Two months before writing this, I purchased a mini drone. I was super excited to fly it and to take it with me on my travels. My upcoming destination: Montenegro!
Montenegro has incredible nature and scenery, and I knew I wanted to capture it. The problem was, the drone laws were not very clear and, according to the people handing out advice (and a fair share or fear-mongering) in online forums, you will have your drone confiscated at the airport… unless of course you pay 150 Euros to this guy in Montenegro to “help” you with the whole process.
Uh, no thanks.
It seemed like the better option would be to not risk it and leave my brand-new drone at home.
However, I am a very determined person and I was sure that I could find answers. I searched for weeks, going as deep as translating blogs in Russian and Hungarian (yes, I am very determined) and, sure enough, I found the answers and I was able to fly my drone legally in Montenegro – and bring it back without a problem!
(NOTE: ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN JUNE 2024, LAST UPDATED IN MARCH 2026)
Credit where credit is due – I need to thank the author of this 3-part blog series (in Hungarian) where he details how he managed most of his process. Without his blog and comment section, I wouldn’t have been able to crack the code and do it myself, and write this guide for all English-speakers to refer to.
Can you fly a drone in Montenegro?
Yes – drones are legal in Montenegro, though the rules about where you can fly them depend on which drone you have. Some places, like National Parks and private properties may require additional permissions. Flying a drone in the restricted areas near Tivat and Podgorica airports also requires an additional permit.
In this blog post, I will stick to the general advice on how to bring a drone in and out of the country legally, as well as having the permission to fly it.
Note: As of May 2024, the Montenegrin Government warns that, if you have a Russian passport, there is a chance that you will be denied a permit to bring a drone into the country.
[UPDATE: As of July 1st 2024, Montenegro has transposed EU regulation 2019/947 regarding the safe use of unmanned aircraft systems – this means that Montenegro’s regulations are now more closely aligned with those of the EU. This document details all the safety rules for operators flying drones in Montenegro, including requirements and restrictions for each flight category, aircraft model, and area classifications.
What do you need?
Although Montenegro is not part of the EU yet, it is aligning itself more and more with EU regulations, which has made the process significantly simpler.
In order to travel to Montenegro with a drone, you need:
- UAS (Drone) Operator Registration
This is required for:
– Operators of drones weighing more than 250g but less than 25kg
– Operators of drones weighing less than 250g but equipped with data collection sensors, like cameras or microphones (ie. most mini drones fall in here)
– Operators of drones with a kinetic energy greater than 80 joules
IF YOUR DRONE WEIGHS 250g OR MORE:
– The operator is required to have liability insurance (I personally use Coverdrone)
– The pilot needs to pass an online theoretical exam for A1/A3 subcategory. Theoretical knowledgde training courses for UAS pilots subcategories A1/A3 can be seen here. - An Import Permit from the Ministry of Economic Development of Montenegro
- Additional permits (optional – only if you plan to fly in restricted areas like National Parks or near airports. To be requested from each entity and the CAA individually.
NOTE: IF YOU ARE ALREADY REGISTERED AS A DRONE OPERATOR IN ANOTHER EU MEMBER STATE
You do not need to register in Montenegro or take their theoretical exam, but you must be able to show your certificates of registration and proof of completed theoretical exam (ie. your EASA registration documents).
This means that for drone operators from third countries (outside the EU), it may be easier to register your drone with EASA from one of the Member States (the process from France is fairly simple to follow and you can take the theoretical exam online, receiving your registration number and certificates very quickly).
Need drone insurance? I personally use Coverdrone for worldwide coverage and highly recommend them.
1. UAS (Drone) Operator Registration
[UPDATE 03-JAN-2025] The CAA have removed all forms previously available on their portal regarding drone registration. At present, it is not clear what the process is to register a drone directly with the Montenegrin CAA. They have also stopped updating the list of registered drones in May 2024.
This means that for drone operators from third countries (outside the EU), the easiest way is to register your drone with EASA from one of the EU Member States (the process from France is fairly simple to follow and you can take the theoretical exam online, receiving your registration number and certificates very quickly).
NOTE: IF YOU ARE ALREADY REGISTERED AS A DRONE OPERATOR IN ANOTHER EU MEMBER STATE
Since Montenegro transposed the EU regulations, you do not need to register in Montenegro or take their theoretical exam, but you must be able to show your certificates of registration and proof of completed theoretical exam (ie. your EASA registration documents).
