1. Documents at a glance
| Item | Check | Notes |
| Passport / EU ID | ✔ | Carry original, not a photo |
| Driving licence | ✔ | Latin alphabet or Intl Permit |
| Vehicle registration | ✔ | In glovebox, don’t lose it |
| Green Card | ✔ EU trips | Digital PDF accepted at all B-H exits |
| Rental contract | ✔ | Police ask for it at roadblocks |
2. Speed limits and on-the-spot fines
| Road type | Limit | Instant fine (BAM) | Card accepted? |
| Motorway (A-roads) | 120 km/h | 50–100 for 10–20 km/h over | Yes |
| Two-lane rural | 80 km/h | 100–200 | Yes |
| Urban | 50 km/h | 40–100 | Yes |
| School zone 07-21 h | 30 km/h | 100–300 | Cash preferred |
Camera map – New fixed cameras on M-16 at Vrbanja Bridge (km 12) and R-473 at Jelah (km 3).
3. Road signs you’ll meet
| Sign | Meaning | Tip |
| Start of motorway | Tolls begin soon | |
| Regional road | Expect tractors, cyclists | |
| Tourist sight | Usually spare parking nearby | |
| Chains mandatory Nov–Mar | Rental trunk has set |
4. Urban parking decoded
| Zone colour (Banja Luka) | Max stay | Hourly rate | Payment |
| Red (I) | 2 h | KM 2.00 | SMS “BL1-plate” to 083-51-11 |
| Yellow (II) | 4 h | KM 1.50 | Same SMS code “BL2-plate” |
| Green (III) | 24 h | KM 1.00 | Pay&Display machines only |
App alternative: PayByPhone BiH supports Visa/MC – works 2025.
5. Fuel facts
| Brand | 95 petrol | Eurodiesel | Open 24 h? |
| Nestro | KM 2.60 | KM 2.75 | Yes at Gradiška, Mahovljani |
| Hifa | KM 2.62 | KM 2.77 | Most sites 06-23 |
| Gazprom | KM 2.65 | KM KM 2.80 | Yes; has free Wi-Fi |
Card terminals updated 2024 – Apple Pay tested OK at Nestro BNX.
6. Dash-cams and police checks
- Legal – Dash-cams allowed; turn off screen in urban areas.
- Random blocks – Police set up “akcija” cones, especially Fridays after 20:00. Hand over passport, licence, contract; no bribe culture – receipts issued for any fines.
7. Winter gear rules (15 Nov – 15 Apr)
| Requirement | Rental fleet compliance |
| M+S tyres or winter tyres | ✔ standard on all cars |
| Snow chains in trunk | ✔ on all cars |
| Headlights 24 h | Always on – DRLs count |
Mountain passes like Mlinište (R-418) close during blizzards; check BIHAMK SMS (+387 1288) before dawn drives.
8. Unwritten rules locals follow
- Flashing headlights → police radar 1 km ahead.
- Hazard lights on motorway jam → “queue ends here”.
- Rural overtakes: drivers ahead pull slightly right to invite you past. Stay alert.
- Pedestrian crossings are suggestions outside big cities—brake early.
9. Emergency kit numbers
- Police 122 • Fire 123 • Ambulance 124
- BIHAMK breakdown (multi-lingual) +387 1285
- RentacarBanjaLuka WhatsApp 24 h +387 61 123 456
10. Checklist before every drive
Screenshot your route (mobile data gaps in canyon sections). ☐ Carry BAM cash (toll kiosks may reject EUR coins). ☐ Tyre pressure OK? Sudden altitude shifts on M-16. ☐ Reflective vest reachable, not in trunk.fore every drive
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