When planning a trip to Montenegro in 2025, every tourist faces two mandatory procedures: registration at the place of stay (Prijava Boravka) and payment of the tourist tax (Boravišna Taksa), which are the key to a calm and trouble-free holiday.
According to the country’s legislation, all foreign citizens are required to complete these requirements within 24 hours of entry. For citizens of Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, who do not need a visa for short trips of up to 30 days, this procedure becomes the main administrative step during the visit.
Many travelers, especially those who have visited the Balkans before, remember the term “white card” (Beli karton). It is important to understand that in 2025 this term is outdated. The registration process has been largely digitized, and instead of a cardboard card, the tourist receives a receipt or slip (often pink in color), confirming registration in the electronic system.
Failure to comply with this seemingly simple rule can lead to unpleasant consequences. When leaving the country, border services may check for registration, and its absence can result in a fine, the amount of which can reach 240 euros, and in some cases even more, as well as delays and administrative proceedings. This guide provides comprehensive information on all the steps, tax rates, and procedural nuances depending on the type of accommodation, so that your holiday in Montenegro leaves only positive impressions.
Tourist tax (Boravišna Taksa) in 2025: rates, rules, and exemptions
The tourist tax, or resort fee, is a municipal charge levied on each tourist for each day of stay. The funds collected are directed toward the development and maintenance of tourist infrastructure at the local level (80%) and to financing programs of the National Tourism Organization of Montenegro (20%). It is a fee for using the amenities of resort towns, from clean beaches to the operation of information centers.
Who pays and who is exempt
The tax payment rules are clearly regulated and provide exemptions for certain categories of visitors.
- Standard rule: The tax is paid for each person for every day of stay in the country.
- Full exemption (0% rate): The following are fully exempt from paying the tax: Children under 12 years of age. Persons with severe disabilities (sensory and physical impairments). Property owners in Montenegro and members of their immediate family (father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister). To receive the exemption, it is necessary to present a document confirming ownership (list nepokretnosti). Persons in the country on official humanitarian missions or sent for spa treatment by a medical commission’s decision. Persons continuously staying in one registered accommodation facility for more than 30 days.
- Reduced rate (50%): Teenagers aged 12 to 18 pay 50% of the standard tax rate.
Tax rates by municipality
The amount of the tourist tax is set independently by each municipality, so it may vary depending on the region. In the most popular tourist areas, the rate is usually the maximum.
Table 1: Tourist tax rates by municipality for 2025
Note: Rates may change slightly. It is recommended to check the current information at the local tourist office upon arrival.
Registration process (Prijava Boravka): Step-by-step guide for independent travelers
The key rule to remember is that registration must be completed within 24 hours of crossing the border into Montenegro. If you arrive on a weekend or public holiday when offices are closed, the deadline is extended to the first following working day, but you should not delay the procedure.
Procedure for self-registration (if the host does not do it)
This algorithm is intended for tourists staying in private accommodation (apartments, villas, friends’ houses), where the host does not take on the registration obligation.
- Step 1: Collect information from the host. This is the first and most important stage, without which further actions are impossible. You need to obtain from the property owner (or friend/relative) the following details: Full name (Ime i prezime). Personal identification number (JMBG or Matični broj). Property registration document (List Nepokretnosti) Exact address of the accommodation. Contact phone number. It is strongly recommended to ask the host to write these details down on paper and to take a scan of the passport or another identity document to avoid mistakes when passing the information to the staff member.
- Step 2: Registration at the tourist organization. Entering your data into the unified state system. With passports and documents from the host, go to the local tourist office (Turistička organizacija) or, in rare cases, to a police station. Hand the employee the documents and your host’s details obtained in Step 1. The employee will enter the information into the system, which will take only a few minutes. Next, the employee will calculate the total amount to be paid. Often you can pay on the spot (at the tourist office), but sometimes you will need to go to a bank or find the nearest post office (look for the yellow sign with the word “Pošta”). Upon completion, you will be issued a registration confirmation. This paper must be kept together with your passport until the moment you leave Montenegro, as border officers have the right to request it.
Mobile apps for property owners
It is worth noting that the country is experiencing a gradual but uneven transition to digital technologies. In some municipalities, such as Tivat and Kotor, for property owners mobile apps are already available “Lotos Turist” and “eBoravak”, allowing guests to be registered online.
Important: to register in the system, you need to contact a travel agency, where you will be registered and given a user account with a temporary password. The whole procedure will take only a few minutes. Then you need to log in with the temporary password and change it to your own.
However, this system is not nationwide. The convenience available in one city may be absent in the next. This means that a tourist cannot rely on digital registration being available everywhere. The most reliable strategy remains being prepared to go through the standard manual procedure via the post office and tourist bureau.
Registration depending on the type of accommodation: who must do what and when
Registration responsibilities are distributed differently depending on where you are staying. Understanding this difference is key to avoiding misunderstandings and fines.
Hotels, resorts, and package tours
This is the simplest scenario for a tourist. By law, the hotel, tour operator, or any other officially registered accommodation provider must register you within 12 hours of check-in. Usually, your passport is taken briefly at the reception desk for this purpose. In such cases, the tourist tax is often already included in the accommodation price under the item “local taxes.” Your role is minimal: provide your passport and, for your own peace of mind, verbally confirm with the receptionist that the registration will be completed.
Private apartments and villas (Airbnb, Booking.com)
This is where the so-called “paradox of responsibility” arises, which is the main cause of problems for independent tourists. The law requires the property owner to register their guests, but full responsibility for the lack of registration, including payment of the fine, falls on the tourist.