If you do, however, plan to fly your drone in the restricted areas near Tivat and/or Podgorica airports, you must still fill in this document and submit it by email to acv@caa.me.
NOTE: As processes evolve, if any of the above information changes or becomes obsolete, please leave a comment below or email hello@jesseatstheworld.com so that I can update it.
2. Import Permit
I know what you’re thinking – why do I need an import permit if I own the drone, I’m going to use it, I’m not selling it, and I will bring it back home with me?
All valid questions. However, Montenegro sees drones as restricted goods, which must be declared when entering the country. An import permit shows that you have declared the drone, that you have been cleared to bring it into the country, and that you have paid the due import taxes (more on that in a second!).
This import permit is the document that, when missing, could potentially allow for Customs at the airport or police at the land borders to confiscate your drone. And, unlike the CAA forms, this one was a bit of a pickle to figure out!
Officially, you should allow at least 30 days for this part of the process before your trip to Montenegro, but due to reported delays in response from the Ministry, I recommend starting this as early as you can before your trip.
First, we need to find and fill in our forms – there are two of them:
For this Declaration, simply replace the bits I added in English. Change the remaining text colour to black, convert to PDF and sign electronically. One down, one more to go!
- Import Permit Form (download from the official Government website)
You may notice that the documents are written in Montenegrin – yes, that’s right, you need to fill in these documents fully in Montenegrin. But don’t worry, I will help you!
This is how you fill in the Import Permit form:
[First Name, Last Name]
Matični broj/Broj pasoša: [Your Passport Number]
Tel./fax: [Your phone number, including country code]
Adresa: [Your home address]
| naziv robe (vrsta i model): | Product name (type and model): | [YOUR DRONE MODEL] |
| Tarifna oznaka: | Tariff code: | 8525 80 91 (enter this exact reference, as is) |
| Serijski broj za dron: | Drone serial number: | [YOUR DRONE SERIAL NUMBER] |
| količina robe/specifikacija: | Quantity of goods/specification: | 1 dron |
| vrijednost robe: | Value of goods: | [DRONE VALUE INCLUDING CURRENCY] (eg. 900 EUR) |
| zemlja izvoza: | Exporting country: | [YOUR COUNTRY NAME, TRANSLATED INTO MONTENEGRIN OR BOSNIAN] (eg. “Ujedinjeno Kraljevstvo (U.K.)”) |
| zemlja uvoza: | Importing country (the country of the manufacturer of your drone): | [COUNTRY NAME OF THE DRONE MANUFATCURER, TRANSLATED INTO MONTENEGRIN OR BOSNIAN] (for DJI drones this is “Kina” (China)) |
| Ovlašćeno lice (broj i datum ovlašćenja) | Authorized person (permit number and date) | – |
| naziv prodavca robe: | Name of the seller of the goods: | – |
| uvoznik robe: | Goods importer: | [YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAMES] Broj pasoša: [YOUR PASSPORT NUMBER] |
| korisnik robe/operator: | User/operator of the goods: | [YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAMES] |
| namjena uvoza: | Purpose of import (for personal use / amateur recordings): | za personal koristiti / amaterske snimke |
Convert the document to PDF and sign electronically.
Additionally, you will need the below documents:
- Invoice/receipt of purchase of the drone (optional, not necessary if you don’t want to)
- Technical specs of the drone (serial number, weight, payload, etc.) – simply go to your drone manufacturer’s website (eg. DJI) and find the page with the specs for your specific drone model. Copy all the specs and translate it to Bosnian using a translate tool. Paste it in a document and convert to PDF.
- Photo of your ID/Passport
- ***[From within Montenegro] Receipt / Proof of payment of 10 EUR in a bank branch to the account number 832-3161232-94. Purpose of payment: “Perslavna za služni uvoz” (Temporary import permit) – Beneficiary: “Ministaruta ekonomizno razvoza” (Ministry of Economic Development)
***This only works for transactions within Montenegro. Continue reading below if making the payment from abroad.
[UPDATE 03-APR-2025]
As of this month, the Montenegrin government have set up an international bank account able to receive international payments, so there is no need to pay in cash in the country like before (finally!).
