Car rental in Spain

Spain’s popular resort destinations stretch along the entire Mediterranean coast. With limited vacation time, tourists without a car simply can’t see all the sights. Car rental in Spain solves this problem.

The main advantage of a road trip is that you plan your journey independently and aren't reliant on anyone. Choose car delivery at the airport and enjoy comfort from the first minutes of your stay. A rental company manager will meet you upon arrival, handle the paperwork, and hand over the keys.

Advantages of Car Rental with Localrent

Traveling with Localrent is easy. Our clients receive:

1. Transparent prices. We have no additional fees, hidden charges, or taxes. The rental price does not change after booking confirmation.
2. Low deposit. There are many offers on the site with deposits of €200–300 or no deposit at all.
3. Convenient filters. You won’t need to open every car listing to check if it meets your requirements. Set the filters, and we’ll show all available vehicles.
4. Minimal advance payment. To book, you only need to pay an advance of 15–20%. The remaining amount is paid at the rental office upon receiving the car.

What You Need to Rent a Car

To make an advance payment and reserve a car, you’ll need a bank card. To sign the rental agreement, you’ll need to present the original versions of the following documents — copies are not accepted:

• international passport;
• valid driver’s license;
• voucher in printed or electronic form (we will send it to the email address provided during booking immediately after the advance payment is made).
  

Driving Regulations in Spain

Spain has a high standard of driving culture. It is customary to use turn signals in time and yield to pedestrians at crosswalks.

Road signs in Spain follow the standard European format and are easy to understand. Roads can be either free or toll-based. The main advantage of toll roads is the speed limit of 120–140 km/h.

General speed limits in Spain:

• urban areas — 50 km/h;
• outside the city — 90 km/h;
• rural areas — 30 km/h;
• highways — 120 km/h.

Most roads are equipped with surveillance systems for both stationary and mobile monitoring. It’s not worth speeding in Spain.

Seat belts must be fastened by both the driver and passengers. Children under 12 years old and shorter than 135 cm must travel in a child seat.

Using a phone while driving is prohibited, but talking via Hands Free is allowed.

Parking and Fueling

There are few free parking spaces in tourist areas. At paid parking lots, parking is free from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM. Free parking hours vary by city or district, so it’s important to carefully read signs. Parking can be paid for at meters using a bank card or cash.

Different parking types are easy to recognize:

• white markings — free parking spot;
• blue markings with a pictogram of a hand with a coin — paid parking with hourly rates;
• green or orange markings, inscriptions like "zona residentes" or "area residents" — parking spaces for local residents.

In Spain, it is not allowed to park within 5 meters of an intersection. Yellow diagonal lines on the asphalt indicate loading/unloading zones, and "VADO" marks a garage entrance.

There are many gas stations in Spain. Only those on major roads and toll roads operate 24/7, but fuel prices there are higher than on public roads.

There are three types of fuel in the country: gasoline, diesel, and gas.

Liquid fuel can be refueled at stations like Petroprix, Petrol Station, or any other — quality is consistently high. To assist drivers, pumps are color-coded:

• green — gasoline 95 and 98;
• black — diesel.

Gas stations in Spain are marked with “LPG” or “Gas” and are painted orange or blue.

How to Book a Car via Localrent

1. Select pickup and return locations and booking dates.
2. Adjust filters if necessary. You can sort vehicles by brand, type, transmission, fuel type, driving experience requirements, and add options like “Young driver” or “Second driver on contract.”
3. Click on a car card to view detailed specifications. Add any needed extra services to your order.
4. Click “Continue.” Check the pickup location and time, and provide the main driver's details: full name, date of birth, email, contact phone number, and preferred messenger.
5. Pay with a bank card.

After booking is confirmed, we will send a voucher to your email. This must be shown to the rental provider in printed or electronic form to sign the contract.

What to See by Rental Car

Choose roads with asphalt surfaces for your trip. Insurance is not valid on unpaved roads, so if the car is damaged there, repair costs must be paid out of pocket.

Top 5 popular destinations worth visiting by car in Spain:

1. Madrid. Choose any car — the roads here are the best in the country. A popular route includes El Escorial Monastery-Palace — Ávila — Salamanca — Segovia — Toledo.
2. Barcelona. Roads are as good as in Madrid. From here, travel by crossover or convertible to northern Spain — the Girona province on the Costa Brava.
3. Valencia. In this hot resort region, it’s best to travel by a car with air conditioning.
4. Granada. Due to long mountain routes, rent a car with a spacious tank and high engine power.
5. Malaga. One of Europe’s oldest cities is 1.5 hours from Granada. A car with a roomy trunk is perfect for shopping for delicacies at local markets.

Where to Pick Up a Rental Car

Before booking a car in Spain, choose the pickup location. Available options can be viewed on our website by clicking the arrow in the “Pickup” field.

Some rental companies hand over the car at their office, while others offer pickup at the airport, central train station, hotel, or another convenient city location. Most tourists prefer to receive the car right upon arrival — for example, at Ibiza or Tenerife airports.

Rental Tips

• Inspect the Car Before Starting the Rental. Inspect the vehicle. Record any existing damage in the report. You can also take photo or video evidence of any issues.
• Monitor the Fuel Level. Keep track of your fuel level. There aren’t many gas stations on small roads in Spain. If traveling through mountainous areas, rent a car with a large fuel tank.
• Return Time Matters. Returning the car during regular daytime hours is usually no problem. At night, many companies charge extra for car collection.
  

Frequently Asked Questions