From March 2027, tolls in Croatia should operate without barrier booths. The key will be a correctly registered vehicle with a valid payment method, before motorway travel begins.

01

In 2026 Everything Stays the Same

If you travel to Croatia in 2026, you still buy a ticket, use an existing ENC lane or pay in the current system. The lawfully planned full launch of Crolibertas is 1 March 2027. Visible portals are construction for the future system, not a hidden switch for the ongoing season.

By 3 June 2026, project data showed that 53 portals were installed on A3, A4, A5 and A11. Portal, web, app, quick registration and operator connectivity are being developed in parallel. A visible portal does not yet mean travellers must already act at that portal.

02

From 2027, registration before the trip

Crolibertas is intended to bring the entire Croatian motorway network, including Bina Istra and Zagreb–Macelj, into a free-flow traffic model. Light vehicles up to 3.5 tons can be enrolled by law via licence plate or ENC transponder. ENC is foreseen for heavy vehicles.

This is no classic time vignette: distance travelled remains the toll basis. For the licence-plate option, plate number and valid payment method must be entered into the electronic system. The law names credit card, debit card, service card or sufficient prepaid balance. Registration channels include the national web portal, apps and additional digital services, quick registration lanes, road operator offices and authorized partner points.

03

Cash Remains Possible, but Not at Exit Booths

Travelers who prefer cash should be able to top up a prepaid balance at an operator or partner point. The practical difference from today is that payment is prepared and linked to the vehicle before travel; no cashier waits at exit.

Driving without a valid registration risks not only a later toll claim. The law also names an additional charge of 120 euros. For a light vehicle not yet enrolled, the last correction point is the first quick registration lane; in traffic you should not rely on that alone: plate and payment status should be checked before motorway entry.

04

Rental Cars, Trailers and Plate Changes

For rented cars, registration can be sensible only once the final plate is known. It remains to be clarified who among rental providers handles registration, whether temporary self-registration is enough, and how foreign cards or prepaid payments are processed. A booking confirmation alone does not replace vehicle registration.

The law also treats a light vehicle with a trailer as a registrable vehicle set. The final vehicle class, tariff logic and treatment of changing trailers still depend on pending operational rules. After a sale, plate change, card expiration or ENC device loss, linked data must be updated or de-registered, or further charges may follow the previous record.

05

What Travelers Cannot Yet Book in Advance

On 18 August 2026, not all practical user interfaces and implementation details were yet published. Open points still include finished tourist registration, accepted payment methods per channel, prepaid refunds, the exact rental vehicle process and location of all quick-registration lanes.

These are not minor details; they are where the system must prove itself to guests. Until official channels are ready, paid third-party offers and advertised so-called Croatian vignettes are not a useful substitute. Reliable sources are crolibertas.hr, motorway operators and state publications; check the process again shortly before any trip starting March 2027.

Evidence

Sources & date

Sources support the facts. Planning notes and recommendations are Golden Beach editorial assessments.

  1. Toll Act – NN 156/2025Narodne novine / Croatian Parliament · 24 December 2025, checked 18 August 2026Launch date, registration, payment channels, vehicle changes and 120-euro surcharge
  2. New toll system from 1 March 2027Government of the Republic of Croatia · 20 November 2025Full launch, plate/ENC registration model, whole motorway network and registration channels
  3. 53 Crolibertas portals installedCrolibertas / Hrvatske autoceste · 3 June 2026Project progress, affected motorways and development of portal and app
  4. Official Crolibertas project pageHrvatske autoceste · ongoing, checked 18 August 2026Official information source, network coverage and system principle
Time-sensitive information may change. Please check the linked primary source before travelling.