Tier 2: Green Card included
Car rental from Montenegro to Albania is a Tier 2 cross-border route. Albania sits outside the standard EU insurance zone, so a Green Card is needed; it is included automatically when you choose Albania at booking, with nothing to arrange at the border. Over 140 cars in the Montenegro fleet are eligible for the Albania crossing.
What do you need?
Albania is outside the standard EU insurance zone, so your rental car needs a Green Card, the international certificate of motor insurance. When you select the cross-border fee at booking, the Green Card is automatically included for Tier 2 countries.
- Cross-border cover selected at booking, not at the border
- Green Card included automatically (Tier 2)
- Cannot be added at the border or after pickup
What is a Green Card?
A Green Card is an internationally recognised certificate proving your vehicle has the minimum required third-party liability insurance. It is required to drive in countries not covered by the standard EU motor insurance directive. For Albania, the rental company includes it automatically with the Tier 2 fee.
Which cars are eligible?
Over 140 cars in the Montenegro LocalRent fleet are approved for Albania. Fewer cars qualify compared to Tier 1 countries, as the insurance requirements are more complex. Always filter for cross-border eligible cars when searching.
Border crossing tips
The main crossing from Montenegro to Albania is Sukobin / Han i Hotit near Shkodra. The road south from Ulcinj leads directly to the border. A second crossing exists at Muriqan / Bozaj, also near Shkodra.
- Sukobin / Han i Hotit: main crossing, well signposted from Ulcinj
- Muriqan / Bozaj: alternative crossing near Shkodra
- Carry your Green Card document; border officials may ask for it
Drive times to Albania
Approximate driving times from a Podgorica pickup; coastal pickups (Kotor, Tivat, Budva) are closer to the coast. Times exclude border queues, which can be long in peak summer.
| Destination | Distance | Approx. drive |
|---|
| Shkodra | 85 km | 1h 30m |
| Tirana | 160 km | 2h 55m |
| Durres | 170 km | 3h |
Albania: common questions
Can you take a hire car from Montenegro to Albania?
Yes. Over 140 cars in the Montenegro fleet are approved for the crossing into Albania. Permission to cross is written into your rental agreement, so you are cleared before you reach the border. Fewer cars qualify than for Tier 1 countries, so filter for cross-border eligible cars when you search.
Do I need a Green Card for Albania?
Yes. Albania is a Tier 2 destination, which sits outside the standard EU insurance zone, so a Green Card international motor insurance document is required. You do not buy it separately: when you select the cross-border fee at booking, the Green Card is automatically included. Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia are Tier 1, where no Green Card is needed, and the wider EU and Switzerland are Tier 3.
How and when do I pay the cross-border fee for Albania?
You select it when you book, never at the border. It cannot be added at pickup or bought at the crossing, so choose Albania as an approved country while you reserve the car. The Green Card is included with that Tier 2 fee.
What should I have ready at the Albanian border?
Your original rental agreement showing Albania as an approved country, your Green Card document, your passport, and your driving licence. Border officials may ask to see the Green Card, so keep it to hand along with the cross-border confirmation.
Which border crossings into Albania can I use?
Sukobin / Han i Hotit near Shkodra is the main crossing and is well signposted from Ulcinj, with the road south leading directly to the border. Muriqan / Bozaj, also near Shkodra, is an alternative crossing. Carry your rental agreement and Green Card at whichever you use.
Can I drop the car off in Albania?
No. One-way rentals are not available; the car must return to Montenegro at the end of the rental; drop-off within Montenegro at a different location is permitted.
How far is it and how long to drive from Montenegro to Albania?
Shkodra, just over the border, is about 1h 30m from a Podgorica pickup; Tirana is around 2h 55m and Durres about 3h. Coastal pickups are a little closer to the border, and queues can add time in peak summer.
