Car Rental in Spain

Why rent a car in Spain?

Spain is a fun destination to discover by car. A diverse country that is home to different unique regions and landscapes, it would be a waste to limit your travels here to just one corner of it. Although the country is quite large, the road network is in good shape and it’s easy to visit different cities, regions, and natural attractions on the same trip. 

This article is about mainland Spain. For information about Mallorca and the other Balearic Islands, see the article on the Balearic Islands. For information about the Canary Islands, see the article on Spain-Canary Islands.

If you want to know more about renting a car in Spain, don't miss our complete guide.

Top ways to enter Spain

• Madrid Airport. Serving the national capital, the airport complex of Madrid–Barajas Airport is the second-largest in all of Europe. It is also the busiest airport in Spain; in 2023, it served over 60 million travelers for the first time in its history. The airport, which is a base for a number of airlines, provides flights to and from countless destinations in Europe, the Americas, and beyond.
• Barcelona Airport. Serving the capital of Catalonia and one of the most visited cities on the planet, Barcelona El Prat Airport handles about 50 million people annually. There are several other airports in the wider Barcelona area that, while significantly smaller, are often popular with low-cost carriers – these include Girona Airport, Reus Airport, and Lleida Airport.
• Malaga Airport. Also known as Malaga–Costa del Sol after the wider region in which it is located, this is the busiest airport serving the southern Spanish coast and the beautiful region of Andalusia. Other important Andalusian airports with scheduled international flights include Seville Airport, Granada Airport, Almeria Airport, and Jerez Airport.
• Valencia Airport. Serving the third city of Spain and one of the country’s most sophisticated urban destinations, Valencia–Manises Airport handles about ten million travelers each year. Meanwhile, the southern part of the Valencian and Costa Blanca region is best accessed by flying to Alicante Airport.
• By land: If your rental car provider permits it, it’s possible to rent a car in a neighboring country and then drive to Spain. Some large international airports near Spain are Lisbon Airport and Porto Airport in Portugal, as well as Nice Airport and Bordeaux Airport in France.

Top cities and places to visit

• Barcelona: Home to everything from iconic architecture to delicious cuisine, grand history, and sandy beaches, the real attraction of Barcelona is its atmosphere as this city truly is more than the sum of its parts. There is very good reason as why this is one of the best weekend breaks in Spain for locals as well as tourists.
• Madrid: Busy yet classy, Madrid has the grandeur of a true metropolis, and is home to distinct neighborhoods, countless landmarks, world-famous art museums, and lively cultural scene. 
• Andalusia: Many travelers know Andalusia best for its extensive Mediterranean and Atlantic Coast, but its wild nature areas, as well as stunning historic cities like Granada and Cordoba, which still hold traces of its Moorish past, deserve just as much attention.
• Basque Coast: Bordering France in the northeastern corner of Spain, the Basque Coast is home to a proud culture, beautiful cities like San Sebastian and Bilbao, fantastic food, and the rugged Biscay Coast.
• Galicia: Culturally related to their next-door Portuguese neighbors and with terrain that some think resembles Scotland more than Barcelona, Galicia is a unique destination. Less busy than some other regions of the country and beautifully green, it is best enjoyed at a relaxed pace.

Most popular rental car

The most popular rental car in Spain is the Fiat 500. Many travelers also pick the Fiat Panda and the Ford Focus. The most popular rental car types are mini, compact, and economy.

Driver's license requirements

• Spain recognizes the driver’s licenses of all the member states of the European Economic Association (EEA). Spain also recognizes other foreign driver’s licenses that are printed in a Latin script, provided that you are visiting as a tourist on a trip shorter than 6 months. If you’re staying in the country for a longer period or are residing there permanently, you need to obtain a local license instead.
• If your driver’s license is printed in another alphabet than Latin (e.g., Cyrillic or Arabic), you’ll need an International Driving Permit (IDP) too.
• Similarly, if your driver’s license doesn’t show your photograph, you might be required to have an IDP.
• Even if you have an IDP, you also need to keep your original license on you as you will be required to provide both.
• You must carry your driver’s license, not a copy, with you at all times. 
• You need to have had your driver’s license for at least two years.
• Some rental car suppliers charge a young driver fee for drivers between the ages of 22 and 25 and a senior driver fee for drivers over the age of 65.
• There may be additional requirements depending on the car supplier and category, so make sure to check the rental conditions before booking.

Crossing borders

Spain is bordered by Portugal, France, and Andorra. Like Spain, Portugal and France are members of the Schengen Area, so the same entry requirements that apply to Spain will also be in place to enter these other two countries. Andorra is not a member of the Schengen Area, but its entry requirements are, in practice, the same as those for entering Schengen members. 

The autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla are part of Spain but are physically located in North Africa and bordered by Morocco. Morocco is not a member of the Schengen Area and has its own visa policy. Depending on your citizenship, you may or may not need a visa to enter it. We strongly advise getting in touch with your Ministry of Foreign Affairs in advance to find out if you need a visa to visit Morocco.

Some car rental providers allow you to cross national borders and even drop off your car in a different country, while others don’t. If you’d like to cross a national border during your rental period, make sure to check the terms and conditions before booking a car. Learn more about cross-border rentals in our Help Center.

Most popular types of rental car

The most popular rental car type in Spain is an Economy, followed by compact and mini.

Top driving routes

• The Sierra Nevada. Not to be confused with the Californian destination of the same name, this mountain range of southern Spain is one of the most interesting destinations in the country. The region’s snow-capped peaks and the proximity to the Mediterranean is the origin of the old saying that in Spain, you can ski in the morning and go swimming in the afternoon. Paragliding, snowkiting, or simply going on a hike in the national park of the same name and taking in the stunning scenery are also viable options. 
• The Pyrenees. Providing a natural boundary between Spain and France, the mighty Pyrenees stretch all the way from the Bay of Biscay in the northwest to the Mediterranean Sea in the southeast (the former can be easily accessed from Bilbao and San Sebastian, while the latter parts are relatively near Barcelona). Home to stunning vistas, cozy mountain-top huts, and natural gems like Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, it is a great destination for a road trip. 
• Asturias. Diverse, distinct, and relatively undiscovered by tourists, the region of Asturias is another gem to explore. Situated only a few hours’ drive north of Madrid and to the west of Bilbao, it boasts impressive mountains, chiefly within Picos de Europa National Park, long, rugged beaches, beautiful cities like Oviedo, and plenty of hospitality.
• Costa da Morte. Despite its ominous name (translated as Death Coast), this drive in Galicia is one full of gorgeous views. You’ll see craggy cliffs, secluded beaches, quaint villages, the wild ocean on one side, and the mountains on the other. As you’re on the far west coast, you can end the day enjoying the stunning sunset over the Atlantic. 

Car rental prices in Spain

• Medium cars - from $11 per day
• Small cars - from $7 per day
• Large cars - from $13 per day
• SUVs - from $10 per day
• Station wagons - from $17 per day
• Premium cars - from $37 per day
• Vans - from $13 per day
• Convertibles - from $13 per day

Money-saving and other tips

You can do a number of things to get a good car rental deal in Spain:

• Compare rates of different rental car providers
• Book your rental car well in advance
• Plan your route before you go
• Know your fuel and mileage requirements
• Visit on the month when the rental prices are the cheapest. According to our data, visiting Spain is the cheapest in June when renting a car is about 27% cheaper than the yearly average and 40% cheaper than renting a car in July.