Renting a Car in Croatia: 34 Important Tips (2026)

Renting a car in Croatia in 2026 requires a driver aged 21 or over at most companies (18 at a few, with a young-driver fee), a driving licence held for at least one to two years, a passport or EU identity card, and a credit card in the driver’s name for a deposit that runs from roughly €150 ($174, £129) with full cover to €2,500 ($2,906, £2,147) for large cars. Croatia has used the euro and sat inside the Schengen area since 1 January 2023, so every price below is in euro and there are no passport checks when you drive in from Slovenia, Hungary or Italy. 3 things changed for the 2026 season: the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) became fully operational at Croatia’s external borders on 10 April 2026, which affects non-EU drivers who cut through Bosnia and Herzegovina at Neum; Hrvatske autoceste (HAC) charges €26.40 ($31, £23) for a passenger car between Zagreb and Split in every month of the year and is replacing its toll booths with a free-flow camera system; and the government caps petrol and diesel prices every week or two, with Eurosuper 95 limited to €1.56 ($1.81, £1.34) per litre from 11 August 2026.

The 34 tips below follow the order of a rental: documents and age rules first, then booking choices, prices and companies, the contract small print, and the driving rules, tolls, fines and cross-border questions that catch visitors out. Each tip names the source it was checked against, and the Croatia hub collects the destination guides you will want once the keys are in your hand.

1. License to rent a car in Croatia

A driving licence issued in your home country is enough to rent and drive a car in Croatia if it is printed in the Latin alphabet, and rental companies require that you have held it for at least one year (two years at Uni Rent and Nova Rent a Car). The Croatian Ministry of the Interior (MUP) states that a foreigner may drive on a valid foreign licence under the condition of reciprocity and that an international driving permit is not necessary in that case. The US Embassy in Zagreb adds that US citizens visiting for tourism or business may use a US licence for up to three months, and the UK government says a UK photocard licence is valid in Croatia for up to one year. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is still worth carrying in 3 cases: your licence is not in Latin script (Discover Cars and most rental desks then require an IDP or an official translation), you hold an old paper licence, or your rental company’s own terms ask for one. An IDP is only valid together with your home licence and must be bought before you leave, from the AAA in the United States or the Post Office in the UK. Beyond the licence, take a passport or EU identity card, the credit card used for the booking and the booking confirmation to the desk.

2. Age and Experience Requirement

The minimum age to rent a car in Croatia is 21 at most companies, with a licence held for one to two years; a few brands rent from 18 and charge a young-driver fee, and some car groups are restricted to drivers aged 25 or 28. Enterprise Croatia’s published policy sets the range at 18 to 80 years, with a fee of €40 ($46, £34) per rental for drivers aged 18 to 20. Uni Rent requires drivers to be over 21 with a licence held for two years, raises the minimum to 25 for its mid-size groups and to 28 for its vans and luxury groups. Nova Rent a Car rents from 22 with a two-year licence and requires under-22 drivers to take full insurance cover. Kayak’s Croatia page summarises the market as “at least 21 years old” with “a valid driver’s license for two years”. Young-driver fees vary widely: the Croatian rental company Lutar surveyed the market in February 2025 and found daily surcharges from €5 ($6, £4) to €40 ($46, £34), with €25 ($29, £21) typical. The old rule of thumb that drivers over 70 pay extra is not written into the terms of the companies checked for this update; Enterprise simply stops renting at 80.

3. Credit Card Requirements

A physical credit card in the main driver’s name is required at pick-up by nearly every rental company in Croatia, because the deposit is taken as a pre-authorisation on that card. Nova Rent a Car, for example, accepts Visa, Mastercard, Diners, JCB and Discover, refuses American Express, virtual cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay for the deposit, and accepts debit cards for payment only, unless the renter buys its top protection package. Uni Rent takes the authorisation on a credit card and sets the amount by rental length, insurance purchased and car group. A few companies, such as Avax, advertise no-deposit rentals with full cover priced into the daily rate. If you only have a debit card, write to the company before you book, because the desk will not bend the rule on the day, and expect either a refusal or a much larger cash or card hold.

4. Guarantee – Credit card hold

The deposit held on your credit card in Croatia runs from about €150 ($174, £129) to €2,500 ($2,906, £2,147), and the amount depends on the car group and on how much insurance excess you carry. Nova Rent a Car publishes the clearest table: a mini or economy car carries a €1,000 ($1,162, £859) hold with basic cover, €500 ($581, £430) with its medium package and €150 with its full package; a compact is €1,200 ($1,395, £1,031), €500 or €200 ($232, £172); a standard SUV €1,500 ($1,743, £1,288), €750 ($872, £644) or €450 ($523, £387); and luxury cars up to €2,500, €1,500 or €1,250 ($1,453, £1,074). Dollar Thrifty Croatia gives an overall range of €500 to €3,000 ($3,487, £2,577). The hold is a temporary authorisation, not a charge, and it is released after the car is returned undamaged, though your bank may take several days to a few weeks to free the funds. Because the hold reduces your available credit for the whole trip, check your card limit before you travel and take a second card if the limit is tight.

5. When to rent and book

Book a rental car in Croatia two to three months before a July or August trip, and rent in the shoulder months of May, June, September and early October if you want lower rates and free roads. Demand peaks in July and August, when the coast road, the ferries and the rental fleets fill up, automatics sell out first, and companies raise daily rates. Kayak lists October as the cheapest month to rent in Croatia, with an average of around $28 (about €24, £21) per day against a yearly average of $32 (about €28, £24). Small economy cars, such as a Volkswagen Polo, Škoda Fabia or Fiat 500, suit the narrow streets and scarce parking of the old towns; reserve one early because they are also the cheapest group. Manual gearboxes are the default, so book an automatic months ahead if you need one. Winter rentals are cheap but bring their own rules: winter equipment is compulsory on designated roads from 15 November to 15 April, and a rental company will fit it, but you should confirm that in writing for a mountain or inland itinerary.

