🇱🇹 Country guide · updated 2026-09
Drone laws in Lithuania
Lithuania has the most extensive standing airspace restrictions of the three Baltic states, and our page had reduced them to a phrase.
At a glance
- Registration
- €10
- Registration portal
- TKA certification platform
- Maximum height
- 120 m above ground level in the Open category.
- Insurance
- Not required by national law
Lithuania has the most extensive standing airspace restrictions of the three Baltic states, and our page had reduced them to a phrase. Since October 2025, after balloons and drones from Belarus repeatedly closed Vilnius airport, the government has kept 26 restricted zones in force nationwide, twelve of them along the Belarusian border, where flying is prohibited except under procedures set by the Chief of Defence and force may be used against unmanned aircraft. They were due to lapse in July 2026 and were extended to 1 January 2027. Underneath that sits a permanent rule: a border zone four nautical miles deep along Russia and Belarus where drones do not fly. Registration itself is simple — ten euros, once — and Lithuania does publish and collect fines.
Country-specific decision path
Before you choose a launch point in Lithuania
- Confirm your operator paperwork Registration required — €10. In the EU. One EU/EEA operator registration covers this country. Open TKA certification platform
- Check the exact route on the official map Lithuania Drone Map is the national starting point; read every condition covering the complete route, not only the launch pin. Open Lithuania Drone Map
- Apply the local layer EU registrations valid. Review the Lithuania zone and nature checks
Registration in Lithuania
Lithuania fully implements EU Regulations 2019/947 and 2019/945. Registration managed by TCA Lithuania.
The agency's FAQ gives the price as €10 and describes it as a one-off: an operator registers once and receives one number. Registration certificates issued in other EU countries are valid in Lithuania.
What it costs: €10 — Ongoing.
In the EU. One EU/EEA operator registration covers this country.
How to register
- If you hold an EU or EEA operator registration, it is valid in Lithuania — do not register again
- Otherwise register at sertifikatai.tka.lt for €10, once
- Take the A1/A3 online training and test if your drone needs it
- Open the drone map at utm.ans.lt before you fly, and check the 26 restricted zones in force until January 2027
- For the airport zones at Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga, apply through the UTM system by noon on the working day before
You register as an operator — not the drone. Registration is required from 250 g, or below 250 g if the drone can transfer more than 80 J of energy, or if it carries a sensor able to capture personal data. CE-marked toys are exempt. Put your operator number on every drone you fly and set it in Remote ID.
Flight rules
- Maximum height
- 120 m above ground level in the Open category.
- Line of sight
- Visual line of sight required.
- Weight classes
- Standard EU weight classifications.
- Night flying
- Night flying is allowed in the Open category. A drone with a class mark must show a flashing green light so it stays visible. You still have to keep it in sight, which is harder after dark, and national geographical zones apply exactly as they do in daylight.
- Weather
- Good weather required.
Class marks C0–C6 have been mandatory since 1 January 2024. The transition period is over: a drone without a class mark may only be flown in A1 (under 250 g) or A3 (under 25 kg).
Where you may not fly
There is no single EU-wide distance from airports. Each country publishes its own UAS geographical zones, so check the national map or app before every flight.
Airports and controlled airspace
Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga have restricted zones — URVI, URKA and URPA — where flying is possible with the airport operator's coordination, applied for through the UTM system by noon on the working day before. Vilnius airport was closed repeatedly in October 2025 by balloons and drones from Belarus, and enforcement in its zone is real.
Towns and cities
The national rules define prohibited zones over critical infrastructure, strategic enterprises, schools, hospitals, state institutions and foreign embassies. They name categories, not places. We previously said Vilnius Old Town «may have restrictions»; no official source names it, so check the drone map for the spot rather than assuming the Old Town is a zone.
Protected nature
The Curonian Spit is not a ban but a permission: the national park's rules require the directorate's prior approval for drone flights, assessed for wildlife impact, with built-up areas and homesteads exempt. Ornithological reserves are a named category of prohibited zone in the national rules. We could not confirm a drone rule for Dzūkija by name and do not claim one.
Government and military sites
Government buildings in Vilnius and foreign embassies are prohibited-zone categories in the national rules. Military zones are designated EYURM, danger zones EYD.
Border and military restricted areas
Two layers apply. The permanent one is a border zone extending four nautical miles into Lithuania from the borders with Russia and Belarus, stated in the agency's own FAQ.
The second layer dates from October 2025. That month balloons and drones from Belarus forced Vilnius airport to close six times, once for more than eight hours, and the government responded by establishing 26 restricted zones across the country, twelve of them along the Belarusian border. In these zones flying is prohibited except under procedures authorised by the Chief of Defence, and the use of force against unmanned aircraft is authorised. The zones were due to expire on 1 July 2026 and were extended by the government to 1 January 2027, citing continued hybrid attacks and a drone alert in May 2026.
That makes this a standing legal restriction in force as you read this, not a past incident, and it is the most important thing on this page for anyone heading east or south-east. The zones are on the drone map at utm.ans.lt; check them there, not from any list.
