voziti magazine · Traffic & rules
Cameras, zones, hefty fines: where driving in Croatia can get expensive
Two trips into the old-town zone, and the letter arrives more than a year later: several tourists report fines running into thousands of euros from Dubrovnik. But cameras are not only waiting there. We show where things get expensive fast in Croatia – and how to avoid unpleasant post.
Dubrovnik: the zone that can cost holidaymakers thousands
Since 2 June 2025, a zone with a special traffic regime has applied around Dubrovnik’s old town. Among other things it covers the access roads from Ilijina glavica via Zagrebačka ulica to Viktorija and the area from Pile to Boninovo. Cameras at the entrances read number plates – anyone without permission gets the fine by post.
- When: regularly from 1 March to 30 November, and at other times when traffic is heavy.
- Who may enter: only vehicles with a permit or with a registered accommodation or parking reservation. Accommodation inside the zone must report guests’ number plates in advance or no later than three days after arrival.
- What it costs: according to the city, €260 for private individuals, €660 for sole traders and self-employed people and €1,320 for companies (plus €260 for the responsible person).
- The catch: every entry counts as a separate offence. If you drive in and out several times a day, you collect several fines.
- Rental cars: since May 2026 a milder rule applies if the rental company reports the actual driver in time – then €260 for the company and €30 for the responsible person.
Zagreb: new residents-only parking zones
Things are getting stricter in the capital too. In September Zagreb set a new parking regulation in motion: in so-called “brown parking blocks” (smeđi parkirališni blok) only residents and businesses with a valid permit for that very block may park. Anyone parked there wrongly risks €660 as the vehicle owner and €260 as the driver. The same amounts apply in front of kindergartens – there on weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m. Enforcement is carried out by municipal wardens (komunalni redari).
Cameras everywhere: speed, phone, seat belt
Croatia has greatly expanded its camera network in recent years: at the start of 2026 around 200 fixed devices were in use in roughly 770 housings – so you never know which one is measuring right now. The latest generation even looks inside the car and detects whether someone is holding a phone or not wearing a seat belt. These are the current fines for speeding:
- In built-up areas: up to 10 km/h €30, 10–20 km/h €60, 20–30 km/h €130, 30–50 km/h €390–920, over 50 km/h €1,320–2,650 – plus a driving ban and, in the worst case, up to 60 days in prison.
- Outside built-up areas: 10–30 km/h €60, 30–50 km/h €260, over 50 km/h €660–1,990.
- Points: with 12 penalty points the licence is gone. Points are deleted two years after the decision becomes final.
Now in autumn and winter: lights and winter equipment
- Lights during the day: from 1 November to 31 March, dipped headlights or daytime running lights must be on in Croatia during the day as well. Driving without them costs €30. Note: on many newer cars the automatic LED daytime running lights leave the rear unlit. In fog, rain or at dusk, switch on the dipped headlights manually.
- Winter equipment: from 15 November to 15 April, winter equipment is compulsory on the designated winter routes – around 840 km of motorway and more than 1,800 km of state and county roads – even when the road is dry. Cars need four winter tyres, or summer tyres with at least 4 mm of tread plus snow chains. Otherwise: €130 – and the police can stop you continuing.
What’s coming: much higher fines planned
In mid-October 2026, Interior Minister Davor Božinović presented amendments to the Road Traffic Safety Act. For now it is only a draft – until it takes effect, the old amounts apply. Plans include:
- Parking: ordinary parking offences €60 instead of €30, disabled spaces €150 instead of €90, dangerous parking up to €300.
- Seat belt and child seat: €200 instead of €130.
- Racers and show-offs: illegal races €2,000 to €5,000 plus confiscation of the vehicle; anyone filming their own dangerous driving and posting it online would pay €800 to €2,000.
Travelling abroad: Germany and Italy
- Germany: many cities have low-emission zones. Petrol and diesel cars need the green sticker; without it the fine is €100. Since 1 October 2026, electric cars with a recognised EV marking are exempt – whether a Croatian EV counts is not clear-cut. If in doubt, buy the sticker beforehand; it costs a fraction of the fine.
- Italy: almost every old town has a “Zona a traffico limitato” (ZTL) with cameras. Fines often arrive months after the holiday – with rental cars usually plus an admin fee from the rental company.
How to avoid expensive post
- Read the signs: in front of old towns, look out for signs such as “Zona ograničenog prometa” or “ZTL” and for cameras above the road.
- Ask your accommodation: if it is inside a zone, clarify before arrival how your number plate will be reported.
- Park outside: car parks at the edge of the zone are almost always cheaper than any fine.
- Check lights and tyres: dipped headlights on in winter; pack winter tyres or chains for trips inland.
- Phone away: the new cameras can see it – even at a red light.
- Check the fine and pay quickly: are the date, time and number plate correct? Then pay within eight days and save a third.
Our conclusion
Croatia is relying more and more on cameras – at old towns, on main roads and soon with a look inside the car. Most fines are easy to avoid with a little preparation. If you know where the zones are, report your number plate in time and think of lights and tyres in winter, you can drive relaxed – and spare yourself expensive letters months later.
Note: this article is for general information only and is not legal advice. All amounts as of November 2026 – rules and fines may change. Sources include: City of Dubrovnik (via index.hr and nova.rs), tportal.hr, European Consumer Centre Croatia, osiguraj.hr, kompare.hr, lika-express.hr.
