Renting a car in Gran Canaria is the best way to explore this magnificent island. You’ll be able to admire dunes, beaches, villages, gorges and much more!
Here’s our complete guide to car rental in Gran Canaria, based on our experiences:
- Which car
- Which car rental company
- Tips for driving
- Essential rules and advice
We’ve tried to list everything you might need to know to enjoy a worry-free car rental experience.
Car rental in Gran Canaria: what you need to know
After many travel rentals in the Canaries (and around the world), here’s a summary of our essential tips:
1. When to rent a car
Ideally, no later than 1.5 months before the trip. After that, the choice diminishes sharply.
However, the earlier you rent, the greater the choice of cars and offers. Especially since most have free cancellation!
Personally, we book as soon as we’ve booked our plane tickets.
2. Where to rent a car in Gran Canaria?
The first thing we always do is compare offers on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars.com. It’s one of the best rated on Trustpilot, and we often find excellent deals.
You can choose the pick-up location:
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Airport – see offers
- Playa del Ingles – see offers
We strongly recommend renting your car at the airport.
Between the price of renting a car for several days, or just for one or two days but taking a cab to the hotel, it’s surely more interesting to rent for your entire stay.
3. Which car to choose?
- Choose a car with enough power (some mountain roads are very steep).
- But don’t choose a car that’s too big, because some underground parking lots have very narrow spaces and some roads are not wide enough.
- a 4WD is not at all necessary
- most cars have manual transmissions, book early for automatics
4. Which rental agency to choose in Gran Canaria?
There isn’t a single agency in the region that really stands out.
We particularly like Cicar and Auto Reisen, but the international brands are good too.
On the Discovercars.com platform, each rental company is rated out of 10 points. We advise you to choose car rental agencies that score above 8 (our price/service quality limit).
5. What insurance should I take out?
We’ve used the platform’s insurance several times and everything has gone smoothly. The reimbursement was effective.
Advantage: cheaper than the rental company’s insurance, and an efficient way to get reimbursed.
Disadvantage: an amount will be blocked on your credit card for the duration of the rental, and the rental company will always try to get you to buy theirs.
6. What to check on the car
Whatever the country, always check the car before you leave and take photos of any damage (including the roof and underside of bumpers) – checklist later in the article.
7. The essentials for driving in Gran Canaria
- Many rental companies do not allow you to take the ferry to other islands. Remember to check.
- Don’t drive in flip-flops
- A valid license in Latin letters is required
- Call 112 in the event of an accident
Do I need to rent a car in Gran Canaria?
It all depends on what you want from your vacation…
See all aspects of the island:
We highly recommend taking a car. This allows you to discover much more of the island’s magnificent scenery in all its nooks and crannies. We loved discovering less touristy places (and at less touristy times).
Above all, enjoy the beach:
However, if you want to spend most of your time at the beach, and visit only a few of the most famous places, you can choose accommodation in one of the southern resorts and join organized tours or cab tours.
Is it difficult to drive in Gran Canaria?
Driving in Gran Canaria is not as easy as in Fuerteventura or Lanzarote: there is more traffic and the mountain roads are more difficult.
However, it’s not too difficult either, as the roads are in good condition. There are always protective walls…
The most difficult areas to drive are the gorges and the roads that climb into the mountains in the center of the island: GC-210, GC-605…
Rent a car at Gran Canaria Airport (LPA)
Gran Canaria airport is not huge
As soon as you pick up your luggage, you’ll see the rental agencies’ offices all lined up in the lobby.
And once you’ve finished the paperwork, the parking lot is just across the road to find your car, just follow the signs.
No stress, it’s very easy.
See airport offers
What you need to rent a car in Gran Canaria
Driver’s license
To drive in Gran Canaria / Spain, you need a valid driving license from your country.
If you have a valid driver’s license, which includes:
- a license number,
- a photo,
- a validity date
- and is written in Latin letters,
then you don’t need an international permit.
If not, you need it.
Additional age requirements / years of driving experience
The official driving age in Gran Canaria (as in Spain) is 18.
However, there are many car rental companies:
- ask you to be 21 or 23 years old
- will require you to have held a license in your home country for a year or more,
- may add a fee if you are under 25 years of age,
- may add fees if you are over a certain age.
- It’s best to make sure you read all the clauses in the fine print.
On the Discovercars.com platform, you can enter your age, to see any limitations of available rental cars and any additional fees.
A credit card that can handle expense deductions
Bear in mind that, unless you have decided to take out comprehensive insurance directly with the rental company, your rental agency will ask you to retain a charge, i.e. a deposit (in addition to payment). This amount, known as the “surcharge”, is blocked on your account via your credit card (and released when you return the car).
