Can you take a Tirana rental car to Montenegro, Kosovo or Greece?

Albania joined the international Green Card system in 1992. Montenegro, North Macedonia and Greece are members too, and so is Serbia, but Kosovo is not, according to the Council of Bureaux. The Albanian Insurance Bureau says an Albanian-registered vehicle leaving the country must carry a Green Card policy, issued for anything from 15 days to one year.

For a rental car, the company decides whether you may leave Albania at all, and it arranges that policy. Two sets of Tirana terms, read on 23 September 2026, show how differently they handle it.

Point Tirana Airport Rental Car EuroRent24
Countries allowed Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Greece, Serbia
Fee €50 per border crossing A "small green-card fee" (amount not stated)
Notice Not stated At least 24 hours before pickup
Minimum age 20 with a €5 daily surcharge; 23 standard; 73 maximum 21; 23 for premium and SUV
Licence held 2 years 1 year
Deposit €200–500 by car category None
Traffic-fine handling €10 admin fee per ticket Renter pays fines, parking and tolls

The Tirana Airport Rental Car terms also ask for an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in the Latin alphabet. EuroRent24's terms say an International Driving Permit is not required for short stays, and that any country not on its list needs written agreement.

Kosovo: a special case

Kosovo is not in the Green Card system, so foreign cars normally buy border insurance on entry. The Kosovo Insurance Bureau makes an exception: it recognises the compulsory motor insurance of Albanian and Serbian vehicles, and accepts Green Cards from North Macedonia and Montenegro.

An Albanian-plated rental car therefore does not need a separate Kosovo border policy for third-party cover. You still need the rental company's permission. Tirana Airport Rental Car says its green card is bought at the border, so ask the desk exactly which document the car will carry for each country.

Choosing a company for your route

Your route from Tirana What to look for in the terms
Albania only, including the south coast No cross-border fee; check whether the insurance excludes unpaved roads
Tirana, Prizren and Pristina Kosovo listed; the Albanian insurance is recognised there
Tirana, Kotor and Budva Montenegro listed; per-crossing fees add up on a loop
Tirana, Ohrid and back North Macedonia listed; two crossings
Tirana to Ioannina or Corfu ferries Greece listed by name; not all Tirana companies allow it

Worked example: Tirana, Ohrid and Kotor

A driver plans Tirana to Ohrid, back into Albania, then north to Kotor and back to Tirana. That is four border crossings.

With a fee of €50 per crossing, as in the Tirana Airport Rental Car terms, the border fees reach €200 before tolls or fuel. A company that charges once per rental comes out far cheaper on a loop like this. Ask whether the fee is per crossing, per country or per rental before you compare daily rates.

For the Ohrid leg, see also renting a car and tolls in North Macedonia.

How much is the Rruga e Kombit toll in Albania?

The motorway from Milot to Morinë, known as Rruga e Kombit ("the Nation's Road"), leads north-east towards Kukës and the Kosovo border. It has Albania's best-known toll plaza.

The concession terms published by ATRAKO, the state agency that oversees concessions, set a base toll of €5 including VAT for a class B car, charged in lekë at the Bank of Albania exchange rate. When tolling began on 17 September 2018, Monitor reported that the car toll was 660 lekë. BIHAMK's Albania page listed the car price as €5 in January 2023 and says you can pay in cash, by credit card or with a DigitalPass tag.

Because the lek amount follows the exchange rate, it can differ from the 2018 figure. Budget €5 each way and have lekë ready in case the card terminal is down.

For the minibus alternative between cities, see Tirana airport and furgon minibuses explained.

What are the speed limits and fines in Albania?

The road safety site of the DPSHTRR, the state road transport agency, gives these limits under the Road Code (Law No. 8378): 110 km/h on motorways, 90 km/h on main roads between towns, 80 km/h on secondary roads, and 40 km/h in towns. The 40 km/h town limit is lower than many visitors expect, so watch for town signs on main roads.

Over the limit Fine Licence consequence
Up to 10 km/h 1,000–3,000 lekë None listed
10–20 km/h 2,000–6,000 lekë None listed
More than 20 km/h 5,000–15,000 lekë Suspension of 1–3 months (3–6 months for drivers licensed under 3 years)

The same page gives a blood alcohol limit of 0.2 g/l, with licence suspension from that level.

Paying early, and checking a rental car's record

The Albanian State Police runs an online violations check by number plate or 17-digit chassis number. The police say fines paid within five days get a 20% discount, and a 2% surcharge applies after that.

Worked example: a 15 km/h excess

A rental car is stopped at 105 km/h on a 90 km/h road: 15 km/h over. The fine band is 2,000–6,000 lekë.

If the officer sets 4,000 lekë and you pay within five days, the 20% discount brings it to 3,200 lekë. If the ticket goes to the rental company instead, Tirana Airport Rental Car adds its €10 admin fee, and the five-day discount has probably passed by the time you hear about it.

Mountain and coastal roads

The coast road south of Vlorë climbs over the Llogara Pass before dropping to the Riviera. Mountain roads here are narrow and winding, and rental insurance often has limits. Tirana Airport Rental Car's full damage waiver, for example, excludes off-road damage, so a detour onto an unpaved road to reach a beach is at your own risk.

According to BIHAMK, cars in Albania must carry snow equipment between 1 November and 30 April, but winter tyres are not required by law. If you are heading inland in winter, towards Kukës, Korçë or the Theth road, ask the rental company whether the car has chains and whether it allows mountain roads at all.

Going further north? See Serbian motorway tolls and renting in Belgrade or renting a car in Sarajevo.