Living & Traveling in Slovenia

Driving & Auto Accidents

In an Emergency

If your car breaks down, call 1-987 for roadside assistance and towing.

In an Accident

If you are involved in an accident, call 113 for police and/or 112 for an ambulance or fire truck. Note that the police routinely conduct breathalyzer tests on all drivers involved in accidents, regardless of whom they suspect is at fault.

If major damage has occurred, do not move your vehicle. The police will wish to survey the accident scene as-is.

Obtain the name, contact information, and insurance information from the other driver(s) involved in the accident.

At the bottom of your mandatory Slovene liability insurance documents are a series of perforated coupons. If you give one of these coupons to another driver, then it is an admission of your liability and responsibility for the accident. The other driver can use the coupon to pay for vehicle repairs and medical treatment. Before giving or accepting one of these coupons, you should wait for the police to arrive and for the paperwork to be completed. As soon as practical, you should also inform your car insurance company.

Road Conditions and Road Rules

Slovenia has a well-developed road network that is safe for travel.  Highways connect to neighboring cities and countries and are clearly sign-posted. Traffic moves on the right; road signs and traffic rules are consistent with those used throughout Europe.

The speed limit is 50 kph/30 mph in urban areas, 130 kph/80 mph on expressways (the avtocesta). Motorists are required to have their headlights on during the daytime and drivers and passengers must wear seat belts, and both drivers and passengers on motorcycles must wear homologated helmets. The use of handheld cellular telephones while driving is prohibited in Slovenia. The maximum blood-alcohol limit permitted is 0.05. You may not turn right on a red light.

Visitors should be aware that some drivers in Slovenia can be quite aggressive, including speeding and tailgating. Slovene police strictly enforce traffic rules, and penalties can be quite high.

Driver's License

U.S. visitors to or residents in Slovenia must be in possession of both a valid U.S. driver’s license and an International Driver’s License if they wish to drive in Slovenia. This will allow them to drive for a maximum of one year. If you already have a driver's license from another European Union member state, then you do not need to obtain an international license in order to drive in Slovenia. 

A new resident of Slovenia may apply to exchange his/her American driver's license for a Slovene driver's license after being in the country for six months, up until he/she has been a resident for one year.  Under this procedure, the new resident must pass the practical driving exam and a medical exam. If successful, the new resident surrenders his/her U.S. driver's license to the Slovene authorities, who mail it to the Embassy. For further information, please contact us. 

If one year has already elapsed since the new resident's arrival in Slovenia, then he/she must also take the driver's education course and pass a driving theory exam.

To obtain an International Driver's License in the United States based on your U.S. license, contact your local office of the American Automobile Association.

To obtain an International Driver's License in Slovenia based on a Slovene license, contact the Automobile Association of Slovenia.

Car Insurance

Slovene third party liability insurance is mandatory for all vehicles. The annual fee for this insurance is based upon the power of the vehicle's engine as measured in kilowatts. There is often a discount available if you can provide a certificate from your previous insurance provider(s) confirming your continuous safe driving record for up to the previous ten years.

Mandatory Equipment

All vehicles must carry a European-standard first aid kit, a spare set of light bulbs, a relfectgive warning triangle in case of a break-down, and a European accident statement form (available from your car insurance company). We recommend that you also carry a blanket and shovel in your car during winter months.

From November 15 to March 15, Slovene law requires all vehicles to be equipped with snow tires, or all-season tires with a 4 mm tread profile, or snow chains.  Studded tires are prohibited at all times.

Newly-issued Slovene license plates include the EU-required "SLO" symbol indicating the country of the vehicle's registration. Drivers whose vehicles have older Slovene license plates that lack this symbol must affix a "SLO" sticker, available at any gas station, to the rear bumper. 

Parking in Ljubljana

Parking is difficult and can be expensive in the center of Ljubljana.   

Parking is available on some streets, marked as follows:

• Yellow spaces: reserved. Do not park there.
• Blue spaces: temporary parking, 30 minutes maximum. Write the time of your arrival on a slip of paper and leave it on the dashboard for the parking police to see. 
• White spaces: open parking. You can purchase parking cards from machines located in nearly every city block. A card is valid for one hour of parking and costs about $0.50. You may display more than one card on your dashboard at a time if you intend to park for more than one hour.