Since it is added to the payment, you may reach your credit card’s daily/weekly or monthly protection limit.
I’ve seen many people at car rental companies surprised by this situation and struggling to deal with it.
How do you manage it?
- Use a different credit card for hold fees,
- Contact your bank before you travel to change your limits,
- Take out comprehensive insurance with a zero deductible.
Insurance requirements
Compulsory insurance in Gran Canaria / Spain:
- unlimited liability insurance is required by law – it is therefore included in the price of the car rental.
Then there’s insurance to cover potential damage to the vehicle. Your choice has an impact on the deductible you have to pay following repairs:
- Option 1 – Use your credit card insurance / or your own car insurance. Some have a rental clause. You must read all the fine print to understand what is and is not covered.
- Option 2 – Buy when you reserve your rental car
Most of the time, the offers are better than at the counter (I once saw 3 times less).
On direct sites, you get the dealer’s insurance, but on platforms, you get special insurance created by the platform.
For example, on Discovercars.com, they have their own “Full Coverage Waiver” insurance option.
Personally, it’s what we use because it’s cheaper. We’ve already had to use it following damage to the windscreen and got our money back quickly. - Option 3 – When you collect the car
This is the most expensive option, but if you’ve never done it before, you may want to buy it when you pay. The advantage is that the deductible drops to zero, so there are no deductions from your card. - Option 4 – Travel insurance Travel insurance
Take out travel insurance that includes comprehensive car rental coverage with one of the classic insurance companies.
Other tips for your rental car
Car rental costs in Gran Canaria
To give you an idea, based on Discovercars.com data, prices are roughly the same:
- The average price of a rental car varies greatly throughout the year, from 15 EUR to 25 EUR per day.
- The cheapest prices are usually for when you travel to Gran Canaria around June
It’s easy to compare prices online.
Compare rental prices in Gran Canaria
How to save money: cheap rentals?
If keeping costs down is your main concern, you should:
- Book early
- Return the car to where you picked it up
- Reserve a smaller car
- Pay attention to pick-up and drop-off times – Car rental is generally charged per 24-hour period.
- Choose a rental with no cancellation or with limited cancellation
- If you’re renting for 6 days, check the price for 7 days – sometimes companies have a discount for week-long rentals.
Choice of fuel: diesel, gas or electric
- The Spanish word for service station is “estación de servicio”.
- Gasoline is found on the green pump – called “gasolina” and if unleaded “gasolina sin plomo”.
- Diesel is found on the black pump called “gasoil”.
- There aren’t many electric charging stations available yet.
Check opening hours if you choose an agency that is not located in an airport.
If you pick up your car at the airport, the companies are normally open as long as flights are arriving.
However, if you rent a car in a city, especially a small one, opening hours will be shorter (especially at weekends). This may mean that you will have to rent for an extra day if you cannot drop off the car.
Car rental scams in Gran Canaria
As in most countries, if the price is very, very low, there must be conditions and tricks behind it.
But there are no specific scams for Gran Canaria.
Always take dated photos of the car on arrival and on return (if you can’t get the document confirming the absence of problems right away).
Take care when changing islands
From Gran Canaria, you can also visit the neighboring islands of Tenerife and La Gomera.
However, this involves taking a ferry.
Most rental companies on Gran Canaria do not allow you to take the ferry. But some do.
If you rent with Discovercars.com, once you have selected a car, you can click on “Rental Conditions”, then again on “Rental Conditions” or “Additional Conditions” to find the “Geographical Restrictions”.
If they are not documented, you can add the question to customer support.
Pick up and drop off your car to avoid problems
Check your vehicle at pick-up
For a hassle-free exchange with the car rental company, we recommend that you perform a thorough check of the car before leaving the parking lot.
Sometimes this is done with an agent. Sometimes they simply give you a form with the condition of the car before you rent it. Sometimes they don’t tell you anything…
Make sure all dents and scratches are noted, if not, make sure they’re added.
What’s more, for peace of mind, you can take photos before you leave (as in all countries).
Things to look for:
- Check the entire exterior of the car for dents and scratches.
- Don’t forget to check the roof!!! It’s often forgotten, but it may be checked when you return.
- Don’t forget the underside of the bumper
- And don’t forget the rear-view mirrors
- Check for interior damage
- Check tire condition
- Check the condition of the wing (mud wing above the wheels)
- Check that the spare tire is in place and in good condition
- Check that fuel level and mileage correspond to the file
Check compulsory equipment
In Gran Canaria, Spain, the following equipment must be available in the car:
- 2 warning triangles
- Reflective vest or jacket
- Spare wheel and tools for changing it
- First-aid kit (recommended, not mandatory)
- Flashlight (recommended, not mandatory)
Rules for child safety seats
The law states that:
- children weighing less than 18 kg must be placed in child seats
- and children under 135 cm tall must be installed in the rear seats on a booster seat.
