Driving with a foreign licence: Albanian road code Article 133
Article 133 sets out when a driver with a licence issued by another country may drive in Albania, when an official translation is required, and the fine for breaking these rules.
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Who may drive with a foreign licence
Under paragraph 1, drivers holding a driving licence or an international driving licence issued by a foreign state may drive in Albania the vehicles for which that licence is valid, provided they have not been resident in Albania for more than one year.
When a translation is required
If the foreign or international licence does not match the models set in international agreements to which Albania is a party, it must be accompanied by an official translation into Albanian or an equivalent document (paragraph 2). Special international agreements may provide exceptions.
Professional competence certificates
If the issuing country also requires a professional competence certificate or other proof of competence for driving certain vehicles, the driver must hold those documents, issued by that country’s competent authority (paragraph 3).
The fine in paragraph 4
Breaking paragraph 2, or driving without the professional competence certificate where one is required, is fined 10,000 to 40,000 lek. The amount is taken from the published Code text; check the exact amount to pay in the official payment channel before paying.
Same rules as local drivers
Paragraph 5 requires drivers with foreign licences to follow all rules of the Code, and the measures provided for holders of Albanian licences apply to them.
Fines under this article
| 133 §4 | 10,000 ALL to 40,000 ALLText of the Code (Albanian)Cilido që shkel dispozitat e pikës 2 ose që drejton mjetin e pajisur me lejedrejtimi, por jo me certifikatën e aftësisë profesionale, kur kjo parashikohet, ndëshkohet me masën administrative me gjobë nga dhjetë mijë deri në dyzet mijë lekë. |
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Source
Consolidated text of the Albanian Road Code (Law 8378/1998 as amended up to Law 58/2026), p. 86. Reference information, not legal advice.
The place, article and other details of a specific fine are available in the Telegram bot.
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Frequently asked questions
Can tourists drive in Albania with a foreign licence?
Paragraph 1 allows driving vehicles for which the licence is valid, provided the driver has not been resident in Albania for more than one year. If the licence does not match the international models, an official Albanian translation or equivalent document is needed (paragraph 2).
What is the fine for driving without the required translation?
Breaking paragraph 2 is fined 10,000 to 40,000 lek (paragraph 4). Check the exact amount in the official payment channel.
Do the same rules and measures apply to foreign drivers?
Yes. Under paragraph 5, drivers with foreign licences must follow all rules of the Code, and the measures provided for holders of Albanian licences apply to them.
What does “133 §4” on a fine mean?
It means Article 133, paragraph 4 of the Albanian road code. You can check active unpaid fines for a plate for free on the Gjoba Alert home page. This page is reference information, not legal advice, and the Code may change.