Other restrictions in Lithuania
- A permanent border zone four nautical miles — about 7.4 km — deep runs along the borders with Russia and Belarus
- 26 restricted zones nationwide since October 2025, twelve along the Belarusian border, in force until 1 January 2027 — see below
- We previously listed Trakai Castle and the Hill of Crosses as restricted. No official source names either, and we have removed them
Insurance
Lithuania requires insurance only above 20 kg. The agency's FAQ: «it is mandatory to insure an unmanned aircraft if the maximum take-off weight with cargo is more than 20 kg». The Administrative Offences Code fines uninsured operation, which confirms the duty exists at that threshold. We found no national requirement below it.
Penalties
Article 393 of the Administrative Offences Code sets brackets for drone offences: €400–800 for zone breaches, €500–1,000 for general UAS rule breaches rising to €1,000–1,500 on repeat, €100–300 for registration failures, and €750–1,500 for flying uninsured, with confiscation possible for repeat offenders. We read the code through a legal database rather than the gazette itself, and one bracket is confirmed by a real case the authority published; treat the others as the code's current reading rather than something we have seen enforced.
| Breach | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Flying in breach of a geographical zone | €400 to €800 | Article 393 of the Administrative Offences Code. In September 2025 a pilot who exceeded the approved height in Vilnius airport's zone URVI12 was fined €200, reduced from this bracket — the transport safety administration published the case. |
Whatever the amount, the pattern across Europe is the same: paperwork failures are handled administratively, while flying near aircraft, over crowds, or inside a protected zone is what turns a case into a prosecution.
Visiting Lithuania with a drone
EU registrations valid. Lithuania offers good value and unique landscapes. The Curonian Spit is a must-see but has restrictions. Vilnius is charming but has airport restrictions.
Commercial work
Specific-category authorisations go through the agency. We did not find a published fee schedule.
Location planning
These are well-known photographic subjects to research, not recommended launch points or proof that a flight is allowed. Check the exact route against official airspace, nature, land-manager and people restrictions.
- Curonian Spit dunes (check National Park restrictions)
- Trakai Lake region
- Aukštaitija National Park lakes
- Nemunas River valley
- Žemaitija highlands
- Vilnius outskirts and Neris River
Apps and official maps
- Lithuania Drone Map (utm.ans.lt/avm) — published by Oro navigacija, the Lithuanian air navigation provider
- sertifikatai.tka.lt — the transport competence agency's registration and remote pilot examination platform
Practical tips
- 26 restricted zones, twelve along the Belarusian border, are in force until 1 January 2027 with force authorised against drones. Check the map before heading east
- A permanent border zone of four nautical miles runs along Russia and Belarus
- Registration is €10, once, at sertifikatai.tka.lt — or not at all if you already hold an EU number
- No insurance duty below 20 kg
- Fines are real: €400–800 for a zone breach, and the authority publishes cases
- The Curonian Spit needs the park directorate's approval, not a blanket no
- Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga airport zones can be flown with coordination applied for by noon the day before
Questions about flying in Lithuania
Do I need to register to fly a drone in Lithuania?
Registration required — €10. In the EU. One EU/EEA operator registration covers this country.
How high can I fly in Lithuania?
120 m above ground level in the Open category.
Do I need drone insurance in Lithuania?
Lithuania requires insurance only above 20 kg. The agency's FAQ: «it is mandatory to insure an unmanned aircraft if the maximum take-off weight with cargo is more than 20 kg». The Administrative Offences Code fines uninsured operation, which confirms the duty exists at that threshold. We found no national requirement below it.
Can I fly a drone at night in Lithuania?
Night flying is allowed in the Open category. A drone with a class mark must show a flashing green light so it stays visible. You still have to keep it in sight, which is harder after dark, and national geographical zones apply exactly as they do in daylight.
What are the penalties for breaking drone rules in Lithuania?
Article 393 of the Administrative Offences Code sets brackets for drone offences: €400–800 for zone breaches, €500–1,000 for general UAS rule breaches rising to €1,000–1,500 on repeat, €100–300 for registration failures, and €750–1,500 for flying uninsured, with confiscation possible for repeat offenders. We read the code through a legal database rather than the gazette itself, and one bracket is confirmed by a real case the authority published; treat the others as the code's current reading rather than something we have seen enforced.
Official sources
Primary sources used for this guide, checked September 2026. Open the live national source again before flying; geographical zones and temporary restrictions can change between reviews.
- National authority TCA Lithuania (Transport Competence Agency) — official drone information
- Registration TKA certification platform
- Official zones and map Lithuania Drone Map — Oro navigacija
- European framework Regulation (EU) 2019/947 — rules and procedures for operating unmanned aircraft
- Official maps directory EASA — national aviation authorities and geographical-zone sources
Rules change, and national authorities publish the current position. Before you fly, check TCA Lithuania (Transport Competence Agency) — it is linked at the top of this page too.