6. Pickup / Return Location and Times

Airport desks at Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Pula and Rijeka are the most convenient pick-up points, while a city-centre office is usually cheaper because the airport concession fee is built into the rate. Compare the same car at both locations before you decide; the saving can pay for the taxi into town. Pick up and return during office hours whenever possible. Out-of-hours service carries a fee: Nova Rent a Car charges €50 ($58, £43) for a pick-up or return outside its opening hours, 50% more between 00:01 and 05:00, and €50 on Christmas, New Year and Easter. Uni Rent says some of its locations bill an “after hours service” and asks you to check at reservation. Returning during office hours means a staff member checks the car in with you, which closes the door on later damage claims.

7. Recommendations for car size and engine

A small car with a 1.0 to 1.4 litre engine is the right choice for most Croatian itineraries, because the coast road, the island roads and the old-town approaches are narrow and parking spaces are short. A Fiat 500, Toyota Yaris, VW Polo or Škoda Fabia handles the lanes of Dubrovnik, Split, Rovinj and Hvar, and a 1.4 litre petrol engine has enough power for the climbs from the coast to the inland plateau. Travellers who stay on the A1 motorway between Zagreb, Zadar and Split can go one size up for comfort, such as a VW Golf, Škoda Octavia or a small crossover. Engines over 2 litres raise the rental rate and the fuel bill without a real benefit on Croatian roads. Diesel saves fuel on long distances, but diesel now costs more per litre than petrol in Croatia (see tip 9), so the advantage is smaller than it used to be.

8. Transmission type (Manual or Automatic)

Manual transmission is standard in Croatian rental fleets, and an automatic costs more per day and must be reserved early, especially for July and August. Comparison sites list the automatic surcharge at roughly €10 ($12, £9) to €25 ($29, £21) per day depending on car group and company, and automatics in the small-car groups are the first to sell out in summer. If you are not confident with a manual gearbox, book an automatic rather than learning on the hairpins above Makarska or the single-lane roads on Hvar. Double-check the gearbox on the booking confirmation, because search results sometimes default to manual and some companies reserve the right to substitute a “similar” car. Nova Rent a Car and Uni Rent both group automatics separately, so filter for them rather than assuming.

9. Fuel choice (Diesel, Gas or electric)

Most Croatian rental cars run on unleaded petrol (Eurosuper 95), diesel is available in the larger groups on request, and hybrid and electric rentals exist in 2026 but remain a small share of the fleets. The Croatian government caps retail fuel prices with a regulation that it revises every week or two: from 11 August 2026 the maximum was €1.56 ($1.81, £1.34) per litre for Eurosuper 95 and €1.71 ($1.99, £1.47) for Eurodiesel, and the Croatian Automobile Club (HAK) fuel-price page on 4 September 2026 showed Eurosuper 95 between €1.42 and €1.67 ($1.65 to $1.94, £1.22 to £1.43) per litre and a median diesel price of €1.79 ($2.08, £1.54). Diesel therefore costs more than petrol in Croatia at the moment, the reverse of the old advice. HAK notes that the highest prices are at motorway service stations, so fill up in town or on state roads. The main brands are INA, Petrol, Tifon and Crodux, all of which take cards. Confirm the fuel type with the agent and check the sticker inside the filler flap; putting petrol in a diesel car is not covered by any insurance package and the repair bill lands on your card.

10. 4×4 rental in Croatia

A 4×4 is unnecessary for a standard Croatian road trip, because every town, national park and ferry port on a normal itinerary sits on a paved road. The narrow streets of Dubrovnik, Split and Rovinj are easier in a small hatchback than in a large SUV, and parking spaces in the old towns are sized for small cars. A compact crossover is a sensible middle ground for families who want more luggage space on the A1 and the coast road. Only travellers who plan gravel tracks in the Velebit or Biokovo ranges, or winter driving over Gorski kotar and Lika when snow is on the ground, gain anything from four-wheel drive, and even then the winter-equipment rule (tip 25) matters more than the drivetrain.

11. RV rentals in Croatia

Motorhome and campervan rental is a workable alternative to hotels in Croatia, with fleets from Indie Campers, Happy Campers, Yescapa and local operators based in Zagreb, Split, Zadar and Pula. Vans and motorhomes take couples or groups of up to six, come with a kitchen, beds and usually a shower and toilet, and let you follow the coast at your own pace. Book months ahead for July and August, when most operators impose minimum rental lengths, often a week. Campsites line the coast from Istria to Dubrovnik, and wild camping is prohibited in Croatia, so plan overnight stops around registered sites. Motorhomes over 1.9 m (6.2 ft) in height pay the higher category II toll on HAC motorways (tip 26), and large vehicles struggle in the old towns, so park outside and walk in. Smaller vans suit travellers who want to drive into towns and onto island ferries.

12. Car rental Prices in Croatia

Car rental in Croatia averages about $32 (about €28, £24) per day across the year according to Kayak’s 2026 data, with small cars from around $22 (about €19, £16) per day, SUVs around $51 (about €44, £38) and medium cars around $61 (about €52, £45). Daily rates climb in July and August and fall in October, Kayak’s cheapest month. Comparison sites show small manual cars from roughly €25 ($29, £21) to €50 ($58, £43) per day outside summer and roughly €60 ($70, £52) to €100 ($116, £86) per day in peak season, and automatics and SUVs can cost double. The price you see on a comparison site rarely includes extras: a second driver, a child seat, a GPS unit, a cross-border permit, a ferry permit, out-of-hours fees and a one-way fee all sit on top, and unlimited mileage is sometimes an add-on (Nova Rent a Car charges €10 ($12, £9) per day for it and otherwise allows 500 km (310.7 mi) per day). International brands operating in Croatia include Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt and Enterprise; local companies include Nova Rent a Car, Uni Rent, Oryx, Avax and Lutar. Weekly rates are cheaper per day than three- or four-day rentals, and a booking made two to four weeks ahead beats a walk-up price. For a wider view of what a Croatian trip costs, from ferries to restaurant bills, see the Croatia prices guide. Compare the total price across companies on DiscoverCars before you book.

