Car rental regulations in Serbia

Car Rental Law in Serbia – Rent a Car Regulations

Car rental services in Serbia are regulated by the Tourism Law of the Republic of Serbia, which sets out the rules and requirements for renting motor vehicles without a driver – commonly known as rent-a-car.

The provisions directly relating to motor vehicle rental are primarily contained in Articles 103–111 of the Tourism Law.

Serbian rent a car regulations have changed over the years, which is why some older information available online may no longer reflect the current legal framework.

This NEVIAN guide provides an overview of the most important rules applicable to car rental in Serbia, the requirements that a rent a car company must meet and some of the basic rights of customers renting a vehicle.

What is considered a rent a car service in Serbia?

Under the Serbian Tourism Law, motor vehicle rental means the rental of category A and B motor vehicles without a driver – rent-a-car.

Car rental is therefore a regulated business activity.

A company, other legal entity or entrepreneur may provide this service if appropriately registered.

Where the activity is performed outside the provider's registered head office, additional registration requirements may apply to the branch or separate place of business.

How many vehicles must a rent a car company have in Serbia?

One important requirement under Serbian car rental law concerns fleet size.

A provider of rent a car services must have at least five registered category B motor vehicles.

Older information found online may state that three vehicles were sufficient. That requirement originates from an earlier legal framework.

Under the current Tourism Law, the minimum requirement is five registered category B vehicles.

How old can a rental car be in Serbia?

Serbian law also limits the age of vehicles used for rent a car services.

A motor vehicle used for this activity may not be more than five years old, calculated from the date of its first registration.

This requirement is particularly relevant when considering whether a company is operating within the regulatory framework applicable to car rental services in Serbia.

Obligations of a rent a car company in Serbia

Serbian law establishes a number of obligations for providers of car rental services.

Among other things, a rent a car provider is required to:

• be entered in the Tourism Register;
• display the required company and business information;
• establish general terms and conditions;
• make the general terms and conditions available to customers;
• comply with its published terms and conditions;
• issue a confirmation or conclude a rental agreement for the contracted service;
• display prices and comply with the published prices;
• issue the prescribed receipt or invoice for the service;
• present its offer to customers in a truthful, clear, understandable and non-misleading way;
• maintain records of motor vehicles;
• maintain records of rental services provided;
• allow customers to submit complaints;
• retain the required documentation;
• conduct its business with due professional care.

The law also requires a visible “rent a car” marking on vehicles used for this activity.

Car rental agreement in Serbia

The rental agreement is one of the most important documents for both the customer and the car rental company.

For each contracted vehicle rental service, the provider must issue a confirmation or conclude a rental agreement.

The document includes relevant information relating to the service provider and customer as well as information concerning the rental itself, such as the vehicle, rental period and price.

Before collecting a rental vehicle, customers should carefully review the rental agreement and the company's Terms and Conditions.

General terms and conditions for car rental

The general terms and conditions are an important part of a car rental agreement.

Under Serbian regulations, they cover important matters such as:

• conditions and procedure for renting a vehicle;
• payment method;
• cancellation conditions;
• complaint procedure and deadlines;
• other important elements of the rental service.

Before booking a vehicle, customers should check not only the daily rental price but also any conditions relating to the security deposit, insurance or protection package, vehicle collection and return, fuel, additional drivers, cross-border travel and other requirements relevant to their particular rental.

Car rental prices and invoices

A rent a car company is required to display the prices of its services and comply with the published prices.

The provider must also issue the required receipt or invoice for the service supplied.

Information presented to customers should be truthful, clear, understandable and non-misleading, including information about the type of service, how it is provided and the stated price.

For this reason, when comparing car rental offers in Serbia, customers should look beyond the basic daily rate.

It is important to check what is included in the rental price, the applicable protection or insurance package, whether a security deposit is required and whether additional charges apply to optional services.

Insurance and protection options

A car rental provider may offer customers different forms of insurance.

Where additional insurance is offered, the customer should receive information about the applicable conditions and price.

Before renting a vehicle, customers should also check what their selected protection package covers, whether an excess or customer liability applies and whether certain types of damage are excluded from the selected coverage.

NEVIAN customers can review the available protection options and applicable rental conditions during the booking process.

Records of rental vehicles and rental services

Rent a car providers in Serbia are required to maintain records of their vehicles and rental services.

Vehicle records include prescribed information such as the type or model of vehicle, registration number, year of manufacture, date of first registration and the legal basis on which the provider has the vehicle available for rental.

Records of provided services also include the information required to identify the relevant customer and rental period.

These records form part of the regulatory framework governing professional car rental businesses in Serbia.

Customer complaints

Customers must be given an opportunity to submit a complaint regarding the service.

The complaint procedure is also subject to Serbian consumer protection regulations and the applicable terms and conditions of the rental company.

Customers should therefore keep their rental agreement, invoice or receipt and other relevant rental documentation.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes and represents an overview of regulations relevant to car rental activities in Serbia. The current legislation and competent authorities of the Republic of Serbia remain authoritative for the official interpretation and application of the law.