Plan
Drone rules: Latvia
Last checked: October 5, 2026
Required from 250 g or with a camera; your German operator ID is valid in Latvia.
In A1 and A2 you need liability insurance of at least 50,000 euros per claim; only drones under 250 g that also fly slower than 19 m/s are exempt. In A3 it is not required below 20 kg.
Depending on drone weight
- From 250 g· Insurance: Required in some casesFrom 250 g (or a maximum speed of 19 m/s or more) liability insurance is mandatory in A1 and A2, at least 50,000 euros per claim; no requirement in A3 below 20 kg.
- From 20 kg· Insurance: RequiredFrom 20 kg liability insurance is mandatory with the minimum amounts of EU Regulation 785/2004.
For tourists
If you fly in A1 or A2, you need liability insurance that covers flights in Latvia and reaches at least 50,000 euros per claim – have your insurer confirm this. You notify flights in UAS geographical zones in advance in the aviation authority's UASIS system; as an operator from the EEA or Switzerland you can also do this with a manually created account without a Latvian eID. In the east of the country there are repeated warnings and short-notice airspace closures because of foreign drones; check the zone map on airspace.lv before every flight.
Further rules
- In Latvia, you register as a drone operator via the online service of the civil aviation authority CAA (e.caa.gov.lv) – mandatory from 250 grams take-off weight or for any drone with a camera, regardless of weight.
- You only register once, in the EASA state where you live – the EASA area comprises the EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Your operator ID is then valid throughout the EASA area: if you are already registered in another EASA country, you don't need a second registration in Latvia. Only if you live outside the EASA area do you register in the EASA state where you first fly.
- In subcategories A1 and A2, Latvia requires liability insurance of at least 50,000 euros per claim – stricter than the basic EU rule. Only drones under 250 grams that also fly slower than 19 m/s are exempt. In A3 the requirement only applies from 20 kilograms, then with the minimum amounts of EU Regulation 785/2004; the same applies to the specific category.
- The minimum age for drone operators is 16.
- In the open category, the maximum flight height is 120 metres above ground or water, as regulated uniformly across the EU.
Sources
This overview is not legal advice and not an official statement — laws change, and we cannot guarantee that every entry is fully up to date. Before your flight, please also check the official source or the local civil aviation authority.