13. What to think before selecting a car rental company in Croatia

Choose a Croatian rental company on 4 points: recent customer reviews, the total price including extras, the deposit and insurance excess, and whether the car you need is in stock. The 4 checks are listed below.

1. Reputation. Read reviews from the last six months on Google Maps and Trustpilot for the specific branch, not the brand, because franchise branches differ.
2. Total price. Add the young-driver fee, second driver, child seat, cross-border or ferry permit, one-way fee and out-of-hours fee to the headline rate before comparing.
3. Deposit and excess. Compare the credit-card hold and the damage excess under the basic cover, then price the full-cover package (tip 19).
4. Availability. Confirm the gearbox, the fuel type and the car group in writing; automatics and seven-seaters sell out first.

A company that publishes its terms and fee table online, as Nova Rent a Car and Uni Rent do, is easier to hold to account than one that quotes fees at the desk.

14. Top car rental companies in Croatia

The rental companies with the widest coverage in Croatia are Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Avis and Enterprise among the international brands, and Nova Rent a Car, Uni Rent, Oryx, Avax and Lutar among the Croatian companies. The international brands have desks at the main airports (Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Pula and Rijeka) and in the city centres, run one-way rentals between them and allow cross-border trips under their own fee tables. Enterprise in Croatia publishes an 18-to-80 age range and a €40 ($46, £34) young-driver fee for 18-to-20-year-olds. The Croatian companies often undercut the brands on price, publish full fee tables and cover the same airports; Nova Rent a Car, for instance, lists its deposits, its €56 ($65, £48) cross-border permit and its €8 ($9, £7) per day additional-driver fee openly. Uni Rent sets higher minimum ages for its larger car groups, and Avax advertises deposit-free rentals with cross-border driving included on rentals of three days or more. Book the branch, not the brand: read that branch’s recent reviews before you pay.

15. Save money on automobile rentals in Croatia

The largest savings on a Croatian rental come from booking early, choosing a small manual car, picking up in town rather than at the airport and refusing extras you do not need. The savings are listed below in order of size.

1. Book early. Reserve two to three months before a summer trip; last-minute July and August rates are the highest of the year.
2. Take a small manual car. The economy group is the cheapest and the easiest to park; an automatic adds roughly €10 to €25 per day.
3. Pick up in town. City-centre offices avoid the airport concession fee; compare both before booking.
4. Travel in the shoulder season. May, June, September and October combine lower rates with open roads and warm sea.
5. Skip paid extras you can replace. Your phone with offline maps replaces a GPS unit, and a child seat brought from home or bought locally can cost less than two weeks of daily seat fees.
6. Check your card’s cover. Some credit cards include rental damage cover; check that Croatia is included and that the rental company accepts third-party cover before you decline its waiver.
7. Compare across sites. Discover Cars and Kayak show the same cars at different prices; read the fee table before you book.

16. Typical Opening hours of car rental companies in Croatia

Airport rental desks in Croatia open for the first arrivals, from around 6 or 7 am, and close after the last scheduled flight, while city offices keep shorter hours, typically 8 am to 8 pm in summer and shorter in winter. Verify the exact hours of your branch when you book, because winter timetables at Dubrovnik, Zadar and Pula airports are much thinner than summer ones and desks close earlier. Pick-ups outside the published hours are possible at most branches on request, at a fee (tip 6). Returns outside opening hours use a key drop box, but the car is then checked in without you, so photograph it in its parking space (tip 24) and keep the fuel receipt. If your flight lands late, tell the company the flight number; most airport desks wait for delayed flights they know about.

17. Car rental scams in Croatia

The common car rental scams in Croatia are pre-existing damage charged to you, inflated repair bills, surprise fees at the desk and damage “found” after a key-drop return; the defence is documentation. The 5 scams and their fixes are listed below.

1. Old damage charged to you. Photograph and film the whole car, including wheels, windscreen and interior, before you leave the lot, and make the agent record every mark on the check-out form.
2. Inflated repair costs. Ask for an itemised invoice and the repair shop’s quote before you accept any deduction from the deposit.
3. Desk upsells. Refuse extras (GPS, extra insurance, fuel prepayment) that you did not book unless you understand the price, and check the contract total before you sign.
4. Hidden one-way or location fees. Get the one-way fee in writing when you book, not at the return desk.
5. Damage found after a key-drop return. Return during office hours and get a signed check-in form, or photograph the car in its bay with the time visible.

Reputable companies cause the same problems when their processes are sloppy, so the fix is the same at a big brand and a local firm: read the branch’s recent reviews and keep your own evidence.

18. Cross-border rentals

You may take a Croatian rental car into Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Italy, Austria and Hungary only with the rental company’s written permission, which normally comes as a cross-border permit and fee. The rules that apply in 2026 are listed below.

