How to Book a Rental Car in Kotor

Updated 27 June 2026

Booking a car rental in Kotor is quick once you know the order things happen in. The whole process runs online, takes a few minutes, and on most cars needs no credit card, just a small advance to reserve.

This guide walks through it step by step, then covers what you need to collect the car, when to book for the best price, and how deposits and insurance actually work.

Booking your Kotor car in six steps

1. 1
   Pick your collection point, dates and times

   Start with where and when. Tivat airport is the fastest handover for a Kotor trip, about 8 km and 20 minutes from the old town, but you can also collect in Kotor, Budva or another bay town, with free delivery to your hotel on most cars. Enter exact pickup and drop-off times, not just dates, because billing runs per 24-hour period and any part day is a full one, so an early flight or a late return can tip you into an extra day.

2. 2
   Compare the fleet on live, all-in prices

   Search returns every available car for your dates with a real, all-in daily price, so there are no surprises at the counter. Filter by size, gearbox and fuel, and match the car to the driving: a small hatchback like a Citroen C3 or VW Polo is easiest on the narrow bay lanes and old-town parking, while a compact SUV earns its keep on the Lovcen serpentine and the roads north. Automatics are the bulk of the fleet, but the cheapest cars go first in peak weeks, so book early.

3. 3
   Choose your cover and deposit level

   Every booking includes free third-party cover as standard. From there you can step up a tier to shrink the excess, or reach the top tier and drop the deposit entirely, which many do for a summer trip mixing tight town parking with busy traffic. Setting the level online is cheaper than at the desk, and it sets the refundable deposit at pickup (around €100 on lower tiers).

4. 4
   Add the driver and trip details

   Enter the main driver's name, age and, if you are flying in, your flight number so the car is ready even if the plane runs late. Age shapes the choice: the lowest cars start from 18 with a year of driving behind you, though the exact minimum varies by car. This is also where you flag a cross-border trip, since a run to Dubrovnik or into Bosnia needs the paid permit added now, not at the border.

5. 5
   Review the terms and confirm

   Check the total, refundable deposit and cancellation window before you commit. No credit card is needed to book: you pay a small advance now, then the balance and a refundable deposit (around €100, cash accepted on many cars) at pickup. Free cancellation on many cars keeps booking ahead low-risk. Instant-booking cars confirm at once; others by email in minutes.

6. 6
   Collect, check it over and drive

   On arrival you meet the supplier at the agreed spot, whether that is Tivat arrivals or your hotel, and show your original physical licence (Latin script), passport and confirmation. Walk around the car together and photograph any existing marks before you sign, note the same-fuel return rule, and check the spare and documents are in the boot. Then you are on the bay road, so keep the rental agreement and the local contact number in the glovebox.

What you need to book

To make a booking you only need your travel dates, a pickup point and the main driver’s details. On most cars you do not pay the full rental up front.

To collect the car you will need a full driving licence held for at least a year, your passport or ID, and, for higher insurance tiers or premium cars, a credit card in the driver’s name. Licences in a non-Latin script should be carried with an International Driving Permit.

When to book for the best price

Kotor’s fleet is busiest from June to September, when cruise calls and beach traffic peak. Cars sell out first for those weeks, especially automatics and larger SUVs, so choosing your class and booking a few weeks ahead gives you both the best choice and the lower rates.

Because cancellation is free on most cars, there is no penalty for reserving early and adjusting later. Off-season, from October to April, prices drop and you can often book just a few days out.

Deposits, payment and what is included

Most cars can be reserved with no deposit and no credit card, and you pay on collection. Where a deposit applies it is blocked on a card at pickup and released when you return the car undamaged.

The daily price you see includes free third-party cover and, on most cars, unlimited mileage. Cross-border trips, extra drivers, child seats and one-way drop-offs are optional extras you add during booking, so the price stays transparent.

Collecting in Kotor or at the airport

If you land at Tivat, your Tivat Airport car rental is usually waiting a short walk from arrivals or delivered to the terminal. In Kotor, delivery to your hotel or a meeting point just outside the old-town walls avoids the pedestrian zone. Allow a few minutes for the licence check and the walk-around before you set off.

That is the whole process: choose a pickup point, compare live prices, pick your cover and confirm, usually without a card or deposit. When you are ready, start your search and have the car waiting when you land.

Booking a Kotor rental car: FAQ

A few more questions that come up when booking a car in Kotor, covering credit cards and deposits, driver age and licence rules, airport pickups and delivery, and how cancellations work. If yours is not here, the booking screen shows the exact terms for each car.