On a public beach in Montenegro half of the beach must stay free of sunbeds and parasols, so anyone can settle there with their own towel and parasol. On the other half one parasol with two sunbeds takes at least 8 m², and a free zone at least 3 metres wide must stay open along the sea. The entrance must show a board with the price list and the time until which sunbeds are charged, in Montenegrin and English. In July and August a beach must have at least one lifeguard for every 50 m of shoreline. Hotel beaches may put sunbeds on their entire surface. These rules come from the 2019 regulation on sea beaches.
This guide explains what a beach operator must provide, what the boards must show, how lifeguards work and which beach types exist.
How much of the beach must stay free?
| Rule | Public beach |
| Part of the beach without sunbeds and parasols | half the beach, measured along its length |
| Space for a parasol and two sunbeds | at least 8 m² |
| Free zone along the sea | at least 3 m, and at least 1 m on beaches up to 500 m² |
| Free access to the sea | at least 1 m wide, every 20 m |
- The free half is divided along the length of the beach by a line perpendicular to the shore, and the operator must mark it.
- On hotel beaches sunbeds may cover the entire surface, with at least 10 m² per parasol and two sunbeds, or 15 m² at five-star hotels.
- Canopies are allowed only on beaches at least 100 m long and larger than 1,000 m².
- Parasols and canopies must be beige, white or pastel, and advertising is allowed only on the edge or on the inside.
- The regulation does not set sunbed prices, but the price list must be displayed.
What must the boards show?
- The beach board lists the beach name and type, the operator, opening hours, the permitted number of sunbeds and parasols, the price list with the time until which furniture is charged and the free passage zone.
- The same board must list services on the beach, the phone numbers of the competent inspectorates and a link to sea water quality data.
- A second board sets out the beach rules, and a third shows lifeguard hours and what the flags mean.
- All boards must be in Montenegrin and English.
How do lifeguards work and what do the flags mean?
| Flag | Meaning |
| Green | swimming is safe |
| Yellow | swimming is restricted and may be dangerous |
| Red | swimming is forbidden or the lifeguard is not on duty |
- In July and August there must be at least one lifeguard for every 50 m of shoreline, and one for every 100 m in other months.
- The beach has one lifeguard tower every 100 m and one rescue boat every 200 m of shoreline.
- On the sea side the beach is marked by red and white buoys about 100 m from the shore, and boats may not move inside that area.
- On excursion beaches reached by boat, a board must warn that there is no organised lifeguard service.
What else must an organised beach have?
- A beach must have one toilet per 1,000 m², or a toilet in the operator's facility within 50 m.
- Bins must be placed every 10 m.
- Every 50 m of beach must have two showers and two changing cabins.
- The beach and the water area must be kept clean all year round.
Which beach types exist?
- Public beaches are family beaches, active holiday beaches, party beaches, romantic beaches, beaches without beach furniture, pet beaches, beaches with natural healing factors and excursion beaches.
- A dog beach must have rules of conduct, water bowls, dog showers and separate areas for dogs on and off the lead.
- On a beach without beach furniture no sunbeds or parasols may be set up.
- Naturist beaches have controlled entry, and a women's beach is open to women only.
- On beaches longer than 100 m sports can be organised on the shore and on the water, but without motor or jet-powered craft.
Sea water quality by town is explained in our guide to sea water quality, and Blue Flag beaches in our guide to the best beaches. Rules for dogs are covered in our guide to dogs in Montenegro, and the licence to skipper a boat in our guide to the boat licence. What the public coastal zone is and who may build in it is explained by RoNa Legal.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put my own towel on a beach with sunbeds? On a public beach half must stay free of sunbeds and parasols, so you can settle there with your own towel.
How much does a sunbed cost? The beach operator sets the price, but the price list showing until when sunbeds are charged must be displayed at the entrance.
How many lifeguards must a beach have? In July and August at least one for every 50 m of shoreline, and one for every 100 m in other months.
What does a red flag mean? A red flag means swimming is forbidden or the lifeguard is not on duty.
Must a hotel beach leave a free part? No, hotel beaches may put sunbeds on their entire surface, with at least 10 m² per parasol and two sunbeds.
Are there beaches for dogs? Yes, the regulation provides for special pet beaches with showers, water bowls and separate areas for dogs.
Sources
The rules are set by the Regulation on the detailed conditions for the equipment, types and use of sea beaches (Official Gazette 23/19, Articles 3 to 8 and Annex 1), with the December 2019 amendments (76/19) and the temporary 2020 addition, which applied until 30 November 2020. The organisation of beaches is also described by the public company Morsko dobro. The information was checked on 26 September 2026. Fijaka is a classifieds platform; report breaches on a beach to the inspectorate listed on the entrance board.