Car Hire in the Canary Islands

Driving in the Canary Islands: Essential Rules

• Side of the road: the Canary Islands drive on the right, the same as mainland Spain and the rest of mainland Europe.
• Mandatory equipment: every car must carry two red warning triangles and a reflective vest kept inside the cabin, not the boot, so it can be reached without stepping into traffic if you break down.
• Toll roads: there are no toll roads anywhere in the Canary Islands. Even the main motorway networks, such as Gran Canaria's GC-1 to GC-4, are toll-free, unlike some of mainland Spain's motorways.
• Mountain roads: away from the coastal motorways, many island roads climb quickly into volcanic terrain, with sharp switchbacks and, in places, sections only wide enough for one vehicle. Drive to the road rather than the speed limit in these areas, allow more time than a map suggests, and expect cloud cover and temperature drops at altitude even on a hot coastal day.
• Conservation access restrictions: a small number of popular natural sites restrict or ban private vehicle access to protect the landscape — Tenerife's Punta de Teno is a notable example. Check access rules for any specific beauty spot before building it into your route, as some require a shuttle bus, permit, or pre-booked timed entry instead of a private car.
• Speed cameras: both fixed and mobile speed cameras operate across the islands, and enforcement applies equally to foreign-registered hire cars.
• Alcohol limit: the general limit is 0.5 g/l blood alcohol. A stricter 0.3 g/l limit applies to drivers who have held a licence for under two years and to professional drivers, and there is zero tolerance for drivers under 18.
• Mobile phones: handheld phone use while driving is strictly prohibited; a hands-free set is required for calls on the move.
• Driving licence: EU driving licences are accepted without restriction. Visitors from outside the EU should check with their supplier whether an International Driving Permit is required, as this can vary by nationality.
• Documents to carry: keep your driving licence, passport or photo ID, and the vehicle's registration and insurance documents with you at all times, as these can be requested during routine checks.
• City parking: in the larger towns, such as Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, street parking typically follows the same colour-coded zone system used across mainland Spanish cities — check kerbside markings and nearby signage for the applicable rate and maximum stay.
• Minimum driving age: the legal minimum age to drive in Spain is 18. Car hire suppliers set their own, typically higher, minimum age for renting — often from 21 — with a young driver surcharge common for those under 25. This is confirmed at the point of booking.
• Inter-island ferry travel: frequent ferries connect the islands, run by operators such as Fred Olsen, Naviera Armas, and Líneas Romero, and are a genuine way to island-hop during a longer trip. However, most car hire suppliers do not permit a hire car to travel between islands by ferry — if your plans include visiting more than one island, check this with your supplier before booking, rather than assuming your car can come with you on the crossing.

Canary Islands Car Hire Insurance

Every car hire booked through eCarBookers in the Canary Islands includes the supplier's standard collision damage waiver (CDW) in the basic rate. Standard CDW carries an excess — the amount you would be responsible for in the event of damage. Excess amounts vary by supplier and vehicle class, and the exact figure is displayed clearly before you confirm your booking, so there are no surprises at the desk.

If you prefer to drive with no excess at all, fully comprehensive zero-excess cover is available directly from your supplier when you collect the car. The cover comes from the hire company itself, not from a third-party insurer — so there is no separate policy, no paying the excess upfront, and no reimbursement claim to file once it has been added. Because your booking confirmation shows the standard excess that applies, you arrive knowing exactly what the cover replaces.

It is worth noting that certain situations fall outside standard CDW cover across the car hire industry. Tyres, glass, underbody damage, lost or damaged keys, and a flat battery caused by driver error — such as leaving the lights on while the car is unattended — are typically not covered and may result in a separate charge if they occur. These situations are uncommon in everyday driving, but it is good practice to check your booking confirmation for the specific cover terms applicable to your hire, as scope can vary by supplier.

Cover and excess terms are set per island and per supplier, so if your trip spans more than one island by air rather than ferry, confirm with your supplier whether a single booking covers pickup on one island and drop-off on another, or whether this needs to be arranged as separate hires with separate excess terms on each leg.

Popular Car Hire Locations

The Canary Islands are served through eCarBookers' wider supplier network, with car hire available across the archipelago through more than one supplier. Tenerife, the largest and busiest island, has its own dedicated island page covering both Tenerife North (Los Rodeos) and Tenerife South (Reina Sofía) airports in more detail, along with resort-level pages for Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos, Playa Paraíso, and Golf del Sur. Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura are also well served for self-drive visitors, each reachable by direct flight from most of mainland Europe and each with its own distinct character, from Gran Canaria's mix of dunes and mountains to Lanzarote's volcanic Timanfaya landscapes, while La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro suit travellers looking for a quieter, more rural island base — smaller, slower-paced, and with noticeably less traffic than the main resort coasts of the south. Dedicated pages for these additional islands are planned as the network expands; check back for direct links as those pages go live.