Croatia HR
EASA rules apply, but Croatia requires an airspace reservation before every flight (via the AMC Portal app or a 7-day-advance paper request), treats any photo/video capture - even unpaid, recreational - as 'aerial work' needing a separate permit from the State Geodetic Administration, and bans drones outright in national parks and Dubrovnik's Old Town.
Your plan
Choose your home country (top right) to see steps tailored to you.
1 thing to sort out before you fly
- Register your drone in Croatia
A small administrative fee has historically been charged (older sources cite 20 HRK, roughly EUR 2.7, from before Croatia's 2023 euro changeover); the current EUR-denominated fee is not confirmed, so treat the amount as unknown until checked on the CCAA site. Allow about 7 days before your trip.
Open official page - Remote ID may apply
Direct Remote ID is required for C1, C2 and C3 class drones and in some geographical zones.
- Bringing your drone in
EU traveller allowance: goods up to €430 (air/sea) or €300 (land) from outside the EU are duty- and VAT-free; above that, import VAT (25%) and possibly duty apply. Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares).
- Before each flight
Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight · Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people · An airspace reservation is required before every flight, made through the AMC Portal Mobile app (fast) or a paper application (needs 7 days' advance notice)
Open official page
Flying
- Max 120 m above ground, always in visual line of sight
- Never fly over crowds or assemblies of people
- An airspace reservation is required before every flight, made through the AMC Portal Mobile app (fast) or a paper application (needs 7 days' advance notice)
- Taking aerial photos or video counts as 'aerial work' even if recreational and unpaid, and requires separate permission from the State Geodetic Administration (SGA) - since most tourist drone flying is for photos/video, this makes a permit necessary in practice for typical visitor use
- National parks (e.g. Plitvice Lakes, Krka) ban recreational drone flights outright; special permits are issued mainly for commercial filming with advance applications and fees
- Dubrovnik's Old Town is a no-fly zone for recreational drones due to its heritage-protection status and high pedestrian density
- Non-EU operators need aviation liability insurance unless flying purely recreationally with a drone under 20 kg
Commercial use: Aerial filming/photography is always treated as aerial work requiring an SGA permit, on top of any Specific-category authorisation the operation itself needs under EASA rules.
Official airspace mapRegistration & classes
| Registration | Yes (from 250 g or camera) A small administrative fee has historically been charged (older sources cite 20 HRK, roughly EUR 2.7, from before Croatia's 2023 euro changeover); the current EUR-denominated fee is not confirmed, so treat the amount as unknown until checked on the CCAA site. |
|---|---|
| Pilot test | Yes (online, from 250 g) EU A1/A3 online certificate. Standard EASA A1/A3 online training and exam; separate fee (if any) not confirmed for Croatia. |
| Remote ID | Some classes Direct Remote ID is required for C1, C2 and C3 class drones and in some geographical zones. |
| Insurance | Depends (min. 750,000 SDR (for operators where insurance is required)) Not required for EU-registered recreational operators flying drones under 20 kg. Required for non-EU operators (unless flying purely recreationally under 20 kg) and for aerial-work/commercial operations, with minimum third-party cover of 750,000 SDR. |
| Foreign registration accepted | Depends EU/EASA citizens: home-country operator registration and remote pilot certificate are valid in Croatia, no extra registration needed. Non-EU citizens must register as a UAS operator in the first EU member state where they intend to fly; if that's Croatia, registration is done directly with the CCAA. Every visitor still needs a per-flight airspace reservation via the AMC Portal app (fast) or a paper request (7 days ahead), plus an SGA permit for any photo/video capture. |
Import & export
- EU traveller allowance: goods up to €430 (air/sea) or €300 (land) from outside the EU are duty- and VAT-free; above that, import VAT (25%) and possibly duty apply.
- CE marking required for sale in the EU/Croatia.
- Batteries: Carry-on only. Up to 100 Wh freely; 100-160 Wh with airline approval (max 2 spares).
- No customs within the EU single market.
- Duty rate on drones imported from outside the EU depends on the TARIC tariff code; not separately confirmed for Croatia.
Export
- EU dual-use export controls apply to professional drones with long range, autonomy or heavy payload capacity.
Costs
| Operator registration | Unknown Validity: Set nationally |
|---|---|
| EU A1/A3 online certificate | Unknown |
| Import taxes | ? % duty + 25 % VAT Usually only for drones you buy abroad and bring in to keep. |
Guides
Start flying in Croatia Residents
- Register as an operator
Register with the CCAA online. Open
- Pass the A1/A3 test
Standard EASA online training and exam, valid across the EASA area for 5 years.
- Apply for an SGA permit before filming
Any photo or video capture, even recreational, counts as aerial work and needs permission from the State Geodetic Administration. Open
- Reserve airspace for every flight
Use the AMC Portal Mobile app for a fast reservation, or submit a paper request at least 7 days ahead. Open
- Avoid national parks and Dubrovnik Old Town
These are no-fly zones for recreational drones; special permits are rarely granted outside commercial filming.
Sources
- EASA – Civil drones (Open category) · accessed 23 Sept 2026
- CCAA - Flying a drone in Croatia as a temporary visitor / non-citizen · accessed 24 Sept 2026
How the score is built
- Operator registration−10
- Pilot test (online)−10
- Remote ID−4
- Mandatory insurance−3
- Visitors need a flight permit−20
- Visitors must register locally−5
- Duty + VAT ≈ 30 %−18
Every score starts at 100 and loses points for each requirement. How scoring works