Renting a car in Croatia
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Rent your car in Croatia today! Easy to compare, carefree driving.
Croatia's best discoveries rarely show up on a bus timetable: the Roman amphitheater in Pula, the wooden walkways through Plitvice Lakes before the tour groups arrive, a family konoba (a traditional Croatian tavern) spotted from the roadside with no reservation needed. A rental car is what makes those stops happen. Road Trip Car lets you compare offers from 19 providers across 27 pickup locations throughout Croatia, with prices and coverage conditions shown side by side before you confirm.
Rental rates shift noticeably with the season, and the pricing section below reflects current market averages. Age rules start at 18 but come with daily surcharges that apply to almost every vehicle at 18 to 20, then ease significantly once you reach 22. Document requirements at pickup differ for EU, UK, and US license holders, and vehicle choice matters more than you might expect once you leave the motorways for national park access roads and coastal back routes.
Croatia's buses do a decent job of linking Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik, but the network thins out quickly beyond that main corridor. Getting to the hilltop villages of inland Istria, the quieter entrances to Krka, or a secluded stone beach south of Makarska often means either catching a single daily connection or skipping it entirely. A rental car changes that. You can stop at a roadside konoba for lunch, follow a sign to some half-forgotten Roman ruins, or take the mountain road above the coast for a sunset view, all without consulting a timetable.
The gap is most obvious along the Dalmatian coast and on the islands. Ferries run to fixed schedules that can shape your entire day, and local buses on Hvar or Brač typically serve only the main towns. With a car, a 10-minute detour off the coastal highway regularly leads to a beach, a vineyard, or a village square that most visitors never find. Croatia genuinely rewards spontaneity, and public transport rarely gives you that option.
economy
Petrol
•Manual
From €4.25 / day
Greenmotion
€4.25 / day
mini
Petrol
•Manual
From €4.29 / day
Greenmotion
€4.29 / day
Right Cars Vehicle Rental Ltd
€10.03 / day
Sicily By Car
€15.08 / day
mini
Petrol
•Manual
From €5.71 / day
SurPrice Car Rentals
€5.71 / day
Sixt
€11.42 / day
Carwiz
€11.52 / day
mini
Petrol
•Manual
From €7.86 / day
Budget
€7.86 / day
Avis
€8.11 / day
mini
Petrol
•Manual
From €11.61 / day
Carwiz
€11.61 / day
Enterprise
€16.27 / day
Sicily By Car
€18.07 / day
mini
Petrol
•Manual
From €11.61 / day
Carwiz
€11.61 / day
economy
Petrol
•Manual
From €13.95 / day
Street Rent A Car
€13.95 / day
Sixt
€20.00 / day
Enterprise
€27.23 / day
compact
Petrol
•Manual
From €16.20 / day
Carwiz
€16.20 / day
Sixt
€23.44 / day
Enterprise
€30.77 / day
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For most Croatia itineraries, a compact or economy car is the way to go. The old towns of Dubrovnik, Rovinj, and Trogir were built for foot traffic, not full-size vehicles, and coastal parking spots are tight at the best of times. A smaller car is easier to slot into those spaces and usually cheaper to park.
If your route heads inland through the Dalmatian hinterland, Istrian hill towns, or toward the national parks, an SUV earns its keep on unpaved tracks where ground clearance matters. One thing to plan for: manual transmission is the norm across most European fleets, and automatics book up fast in summer. Filter for one early if that matters to you.
Discover the most popular rental cars in Croatia right now. We compare trusted rental brands and update prices nonstop. Easily find the best-value option for your trip, from compact city cars to spacious SUVs.
Most travelers pick up at one of Croatia's coastal airports. Split, Dubrovnik, and Zadar are the busiest, with rental desks from international chains and local providers right outside the terminals. If you're heading inland first or planning a longer loop through the country, Zagreb Airport is the natural starting point. Focused on Istria? Pula Airport puts you within a 30-minute drive of Rovinj and Poreč.
