Foreign visitors must be registered during a stay in Montenegro. In ordinary hotels, guesthouses and private accommodation, the host is responsible for registering the visitor shortly after arrival. The traveller takes over only when the accommodation provider does not provide that service.
Turn check-in into a clear receipt
The host route is the ordinary route
A hotel, hostel or registered private host should collect the passport details needed for the stay record. Ask whether registration is complete rather than assuming that paying through a booking platform has completed the local process.
The self route is a real responsibility
If you are not using the provider's registration service, the official tourism instructions direct you to the local tourist organisation, police or competent local government within 24 hours. Do this early, while offices are open and the host can help with the address.
Moving municipality can restart the clock
Montenegro's guidance says a visitor staying in several municipalities must register in each municipality where the stay exceeds 24 hours. A coast-to-mountain itinerary can therefore create more than one registration moment.
The tourist charge is local, not mysterious
The nightly residence fee is set and administered locally, so the exact amount and exemptions can vary. Ask for the rate, number of chargeable nights and receipt instead of relying on an old national price quoted in a forum or blog.
Keep the proof until the trip is over
A receipt, host message or registration confirmation can settle a question much faster than a verbal memory. Store a photo with the booking details and keep the original paper with the passport until departure.