It’s important to know the rules of the road when you’re driving in a new country, period. As a foreigner you are not an exception to road laws if you get pulled over, and in many cases far from it. When Rand and I were driving to Zagreb after spending a day hiking at the Plitvice lakes, we took a spontaneous one day detour into Slovenia without doing any of our research with the assumption that we were all good to go. So we thought.

What you need to drive in Slovenia:

• International Drivers License
• Vignette

International Drivers Permit

An International Drivers Permit is required in Slovenia along with your U.S. driver’s license if you are not from the EU. If you are a resident of the US with an EU passport, you will need an IDP if you don’t have a driver’s license from a Schengen nation.

You can apply for an international driver’s permit through AAA or through the National Auto Club both for $15. It’s a small cost to pay considering you will be able to legally drive on international roads for one year.

You can apply for an IDP while you’re traveling outside the U.S. just as long as you have had a driver’s license for at least one year from when you need the IDP.

We did not have an IDP, but customs allowed us to enter Slovenia with Rand’s Italian passport, however not before making it clear that if we did get pulled over we would receive a citation even though we were driving with an US Drivers License. In Croatia and Montenegro it’s allowed to drive with an US driver’s license.

DARS Vignette

Slovenia has modern highways or motorways which are toll roads that make it easier and faster to travel rather than taking the scenic back country roads. However, in order to drive on these highways, you must display a DARS Vignette at all times.This is just basically a small sticker you have to buy and display it on your windshield.

You can buy a vignette from gas (petrol) stations throughout Slovenia and you should do so as soon as you enter the border crossing. If you are caught driving without a vignette, you will have to pay a high fine on the spot.

Vignettes are available at different time periods and rates:

• Yearly: 95 Euro
• Monthly: 30 Euro
• Weekly: 15 Euro

The fine for not displaying a vignette begins at 300 Euro and can go up to 800 Euro and it really depends on the officer who is citing you.

We had no knowledge of the vignette system (border agent did not let us know) and the only time we drove on the motorway was to cross into Zagreb. Within those few miles we were cited at a checkpoint, though not because we didn’t have an IDP, but because we didn’t display a vignette. The cost of our citation was 165 Euro ($225) which had to be paid before leaving the country. The officer said that we were cited less than what is posted because we were tourists. Still a high price to pay just a few miles away from the Croatian border and for only being in Slovenia for less than 24 hours.

In Croatia, the toll roads are pay per use so rather than paying a weekly or monthly fee, you only pay the toll if you are driving on it, so we assumed it was a similar system in Slovenia. Rookie travel mistake (note to self, always do your due diligence when driving in a foreign country).

Other Driving Rules in Slovenia:

• You must drive with your headlights on 24 hours a day.
• To rent a car you must be at least 21 years old.
• Drinking and driving is not tolerate; the blood alcohol limit is .05%, but police can prohibit you from driving even if it’s less than the legal amount.
• You must have snow chains in your car if you don’t have winter tires between Nov. 15 and March 15.
• Wearing a seatbelt is required.

 

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