Car Hire in Spain

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To rent a car, you must be at least 21 years old (age may vary by car category) and have held your license for 1 year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver surcharge. Seatbelts are mandatory. Child seats are mandatory for children up to age 3 and children under the age of 12 may not sit in the front seat.

An International Drivers License is highly recommended. Like car hire anywhere in the World there is a wide range of services on offer. You can hire a small economical car for around 15-20 Euros per day including insurance. There are also companies in Spain that will rent executive/sports and high value vehicles but of course prices for these are significantly higher. Hire companies can vary with some including excess insurance in their prices, others will offer this as an option at an additional cost. Excess insurance is recommended.

You are required by law to always carry your driving licence, vehicle registration document (V5), and certificate of motor insurance. If your licence does not incorporate a photograph ensure you carry your passport to validate the licence. If the vehicle is not registered in your name, carry a letter from the registered owner giving you permission to drive.

Here are some links to car hire companies:

Car Hire in Spain and the Canaries

Car Hire across Spain

Driving in Spain

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There are a number of rules and regulations in Spain that are not common practice in the UK. Aside from the fact that in Spain we drive on the Right Hand Side of the road, there are many things to be aware of before you arrive with your vehicle in Spain. All documentation must be carried at all times, fines for not doing so are implemented on the spot. English plated vehicles are only permitted to be driven in the country for 6 months of the year for non residents. For those coming to Spain and gaining residency, your english plated car must be transferred onto Spanish number plates within 6 months of arriving in Spain.

This is an expensive and time consuming process, with tax due on any car you register here as well as legal costs. Advice would be to sell your vehicle and purchase a Spanish car on arrival. However, second hand cars in Spain aren't cheap! You will not find an insurer in the UK to insure your vehicle in Spain for any period of time, and finding insurers in Spain for UK vehicles is also quite difficult.

Some useful informative links are below:

• How to drive in Spain - www.driving.drive-alive.co.uk/driving-in-spain.htm
• Specialists in insuring vehicles in Spain - www.abbeygateinsurance.com
• Registering your car in Spain - www.practicalspain.com/Cars.htm