Driving license
A Brief Guide to Getting a Category A License in Montenegro from Scratch
Note: Everything was done in Bar, so I don't have information about other cities.
0. Medical Exam. I did mine in a building opposite Café Malina, where there’s a medical clinic. On the second floor (our floor), go to the end of the corridor and tell the receptionist, "Треба ми медична потврда за возачку дозволу категорија А и В" ("I need a medical certificate for a Category A and B driver's license"). It costs €30 for one certificate that covers both categories. You’ll wait in line, have a conversation with the doctor, then go down to the ground floor to see an ophthalmologist. Once you’re done, you'll get your certificate, and you can move on to the next step.
1. Driving School. I "studied" at the Stefan Driving School, because, as rumors have it, Stefan is the only instructor in Bar who speaks English. His English isn’t perfect, but it works. You go to the school, say you want to study for Category A. Depending on your age, you can either take the full course or start with A2 (motorcycles up to 35 kW/47 hp). I'm older and not in the best shape, so I went straight for the full category. The difference is which bike you’ll use for the exam—either a 125cc or a 500cc, though on the exam, they might give you any bike. The course costs €230, of which €30 goes toward the first attempt at the theory test. No need to bring your own rakija (seriously, Stefan’s dad offered me some at our first meeting; he’s a sweetheart).
2. Theory Test. The traffic rules are very similar to those in Russia, which I know well, so I didn’t have any problems. Even if you’re not familiar with the rules, they'll give you almost all the exam questions with answers. You can memorize them, but there are some mistakes in the answers, so you’ll only score the minimum passing grade. You can prepare in just a couple of days, and if you fail, you can retake it endlessly, paying €30 per attempt. The test can be taken in English.
3. Practical Test. After passing the theory test, you can start riding. There’s no mandatory number of hours (no one cares, really), so if you’re confident, you can take the exam right away. Nobody will really teach you how to ride; on my first day, Stefan just said, "You watched everything on YouTube, right? Here’s the bike, go ahead." The exam has two parts: a skills test (on the course) and a road test (in the city). The course includes a slalom, ramp, riding between lines with a stop at the end, and a figure eight. In the road test, you’ll follow a set route with an instructor following in a car. If you stall the bike more than once on the course or in the city, you fail. So, practice your clutch control early!
4. The Exam. All categories take their tests early in the morning, so be patient—this will take a while. Everyone gathers at the course, and one by one, you make your attempt. After lunch, you meet in the city center and do the road test, again one by one. If you pass the course but fail the road test, next time you only need to retake the course.
5. Time Frame. As I mentioned, there are almost no strict time limits, so in theory, you can complete everything quickly. However, if you're in a hurry, plan your practical exam for a convenient time of year. I took mine in winter, so many training sessions were canceled due to rain (even if it seemed light to me). It took me exactly three months from the day I started at the driving school to the day I got my license. But it could definitely be done faster.
6. Paperwork. At the driving school, they’ll ask for your residency permit (you need this, no exceptions) and your medical certificate. After you pass the exams, you’ll get a certificate, which you take to the local MUP office (police station), get your photo taken, pay a fee (I don’t remember how much), and about a month later, you can pick up your new driver’s license. After that, you can confidently buy a bike. I bought a new one at a dealership, and they handled the insurance and sent all the documents to the MUP. The next day, I got stopped by the police, who asked where my license plates were, but they let me go without trouble, so you can drive right away. About a month later, I picked up my plates and registration.
7. Conclusion. In my opinion, getting a license in Montenegro is not just easy—it’s very easy. I hope my story helps you!