International Driving Permit in Bosnia and Herzegovina

🗓 Facts checked against Bosnia and Herzegovina's road-traffic law and official sources. Research last updated: 29 July 2026. You may copy this information only if you provide a link back to this page.

⚠ This page is general information about driving rules, not legal advice. Rules change, and each authority applies its own — confirm your case with the relevant authority before you drive.

ℹ We are a private company. We are not a government body, a licensing or issuing authority, or a treaty organisation, and we are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting for any of them. The International Driver's Document we sell is a translation of your national driving licence: it is not a driving licence, and it is not a government-issued document.

• Driving in Bosnia and Herzegovina: key facts
• Do you need an International Driving Permit in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
• What side of the road does Bosnia and Herzegovina drive on?
• How long can you drive in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a foreign licence?
• Is Bosnia and Herzegovina a party to the 1949 or 1968 Road Traffic Convention?
• Why acceptance of your licence varies from place to place
• Can you drive in Bosnia and Herzegovina with your country's licence?
• Where to get an International Driving Permit
• Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina? Rules for new residents
• Driving rules in Bosnia and Herzegovina tourists get fined for
• Read more about driving in Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Sources

Driving in Bosnia and Herzegovina: key facts

Do you need an International Driving Permit in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Article 188 of the Law on the Basics of Road Traffic Safety lets a foreigner on a temporary stay drive in Bosnia and Herzegovina "na osnovu vazece strane vozacke dozvole ili medjunarodne vozacke dozvole, izdate u skladu s odredbama Becke konvencije o drumskom saobracaju" — on a valid foreign national licence or an international driving permit, provided the document was issued in accordance with the 1968 Vienna Convention. So an IDP is not legally required on top of a Vienna-format national licence. Two consequences: (a) only the 1968 Vienna IDP is the document the statute names — Bosnia and Herzegovina succeeded to the 1968 Vienna Convention on 1 Sep 1993 and is not a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention, so a 1949-format IDP has no statutory basis here; (b) a licence that is not Vienna-compliant (non-Latin script only, no standard category codes) is not covered by Article 188 on its own and should be paired with a genuine 1968 IDP. UK FCDO advice adds a practice layer: a foreign licence alone is treated as sufficient when you drive your own vehicle or one hired outside the country, but a 1968 IDP should also be carried when renting or borrowing a vehicle inside Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• Tourists and short-term visitors: carry your national licence together with the document named in the row for your country of issue, in the table below — for most origin licences that document is not an IDP, so read your own answer rather than assuming one.
• Car renters: Carry the original national licence plus a genuine 1968 IDP where the licence is not Vienna-format, passport or photo ID (always required in BiH), vehicle registration, rental or owner authorisation, and proof of at least third-party motor insurance. Not carrying or not producing the licence on demand is a 30.00 KM fine (art. 172(2) with art. 239).

No specific penalty for driving without the required document was verified from an authoritative source. Secondary source.

What side of the road does Bosnia and Herzegovina drive on?

Bosnia and Herzegovina drives on the right-hand side of the road, and overtaking is done on the left. Cars in Bosnia and Herzegovina are left-hand drive.

How long can you drive in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a foreign licence?

No fixed statutory cap for visitors. Article 188 allows driving on a valid Vienna-compliant foreign or international licence "za vrijeme privremenog boravka" — for the duration of the lawful temporary stay, however long immigration rules allow it to be. The six months in Article 190(1) is a residence clock: it applies to foreigners granted permanent settlement (stalno nastanjenje), returning BiH citizens and accredited diplomatic/consular and representation staff, not to tourists. UK FCDO advice separately says a stay longer than six months means getting a local licence, which tracks the residence rule rather than a visitor limit. (Zakon o osnovama bezbjednosti saobracaja na putevima u BiH, art. 188 (visitors) contrasted with art. 190(1) (permanent settlement))

Planning to move to Bosnia and Herzegovina? Different rules apply once you become a resident — see the residents section below.

Is Bosnia and Herzegovina a party to the 1949 or 1968 Road Traffic Convention?

Bosnia and Herzegovina is a Contracting Party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, but not to the 1949 Geneva Convention.

• 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic: succession on 1 Sep 1993.

