Traveling by car to Romania
After Romania joined the Schengen area, the rules for crossing the border changed for Ukrainians, especially for those planning to travel in their own cars. One of the requirements is now a valid vehicle inspection certificate.
How often you need to get your car inspected depends on its age and category:
- Passenger cars.
- For new cars, the first technical inspection is carried out three years after the date of first registration
- Cars between 3 and 12 years old must undergo a technical inspection every two years
- For cars older than 12 years, technical inspection becomes an annual obligation
- Special vehicles.
- Cars used for commercial passenger transport (taxis, rental, car sharing) must undergo a technical inspection every six months
- Trucks, regardless of their weight, must undergo an inspection every year
- Trucks weighing over 3,500 kg are also subject to annual technical inspections
Toll roads and vignettes in Romania
There are two types of toll roads in Romania:
- General toll roads. To use them, you need to purchase a special road vignette. You can buy it in large shopping centers, at Rompetrol, Petrom, OMV gas stations, or online on the Visit Ukraine portal — in a few minutes, your car's license plate number will be registered in the official database. The cost of the vignette depends on the type of vehicle and the period of validity (from one day to 12 months).
- Roads with additional charges. These are separate facilities for which an additional fee is charged directly on site. These include:
- bridges: Giurgiu (RO) — Ruse (BG), Calafat (RO) — Vidin (BG), Fetești — Cernavodă, Giurgiu — Vadu Oiului;
- ferry crossings: Bechet (RO) — Oryahovo (BG), Calarasi (RO) — Silistra (BG), Turnu Măgurele (RO) — Nikopol (BG), Zimnitsa (RO) — Svishtov (BG).
👉 Important! Failure to have a vignette will result in a fine of up to €940.
Green card for entry into Romania
Ukrainians planning to travel to Romania in their own car must have a Green Card.
A green card is an international compulsory motor insurance policy that covers the costs of compensation for damage caused to the life, health, or property of third parties as a result of a traffic accident in Romania or other countries participating in the Green Card system.
Entry into Romania by car with Ukrainian license plates without a Green Card is prohibited and subject to fines. It is important to remember that insurance coverage begins on the day after the policy is issued. Be sure to purchase a Green Card policy in advance. It only takes a few minutes to do so — just follow the link, select the appropriate policy term, and purchase a Green Card online in a matter of minutes.
If you decide not to take a car from Ukraine, you can use car rental services in Romania. Most international and local companies offer a wide range of vehicles, from compact city cars to SUVs for mountain routes.
Rental prices depend on the class of car, season, and company. The average rental cost ranges from €25 to €50 per day.
Basic driver requirements
- Age: minimum 21 (sometimes 24 for higher classes of cars); maximum around 70–85 depending on the company
- Driving experience: minimum 1 year (sometimes up to 3 years for certain categories of cars)
- Driver's license: valid Ukrainian, and preferably international (IDP)
- Passport and driver's license must be presented
- A credit card is required to block the deposit
- Sometimes additional documents may be required, such as proof of address or identity
- Young drivers (<25 years old) and older drivers (70+ to 85 years old) usually pay an additional fee of about €10 per day up to a maximum limit (e.g., €100)
- Insurance (CDW, theft protection): included in the price or paid separately (~€15–45/day for CDW, ~€9–50/day for theft protection)
- Other charges: processing of fines, ferry, one-way fee, off-site pickup, late return, etc.
- Mandatory car seats/booster seats for children: from 3 to 11 years old (at least 135 cm), children under 3 years old must be in a child seat, children under 13 years old are not allowed to sit in the front seat
Romania is a country with picturesque roads and magnificent mountain serpentines, such as the famous Transfagarasan Highway. However, there are a few key points to keep in mind:
- Headlights must be used during daylight hours throughout the year.
- All passengers in the car must wear seat belts.
- Using a mobile phone while driving is only permitted with a headset or hands-free system.
- You must have an emergency vest, first aid kit, and emergency stop sign with you — these may be checked by the police or during technical inspections.
- Speed limits: 50 km/h in cities, 90 km/h outside built-up areas, and up to 130 km/h on motorways.
Traffic rules in Romania: main features
- From November 1 to March 31, cars must be equipped with winter tires. Studded tires are prohibited, and snow chains are only allowed in mountainous regions.
- Using a mobile phone while driving without a hands-free device is strictly prohibited.
- The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.0.
- Headlights must be on at all times throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions.
- Tinting of the windshield and front side windows is prohibited. Rear side and rear windows may be tinted without restriction.
- Children under 12 years of age are not allowed to sit in the front seat of a car.
Speed limits
- In built-up areas — up to 50 km/h.
- Outside built-up areas — up to 90 km/h.
- On national and European highways — up to 100 km/h.
- On motorways — up to 130 km/h.
- In some cities, higher limits may be set for passenger cars, but not exceeding 80 km/h.
Fines for traffic violations in Romania
In Romania, there are not only financial penalties, but also a penalty point system. Depending on the severity of the violation, you may receive a temporary driving ban (up to 90 days) or even criminal liability.
For example, for ignoring a seat belt or talking on the phone without a headset, the fine is 290 lei (~60 euros).
In Romania, fines are calculated using a point system: 1 point equals 10% of the minimum wage in the country.