Rules for overlanding in North Macedonia

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 18 August 2026.

Which licence you need

All vehicles — An Italian licence can be used for 6 months, after which it has to be converted; check what applies to the licence you hold. A driver licensed for less than two years cannot drive between 23:00 and 05:00 unless a licence holder aged 25 or over is in the vehicle, and cannot drive a vehicle above 75 kW (102 HP).
Motorcycle — A driver licensed for less than two years also cannot ride a motorcycle above 25 kW (34 HP).

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 — You need a Green Card valid for North Macedonia. Otherwise you must take out a policy with the local insurance companies, whose offices sit at the main border crossings.
Vehicle papers — The original registration document is compulsory, not a copy, and that applies to rented and leased vehicles too — without the original you can be refused entry to the country. For a leased vehicle coming from Italy or a third country you also need authorisation from the leasing company to take it abroad, and for someone else's car a letter of authority from the owner with an authenticated signature is advisable.
Compulsory equipment — Every motor vehicle with more than two wheels, foreign-registered included, must carry a warning triangle — two if it is towing or running last in a convoy — plus a tow rope, a set of spare bulbs and a first aid kit. A triangle must be set at least 50 m behind a vehicle stopped on the carriageway, and a reflective vest must be worn on extra-urban roads at night or in poor visibility. Headlights must be on by day as well as by night, a fire extinguisher is recommended, and radar detectors are prohibited.
Helmet, belts, children — Helmets are compulsory for motorcyclists and seatbelts must be worn in front and, where fitted, in the rear seats. Children under 12 may only travel in the back, and those between 5 and 12 can use a booster with the normal belt.
Winter equipment — Every year from 15 November to 15 April, on extra-urban roads, all motor vehicles up to 3.5 t must be equipped for snow: winter tyres on all wheels with at least 4 mm of tread, or summer tyres with at least 4 mm of tread if chains are carried on board.
Alcohol — The maximum permitted blood alcohol level is 0.5 g/l. It drops to zero for drivers licensed less than two years and for taxi, bus and ambulance drivers.
Roads and 4x4 tracks — The E75 north-south axis from the Greek border at Gevgelija through Skopje to Tabanovce on the Serbian border is motorway all the way across the country, while the east-west route from the Bulgarian border at Kriva Palanka through Skopje and Tetovo to Ohrid is only motorway on the central Kumanovo–Skopje–Tetovo–Gostivar stretch. Urban asphalt is generally in satisfactory condition, but secondary roads outside the towns are sometimes decidedly poor. Minor mountain roads are shown normally on maps and satellite navigators yet are in reality only passable with a 4x4.
Tolls and camera fines — Motorway tolls apply and on some stretches can still only be paid in cash; euro is always accepted but at a distinctly unfavourable rate of about 40 MKD to the euro. Since 1 December 2025 Skopje's "Safe City" cameras detect violations automatically — speeding, running a red light, driving on an expired licence and illegal parking to begin with, then further categories with surcharges for repeat offences from January 2026 — and the vehicle's owner is sent an SMS or email with a link to the report and the payment order, reduced if paid within eight days.

What catches travellers out

Report within 48 hours — Within 48 hours of arrival a visitor must report their temporary address to the Immigration Office of the interior ministry or at a police station. Staying in a hotel makes this automatic; sleeping anywhere else leaves it to you.
Drugs — Personal use is an offence under the public order law, with a fine of 200 to 500 euro, halved to 100 if paid within 8 days. Dealing, possession, production, trafficking and brokering carry one to ten years under the penal code, customs checks at the borders are thorough, and European travellers have been arrested for trafficking; prison conditions are described as very harsh.
Cash and antiquities — Sums above 10,000 euro must be declared to customs on entry; you are given a certificate that has to be produced on the way out, and you cannot leave with more than you declared. A special permit is required to export anything of archaeological, historical, ethnic, scientific or cultural value, ancient coins for example.
Pets — Dogs and cats need an EU pet passport recording the rabies vaccination in detail, an identifying microchip or a legible tattoo applied before 3 July 2011 carrying the same code as the passport, and an international travel certificate.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 18 August 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 North Macedonia 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 18 August 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.