Car Hire in Spain

Driving in Spain: Essential Rules

• Side of the road: Spain drives on the right, the same as the rest of mainland Europe.
• Mandatory equipment: every car must carry two warning triangles, plus a spare tyre or a tyre repair kit with the tools to change it. A reflective vest must be worn (not just carried) by anyone who exits the vehicle on a motorway or busy road after a breakdown or accident. From 1 January 2026, drivers are also required to carry a V-16 connected emergency light — Spanish traffic authorities have confirmed a grace period before fines begin, but the requirement itself is now in force.
• Speed cameras: Spain uses an extensive network of fixed and mobile speed cameras, and enforcement applies equally to foreign-registered hire cars — unpaid fines can follow you home or cause issues on a future visit, so any speeding fine issued during your hire should be settled promptly.
• Alcohol limit: the general limit is 0.5 g/l blood alcohol (0.25 mg/l breath). 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.
• Toll roads: Spain has both free motorways (autovías) and tolled motorways (autopistas, signed "AP"), so route choice can make a real difference to your journey cost. Tolled sections are typically distance-based, paid by ticket at entry and settled by cash or card at the exit gate. Toll rates on several of the country's main toll motorways rose again from January 2026, so budget a little extra if your route includes one of the AP-prefixed roads.
• Low-emission zones: since 1 January 2023, Spanish law requires every municipality with a population over 50,000 to operate a low-emission zone restricting the most polluting vehicles from parts of the city centre. This now covers a large number of Spanish cities, not only Madrid and Barcelona, so check the local zone rules before driving into any larger city centre.
• City parking: most Spanish cities use colour-coded regulated parking zones — commonly green and blue, though some cities use orange, red, or white — each with its own rate and maximum stay, paid at a pavement ticket machine by cash or card.
• Child seats: Spain requires EU-compliant child restraints scaled to age and weight — rear-facing seats for infants, forward-facing seats for young children, and booster seats for older children up to around 135 cm in height.
• 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 roadside checks.
• 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 with a young driver surcharge for those under 25 — this is confirmed at the point of booking.

Residential zones are frequently signed down to 20–30 km/h, and limits drop further near schools and roadworks, so always follow posted signage over the standard limits shown here.

Spain Car Hire Insurance

Every car hire booked through eCarBookers in Spain 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 in Spain. 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.

Spain borders France, Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar, and its road network connects easily into wider Western Europe. Cross-border rules — including which countries you may legally drive into and whether additional cover or documentation is required — vary by supplier, so always confirm permitted routes before crossing a border with your hire car, and keep your booking confirmation and vehicle documents to hand for any checks along the way.

Popular Car Hire Locations

Spain is served through eCarBookers' wider supplier network, with car hire available across mainland Spain. This page covers the mainland; the Canary Islands, including Tenerife, are covered on their own dedicated island page given how differently that market operates for pickup, drop-off, and resort logistics. On the mainland, Madrid and Barcelona are the busiest arrival points and the natural starting points for most visitors, whether the plan is to explore the cities themselves or head further afield into Andalusia, the Basque Country, or the Mediterranean coast. Dedicated city and airport pages for mainland Spanish locations are planned as the network expands; check back for direct links as those pages go live.