Buying a Car and Exchanging Your Driving Licence in Montenegro

Summary: To buy and register a car in your own name in Montenegro, you need a temporary residence permit. The process includes a notarized sale contract, technical inspection and mandatory insurance; foreigners are issued special RP plates that are renewed annually. Long-term residents must exchange their foreign licence for a Montenegrin one.

Buying a car: step by step

1. Residence permit: a temporary residence permit is required to register the car in your name.
2. Sale contract: drawn up at a notary, with a court-sworn translator for foreigners.
3. Technical inspection (Tehnički pregled): the car’s fitness for registration is checked.
4. Insurance: mandatory traffic insurance (including a green card for abroad).
5. Registration and plates: a new registration (“blue card”) and plates are issued; foreigners are given RP plates.
6. Annual renewal: the registration is renewed each year.

Importing (bringing a car from abroad): vehicle age and emission (Euro 5/6) rules, customs and VAT generally come into play.

Licence: use and exchange

• Short term: a foreign licence (with an international driving permit/translation if needed) can be used for a short time.
• Long-term residence: a switch to a Montenegrin licence is required.
• Exchange process (general): with a residence permit, a health report from a state hospital, an official translation of your existing licence and a fee payment, you apply to the Ministry of Interior (MUP) branch in the municipality that issued your residence permit. Once complete, an EU-standard licence is issued.