Continue reading below for making the payment from abroad.
(Thank you so much for those of you who emailed me with this updated information!)
- ***[From abroad] Attach the Receipt / Proof of payment of 10 EUR to the following account:
IBAN: ME25510000000017898189
SWIFT: CKBCMEPG
Beneficiary: MINISTARSTVO EKONOMSKOG RAZVOJA (Ministry of Economic Development)
Purpose of payment: “Perslavna za služni uvoz” (Temporary import permit)
IMPORTANT NOTE: Since bank details can change, I still recommend asking first in the email for confirmation of the bank details before officially making the payment.
Copy of the bank information provided by the Montenegrin government (thank you to the readers who shared this with me!).
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please note that this can change at any time, so it’s always best to wait for confirmation of the payment details from the Ministry first.
Now, let’s send all the documentation through.
Attach the two filled and signed forms, the translated document with the technical specs of the drone, the photo of your ID, and the receipt/proof of payment to an email.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Since bank details can change, I recommend asking first in the email for confirmation of the bank details before officially making the payment.
Address the email to Mr. Špiro Medigović spiro.medigovic@mek.gov.me and Nina Scekic nina.scekic@mek.gov.me
Explain in the email that you intend to travel to Montenegro with a drone and that you wish to obtain an import permit.
[03-April-2025: this section has been removed as original process no longer applies]
[03-April-2025: this section has been removed as original process no longer applies]
Having all matters dealt with, and armed with my permits, I went off to enjoy a week in Montenegro and flying my drone in a few beautiful places.
Flying back from Podgorica Airport was one of the most chaotic and messy airport experiences I’ve ever had, mostly because the airport is so small and only has one line of security scans for all flights. Everyone was delayed and rushing to get to the plane, so the staff just tried to wizz people through as quickly as possible.
I had to remove all my cameras and electronics out, and when I asked if I needed to remove the drone, remote, and batteries from its own carrier bag too, the security lady looked at it and said it was OK. No one asked me about the drone or for any documents or permits – but I cannot say if it was only because of the stressful airport situation on that particular day.
Final thoughts
[Amended on 03-April-2025] Taking a drone to Montenegro legally used to be anything but a straightforward process – but that has changed significantly in the last year. At least you don’t have to spend a couple of months trying to figure out the process like I did – and neither do you have to make the choice to leave your drone at home anymore!
With this process now clearly laid out for you, it will be very quick to prepare and send the required documents and make the payment before setting off to fly your drone in Montenegro worry-free.
Is it worth the trouble?
I know some people may be more risk-prone than me, and might consider taking the drone without applying for the permits.
When I was trying to figure out the process, I spoke to a few people who flew their drones in Montenegro and didn’t apply for any permits – the ones who drove in and out of the country had it easier, the ones who flew from the airport weren’t questioned either.
I was more risk-adverse because, well, breaking the law isn’t my favourite hobby, but also because my drone was brand-new and I wasn’t feeling like throwing a decent chunk of money in the bin before even getting to fly it.
Now that the process is so much simpler, I don’t think it’s worth taking the risk!
If you obtain any new/different information from official Government sources after reading this post, please leave a comment below or email hello@jesseatstheworld.com so that I can update it. Thank you!
Travelling to Montenegro? Check out my Montenegro guides:
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thank you, it was very helpful
Thank you very much for your detailed explanation ! It was more than helpful
Thank you for your kind comment! I’m glad this guide was helpful!
thank you, it was very very helpful
Glad to hear it – thank you and good luck!
Thank you Jess ,
This is very valuable information.I did exactly what you said.Got reply in 2 days from Montenegro for asking more information. Waiting for the Approval
Great to hear – fingers crossed for you and good luck!
This was very helpful, thank you. Can you share how long it took for you to receive that e-mail with the permit? Also, to confirm, if you are outside Montenegro you suggest paying the €10 to the bank account BEFORE e-mailing the Ministry?
Hello! I’m glad you found this post helpful.
Initially, I didn’t obtain a response from the Ministry for maybe 1-2 weeks, but once I followed up on email, I got a response very quickly (within 1-2 days).
