission & restricted zones
No widespread low-emission zone network; some historic centers (e.g. Dubrovnik Old Town) restrict general vehicle access.
Right of way & roundabouts
Priority to the right at unmarked intersections; roundabouts give way to vehicles already inside.
Parking
Color-coded paid parking zones in cities, usually via ticket machine or app; tow-away enforcement is common in tourist centers.
Speed cameras
Fixed and mobile cameras, most common on motorways and near towns.

Good to know

Novice drivers (under 24 years old, or under 2 years licensed) have a 0.0 alcohol limit. Headlights are required year-round.