• Permit and fee. Nova Rent a Car charges €56 ($65, £48) per rental for EU countries plus Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, €136 ($158, £117) with special approval for Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, and a penalty of €825 ($959, £709) for an unauthorised crossing. Avax includes those seven neighbouring countries free on rentals of three days or more and charges €50 ($58, £43) on one- or two-day rentals.
• Green Card. The Green Card is no longer checked at the Bosnian, Montenegrin or Serbian border for Croatian-registered cars, because the insurance bureaus of all three countries have joined the Council of Bureaux Multilateral Agreement; the Green Card Bureau of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirms that the registration plate counts as proof of insurance. Companies such as Avax still issue the certificate with the permit, and it does no harm to carry it.
• Schengen and EES. Slovenia, Hungary, Austria and Italy are inside Schengen with Croatia, so there are no passport checks on those borders. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia are outside Schengen, so you cross an EU external border with full checks, and since 10 April 2026 the Entry/Exit System registers non-EU passport holders with fingerprints and a facial image at every crossing in place of a stamp.
• The Neum corridor. The Adriatic coast road (D8) between Split and Dubrovnik passes through 9 km (5.6 mi) of Bosnian territory at Neum, with a Croatian and a Bosnian checkpoint at each end. Nova Rent a Car counts Neum as Bosnia and requires its cross-border permit for the transit; other companies waive it. Ask at the desk, and take passports for everyone in the car.
• The Pelješac Bridge. The 2,404 m (1.5 mi) Pelješac Bridge opened on 26 July 2022 and the Ston bypass on 19 April 2023, so you can drive from Split to Dubrovnik entirely inside Croatia and the EU without a permit or a border check. The bridge is toll-free and adds a short detour over the Pelješac peninsula.

Ferries to Croatian islands are domestic trips and do not count as cross-border, but companies treat them separately: Nova Rent a Car charges a one-time ferry permit and fines unauthorised ferry use €825, while Uni Rent asks you to check the car group and route at reservation. Jadrolinija’s 2026 tariff for line 635, Split to Stari Grad on Hvar, lists a car up to 5 m (16.4 ft) at €35.60 ($41, £31) off-season and €47.60 ($55, £41) in the peak season from 29 May to 27 September, plus €5.90 ($7, £5) or €8.40 ($10, £7) per adult. A vehicle ticket on that line reserves a place on a specific sailing (arrive 45 minutes early), while the Split to Supetar line to Brač has no reservations, so arrive one to two hours before a summer departure. Jadrolinija’s FAQ says to enter the word RENTAL in the number-plate field if you book before you have the car.

19. Car Rental Insurance

Croatian rental prices include third-party liability insurance by law, and the choice you make at the desk is how much of the damage excess on the car itself you keep: basic cover with a high excess and deposit, or a full-cover package with a small or zero excess. The 3 layers are listed below.

1. Third-Party Liability (TPL). Included in every rental; it pays for injury and damage you cause to other people and their property, not for the rental car.
2. Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Protection (TP). Usually included as basic cover, with an excess (the amount you pay before the insurer does) that equals the deposit, typically €500 to €1,500 ($581 to $1,743, £430 to £1,288) for a small or mid-size car, and exclusions for tyres, glass, undercarriage, mirrors and the interior.
3. Full cover or excess reduction. A daily add-on that cuts the excess to a few hundred euro or to zero and reduces the deposit; Nova Rent a Car’s full package drops a small car’s deposit from €1,000 ($1,162, £859) to €150 ($174, £129).

Buy the excess reduction if a €1,000 bill would spoil your trip, or use a credit card or standalone excess policy that covers Croatia and accept the higher deposit. Whichever route you take, read what the cover excludes, because a scraped alloy on a Dubrovnik kerb or a cracked windscreen on the A1 is the typical Croatian claim.

20. Roadside assistance

Roadside assistance is worth adding to a Croatian rental if the basic contract does not include it, because a flat tyre or a flat battery on an island or in the Lika hinterland can otherwise cost you a day and a tow. Rental companies sell it as a daily add-on, at roughly €4 ($5, £3) to €13 ($15, £11) per day depending on company and car group (Nova Rent a Car calls it Roadside Protection). It covers call-outs for flat tyres, jump-starts, lock-outs, wrong fuel and towing to an authorised garage, which the basic contract often charges to the renter when the driver is at fault. Croatia’s own breakdown service, run by HAK, answers on 1987 from a Croatian number and on +385 1 1987 from a foreign phone, and HAK’s road-conditions line is 072 777 777; the rental company’s own 24-hour number is printed on the key tag or the contract, and you should call that first so the tow goes to a garage the company accepts.

21. GPS Sat Nav Navigator

A rental GPS unit is optional in Croatia in 2026, because a smartphone with offline maps does the same job for free, but a unit still makes sense if you travel without EU roaming or with a phone you need for other things. Rental companies charge roughly €7 ($8, £6) to €13 ($15, £11) per day for a unit, and Nova Rent a Car and Uni Rent both list satellite navigation as an on-request extra. Download the Croatia map for Google Maps or Maps.me before you fly, because coverage drops in the Velebit tunnels, on parts of the island roads and in the inland valleys. If you rent a unit, check that its maps are current: the Pelješac Bridge route is missing on old units, which will still route you through Neum. A phone mount and a USB cable are cheaper additions than the unit itself.

22. Additional driver charges

Adding a second driver to a Croatian rental costs roughly €5 ($6, £4) to €13 ($15, £11) per day, and every additional driver must be named on the contract, present at pick-up with their licence, and meet the same age and licence rules as the main driver. Nova Rent a Car charges €8 ($9, £7) per day for each additional driver, and Uni Rent says a charge “may” apply for each. Some companies cap the number of extra drivers at one or two, and some waive the fee for a spouse or for members of their loyalty schemes, so ask. An unnamed person driving the car voids the insurance, so the fee is cheap next to the excess you would carry after a crash with the wrong driver at the wheel.

23. Child Seats. Safety rules with car rental in Croatia

Croatian law (Road Traffic Safety Act, Article 163) requires every child shorter than 150 cm (59 in) to travel in an approved child seat or booster fitted to their size, and children under 5 must sit in a child seat on the rear seats; the fine is €130 ($151, £112). The Ministry of the Interior’s summary adds that children between 135 and 150 cm (53 to 59 in) may use the adult seat belt on a rear seat if the belt fits them, and that a rear-facing seat may not be placed on a front seat with an active airbag. Rental companies supply infant seats, child seats and boosters as an on-request extra at roughly €4 ($5, £3) to €13 ($15, £11) per day, so reserve them with the car; a two-week rental can cost more than a new seat bought at home or in a Croatian hypermarket. Check the seat’s approval label (ECE R44/04 or R129), fit it yourself and tighten the belt path, because desk staff hand it over but do not install it. Seat belts are compulsory for everyone in the car.