Why acceptance of your licence varies from place to place

Whether a foreign country accepts your driving licence hangs on a tangle of variables: three different road-traffic conventions signed decades apart (1926, 1949, 1968) — the oldest predates the United Nations itself, and only the latter two were concluded under it — countries at different stages of joining each (signed vs. accepted vs. ratified), licences printed in alphabets local police can't read, vehicle-category systems that don't line up between countries, document generations that may not meet a convention's format even when the country is a member, bilateral deals between individual states, and local laws that are looser in one place and stricter in the next. The same licence can be fine at one border and rejected at the next — even at the next rental desk. The International Driving Permit exists to cut through most of it: a standardized, multilingual presentation of your existing licence, with harmonized category symbols, that most officials can read at a glance. It doesn't replace your national licence or grant new rights — you carry both — and it doesn't guarantee acceptance: a handful of destinations still require a local permit alongside or instead of it, but for most it meaningfully improves your odds.

Can you drive in Bosnia and Herzegovina with your country's licence?

This table is for tourists and temporary visitors. Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina as a resident? Different rules apply — see the residents section below. Find your licence's country of issue below. Bosnia and Herzegovina lets a visitor drive on a valid foreign national licence, provided that licence was issued in accordance with the 1968 Vienna Convention — no IDP is legally required on top of it. Where the licence is not Vienna-format (non-Latin script, non-standard category codes), the country's own law points to one document only: a genuine 1968 IDP, since BiH is not a party to the 1949 Geneva Convention. The right lasts for the lawful temporary stay; the six-month clock in the law belongs to permanent residents, who must then exchange their licence. Rules change — confirm with official sources before you travel. Last verified: July 2026.

Legend: "1949" — Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (IDP valid up to 1 year); "1968" — Vienna Convention (IDP valid up to 3 years).

What the Status column means on this page:

• National licence OK — the destination lets a visitor drive on the national licence itself. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, gives the basis, and any period or condition that qualifies it.
• National licence OK — IDP advised — the destination does not require an IDP for this licence, but carrying one is advised. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, gives the reason and any conditions attached.
• IDP or translation — your national licence needs a supporting document alongside it. Which ones the destination accepts, and whether an official IDP can be issued for your licence at all, are in the row for your country of issue, in the table below.
• Not recognised — the record shows no route to drive here as a visitor on this licence; ask the local authorities about conversion or a temporary permit. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, says what stands in the way.
• Not established — the record does not settle whether you may drive here on this licence; confirm with the destination's licensing authority before you rely on it. The row for your country of issue, in the table below, says what could not be confirmed.

Sources and notes for the table above

[1] Zakon o osnovama bezbjednosti saobracaja na putevima u BiH, art. 188, read with 1968 Vienna Convention Annex 6; art. 190(5) for the exchange-stage test

[2] UN Treaty Collection, Multilateral Treaties Deposited with the Secretary-General — status of the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic (chapter XI-B-1) and of the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (chapter XI-B-19) — XI-B-1, XI-B-19

[a] Licence categories do not follow the convention A–E scheme — rental staff may ask for an IDP to map them.

Where to get an International Driving Permit

An International Driving Permit must be obtained before you travel, and only certain countries may issue one to you — you cannot buy an official IDP from an unrelated country. Under the 1968 Vienna Convention it may be issued only by the Contracting Party where you normally reside and which issued or recognizes your licence — by that Party's competent authority or by an association it has duly empowered. Under the 1949 Geneva Convention it is issued by the competent authority of a Contracting State, or by an association that authority has duly empowered. Which body that is varies by country: a government agency in some, an authorized motoring club in others.

• Travelling from Bosnia and Herzegovina? Bosnia and Herzegovina's official IDPs are issued by Bosnia and Herzegovina Automobile Club (BIHAMK). Official site.
• Travelling from another country? Ask that country's driving-licence authority which body it authorizes to issue IDPs — a government agency in some countries, an authorized motoring club in others.

Separately, IDA offers a digital International Driver's Document — a translation of your national licence that you carry alongside it. It is not an International Driving Permit issued under the 1949 or 1968 conventions by the body your country authorizes for that purpose, and it is not a certified, sworn or otherwise official translation: no authority certifies it, and where a country requires an official or certified translation by law, our document does not satisfy that requirement. It is a private translation meant to make your national licence readable at rental desks and roadside checks.

Moving to Bosnia and Herzegovina? Rules for new residents

A foreigner granted permanent settlement (stalno nastanjenje), a BiH citizen returning to settle permanently, and accredited diplomatic/consular and international-organisation staff may drive on a valid foreign licence for six months from the date of entry or from the date permanent settlement was granted, whichever is more favourable (art. 190(1)). Driving beyond that window is a misdemeanour fined 50.00-250.00 KM (art. 236). Official source.

