Rules for overlanding in Albania

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 30 July 2026.

Which licence you need

All vehicles — An Italian licence is what the ministry lists. Check what applies to the licence you hold.

An International Driving Permit states the categories it covers: check yours covers what you will actually drive. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and a heavy camper or a truck can need a higher category.

At the wheel

Insurance at the border — Most Italian insurers do not issue a Green Card that covers Albania, so temporary cover has to be bought from an Albanian company on entry, at the land or sea border; the average cost is around 50 euros for 15 days for a car. All-risk cover including theft is recommended.
180 days, then plates — No special customs paperwork is needed, but at the crossing a stamp goes into the driver's passport to record the temporary import. A foreign-plated vehicle can circulate for a maximum of 180 days and must then be nationalised with Albanian plates; the road code is also quoted as allowing at most six months within any year. Breaching it means a fine of about 700 euros and immediate seizure of the vehicle, released only after paying the customs depot storage and duties calculated on the car's value at first entry.
Driving someone else's vehicle — If the driver is the owner's father, mother, brother or sister and shares the surname, no authorisation is needed. If the surname differs, carry a civil-status document proving the family link; in every other case, including a company-owned vehicle, you need a letter of authority signed by owner and driver with both signatures authenticated by a public official or notary, plus a sworn translation into Albanian.
Helmets, belts, tyres — A helmet is compulsory for rider and passenger on a motorcycle, and seatbelts are compulsory front and rear. The minimum tyre tread depth required is 1.6 mm.
Alcohol and drugs — Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is strictly prohibited, with licence withdrawal and arrest. Breath tests have become very frequent.
Fines block the ferry — Foreign plates attract the attention of the traffic police, and the smallest offence — jumping a red light, exceeding a limit by more than 20 km/h — can mean a fine and having your licence taken. A vehicle with unpaid Albanian fines will be refused boarding for the return to Italy, even for speed-camera tickets never served on the spot, so pay as soon as the authorities notify you.
Potholes and open manholes — The road network is still being completed and badly maintained, and crossing the country can mean hours on broken surfaces; the specific dangers flagged are countless unmarked potholes and a great many manholes with no cover. Broken tarmac, unseen heaps of debris and little respect for traffic rules make driving dangerous in town and out, and in inland and remote areas avoid moving at night, when the roads are also unlit.
Crashes are criminal — The penal code is severe when an accident injures two or more people: up to one year for minor injuries, up to two years if those injuries keep someone off work more than nine days, and up to five years for serious injuries. If someone dies, the driver is handed straight to the judicial authority and risks weeks of pre-trial detention, sometimes while the expert report on the crash is still pending.

What catches travellers out

Greek border queues — Land crossings between Albania and Greece see very long waits, particularly at peak times for cars and trucks such as summer and Christmas.
Drugs — Albanian law draws no distinction between personal use and dealing, and even a small quantity opens criminal proceedings and arrest with the prospect of very long detention until trial; psychotropic substances legally sold elsewhere count if they contain even a minimal amount of active ingredient. Depending on the case the judge may order custody, house arrest, release on significant bail, release with a ban on leaving the country for the whole investigation — weeks or months, at your own expense — or an obligation to report periodically to an Albanian police officer.
Travelling with a pet — There are no specific rules and no quarantine, but the animal needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination given at least a month before departure, a veterinary passport listing the vaccinations and a health certificate. Nothing has to be paid, but check the vaccinations are up to date before leaving, because vaccines are not always available locally.
90 days, cash out — EU citizens need no visa but can stay only 90 days in any six months; overstaying risks expulsion with a re-entry ban and a fine of around 700 euros, and border officers can always refuse entry anyway. You may not leave the country carrying more than 20,000 US dollars or the equivalent.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 30 July 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Albania before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.

Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 30 July 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.