Find out more about toll management
There are no toll roads in Gran Canaria.
What to do in the event of a fine or ticket (speeding / parking)
You are responsible for any traffic tickets or fines you receive during the rental period.
If you are notified immediately, you may pay at the police station or online as indicated.
But be aware that it can take up to 3 months before a fine is reported to the car’s owner (the rental company). In this case, they will send you a proof and charge you for it, and may add an administrative fee for handling the fine.
What to do if there’s a problem with the car?
Don’t lose your rental agreement.
On this page, you will find the steps to take if you have a problem with your car.
Most use a breakdown assistance service, and the number will be indicated on the contract.
You can then contact the rental company to see how to replace the car.
Don’t forget to manage your tank
These days, more and more companies have introduced a policy whereby you have to return your car with the same level of fuel (instead of taking a full tank and returning a full tank).
It’s very annoying, but it’s easier for them to manage.
Therefore, you need to understand how much the car consumes and how many kilometers/miles you have left to go, if you don’t want to waste money.
Parking the car
For peace of mind, try to drop off the car during opening hours so that all checks can be carried out and validated. Get a document certifying that everything is OK.
If this isn’t their process, or if you’re in a hurry and can’t get a document, be sure to take dated photos of the car before you leave it.
It’s true that you can read some horror stories on the Internet about car rental.
However, bear in mind that the thousands and thousands of people who have no problems do not write that everything went well with their rental…
So don’t be stressed. If you’ve hired a reputable company and follow the rules, everything should go smoothly.
And if you’ve taken out the rental company’s insurance with a zero deductible, you can drop off the car with no worries.
What to do if you damage the car
If your rental car is damaged, the first thing to do is contact the car rental agency.
- If your rental only has basic insurance, you’ll have to cover damage up to your deductible.
- If you have taken out comprehensive coverage with the rental agency, check with them and the damage should be covered.
- If you bought with Discovercars.com, contact them and provide all the information (within 28 days of the car deposit). They will reimburse you for the fees and costs associated with the damage, if warranted.
- If you use your own insurance, contact them and provide all information. They will reimburse you for the costs of the damage, if justified.
Compare rental prices in Gran Canaria
Get ready to drive in Gran Canaria
Here’s an introduction to driving in Gran Canaria.
Understanding the rules
- Driving is on the right-hand side of the road, which means that traffic circles are taken counter-clockwise.
- Road signs are easy to understand, nothing special to note.
- The blood alcohol level is 0.05%, which is lower than in the UK.
- Seat belts are mandatory for all
- No cell phones at the wheel
- Don’t wear flip-flops when driving
- And of course: come to a complete stop at stop signs, do not cross solid white lines, traffic on the road has priority over your entrance…
Understanding potential hazards
There are 4 main hazards to be aware of when driving in Gran Canaria:
- Landscapes – The main danger is getting distracted by the beautiful scenery. The solidified lava is very impressive and you want to look further, but there’s nowhere to stop. That’s when you become dangerous.
- Locals – Because you want to look at the scenery, locals on their way to work can be impatient. They can be a bit crazy when overtaking. So always look in your mirrors, especially when turning left (towards your home, for example) in the middle of a long straight road.
- Cyclists – At weekends, cyclists take over the roads. Be very careful when overtaking.
- Rockfalls – Many roads are on cliffs, so rockfalls can occur. Obey signs and do not stop in danger zones.
What to do in the event of an accident
If people are injured or there is a conflict, the emergency number in Gran Canaria is 112:
The best order of action is as follows
- contact the emergency services
- contact the police
- contact your rental provider
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Gran Canaria
- Best of
Most beautiful landscapes
Most beautiful towns and villages
What to do in Gran Canaria
Most beautiful beaches
Best natural pools
Archaeological sites
Best boat tours (coming soon)
Secret places, off the beaten track (coming soon)
- Practical advice
25 tips for a successful trip to Gran Canaria (coming soon)
Getting around (coming soon)
How to rent a car in Gran Canaria
Driving tips (coming soon)
Best excursions (coming soon)
Itineraries (coming soon)
- Where to stay
Where to stay in Gran Canaria
Best hotels in Gran Canaria (coming soon)
Best 5-star hotels in Gran Canaria (coming soon)
Best hotels for families (coming soon)
Best adults-only hotels (coming soon)
Best all-inclusive hotels in Gran Canaria (coming soon)
- The must-dos
Dolphin watching in Gran Canaria (coming soon)
Maspalomas dunes (coming soon)