Traffic regulations in Europe - Croatia

What should be considered on a motorcycle tour to or through Croatia? What documents do you need to bring with you? MotoGS WorldTours and MotoGS Rental provide you with answers to your most important questions.
Errors and omissions excepted - all information without guarantee.

Basics:
Croatia is a member state of the EU and has now introduced the EURO as official means of payment on January 1st, 2023. Therefore, it makes entry very easy for all EU citizens. But even for non-EU citizens, the entry option is usually very uncomplicated.

If you have concerns and believe you need a visa, depending on your country of origin, you may be able to check in advance whether your concern is justified. The VisaHQ site is a very good indicator to check this.

Vehicle papers and other necessary documents:
The vehicle registration document or the registration certificate part I is mandatory.
The IVK - International Insurance Card (formerly Green Card, including HR) is valid as proof of liability insurance.
The EU driver's license is accepted in Croatia, so no international driver's license is required. For non-EU citizens, an international driving license is required in addition to the national driving license of the country of origin.

For a tourist stay for EU citizens, the identity card is perfectly sufficient. For non-EU citizens it is of course necessary to carry a passport.
All personal documents must be valid for at least 3 months upon departure.

With a rented motorbike to Croatia:
Basically not a problem, but riders who make trips abroad with a vehicle that is not registered in their name should carry a user permit with them to be on the safe side.
This license can be downloaded from the following link.
Requirements to be able to rent a motorcycle in Croatia, you must be at least 18 years old (however, this can vary depending on the motorcycle category and local rental company). As a rule, however, the rental stations require a minimum age of 21 years. For riders  under 21, sometimes even under 23 years of age, young drider  surcharges are often required.

Health insurance:
In principle, all travelers to Croatia, regardless of their country of origin, should take out international health insurance. This can also be done easily here via Global Rescue. Surely this type of insurance protection is a bit more expensive than other providers. However, as the name suggests, this type of coverage is built on Rescue. Therefore not comparable. However, this should not be understood as advertising, it is a simple recommendation.

Helmet obligation
Helmets are compulsory! Only helmets that comply with ECE standard 22 are permitted.

First aid kit / warning vests:
Motorcyclists must also carry a first-aid bag that contains suitable material for wound care and is packed dust-proof. Safety vests must also be carried and worn in the event of a breakdown.
It is also always advisable to have a motorcycle warning triangle and a small warning light with you, just in case.

Lighting:
On motorways and outside built-up areas, dipped headlights (or alternatively daytime running lights) must be used all year round during the day.
Motorbikes also in built-up areas.
Carrying a spare bulb set is recommended. Excluded are motorcycles equipped with LED lights.

Maximum speeds in Croatia:
Urban: 50 km/h and riders under 25 years: 50 km/h
Out of town: 90 km/h and riders under 25 years: 80 km/h
Expressways 110 km/h and riders under 25 years: 100 km/h
Motorways: 130 km/h and riders under 25 years: 110 km/h

The alcohol limit:
The general traffic rules in Croatia also determine how much alcohol in the blood riders are allowed to ride. The blood alcohol limit is 0.5‰ and 0.0‰ for drivers up to 25 years of age. Only from the age of 25 does the 0.5‰ limit also apply to young riders.

Environmental zone:
A restriction on the use of motor vehicles of any kind by a possible environmental zone is not known and, according to official information, is not planned in the future.

Tired of tolls on motorways, tunnels and bridges:
Of course, as in almost all of Europe, there is (almost) a toll to be paid in Croatia and this also applies to motorcycles. This affects the main A1 motorway and all other important connecting motorways such as the A2, A3, A4 and A6.
Various tunnels are also affected by the toll. Bridges are not affected by the toll, not even the Pelješac Bridge, which only opened in July 2022 and was very complex to build.
With the construction of this bridge, the ferry trip from Ploče - Trpanj to Pelješac will no longer be necessary and you will no longer be forced to go from northern Croatia to southern Croatia, e.g. to Dubrovnik (or vice versa), through Bosnia and Herzegovina to have to ride. In principle, riding through BIH is of course possible and relatively uncomplicated, but it requires passport controls.
Pay attention: Without a passport = ban on riding through BIH!

We do not want to compile any further information regarding tolls for motorcycling here, because motorcyclists actually want to avoid using the motorways or other toll roads.

Peculiarities in Croatian traffic law:
Speeding and illegal parking:
Flashes are flashed everywhere, sometimes even from behind. The fines in Croatia, for example, compared to Germany and some other countries, are much higher. If you ride too fast in Croatia and are flashed, you will be fined for better or worse. For a speed violation of 20 km/h, for example, you have to reckon with at least 70 euros. In addition, there is a fine of 675 euros in Croatia if the speed is even exceeded by more than 50 km/h.

Wrong parking can also be very expensive. There is certainly free parking plots for motorcycles, but not everywhere. And if it is then parked incorrectly, you will incur considerable costs.
So always consider in Croatia how and where you ride fast and how and where you park your motorbike...

Note: Croatia actually only lives from the tourism industry, so ultimately from you as a tourist. So it is obvious how to proceed in such cases. Croatia is a wonderful country, with great people, a fantastic climate and breathtaking landscapes and coastlines, and if you follow the country's legal rules, you will be able to enjoy an unforgettable holiday.

Drunk riding:
What happens if you ride drunk in Croatia?
Violating the blood alcohol limit in Croatia is particularly expensive from 1.5‰ blood alcohol levels: between 1,350 and 2,700 euros are possible here and the rule. Alternatively, you can face a prison sentence of up to 60 days in Croatia.

Correct behavior in the event of an accident or breakdown:
Accidents involving personal injury must be reported to the police immediately. In general, however, it is recommended that any type of damage is reported to the police. Especially if you are traveling as a foreigner in Croatia. Basically, after an accident with body damage, vehicles are only allowed to leave Croatia with a police damage assessment.
The damage must be recorded in a police damage report. In addition, the use of the "European Accident Report" is recommended.

Emergency numbers in Croatia:
The emergency number is 112

As of 07/02/2023