City center offices in Split, Dubrovnik, and Rijeka work well if you're arriving by bus, train, or ferry and want to hit the road from there. Use the interactive map below to find rental locations near your destination.
Browse all locations where you can rent a car across Croatia, including major cities and airports. Find up-to-date car rental prices from trusted rental companies, compare options side by side, and book the best deal for your itinerary.
Dubrovačko-neretvanska županija
Grad Zagreb
Istarska županija
Karlovačka županija
Osječko-baranjska županija
Primorsko-goranska županija
Splitsko-dalmatinska županija
Zadarska županija
Zagrebačka županija
Šibensko-kninska županija
Lowest average rates: October from €11.87 / day
What are the costs of a rental car in Croatia? Prices strongly depend on the time of year. In October average daily prices for rental cars start around €11.87. The prices are higher in the peak season (August), with a lowest average price of €65.95 per day. The absolute lowest price we observed in market data during the full year, was €3.09 per day.
The chart below shows the lowest average daily price for each month of the year, so you can directly see at what time of year the prices for rental cars in Croatia are affordable.
Car rentals in Croatia come with specific rules around age, documents, deposits, and coverage. Each card below gives you the most useful snapshot of a topic, with a link to the full page when you need the details.
You can rent a car in Croatia from age 18, though most providers require 21 for a wider vehicle selection. Drivers under 25 pay a young driver surcharge on nearly every offer. At 18 to 20, that fee applies across the entire available fleet. By 22 and 23, only about 3 in 10 cars still carry a surcharge. Read more about age thresholds, fees per age bracket, and which categories open up as you get older.
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Standard rental contracts include basic CDW (Collision Damage Waiver), but the excess can reach €3,000 or more. About one in six offers on our platform include zero-excess coverage, which you can select during booking. Find out how CDW, theft protection, and zero-excess options compare and what stays excluded.
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You need a physical credit card in the main driver's name at pickup. The provider blocks a security deposit: depending on your pickup location, car category, and coverage level, most travelers encounter a hold somewhere between €150 and €3,000, with most locations falling between €150 and €1,600. In rare cases the hold can reach higher. Your PIN is required at the terminal, so verify it before you travel. Learn more about accepted cards and how the deposit works.
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Four items are non-negotiable at the desk: your driver's license, passport or ID, credit card, and booking voucher. EU citizens can use a national ID card. US and UK travelers should carry an International Driving Permit (IDP), a translated version of your license, though Croatian law does not legally require one. Read the full checklist.
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Croatian roads are generally well-maintained, but coastal towns get congested in summer and parking fees at tourist hotspots can be steep. About half the fleet is automatic and half manual, so check your preference when booking. Discover practical tips on tolls, fuel, parking strategy, and mountain driving.
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Because exploring Croatia should feel like freedom, not logistics. At Road Trip Car, we make renting a car easy, transparent, and worry-free, with trusted local partners and 24/7 support wherever your journey takes you.
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Driving rules: Croatia drives on the right, with limits of 130 km/h on motorways, 90 km/h on open roads, and 50 km/h in towns. Drink-driving enforcement is strict, so treat it as zero-tolerance in practice.
Tolls and the Pelješac Bridge: Motorway tolls are ticket-based at exit booths rather than vignette stickers. If you're heading to Dubrovnik from the north, the Pelješac Bridge bypasses the Neum border crossing entirely, saving significant time in peak season.
Parking: Park on the outskirts of tourist hotspots and walk in. Spots near Dubrovnik's old town, Rovinj's harbor, and Plitvice are scarce and expensive in summer. Rental cars typically include a reflective vest and warning triangle as standard kit.
Croatia looks compact on a map, but the drive end-to-end is longer than it appears. Zagreb to Dubrovnik is roughly 600 km and takes the better part of a day, with the winding coastal sections demanding your full attention. Plan it across multiple days and build in stops rather than treating it as a straight transfer.