The payment of the fee is a requirement for the Ministry to process the import permit. Making the payment beforehand could speed up the process, however, I would suggest waiting for the Ministry to come back to you with confirmation of the bank details for payment, as they may change this information at any time.
Good luck with the process and enjoy your visit to Montenegro!
Jessica
I’m grateful for the clear instructions but my experience hasn’t been positive. No response received to the application for which I’ve paid. I sent an email from a different address asking a couple of questions and received a reply within the day but no import licence following the original application. Very frustrating as I don’t know whether to risk it or not
Hello Richard, I’m sorry to hear that. I got a lot of emails over the summer from people asking how long the responses from the Ministry take, as they were experiencing a lot of delays. This post was one of my most-read articles all summer, which indicates that many people are looking to apply for permits, and it could explain the response delays (unfortunately, I don’t have any direct contacts in the Ministry, so this is just my assumption).
However, If you got a response to a query from a different address, it may be that your original request got misplaced or was missed. Try following up over email from both addresses regarding your original request and asking for a status update – good luck!
I tried doing this, but then Mr Spiro stopped responding to both! I don’t know why I was unsuccessful; if I had made an error on the form, you would have thought they would have rejected it, not ignored it.
In the end, I decided not to take my drone. I flew into Tivat, where there appeared to be no officers, so could have got through with it. I only encountered one other person on my trip with a drone, at Stari Bar.
I can cope with 10 EUR wasted. But its annoying to do the right thing and not get the desired response.
I followed your instructions exactly, step by step.
On August 13th, I sent the email with all the required documents and payment confirmation for my permit application (scheduled for September 16th). The response arrived on September 26th — ten days after my actual flight. Interestingly, the attached permit was valid starting from September 9th for one year.
When I flew there, I had no idea I already had a valid permit. I still brought my drone, and surprisingly, there were no checks at all. It was clearly visible, and no one asked any questions.
Meanwhile, my friend, who arrived two days later with camera gear, was stopped and questioned about its value and declaration. The moment the officers found another passenger carrying a drone, they completely lost interest, switched to the new guy, and let my friend go.
The only noticeable difference was the origin of each flight. Our group of 20 people (with 4 drones) from Armenia had zero issues, while passengers arriving from Serbia faced significant trouble. I think this is why the experience is different for the people here.
I messaged Sept 23 and was able to get a reply from Mr Spiro quick- he sent me the bank deets right away. I sent over the money and then had to wait two weeks. Finally they replied that they had a new form which seems just a minor wording edit, and a new requirement for a test certification even for the DJI Mini 4 Pro. Thankfully the LBA test in Germany was pretty easy to read through and take, mostly pretty logical and often not even all that related to drones specifically. I’ve just sent them the results and hope they still get back to me by my trip next week.
Was anybody successful in getting permission to fly in Durmitor? I’ve emailed a few places about applying for it but have not heard back anything useful.
Additional: maybe I overlooked something obvious, but I couldn’t seem to transfer the fee directly from my German banks, had to use Wise, which was a process in itself and took a few days. But maybe I missed a direct German IBAN.
Hello Jessie; I did it step by step as explained by you and it was successful. I did send the application 7 weeks in advance and got the permission right when I arrived in Montenegro.
NEW: also for e.g. DJI mini pro 4 the pilot needs to pass an online theoretical exam for A1/A3 subcategory.
Thank u for your helpful guidance.
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing your experience, and I’m glad you were able to get the permit!
Would you mind forwarding me the new information about the needs for the theoretical exam for mini drones so I can update the article for future reference? The email is hello@jesseatstheworld.com – thank you!
The information is great and well set out, thank you for taking the time. I am to do an organised tour through the Balkans and with a free day in Budva I thought it would be a missed opportunity if I were unable to make use of the drone. Ive completed the EU registration / A1-A3 and gotten the portal app for Croatia, then went on and completed 50% of the necessary for Montenegro, however at that point it was all too much; import duties, manuals, logs at hand and retained for 2 years, pages of extra paperwork and so on. I’ll do what I can with the camera, not worth all the effort for the drone with the small time availability I have.
Que genia gracias impresionante
HI
Thanks for the information. Regarding the tariff number, I contacted DJI for the HS code for the DJI Mini 5 pro and they quoted 8806221000 which matches internet searches. I assume this is what I use on the form
Andy