24. Take pics of the car during pick-up

Photograph and film every panel, wheel, window and the interior of the rental car before you leave the lot, with the time and date visible, and repeat the exercise at return. Walk around the car once for wide shots and once for close-ups of every scratch, chip and kerbed rim, then film the dashboard showing the fuel level and mileage. Make the agent mark each defect on the check-out diagram and keep your copy. Photographs protect you against the pre-existing damage and post-return damage claims described in tip 17, and against disputes over fuel and mileage. Keep the images until the deposit has been released in full, which can take several weeks with some banks.

25. Mandatory equipment in rental cars in Croatia

A car driven in Croatia must carry a warning triangle, a reflective vest, a first-aid kit and a set of spare bulbs (except cars with xenon or LED headlights), and from 15 November to 15 April it must have winter equipment on designated winter roads. The EU’s Your Europe page for Croatia lists the four items, and the UK government advises keeping the vest in the cabin, not the boot, because you must wear it when you leave the car on the road after a breakdown or crash. Winter equipment means four winter tyres marked M+S or with the three-peak snowflake symbol, or four summer tyres with at least 4 mm of tread plus snow chains in the car; the Ministry of the Interior’s rule applies regardless of the weather on the listed sections, which HAK puts at 839 km (521.4 mi) of motorway and 1,863 km (1,157.6 mi) of state and county roads, and the fine is €130 ($151, £112). Rental companies fit the equipment in winter, but confirm it in writing if you rent between mid-November and mid-April. Check the triangle, vest and kit are in the car before you drive off, because a missing item is your problem at a roadside check.

26. Tolls in Croatia and rental cars

Croatia charges distance-based tolls on its motorways, and a passenger car (category I) pays €26.40 ($31, £23) from Zagreb (Lučko) to Split (Dugopolje), €17.60 ($20, £15) from Zagreb to Zadar and €10.10 ($12, £9) from Zagreb to Rijeka on HAC’s current price list. The toll rules that apply in 2026 are listed below.

• How it works. You take a ticket at the entry ramp and pay at the exit; HAC accepts cash in euro and bank cards at every toll plaza 24 hours a day. If you lose the ticket, HAC’s FAQ says you pay double the toll for the longest route in your vehicle category.
• Categories. Category I covers two-axle vehicles up to 1.90 m (6.2 ft) high, so a rental car or small van; a campervan or a car with a roof box over that height, or a car with a trailer, pays category II.
• Seasonal prices. HAC introduced a 10% summer surcharge for cars in 2017, applied it from 1 July to 30 September 2024, and then kept the higher tariff all year, so the €26.40 Zagreb to Split fare (previously €24.00) applies in every month of 2026.
• ENC device. HAC’s electronic toll unit (ENC) costs €15 ($17, £13), is sold at the main toll plazas, at INA and Petrol stations and in HAC’s web shop, and gives a 21.74% discount on every top-up, rising to 33.48% between 1 November and 31 March; the minimum top-up is €20 ($23, £17). It is tied to the vehicle category, not the number plate, so it can move between cars. The Istrian Y motorway (A8 and A9), run by Bina-Istra, needs a separate account.
• Free-flow tolling. HAC signed a contract in September 2024 to replace the booths with a camera and ENC free-flow system; the government’s plan had the ramps disappearing by the end of summer 2026 and the single electronic system running from 1 March 2027, and Croatian motoring media reported in 2026 that the switch has slipped to early 2027. Until the booths go, take a ticket and pay at the exit.

Rental companies charge unpaid tolls and fines back to your card with an administration fee (Nova Rent a Car adds €30 ($35, £26) plus VAT per fine), so pay at the barrier and keep the receipts. Some companies sell or lend an ENC unit with the car; ask if you plan a lot of motorway driving.

27. Traffic fines

Speeding fines in Croatia start at €30 ($35, £26) for up to 10 km/h over the limit in a built-up area and reach €1,320 to €2,650 ($1,534 to $3,080, £1,134 to £2,276) or up to 60 days in jail for more than 50 km/h over, according to the Ministry of the Interior, and the renter pays every fine incurred during the rental. The main rules and penalties are listed below.

• Speed limits. 50 km/h (31 mph) in towns, 90 km/h (56 mph) on open roads, 110 km/h (68 mph) on expressways and 130 km/h (81 mph) on motorways under the Road Traffic Safety Act. Police deduct a tolerance of 10 km/h below 100 km/h and 10% above.
• Speeding in towns. €30 for up to 10 km/h over, €60 ($70, £52) for 10 to 20 km/h, €130 ($151, £112) for 20 to 30 km/h, €390 to €920 ($453 to $1,069, £335 to £790) for 30 to 50 km/h, and €1,320 to €2,650 above that.
• Speeding outside towns. €60 for 10 to 30 km/h over, €260 ($302, £223) for 30 to 50 km/h, and €660 to €1,990 ($767 to $2,313, £567 to £1,709) above that.
• Alcohol. The limit is 0.5 g/kg (0.05%) for most drivers and 0.0 for drivers under 24, professional drivers and driving instructors. Refusing a breath test and driving over 1.5 g/kg carry fines that the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) puts at €2,000 to €2,700 ($2,324 to $3,138, £1,718 to £2,319), plus a driving ban, and a second serious offence within three years brings a suspension of at least six months.
• Phones, belts, lights. Hand-held phone use is banned (hands-free only), seat belts are compulsory on every seat, and dipped headlights or daytime running lights must be on all day during winter time, from the clock change on the last Sunday in October to the last Sunday in March.

