RRoad Clarity
A road running above the shore of a large lake in North Macedonia, dry hills rising on one side and still water reaching to distant mountains.

North Macedonia

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

Driving in North Macedonia

North Macedonia is a short and inexpensive drive with one genuinely convenient feature for visitors: the toll booths take euros as well as denars. That matters more than it sounds. If you have just crossed the border with no local currency, you can still pay the motorway toll in cash without hunting for an ATM first. Cards are accepted too, and there is an M-Tag device for the dedicated lanes — though from June 2026 those lanes take tags only and no longer accept the older smart cards, so read the lane signage before committing. Tolls apply on the motorway network and are collected at barriers. Everything else is free. Headlights are required day and night, year-round. Winter tyres are generally needed in winter conditions on mountain roads, and carrying chains is sensible in season. The alcohol limit is 0.5‰, dropping to zero for novice drivers. Limits are 50, 80 and 120, the country is outside the EU, and the currency is the denar.

Speed limits

Urban
50 km/h
Rural / outside built-up areas
80 km/h
Motorway
120 km/h

Alcohol limits

General limit
0.5‰
Novice drivers
0.0‰

Mandatory equipment

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

Winter tires & snow chains

Generally required in winter conditions on mountain roads; carrying chains is recommended for mountain routes in season.

Tolls

System
Toll booths

Motorways charge tolls at booths, paid by cash or card.

Full motorway tolls guide →

More things to know before you drive

Seatbelts
Mandatory front and rear for all occupants.
Mobile phone use
Hands-free only; holding a phone while driving is prohibited.
Child seats
Children require an appropriate child restraint suited to their age and size.
Headlights
Dipped headlights are required at all times, day and night, year-round.
Low-emission & restricted zones
No low-emission zone network; Skopje has occasional local traffic restrictions during high-pollution episodes.
Right of way & roundabouts
Priority to the right at unmarked intersections.
Parking
Paid parking zones are common in Skopje and other cities via ticket machine or app.
Speed cameras
Fixed and mobile cameras are used, particularly on motorways and near towns.

Good to know

Not in the EU. Currency is the denar (MKD).