Transit of goods through Montenegro and the Port of Bar

Updated: 14 November 2026

Much of the cargo that arrives at the Port of Bar does not stay in Montenegro. It continues by truck or train to a buyer in another country. Such goods do not have to be cleared through customs in Montenegro. They travel in transit, under customs supervision, and customs duty and VAT are paid only in the country of destination. This guide sets out the sequence of steps and what needs to be prepared.

1. What transit is

Transit is a customs procedure in which foreign goods cross the territory of Montenegro without customs duty and VAT being paid in Montenegro. The goods travel under customs supervision, along a prescribed route and within a time limit set by customs, from the office of departure to the office of destination. Duties and taxes are calculated and paid in the country where the goods are released for free circulation.

During that time, customs must have security that the duties and taxes will be paid if the goods do not arrive. That is why a guarantee is provided for transit.

2. What changed on 1 November 2025

Since 1 November 2025, Montenegro has been a contracting party to the Convention on a common transit procedure and the Convention on the simplification of formalities in trade in goods. This means:

• One transit declaration is valid from Bar to the destination. Goods going, for example, to Serbia or to an EU Member State do not need a new transit declaration at every border.
• The declaration is lodged electronically, in NCTS (New Computerised Transit System), the same system used by the European Union, the EFTA countries, the United Kingdom, Serbia, North Macedonia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other contracting parties.
• Border crossings only check that the goods are passing in accordance with the declaration, without a new procedure.

For buyers in Serbia and the European Union, this means less paperwork and less waiting at the border, which makes the Port of Bar a simpler point of entry for their goods.

3. How transit from the Port of Bar works

1. The goods arrive at the port and remain under customs supervision while they wait to continue their journey.
2. A transit declaration is lodged in NCTS with the office of departure. For foreign goods this is the T1 procedure.
3. A guarantee is provided covering the duties and taxes for that consignment.
4. Customs accepts the declaration and assigns it a number (MRN). The goods are accompanied by a transit accompanying document bearing that number.
5. Customs sets a time limit and, where necessary, a route and affixes customs seals to the truck, container or wagon.
6. The goods travel to the office of destination in the buyer’s country and are presented there within the time limit.
7. The office of destination confirms arrival, the office of departure discharges the procedure, and the guarantee is released for subsequent consignments.

After that, the buyer clears the goods through customs in their own country, under its regulations.

4. Guarantee

• The guarantee covers the duties and taxes that would be payable if the goods stayed in Montenegro. It can be an individual guarantee, for a single consignment, or a comprehensive guarantee, for several consignments.
• Guarantees are managed electronically, in the Customs Administration’s “Garancije” (Guarantees) application.
• Companies that already hold a comprehensive guarantee for common transit in another country should add Montenegro to it (code “ME”) so that it is also valid for transit through Montenegro.
• The principal (holder of the procedure) is responsible for the transit. The principal must present the goods to the office of destination within the time limit and with the seals intact.

If you do not have your own guarantee, contact us before the goods arrive and we will agree on how to provide one.

5. Documents to prepare

• Commercial invoice and packing list: description of goods, quantity, value, number of packages, gross and net weight.
• Bill of Lading for the sea leg.
• Transport document for the onward journey: a CMR consignment note for road transport or a rail consignment note.
• Details of the consignee and the office of destination in the buyer’s country.
• Special permits where the goods require them, for example for controlled goods.

As with imports, the figures on the invoice, packing list and bill of lading must match. We check the documents before the ship arrives.

6. What if the transit does not go as it should

• If the goods do not arrive within the time limit, if the seals are damaged or if the goods are not presented to the office of destination, the procedure is not discharged.
• Customs in Montenegro may then establish a customs debt and recover it from the guarantee.
• That is why it is important for the carrier to know the time limit and the route and to report any delay, breakdown or accident on the way immediately.

7. Other countries, TIR and sanctions

• For countries that are not part of common transit, the procedure depends on the route and on that country’s regulations. For each such route we check the conditions before quoting.
• TIR carnet. Montenegro has been a party to the TIR Convention since 2006. The TIR carnet is used for road transport through several countries, including countries outside common transit.
• Sanctions. Goods subject to restrictive measures may not transit through Montenegro. For goods and parties from Russia, Belarus and other countries subject to measures, we screen the goods and all participants before transport, under the Montenegrin Law on Restrictive Measures (Official Gazette of Montenegro no. 119/24).

This text is for information only and is not legal advice. Rules change; for specific goods we always check the current regulations and tariff.