Rent a car in Albania

Yes. With most local TakeCars partners, you use a card only for the 15–20% online prepayment. You can then pay the remaining balance and deposit in cash, in euros or Albanian lek, when you collect the car. EU and UK debit cards are also widely accepted. International chains are more likely to require a credit card, but many local suppliers do not.

No. The ferry company does not allow rental cars on board — this is the operator's rule, not the rental supplier's. Park the car in a paid lot in Sarandë (€5–10 a day) and travel as a foot passenger. The crossing costs €19–35 one way and takes 30–70 minutes depending on the vessel.

Yes. EU and EEA licences are accepted without any additional documents. Most local suppliers also accept UK, US, Canadian and Australian licences written in the Latin alphabet. We recommend carrying an International Driving Permit as well, as the police may ask for one during a roadside check.

There is no fixed seasonal requirement; whether winter tyres are needed depends on the road conditions. Winter tyres marked M+S are strongly recommended from November to March if you plan to drive to Theth, Valbona, Korçë or the northern mountains. Studded tyres are banned throughout the year. In summer, summer or all-season tyres are suitable for driving along the coast.

A litre of 95 petrol costs around €1.60–2.10, while diesel is slightly cheaper at €1.50–1.80. LPG is widely available, although rental cars rarely use it. Fuel stations are common along the coast and the Tirana–Durrës motorway, but less frequent in the mountains. Fuel is noticeably cheaper in Kosovo and North Macedonia.

Yes. Almost every supplier uses the "full-to-full" rule: you receive the car with a full tank and return it the same way. Top up 5–10 km before the return office and keep the receipt. If you bring it back with less, the supplier will refuel at a marked-up rate plus a €15–30 service fee.

Yes. Almost all our partners offer one-way rentals within Albania. The surcharge is typically €20–80 for routes between Tirana and Sarandë, Vlorë or Gjirokastër. International one-way rentals to Podgorica, Dubrovnik or Pristina cost around €300–600 and are available from only a small number of suppliers. The fee is shown in the quote before you book.

Most cars in the catalogue come with unlimited mileage, which is standard in Albania. A limit of 150–250 km per day may apply to long-term rentals of 30 days or more and to some luxury cars. If there is a mileage limit, it will be shown on the car page. Additional kilometres usually cost €0.15–0.30 each.

Yes. Children under three must use an appropriate child seat, and children under 12 or shorter than 150 cm cannot sit in the front. The fine is €50–100. Our partners offer child seats for €5–10 per day or €30–50 for the entire rental. Book one when you reserve the car, as availability can be limited in summer.

No. Most rental agreements prohibit smoking, carrying pets without prior approval, and eating strongly scented food in the car. Breaking these rules may result in a cleaning fee of €50–150. If you plan to travel with a dog, contact the rental manager in advance. Some partners allow pets but may require an additional cleaning deposit.

Yes. The minimum rental period is usually 24 hours from the collection time. A delay of up to one hour is often allowed at no extra charge; after that, you may be charged for another day. A few small local suppliers require a minimum rental of three days, particularly in high season, but they account for less than one fifth of the cars in the catalogue.

A passport with the entry stamp, a driving licence in Latin script and a bank card for the online prepayment. An IDP is recommended for non-EU visitors. If you add a second driver, bring their licence too — at local suppliers this is usually free, while international chains charge €3–7 per day.

Fines are paid at any Posta Shqiptare branch, at a bank, or by card with the officer if a terminal is available. Pay within 15 days of the offence and a 50% discount applies. If a fine remains unpaid, the rental company will charge it to your card after return, plus a €10–30 admin fee.

At the airport you usually pay €3–8 a day more because of the airport surcharge. If you are staying one or two days in Tirana before driving on, picking the car up in town saves money. If you are heading straight out across the country, taking it at TIA saves you an hour and €15–20 on a taxi.

The standard minimum age is 21, and you need at least one year of driving experience. For premium cars, the minimum age may be 23–25. Drivers under 25 may also pay a young-driver fee of €3.50–10 per day, or a flat fee of around €50. This is added at the rental desk and shown in the quote before you confirm. There is no upper age limit in Albania.