When a camera or officer records an offence against a rental car, the company identifies you from the contract, pays or forwards the fine and charges it to your card with its administration fee. The full driving-etiquette picture, from horn use on blind bends to overtaking habits, is in our guide to driving in Croatia.

28. Car rental breakdown

Get a broken-down rental car off the road, put on the reflective vest, set the warning triangle behind the car and call the rental company’s 24-hour number before you call anyone else, because the contract decides who tows the car and where. The steps are listed below.

1. Secure the scene. Stop on the hard shoulder or in a lay-by, switch on the hazard lights, put on the vest before you leave the car and place the triangle well behind it, further back on the motorway.
2. Call the rental company. The number is on the key tag or the contract; the company sends its own tow or authorises HAK (1987) so the recovery goes to a garage it accepts.
3. Do not authorise repairs yourself. A repair you order without approval is usually charged to you.
4. Document everything. Photograph the dashboard warnings, the location and any damage, and keep receipts for taxis, a hotel or a replacement car, because the company may reimburse them if the breakdown was the car’s fault.

Keep a little cash and a charged phone, because coverage in the tunnels and inland valleys is patchy and some island garages take cash only.

29. Fuel refill options

Full-to-full is the standard fuel policy in Croatia in 2026 and the cheapest option, because the prepaid “full-to-empty” alternative charges you for a full tank at the company’s own rate even if you bring the car back half full. Nova Rent a Car and Uni Rent both hand over a full tank and expect a full tank back, and refuel returned cars at their own per-litre rate plus a service charge if you fall short. Prepaid fuel works out well above pump price and suits only travellers with an early flight and no station on the way. There are filling stations near every airport; the government fuel-price cap (tip 9) gives you the lowest prices in town and on state roads, while motorway service areas charge more. Keep the last fuel receipt with your return paperwork as proof the tank was full.

30. Different Drop-off locations (Oneway Rentals)

One-way rentals inside Croatia, such as Zagreb to Split or Split to Dubrovnik, are offered by Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, Avis, Enterprise, Nova Rent a Car and Uni Rent, and carry a one-way fee that grows with distance and season. Comparison sites show fees from roughly €30 ($35, £26) to €100 ($116, £86) within Croatia, and Uni Rent asks you to check the rate and feasibility during reservation because not every location takes returns. A one-way rental suits the classic route from Zagreb through Plitvice Lakes to Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik, where you fly home from a different airport, and it removes a full day of driving back north. International one-way rentals (dropping the car in Slovenia, Italy or Montenegro) cost far more and are restricted to certain car groups, so treat them as a separate quote. Book one-way rentals early, because availability is limited to the cars the company needs to reposition.

31. Car rental Accident

After a crash in a rental car in Croatia, call 112 if anyone is injured, then the police on 192, then the rental company, and fill in the European Accident Statement form that should be in the glovebox. The steps are listed below.

1. Secure the scene. Put the vest on, set the triangle out, switch the hazard lights on, and move the cars off the carriageway only if nobody is hurt and the police do not need the scene preserved.
2. Call the police. A police report is required by most rental contracts for any damage claim, and the other driver’s insurer will ask for it too.
3. Exchange details. Names, addresses, registration plates and insurance details of every driver, plus witnesses; do not admit liability, because the contract forbids it and the insurers decide fault.
4. Photograph the scene. Vehicle positions, damage, skid marks, road signs and a wide shot of the junction or bend.
5. Notify the rental company. Most contracts require notice within 24 hours and a written accident report at return.

Croatia’s single emergency number is 112, the police are on 192, the ambulance on 194 and the fire service on 193. Keep copies of every form, because the deposit is only settled once the company has the report.

32. Double-read the car rental terms and conditions

Read the rental contract twice before you sign, once for the money (deposit, excess, fees) and once for the restrictions (borders, ferries, mileage, drivers, hours), because every surprise charge in tips 17 to 30 is written down somewhere in those pages. The clauses worth finding are listed below.

• Deposit and excess. The hold amount and what damage is excluded from the waiver (tyres, glass, undercarriage, interior, keys).
• Geographic limits. Which countries and which ferries are allowed, the permit fees and the penalty for unauthorised use (Nova Rent a Car: €825).
• Mileage. A daily or monthly cap (Nova Rent a Car: 500 km (310.7 mi) per day and 3,000 km (1,864.1 mi) per month) and the per-kilometre charge above it.
• Drivers. Minimum age, licence years, young-driver and additional-driver fees.
• Fees. Out-of-hours, one-way, late return, cleaning, lost keys, fines administration and fuel service charges.
• Fuel policy. Full-to-full or prepaid, and the company’s per-litre rate.

A few minutes with the contract at the desk, when the agent can still change it, beats a dispute with a call centre after the deposit has been charged.

33. Watch YouTube videos of other people driving a car in Croatia

Watching dashcam videos of the Adriatic coast road, the island roads on Hvar and Brač and the approach to Dubrovnik before you fly shows you what Croatian driving demands: narrow lanes, blind bends, sudden stops for parked cars and locals who overtake where you would not. Look for footage of the D8 between Makarska and Ploče, the road from Stari Grad to Hvar town, the Sveti Rok and Mala Kapela tunnels on the A1 and the Dubrovnik old-town car parks. The videos teach 3 habits that the guides repeat: sound the horn before blind rural bends, let faster locals past rather than racing them, and allow far more time than the map suggests for coast and island roads. Our guide to driving in Croatia covers the etiquette in detail, from lane discipline on the motorway to parking zones in the old towns.

