Hiring a car in Spain is the best way to see the country. There are many beautiful areas of Spain to be discovered and maybe you might find it a little diffficult to travel using Spanish public transport in the beginning.
Here is a list of some of the car hire companies in Spain:
In order to rent a car in Spain you will need:
The minimum legal driving age in Spain is 18 years old, however most car hire companies in Spain require a minimum age of 21 in order to hire a car in Spain.
You must check with your chosen car hire company in Spain, as some car hire companies will charge a “Young Drivers Fee” for any driver under the age of 25. They may also enforce obligatory full insurance, direct from the car hire company for drivers over the age of 65.
Some rental Car Hire companies in Spain may charge for extras such as:
· Collision Damage Waiver
· Theft Cover
· Personal Accident Insurance
· Airport Tax
· Roof rack Hire
· Baby Seat Hire
· Air conditioning
· Additional Driver
Also check the amount of kilometres in the car rental contract, some companies offer unlimited kilometres, where as some will offer a set amount of kilometre allowance then charge per kilometre over the set amount. This can become very costly. This is why reading the small print on car hire contracts in Spain is essential.
· Always remember when driving in Spain, They drive on the RIGHT!!!
· The speed limits are in KM/hr – Kilometres per hour not MI/hr – Miles per hour
· Minimum Spanish speed limit signs are on a round Blue and White sign
· Maximum Spanish Speed limit signs are on a round Red and White sign
· Passport or I.D Card
· Driving License
· Insurance certificate
· Two Warning Triangles
· Reflective / Hi-Visibility jackets – one for each passenger in the car
If caught speeding whilst driving a hire car in Spain, the rental company will receive the speeding ticket. They can see the date, place and time the speeding ticket was issued and WILL match it to your Spanish car rental dates and forward the fine to you. No doubt with an additional admin fine of around €50.00. So when renting a car in Spain, be careful driving and try not to speed!
Another rule that must be adhered to, as strange as it may sound to U.K drivers is that it is illegal to drive in Flip flops. Spain takes this one step further and has included banning backless footwear which is opened at the front, high heels and driving barefoot! All of the above carry an on the spot fine. If you do not have the cash on you be prepared to be frog marched to the nearest cash point machine for payment!
The drink-driving limit in Spain is 0.5mg per ml of blood; this is lower than the U.K´s limit of 0.8mg per ml of blood. Spain takes this very seriously, so if in doubt book a taxi for an evening out!
Updated 9th June 2023