Driving rules in Bosnia and Herzegovina tourists get fined for

• Mandatory equipment: Warning triangle, reflective vest, first-aid kit and the other prescribed vehicle equipment; seat belts for all occupants; the driver must arrange proper restraint for children under 12 before setting off (art. 172(6) with art. 34a). Mobile-phone use while driving, non-use of seat belts and any device that jams speed-measuring equipment are penalised up to 400.00 KM since the 27 May 2026 amendments (up to 2,000.00 KM if phone use causes a crash).
• Drink-driving: The general ceiling is 0.3 g/kg (art. 174(2)). A 0.0 g/kg limit applies to drivers of categories C, CE, D, DE and subcategories C1, C1E, D1, D1E while driving those vehicles, to public-transport drivers, to anyone for whom driving is the primary occupation, to driving instructors and learner drivers, and to any driver under 21 or with less than three years' driving experience (art. 174(3)). Treating zero as your limit is safest. Bands under the consolidated law: over 0.0 up to 0.3 g/kg (zero-limit groups) 50.00 KM; over 0.3 up to 0.8 g/kg 50.00-250.00 KM plus 1-2 penalty points; over 0.8 up to 1.5 g/kg 100.00-300.00 KM, 2 points and a 1-4 month driving ban; over 1.5 g/kg 400.00-1,000.00 KM, 2 points and a 2-6 month ban, rising to 1,000.00-5,000.00 KM and a six-month ban if a crash results. Since 27 May 2026 driving over 1.50 g/kg (or under narcotics) also counts as "obijesna voznja" (reckless driving), carrying 2,000.00-3,000.00 KM, a ban of up to six months and 2 points — 3,000.00-5,000.00 KM, up to nine months and 4 points if it causes a crash.
• Speed limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas; outside built-up areas 130 km/h on motorways, 100 km/h on expressways and roads reserved for motor vehicles, 80 km/h on all other roads (art. 44). Fines: more than 10-20 km/h over, 50.00 KM; more than 20-30 km/h over, 100.00-300.00 KM plus 2 points and a 1-4 month ban; more than 30 km/h over, 400.00-1,000.00 KM plus 2 points and a 2-6 month ban. Since 27 May 2026, exceeding the limit by more than 40 km/h in a built-up area or 60 km/h outside one is "obijesna voznja": 2,000.00-3,000.00 KM, a ban of up to six months and 2 points.
• Carry the original national licence plus a genuine 1968 IDP where the licence is not Vienna-format, passport or photo ID (always required in BiH), vehicle registration, rental or owner authorisation, and proof of at least third-party motor insurance. Not carrying or not producing the licence on demand is a 30.00 KM fine (art. 172(2) with art. 239).
• Third-party insurance is compulsory and Border Police can ask for printed proof. If your policy or Green Card does not cover Bosnia and Herzegovina, border insurance can be bought at crossings including Bijaca, Crveni Grm, Izacici, Kamensko, Karakaj, Raca, Samac, Zubci and Doljan.
• Dipped or daytime running lights are compulsory in daylight for every motor vehicle (art. 90(1); 30.00 KM fine). Between November and April tyres must carry an M+S / M&S mark with the snowflake symbol and at least 4 mm of tread, and snow chains must be carried and used where signs require. If you leave the vehicle after a breakdown or crash on the carriageway you must put on a reflective vest (art. 70(2); 50.00-250.00 KM).
• Traffic keeps right. Traffic police can impose on-the-spot fines. After a crash, stay at the scene and do not move the vehicle until police arrive. Expect mountain bends, fog, snow and road works; landmines and unexploded ordnance from the 1992-1995 war remain in less populated and rural areas, so never step or drive off paved and clearly used roads without an experienced guide.

Read more about driving in Bosnia and Herzegovina

• 10 Interesting Facts About Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Best places to visit in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Watch what driving in Bosnia and Herzegovina looks like

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Sources

1. National road-traffic law
2. Zakon o osnovama bezbjednosti saobracaja na putevima u BiH, art. 188 (visitors) contrasted with art. 190(1) (permanent settlement)
3. Resident licence conversion rule
4. Brcko District Police notice (3 June 2026) on the amendments in Official Gazette BiH 35/26, in force 27 May 2026
5. UN Treaty Collection — 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic: Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1 Sep 1993 (succession)
6. UN Treaty Collection — 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic: Bosnia and Herzegovina not listed as a party
7. UK FCDO travel advice — road travel, IDP practice, border insurance, winter equipment, landmine risk
8. Municipal emergency-service numbers (Policija 122, Vatrogasna sluzba 123, Hitna pomoc 124)
9. Bosnia and Herzegovina Automobile Club (BIHAMK) — authorized IDP issuer in Bosnia and Herzegovina
10. UN Treaty Collection — 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic
11. UN Treaty Collection — 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic