October the 4th, 2026 – Croatian road tolls are about to alter forever, but how exactly will they function without the famed ENC after March 2027?
Croatian Motorways state that the new system will apply to the entire motorway network in Croatia, including sections managed by HAC, Bina-Istra and Autocesta Zagreb-Macelj. Poslovni reports that as of the 1st of March 2027, it should be possible to travel on Croatian motorways without toll booths and without stopping. This option is particularly important for occasional and foreign motorway users, but before the system is introduced they still need to check how the vehicle will be included in the charging system and how the bill will be settled.
Croatian Motorways state that the new system will apply to the entire motorway network in Croatia, including sections managed by HAC, Bina-Istra and Autocesta Zagreb-Macelj. The toll will continue to be calculated according to the distance travelled and the vehicle category, but passage will be recorded electronically, without stopping at a barrier.
According to the Toll Collection Act, light vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes will be able to use an ENC device or be registered in a system that automatically reads registration plates. Heavy goods vehicles will have to use an on-board device. The system will thus combine ENC technology with cameras for automatic licence plate recognition.
HAC emphasises that reading registration plates is intended for light vehicles without ENC, i.e. for occasional and foreign users. This could simplify passage for tourists who travel through Croatia by car and do not use ENC throughout the year. However, the official information published so far does not provide all the details about vehicle registration, linking payment methods or charging for users who only come to the country occasionally. Therefore, drivers without ENC should not yet be advised to take steps that the competent authorities have not yet officially described. Before the system starts operating, it will be important to follow the instructions of Croatian Motorways and the official Crolibertas website. The basic rules are known – light vehicles can choose between ENC and licence plate reading, and motorways will no longer be passed through toll booths – but the exact procedure for occasional and foreign users will need to be confirmed once all implementing instructions are published.