34. Plan your Trips

Travellers landing at Zagreb, Split or Dubrovnik airport in 2026 reach their accommodation by rental car, private transfer, ride-hailing app, shuttle bus or public bus, and the right choice depends on whether the trip stays in one city or moves along the coast. The options are listed below.

1. Rental car. The most flexible option for a coast or island itinerary, and the only one that gets you to Plitvice, Krka, the Pelješac wineries and the smaller beaches on your own timetable, at the cost of parking in the old towns and the fees in this guide.
2. Private transfer. Companies such as TransferCroatia, Croatia Transfers and Welcome Pickups drive you door to door in a sedan, van or minibus; useful for groups and late arrivals.
3. Ride-hailing. Uber and Bolt operate at the main airports and in the cities, with thinner availability at night and in peak weeks.
4. Airport shuttle and public bus. Shuttle buses link Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik airports with the main bus stations, and Split has a city bus as well; journeys take 30 to 60 minutes and suit travellers staying in one city.
5. Hotel shuttle. Larger resorts run free shuttles timed to flight arrivals; small hotels and apartments rarely do.

Buses, trains, ferries and catamarans connect the Croatian cities and islands for travellers who skip the car. Our Croatia transportation guide compares them route by route. A 4- or 5-day road trip that shows the range of the country runs from Zagreb’s Upper Town south to Plitvice Lakes National Park, on to Zadar for the Roman forum and the Sea Organ, then to Split for Diocletian’s Palace and the ferries to Hvar, Brač and Šolta, and ends in Dubrovnik via the Pelješac Bridge. Download offline maps before you set off, and book the Split to Stari Grad car ferry ahead in summer, because a vehicle ticket on that line reserves a place on a specific sailing.

Is renting a car recommended in Croatia?

Yes, renting a car is recommended in Croatia for any itinerary that goes beyond one city, because the national parks, the coast road, the island interiors and the Istrian hill towns are poorly served by bus. Trains are slow and mainly link Zagreb with Rijeka and Split, buses run along the coast but stop in the towns, and the catamarans reach island ports but not the beaches and villages inland. A small economy car with a manual gearbox is the practical choice; book an automatic early if you need one. Confirm cross-border permission in writing if Slovenia, Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the route, and use the Pelješac Bridge for Dubrovnik. Travellers staying inside Zagreb, Split or Dubrovnik for the whole trip do not need a car; those cities are walkable and parking is expensive.

How much does a car rental cost in Croatia?

Car rental in Croatia averages about $32 (about €28, £24) per day over the year on Kayak’s 2026 figures, and a small manual car costs roughly €25 ($29, £21) to €50 ($58, £43) per day outside summer and roughly €60 ($70, £52) to €100 ($116, £86) per day in July and August. Kayak’s class averages are around $22 (about €19, £16) per day for small cars, $51 (about €44, £38) for SUVs and $61 (about €52, £45) for medium cars, with October the cheapest month. Weekly rentals lower the daily rate, and bookings made a month or more ahead beat last-minute prices in peak weeks by a wide margin. Add the extras that apply to you before you compare: young-driver fee (€5 to €40 per day), additional driver (about €8 per day), child seat and satellite navigation (roughly €4 to €13 per day each), cross-border permit (€50 to €60 per rental), ferry permit, out-of-hours fee (€50) and one-way fee (€30 to €100). Fuel at €1.5 to €1.8 per litre and motorway tolls (€26.40 from Zagreb to Split) sit on top of the rental.

What is the ideal car model to rent in Croatia?

A small hatchback such as the Volkswagen Polo, Škoda Fabia, Toyota Yaris or Renault Clio is the ideal rental car for Croatia, because it fits the old-town lanes, the ferry decks and the parking bays while carrying two adults and their luggage. The 3 groups worth considering are listed below.

1. Economy hatchbacks. VW Polo, Škoda Fabia, Toyota Yaris, Renault Clio, Fiat 500: the cheapest group, the easiest to park and the standard choice for couples.
2. Compact hatchbacks. VW Golf, Škoda Scala, Opel Astra, Renault Mégane: more boot space for two or three people with suitcases, still narrow enough for the coast road.
3. Family cars and small SUVs. Škoda Octavia, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Tucson, Dacia Duster: for four people with luggage, at the price of tighter parking in Dubrovnik, Split and Rovinj.

Whichever group you pick, a 1.0 to 1.4 litre engine is enough for the climbs, and an automatic is worth the surcharge if you are not used to a manual on hills.

What are the best destinations in Croatia to visit with a rental car?

Listed below are the destinations in Croatia that a rental car opens up.

• Zagreb. Zagreb is Croatia’s capital, with the Upper Town, Zagreb Cathedral, St Mark’s Church with its tiled roof and the Museum of Broken Relationships; park at the edge of the centre and walk, then use the car for day trips to Samobor and Plitvice. Zagreb heads our list of Croatian places to visit.
• Plitvice Lakes National Park. Plitvice Lakes National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site of 16 terraced lakes and waterfalls linked by boardwalks; it sits south of Zagreb on the D1 road and has car parks at both entrances, so it is an easy stop on the drive to the coast.
• Zadar. Zadar is a Roman and medieval port on the Dalmatian coast known for the Sea Organ and the Greeting to the Sun on its waterfront, and it is the gateway to Paklenica, Kornati and the Krka waterfalls by car.
• Split. Split is built around the UNESCO-listed Diocletian’s Palace and is the ferry hub for Hvar, Brač, Šolta and Vis; park in the garages behind the Riva and take the car onto the island ferries from the port.
• Hvar Island. Hvar Island is reached by the Split to Stari Grad car ferry (about two hours) and rewards a car with its lavender fields, the wine villages of the interior and the beaches beyond Hvar town.
• Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik’s walled Old Town, red roofs and city walls are car-free, so park in the public garage above the Old Town or in Gruž and walk; the car earns its keep on the Pelješac peninsula, in Cavtat and in the Konavle villages.
• Istria. Istria is the peninsula in the north-west with Rovinj, Pula’s Roman amphitheatre and the hill towns of Motovun and Grožnjan, all linked by short drives through truffle and wine country.

