The Green Card and border insurance in Kosovo

Why the Green Card does not apply here

The Green Card is the international proof that your car has liability insurance in member countries. The system is run by the Council of Bureaux, whose statute requires UN membership. Kosovo is not a UN member and so remains the only country in Europe outside the system. Attempts to join by another route have so far come to nothing.

For drivers this means two things: a foreign Green Card is not valid in Kosovo, and a Kosovo policy is not valid in most of Europe. In both cases the solution is border insurance, which covers only damage to others. For your own car you need comprehensive cover, just as at home.

Arriving with foreign plates

On entering Kosovo you buy border insurance from the Kosovo Insurance Bureau (BKS), which sells it on behalf of the insurers. The policy is available at the border crossings or online.

Since 1 July 2026 the one-month border policy is free for the diaspora at entry border crossings, for cars with up to 9 seats. It does not apply to cars registered in Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia, nor to online purchases, which remain paid. Check with BKS before you travel how long the subsidy runs.

How long a foreign-plated car may stay

Since 15 March 2026 the rules for foreign-plated cars have been fully enforced, after an information phase that started in January.

• Up to three months from entry, for foreign owners and for Kosovo citizens with legal residence abroad (Law on Vehicles, Art. 41).
• Only eight days if the owner has no legal residence in the country where the car is registered.
• The owner must be present: a citizen living in Kosovo does not drive the car alone, even with an authorisation. Exception: someone who lives in the country of registration and has an authorisation from there.
• The fine for the driver is €200, or €270 for buses, trucks over 3.5 tonnes and dangerous goods. According to Customs the car can be seized and taken to the customs terminal.

If the car needs to stay in Kosovo longer, the legal route is customs clearance and registration. Work out the cost of clearance with the customs calculator; the registration steps are in registering a car in Kosovo.

Leaving with Kosovo plates

Croatia, for example, sells border insurance at the border and online. Prices in the EU vary from country to country, so ask before you travel.

Check with BKS before you go whether the subsidy applies: the free policy is only issued at the border. Without it, buying online saves you the queue; keep the policy on your phone.