Croatian parking claim from a lawyer or collection agency: real? why so much?
Last checked 14 November 2026. General information, not legal advice. Also in: Deutsch Polski
What these letters are
Many Croatian towns let companies run paid parking. If a ticket is not paid, the company hands it to a Croatian law firm or collection agency, which finds the keeper abroad and writes, sometimes years later. It is a civil claim, not a fine.
Why the amount is so high
The parking charge itself is about EUR 20. Lawyer fees, owner-lookup and translation costs push totals up to EUR 500 (ADAC). In a 2019 case a court in Pula allowed the parking charge (about EUR 17), a lawyer fee (about EUR 21) and a court fee (about EUR 14) but rejected about EUR 233 of lookup, translation and other costs; the County Court in Zagreb confirmed this.
Your options
- If you parked without paying: the parking charge is usually owed. Offer to pay it, in writing, and ask for confirmation that this settles the claim. ADAC suggests a settlement offer of about EUR 100 where costs were added.
- Already paid, not there, or more than 5 years since the parking day: dispute the claim in writing.
- Always ask for an itemised breakdown and proof (photo, ticket, signs).
Notary orders and court papers
The EU Court of Justice ruled (C-551/15 Pula Parking, 2017) that a Croatian notary's enforcement order is not a court decision and cannot be enforced in other EU countries as one. Real court papers or a European Payment Order are different: they have short deadlines. Get advice immediately (ADAC/ÖAMTC members, consumer advice).
Is it genuine?
Check that the law firm exists (look it up yourself), that a concrete creditor and ticket are named, and that payment goes to an account in the creditor's or firm's name. Check your letter free.
Sources
- ADAC, 30.04.2026 – Parkforderungen aus Kroatien:
https://www.adac.de/verkehr/recht/bussgeld-punkte/ausland/kroatien/ - CJEU C-551/15 Pula Parking (9 March 2017):
https://curia.europa.eu/juris/liste.jsf?num=C-551/15 - ÖAMTC – Parkforderungen aus Kroatien:
https://www.oeamtc.at/thema/parken/massenweise-parkforderungen-aus-kroatien-16184378