What are the top things to do with a car in Croatia?

Listed below are the things to do in Croatia that are easiest with a car.

• Zagreb Cathedral. Zagreb Cathedral in the Kaptol district is the capital’s Gothic landmark; the building has been under restoration since the 2020 earthquake, so check current access, and park in a city garage rather than the streets around it.
• Diocletian’s Palace. Diocletian’s Palace in Split was built in the 4th century for the retired Roman emperor and now forms the living core of the city, with the Cathedral of St Domnius, the Temple of Jupiter and the cellars inside its walls; the palace itself is pedestrian, so park on the edge of the centre and walk in.
• Golden Cape Park. Golden Cape (Zlatni rt, also called Punta Corrente) Park is a wooded headland south of Rovinj with landscaped paths, rock-climbing walls in the old quarries and rocky swimming spots; there is parking at the entrance, and the coast road from Pula makes it an easy stop.
• Museum of Broken Relationships. The Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb’s Upper Town displays donated objects from ended relationships with their stories, and it fits into a driving day that pairs the capital with Samobor or Plitvice.

What local Croatian food and drinks can you try during a road trip to Croatia?

The dishes to stop for on a Croatian road trip are ćevapi, burek, lamb and octopus cooked under a peka, grilled fish on the Dalmatian coast, truffles in Istria and the local wines, Malvazija in Istria and Plavac Mali in Dalmatia. Our guide to Croatian foods covers each in detail. The road-trip picks are listed below.

1. Ćevapi. Grilled minced-meat rolls served with flatbread, onion and ajvar at roadside grills and town bakeries.
2. Burek. A filo pastry filled with cheese, meat or spinach, sold at bakeries from early morning; the standard driver’s breakfast.
3. Peka and grilled fish. Lamb, veal or octopus slow-cooked under a domed lid in the inland konobas, and grilled fish with blitva (chard and potato) on the coast.
4. Istrian truffles. Pasta or fuži with black or white truffle in the hill towns around Motovun and Buzet.
5. Malvazija and Plavac Mali. Istria’s dry white and Dalmatia’s full red, poured at winery cellars along the Istrian wine roads and on the Pelješac peninsula.

Croatia’s drink-driving limit is 0.05% (0.0 for drivers under 24), so the driver tastes at dinner, not at lunch.

What are the most interesting facts about Croatia?

Listed below are the facts about Croatia that come up on a road trip. The longer list is in our guide to interesting facts about Croatia.

• Croatia has more than 1,000 islands and islets along its Adriatic coast. Croatia has more than 1,000 islands and islets along its Adriatic coast, stretching from Istria to the Montenegrin border. The Kornati archipelago is protected as a national park, and car ferries and catamarans link the larger islands to Split, Zadar, Rijeka and Dubrovnik.
• The world’s largest white truffle was found in Istria. A 1.31 kg (2.9 lb) white truffle unearthed in Istria in 1999 by truffle hunter Giancarlo Zigante held the record for years, and the Istrian hill towns still hold truffle festivals every autumn.
• About a tenth of Croatia is protected land. Croatia has eight national parks (Plitvice Lakes, Krka, Kornati, Brijuni, Mljet, Paklenica, Risnjak and Northern Velebit) and a network of nature parks, and the mountains still shelter bears, wolves and lynx.
• Dubrovnik was King’s Landing. Dubrovnik’s walls, streets and forts stood in for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, which is one reason the Old Town is car-free and crowded from May to October.
• The necktie comes from Croatia. The cravat takes its name from the Croatian mercenaries whose knotted neck scarves caught on at the French court in the 17th century, and it remains a staple of formal menswear.

WonderfulWanderings Pro Tips

The 5 tips below come from the motorway operator’s, the ministry’s and the ferry company’s own 2026 pages, and each one costs money or a morning if you learn it at the desk instead.

1. Type RENTAL into the number-plate field when you book a car ferry. Jadrolinija’s own FAQ tells you to do exactly that if you are booking before you have the car, which is the usual order of things. On the Split to Stari Grad line a vehicle ticket holds a place on a named sailing, so arrive 45 minutes early; the Split to Supetar line takes no reservations at all, so allow one to two hours in summer.
2. Do not touch a drink if you are under 24. The limit is 0.5 g/kg for most drivers and 0.0 for anyone under 24, for professional drivers and for driving instructors, so a driver in that group is on a zero limit even when the passengers are not.
3. Keep the toll ticket somewhere you cannot lose it. Lose it and Hrvatske autoceste charges you double the toll for the longest route on the motorway, not for the distance you actually drove. The booths are still there in 2026, because the switch to free-flow cameras has slipped to early 2027.
4. Ask about Neum at the desk, and update the sat-nav. The old coast road passes through 9 km (5.6 mi) of Bosnian territory, and some companies require their cross-border permit for that transit while others waive it. The Pelješac Bridge avoids the crossing entirely, inside Croatia and toll-free, but a rental GPS with old maps does not know it exists and will route you back through the checkpoints.
5. Winter equipment is a date, not a forecast. From 15 November to 15 April every car on the designated winter roads must carry it, whatever the weather is doing, and the fine is €130. That network is 839 km (521.4 mi) of motorway and 1,863 km (1,157.6 mi) of state and county roads, so get the company’s confirmation in writing for a winter rental.

About the author. This guide is written and maintained by the Wonderful Wanderings editorial team. Wonderful Wanderings was founded in 2012 by Sofie Couwenbergh, and the team covers Croatia for independent travellers, including car rental, driving rules, tolls and island ferries, and the road-trip destinations from Istria to Dubrovnik, and updates this page when prices, dates and rules change.