Automatic cars are available but book out fast in July and August. The fleet runs roughly half manual and half automatic, and automatics tend to go weeks before peak season, often at a higher daily rate once availability drops. If you drive automatic, aim to book at least six to eight weeks ahead for a summer trip. US drivers should take particular note: unlike in North America, manual is the default here, and the automatic selection is genuinely limited.
Credit card and PIN: you need a physical credit card in the main driver's name to collect the car, and your PIN is required at the terminal, so double-check it before you travel.
One-way rentals: for cross-country itineraries, pick up in Zagreb and drop off in Split, for instance. A drop-off fee typically applies, so check the breakdown at checkout.
Special requests: for anything outside the standard booking, such as a ferry crossing or a roof box, book your preferred car and then use the contact details on your voucher to confirm the arrangement with the rental office directly. If it doesn't work out, cancel within the free cancellation window and book again with a different provider.
When you search for a car in Croatia on Road Trip Car, each offer displays the insurance coverage level, excess amount, mileage policy, and deposit requirement side by side. Deposits vary by location: Korčula and a handful of smaller offices can hold as little as €150, while locations like Poreč and Rijeka run closer to €1,500 or more, and the typical range across all travelers sits between €150 and €3,000. Young driver fees differ between local and international companies, and seeing all of that upfront, before you commit, makes a real difference when you're planning your budget. Compare rental cars in Croatia to see what applies to your dates and age.
The platform includes both international chains and local Croatian providers, which is worth knowing: local companies often apply more flexible ferry and island rules than the big brands, and their young driver fees can differ noticeably too. Free cancellation is often available up to 48 hours before pickup, so if your plans change after booking, you can usually adjust without a penalty. The exact cancellation conditions are shown when you complete your reservation.
Quick answers to the most frequently asked questions about renting a car in Croatia.
Car rental prices in Croatia vary by season. Average daily rates range from €11.87 in October to €65.95 in August. The lowest daily rate we've recorded is €3.09.
The cheapest time to rent a car in Croatia is currently October, with an average price of €11.87 per day.
Car hire prices in Croatia are currently at their highest in August, with an average price of €65.95 per day. If you are looking to rent a car during that period, we advise to check our prices frequently, or to book now and cancel and re-book when prices have potentially dropped.
Availability is currently best in October and there is a low supply of rental cars in June.
Via Road Trip Car you have access to 22 car rental locations in Croatia, with multiple offices per location, covering all major airports, train stations, and city centers.
Cross-border travel into Bosnia, Montenegro, and Slovenia is generally allowed, but you must notify the rental office in advance and a fee may apply. After booking, use the contact details on your voucher to confirm permissions and request any required Green Card documentation. If the provider cannot accommodate your plans, you can cancel within the free-cancellation period and rebook. Driving to Dubrovnik from the north? The Pelješac Bridge lets you bypass the Neum border crossing entirely.
US and UK license holders are not legally required to carry an International Driving Permit in Croatia, but one is strongly recommended. Local police may ask for it if you are involved in an incident. EU driver's licenses are fully recognized without one. You can obtain an IDP from AAA before your trip.
Automatic cars are available in Croatia, but the fleet is split roughly half manual and half automatic. Automatics book out quickly in July and August, often weeks before peak season, so reserve one as early as possible if that is your preference. US drivers in particular should plan ahead, as manual transmission is the European default.
Most rental cars in Croatia use a full-to-full fuel policy: you receive the car with a full tank and must return it full. Returning with less fuel than you received will result in a refueling charge from the provider, typically at rates above pump prices. Check the specific fuel policy shown for your chosen vehicle at checkout.
We compare leading global and local car rental providers in Croatia to help you find the right deal for your travels, such as:
Budget
SurPrice Car Rentals
Sicily By Car
Goldcar
Sixt
addCar
Europcar
Right Cars Vehicle Rental Ltd
NuCars
Alamo
keddy by Europcar
Avis
Carwiz
Greenmotion
Enterprise
Street Rent A Car
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