Rules for overlanding in Bosnia & Herzegovina

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 29 July 2026.

Which licence you need

All vehicles — An Italian licence is valid for driving in Bosnia and Herzegovina for a maximum of 6 months. 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 — The international insurance certificate — the "Green Card", now white — is no longer required to enter by car, but the ministry still advises carrying a copy: travellers report that border authorities still ask for it on some occasions.
Driving someone else's vehicle — Carry a letter of authority from the owner, in English, with a notarised signature. All the documents proving ownership of the vehicle must be shown by the driver in the original.
Alcohol — Blood alcohol must be below 0.03%. New drivers must be at zero for their first three years. Anyone suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs has to take a test or undergo a medical examination.
Belts, seats and helmets — Seatbelts are compulsory on front and rear seats. Children up to 5 may only travel in a proper child seat, and children under 12 cannot travel in the front seat. Helmets are compulsory for motorcyclists and their passengers.
Equipment on board — You must carry a warning triangle, a first-aid kit and a reflective jacket. Dipped headlights are compulsory even in daylight on roads outside built-up areas.
Winter tyres — From 1 November to 1 April winter tyres, with a minimum tread depth of 4 mm, and/or snow chains are required.
Roads and limits — The road network is in unsatisfactory condition, particularly outside towns: unpaved and unlit stretches, puddles and potholes, made worse in winter by snow and ice. The motorway network is barely developed and covers only a few sections. Limits are 40 km/h in town and between 80 and 100 km/h outside built-up areas. Drive in daylight and stay off secondary roads.
Border queues — Returning into the Schengen area can mean queues since the EU Entry Exit System (EES) came in in October 2025, and protests by transport associations at some land crossings in the Balkans can cause considerable delays. Check local media before a cross-border trip.

What catches travellers out

Register within 48 hours — Every foreigner must register with the foreigners' office of the Ministry of Security within 48 hours of arrival, and this is sometimes checked on the way out of the country. Staying in a hotel registers you automatically — if you sleep in your own vehicle, it does not.
Drugs — Use and possession carry up to two years in prison plus expulsion from the country for foreigners. Production or dealing can reach twelve years.
Currency limits — Cash over 10,000 euro (19,500 KM) must be declared on entry to avoid problems at customs. The same 10,000 euro limit applies on the way out, and anything above it needs an authorisation from the Treasury and Finance ministries of both entities.
Duty-free allowances — Non-commercial goods for your own use can be brought in freely in quantities appropriate to the season, purpose and length of the trip. The limits most often disputed are alcohol (2 litres of table wine, 1 litre of spirits over 22% vol, or 2 litres of sparkling wine and other drinks), tobacco (200 cigarettes, 100 cigars, 250 g of tobacco) and perfume.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 29 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 Bosnia & Herzegovina 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 29 July 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.