Car rental in Podgorica: a DOT car at your address
The DOT office is in Podgorica, on Bulevar Save Kovačevića, a few minutes from the bus station — which makes the capital our fastest hand-over point, 24/7. From the centre you're at Lake Skadar in half an hour and at the sea in an hour.
How DOT works in Podgorica
DOT cars for Podgorica
Indicative prices — enter your dates for the exact total
Skoda Octavia2019
Sedan · Manual
Citroen C32020
Hatchback · Manual
Citroen C32021
Hatchback · Manual
Peugeot 2082021
Hatchback · Manual
Renault Captur2020
Hatchback · Manual
Citroën C-Élysée2017
Sedan · Manual
Places worth the drive around Podgorica
Gorica Park · Old Town and Clock Tower · Vizier's Bridge · Dajbabe Monastery
Renting a car in Podgorica — why start here
Podgorica is Montenegro's crossroads: the sea is an hour away, Kolašin an hour and a half, Lake Skadar half an hour. Pick up a car here and you don't have to choose between the coast and the mountains — you can do both.
DOT is a Podgorica company. Our office is at Bulevar Save Kovačevića 26, so a car usually reaches your flat, hotel or office in town within half an hour of agreeing the time. Collecting from the office is free, and someone is on call 24/7.
Where to pick up your car in Podgorica
You have three options and the rental price is the same for all of them — only the delivery fee differs, and you see it in the booking before you send it.
- DOT office, Bulevar Save Kovačevića 26 — free; we agree an exact time.
- Any address in town — hotel, apartment, office. We bring the car, check it with you and sign the contract on the spot.
- Podgorica Airport (Golubovci, 12 km) — we meet you in the car park in front of the terminal and track your flight if it's late.
Parking and driving in the city
In the centre — around Independence Square, Njegoševa and Slobode streets — parking is in paid zones. You pay by SMS to the number on the zone sign or at a meter; a text also reminds you when your time runs out. Outside the centre, around Block 5, Zabjelo and Stari Aerodrom, free spaces are much easier to find.
Don't park on pavements or across garage entrances: Podgorica's tow trucks are quick, and getting a car back from the pound costs time and money. Traffic peaks on weekdays from 7:30 to 9:00 and 15:00 to 17:00 on Boulevard of St Peter of Cetinje and around the Millennium Bridge.
Summer temperatures in Podgorica often top 38 °C. Park in the shade when you can, and run the A/C for a couple of minutes with the windows open before you set off — the cabin cools twice as fast.
Deposit, protection and payment
Most DOT cars have a refundable deposit of €100. If you'd rather leave nothing, choose Premium protection — there's no deposit at all. Smart protection sits in between: a smaller deposit and a lower excess.
We don't take prepayment. You pay the amount from your booking at pick-up, in cash or by card. Mileage is unlimited, and you return the car with the same fuel level you received it with.
Crossing the border from Podgorica
Albania (Božaj crossing, 25 km), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia are all close, but the car may leave Montenegro only with our prior consent and a Green Card. Tell us where you're heading when you book and we'll prepare the papers before you leave. Without permission the insurance is void.
Day trips from Podgorica by car
| Destination | Distance | Drive | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niagara Falls (Cijevna) | 10 km | 15 min | Strongest in spring; in summer the water is low, but the restaurant and swimming spots remain. |
| Lake Skadar — Virpazar | 28 km | 30 min | Boat trips leave from Virpazar; arrive before 10:00 while there's parking. |
| Rijeka Crnojevića & Pavlova Strana | 32 km | 40 min | The viewpoint over the river bend is 10 minutes uphill from the bridge. |
| Cetinje | 32 km | 35 min | The old royal capital; continue over Lovćen down the serpentines to Kotor. |
| Ostrog Monastery | 50 km | 1 h | The last kilometres to the Upper Monastery are narrow — drive slowly and sound the horn on blind bends. |
| Bar & Sutomore | 55 km | 45 min | Through the Sozina tunnel (toll €2.50) — the fastest way to the sea. |
| Budva | 62 km | 1 h | Via Cetinje; expect queues at the Budva entrance in summer. |
| Kolašin | 75 km | 1 h | Smokovac — Mateševo motorway, then the main road; carry chains in winter. |
| Žabljak & Durmitor | ~160 km | 2.5–3 h | Fill up before Šavnik; there are few fuel stations in the mountains. |
Distances and times are approximate, for normal off-peak traffic.
Montenegro in numbers — for drivers
Six numbers DOT repeats to guests most often at hand-over. Remember them and your trip will run without fines or surprises.
Built-up areas, open roads and the motorway. Dipped headlights are required in daylight too, and speed cameras usually sit at town entrances.
The limit is so low that the only safe rule is: if you drive, you don't drink. Fines for going over are steep.
The only toll, on the Podgorica — Bar route. The Smokovac — Mateševo motorway section is currently free.
Paid zones in Budva, Kotor, Tivat and Bar, paid by SMS or at a meter. Old towns are pedestrian zones.
Rough 2026 price. Stations are plentiful on the coast; towards Žabljak and Durmitor, fill up in good time.
Police 122, ambulance 124, roadside help 19807. For anything about the car, contact DOT directly, 24/7.
Renting in Podgorica — questions
Can I rent a car in Podgorica with no deposit?▼
Yes. With Premium protection there is no deposit. Without it, most DOT cars have a €100 refundable deposit that you get back when you return the car.
How far is Podgorica Airport from the city?▼
Podgorica Airport is in Golubovci, 12 km south of the centre — about 15 minutes by car. DOT hands the car over in the car park in front of the terminal.
How do I pay for parking in Podgorica?▼
The centre has paid zones; you pay by SMS to the number on the sign or at a meter. Outside the inner centre, parking is mostly free.
How does DOT deliver the car in Podgorica?▼
Once we confirm your booking, the car leaves our office in Podgorica (Bulevar Save Kovačevića 26). We agree the exact hand-over time and place in Podgorica by phone or WhatsApp — early mornings and late nights included.
How much is delivery to Podgorica?▼
The delivery fee depends on the town and is shown in the booking before you send it. Collecting from our Podgorica office is free.
Which protection plan should I choose?▼
The basic rental includes mandatory insurance and a refundable deposit. Smart protection lowers the deposit and Premium protection removes it entirely. You see the daily price of each plan in the booking; theft is not covered by any plan.
How do I pay for the rental?▼
We don't ask for prepayment. You pay the amount from your booking when you collect the car, in cash or by card, and the confirmation with all the terms reaches your inbox straight after booking.