Croatia
Cross-border guide

Drive to Croatia.

No Green Card required

Croatia is the most popular cross-border destination of all. It sits inside the standard European insurance zone, so no Green Card is needed; you choose Croatia as your destination when you book and the car is cleared to cross. Most of the fleet is eligible for the Croatia crossing, whichever of the five countries you pick up in.

What do you need?

To cross into Croatia you choose it as your destination when you book, which clears the car under the standard rental insurance terms. No Green Card is required for Croatia; the cross-border cover is added to your booking, never at the border.

Which cars are eligible?

Many cars across the eligible fleets are approved for Croatia. When searching, look for the cross-border eligible badge. Not all economy cars qualify, so check before you book.

Croatia cross-border route
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COAST ROADS.NO GREEN CARD NEEDED.
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Border crossing tips

The most common crossing from Montenegro to Croatia is Debeli Brijeg / Karasovici near Herceg Novi. Have your rental agreement, passport, and cross-border confirmation ready. Queues can be long in peak summer.

One-way drop-off

One-way rentals dropping off in Croatia are not available. The car must return to the country you picked up in; drop-off at a different location within the same country is permitted.

Drive times to Croatia

Approximate driving times from the nearest major pickup city. Times vary by where you collect the car. Times exclude border queues, which can be long in peak summer.

DestinationDistanceApprox. drive
Dubrovnik150 km2h 45m
Split340 km5h
Zagreb715 km8h
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Cars in Croatia

The fee at checkout covers your Green Card and cross-border cover.

Croatia: common questions

Can you take a hire car across the border to Croatia?
Yes, from any of our five pickup countries. Croatia is the most popular cross-border destination of all, and a large share of the fleet is approved for the crossing. Permission to cross is written into your rental agreement, so you are cleared before you reach the border.
Do I need a Green Card for Croatia?
No. Croatia sits inside the standard European insurance zone, so no Green Card is required; you only need the cross-border cover selected at booking. For comparison, Bosnia and Serbia are the same, Albania and Kosovo sit outside the zone so the fee covers their Green Card, and the wider EU and Switzerland are the widest option.
How and when do I pay the cross-border fee for Croatia?
You select it when you book, never at the border. It cannot be added at pickup or bought at the crossing, so choose Croatia as an approved country while you reserve the car.
What should I have ready at the Croatian border?
Your original rental agreement showing Croatia as an approved country, your passport, your driving licence, and the cross-border confirmation. Queues at Debeli Brijeg can be long in peak summer, so keep these to hand.
Which border crossings into Croatia can I use?
Debeli Brijeg / Karasovici near Herceg Novi is the main coastal crossing and the busiest in summer. Vilusi, the inland route via Trebinje, is usually quieter. Carry your original rental agreement at whichever you use.
Can I drop the car off in Croatia?
No. One-way rentals are not available; the car must return to the country you picked up in. Drop-off at a different location within the same country is permitted.
How far is it and how long to drive to Croatia?
It depends where you start. From Montenegro, Dubrovnik is about 40 minutes from Herceg Novi over the Debeli Brijeg crossing. From Bosnia, the coast is roughly 2h from Mostar and 3h 30m from Sarajevo. From Serbia, Zagreb is about 4h 30m from Belgrade. From Albania, allow a full day to reach Dalmatia. Border queues can add time in peak summer.
Which crossing should I use on the Dubrovnik coast road?
Debeli Brijeg / Karasovici is the coastal crossing between Croatia and Montenegro, about 40 minutes from Dubrovnik and on to Herceg Novi on the Montenegrin side. It is the same crossing in both directions, and it is the busiest of them in July and August. Konfin is the quieter inland alternative via Cavtat.
Can I start the rental in Croatia instead, and drive out?
Yes. Croatia is one of our five pickup countries, Dubrovnik included, so you can collect there and drive out to Montenegro, Bosnia, Serbia or Albania. Cover works the same way round: the fee and any Green Card are added at booking. The car is returned to Croatia at the end of the rental rather than being left abroad. See the Croatia pickup page for the cities, cover options and fees that apply.
How it works →Dubrovnik to Montenegro by car →