Proactive communication strategy:
- When booking or checking in ask the host a direct question: “Will you handle our registration and payment of the tourist tax?”
- If the answer is “Yes”: great. After the procedure is completed, ask for a copy of the receipt or a photo of the slip as confirmation. Most responsible landlords, especially in the segment of accommodation costing from 60 euros per day, do this by default.
- If the answer is “No” or “Do it yourself”: immediately proceed to the self-registration algorithm described above. The property owner is still required to provide you with all their details for filling out the forms.
In this situation, the tourist has a hidden but powerful lever of influence. There is a huge difference in the size of the fines: the tourist faces a fine of 60–240 euros, while the dishonest landlord faces 500 to 3000 euros, and in some cases up to 3900 euros.
Owners who avoid registering guests usually do so to conceal income from taxation. Knowing this changes the balance of power. If the host refuses to provide their details, it is enough to politely but firmly mention the “Municipal Police” (Komunalna policija) and the potential consequences for them.
You can use the following phrase: “By law, you are required to provide me with your details for registration. If you refuse, I will be forced to contact the municipal police (Komunalna policija), as I do not want to receive a fine upon departure. As I understand it, the fine for property owners is from 500 euros.” In the vast majority of cases, this immediately solves the problem.
Staying with friends or relatives
This case is treated the same as staying in private apartments where the host does not handle registration. Responsibility lies entirely with you. You must go through the self-registration procedure, where your friend or relative acts as the “host” and must provide their personal details.
Property owners
If you are the owner of property in Montenegro, you are still required to register your stay within 24 hours. However, you and members of your immediate family (spouse, children, parents, siblings) are exempt from paying the tourist tax. To do this, when registering at the tourist office, you must present a document proving ownership (list nepokretnosti) and an identity document (for you or members of your immediate family).
Table 2: Registration by type of accommodation: Who is responsible for what
Special cases: registration on the move
For travelers who do not stay in one place, there are special registration rules.
Arrival by yacht
Yacht owners must go through the registration procedure at one of the official ports of entry (Bar, Zelenika, Tivat, Kotor). First, you need to purchase a cruising vignette (vignette), the cost of which depends on the vessel’s length and the duration of stay. After that, within 24 hours, tourist tax must be paid for all persons on board without exception. Payment is made according to the standard scheme — at a bank, post office, or tourist office.
Traveling by motorhome/camper
When staying at an officially registered campsite, its administration takes on the responsibility of registering guests, just like a hotel. If, however, you practice “wild camping,” which is officially prohibited in Montenegro but in practice is often tolerated in remote areas, you are considered an independent traveler. In this case, you must complete the registration procedure yourself in the nearest settlement, indicating the place where you are parked.
Trips to several cities
This is one of the most common sources of violations. A single registration upon arrival in the country does not apply throughout its entire territory. The law requires the procedure to be repeated in each new municipality where you plan to stay for more than 24 hours. For example, registration in Budva will not be valid for a subsequent stay in Kotor.
Fines and how to avoid them
Failure to comply with the registration requirement entails financial penalties. Checks are most likely when leaving the country at the airport or at a land border.
Penalties for tourists
The fine for failing to register as a tourist ranges from 60 to 600 euros. In practice, the most common fine is in the range of 60–240 euros, often 200 euros. If the violation is discovered at departure, you will have to pay the fine on the spot, which may cause you to miss your flight and experience significant stress. If you are stopped, it is recommended to remain polite, admit the oversight (for example, by citing ignorance), and express your willingness to pay the fine immediately. Such behavior increases the likelihood of receiving the minimum fine of 60 euros.
Penalties for property owners
As already mentioned, landlords who do not register their guests face much harsher fines — from 500 to 3000 euros.
It is important to understand why in 2025 the authorities of Montenegro are paying increased attention to this issue. It is linked to a broader economic context. The government is actively looking for ways to replenish the state budget and fight the shadow economy. Tourism, which accounts for about 30% of the country’s GDP, is a key sector in these efforts. In 2025, decisive steps were taken: VAT on hotel services was increased by more than double — from 7% to 15%. At the same time, the state is trying to combat the huge “black market” of private rentals, which is estimated to cost the budget around 86 million euros annually.
In this scheme, the tourist registration system is not just a way to collect 1 euro per day. It is the main instrument of state control over the rental market. Each registration is an official confirmation that a specific property was rented out and generated income. Thus, the government receives data to identify undeclared income. This means that in 2025 the authorities have a strong incentive to tighten enforcement of registration rules. Tourists should expect more thorough checks at the border, and excuses like “we didn’t know” are likely to be accepted less often.
Your checklist for peace of mind in Montenegro
Complying with the rules for registration and payment of the tourist tax in Montenegro is a simple procedure that guarantees no legal problems and allows you to fully focus on your holiday.
Quick checklist for every traveler:
- Within 24 hours of arrival: find out who is registering you — you or the host (hotel, apartment owner).
- If you are registering yourself: get the host’s full details → find the tourist organization office nearest to you (Turistička organizacija) → complete the registration and pay the tourist tax.
- If the host is registering: ask for and keep a copy of the receipt or a photo of the slip as confirmation.
- Always keep the registration confirmation together with your passport until the moment you leave the country.
The trend toward digitalization of the process will continue, so before traveling it would be a good idea to check the website of the tourist organization of the city you are heading to for updates. By following these simple steps, you will be able to confidently complete all formalities and fully enjoy the incredible beauty and hospitality of Montenegro.