Renting a car in Lanzarote is the best way to explore the region, with its magnificent beaches, volcanoes and the fascinating works of César Manrique…
Based on our years of experience renting cars around the world, including the Canaries, here’s our complete guide and reviews of car rental in Lanzarote: where to pick up your car, prices, best rental companies, choice of cars, access…
Our favorite car rental platform: DiscoverCars
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Renting a car in Lanzarote: the quick 6-step answer
We’ve made over 40 road trips around the world, renting cars of all types. And we’ve rented several cars in different parts of Spain. Here’s a summary of our top tips:
1. Where to rent a car
Choose your destination and compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars.com. It’s one of the best rated by users on Trustpilot!
The places where you will have the most choice of cars are:
- Lanzarote ACE airport – see offers
- The port of Arrecife – see offers
- Playa Blanca – see offers
2. When to reserve your car
Book early to get the best prices and choice of cars (don’t forget it’s an island).
3. Which car to choose
No particular recommendations in terms of car size or power – the roads are generally wide and gentle.
There are a few areas that are only accessible by 4WD, but not many, and we don’t recommend renting a 4WD as many companies don’t allow off-roading even with a 4WD. Check the small print!
4. Which rental company to choose
Our advice is to choose rental companies with a score above 8 (our price/service quality limit).
We like the Cicar agency.
Note also that many rental companies do not allow you to take the ferry to the neighboring island of Fuerteventura.
5. Decide on platform insurance
We have used the platform’s insurance several times and everything has gone smoothly.
Advantage: less expensive than the rental company’s, efficient for reimbursements
Disadvantage: an amount will be blocked on your credit card for the duration of the rental, so the rental company will still try to get you to buy theirs.
6. Check the car
Whatever the country, always check the car before you leave and take photos of any damage (including the roof and under the bumpers) – checklist below.
You should also check out the options for paying tolls.
Do you need a car in Lanzarote?
It depends on the type of vacation you want.
But if you want to be able to:
- Enjoy some of the hidden gems such as rock formations, lesser-known beaches…
- Visit a place early before the crowds or enjoy magnificent sunrises and sunsets
- Flexibility to adapt to the weather
Then renting a car is the best option. Here are a few places you can easily visit:
Is it difficult to drive in Lanzarote? Is it safe?
Driving in Lanzarote is very easy. Most roads are in good condition.
It’s easy to find your way around, and visibility is often excellent.
The most difficult are the few mountain roads in the north, but they are not long.
You may read horror stories on the Internet. But remember that the hundreds of thousands of people who had no problems didn’t write about it on the Internet!
How to rent a car in Lanzarote – requirements
Tip 1 – Driving licence to rent a car in Lanzarote
First of all, don’t forget your driver’s license!!!! LOL
After that, the rules are as follows:
- People with EU and European Economic Area licenses can drive on vacation with only their valid national license.
- All other nationalities must have an International Driving Permit (in addition to their national license).
Tip 2 – Additional age requirements / years of driving
The official driving age in Lanzarote (as in Spain) is 18.
However, many car rental companies in Lanzarote
- 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 is best to make sure you read all 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.
Tip 3 – A credit card that can handle expense deductions
If you take out comprehensive insurance directly with the rental company, no need to worry about the card.
However, if you use another type of insurance, a deposit must be paid at the start of the rental period. For this reason, some rental companies insist on a credit card and refuse debit cards. Make sure this isn’t a problem for you (and also for the deposit amount, which is blocked on your card and counts towards your payment limit).
On the Discovercars.com platform:
- Once you have opened an option, you can click on Rental Terms, and you will see the amount of the security deposit.
- And if that’s a problem for you, you can pre-select the amount you’re willing to block as a security deposit in the filters
Car hire in Lanzarote – When and where
Tip #4 – Best time of year
Lanzarote is a very popular destination, especially in summer.
So, if you want to have a choice of vehicle types and good prices, it’s best to rent your car as soon as possible.
You will not find any last minute offers in summer. As soon as you have chosen your dates, book the car!
Tip 5 – When and Where
Car rental in Lanzarote is available at the airport, the port and all the main resort towns.
So you can rent it for just a few days from the town where you’re staying.
However, to save money, we think it’s best to rent your car from Lanzarote airport in Arrecife for the duration of your stay.
The largest car rental centers in Lanzarote are:
- Arrecife Airport – see offers
- The port of Arrecife – see offers
- Playa Blanca – see offers
What type of car should I choose?
Tip 6 – Recommendations for car size / power
We know that it depends on how many people are traveling and how much luggage you are taking.
There’s nothing specific to keep in mind on Lanzarote.
We have no recommendation for size or power.
Parking spaces are good, road sizes are good, nothing is very steep.
Tip 7 – Transmission Type – Manual or Automatic
Most cars in Spain have a manual transmission.
You’ll pay more for an automatic, and there are fewer options.
Tip 8 – 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”.
- Check out the concentration of electric car charging stations on numerous applications such as ChargeMap.
Tip 9 – Is it worth having a 4WD?
We do not recommend it.
There are a few areas that are only accessible by 4WD, but not many.
Even if you have a 4WD, the insurance protection associated with the rental will probably not cover the use of the car off tarmac roads.
This is common in many countries. Read the fine print.
Tip 10 – Consider vehicles with sleeping options
Campers and vans are not ideal for Lanzarote.
There is a campsite, but it normally only opens in summer.
The regulations governing unauthorized camping are unclear. See this article by another blogger.
There are very few companies that rent out motorhomes.
WITH OUR GUIDE PLAN YOUR DREAM TRIP TO lanzarote
All the information you need for your trip:
- 7 maps that make planning easier
- + 75 pre-selected locations
- Practical advice
- + 140 photos to help you choose
Best car rental agencies in Lanzarote – reviews
Tip 11 – Cost of car rental in Lanzarote
To give you an idea, based on Discovercars.com data, prices are roughly the same:
- The average price of a rental car varies widely throughout the year, from USD 10 to USD 55 per day.
- The cheapest prices are usually for when you travel to Lanzarote around June
It’s easy to compare prices online.
However, be careful: if you test direct websites and try to compare, it can be very difficult as they hide fees or taxes later in the process.
Compare rental prices in Lanzarote
Tip 12 – Choosing your car rental agency
- First of all, of course, the company must have the type of car you need.
- Then find out what the cancellation charges are.
- Mileage allowance – depending on what you plan to do, take a look at the unlimited mileage or daily mileage allowance
- The location of the pickup – some require a shuttle to get to the rental location.
Tip 13 – Top rated car rental companies in Lanzarote – reviews
Don’t forget that on Tripadvisor or Google for example, anyone can write a review even if they haven’t used the company.
On the Discovercars.com platform, each rental company has a 10-point rating. It’s an average of ratings given by real customers – On the search page, you can select only the best-rated as:
- Cicar
- Interrent
- Orlando
Tip 14 – How to save money – cheap car hire in Lanzarote
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 are renting for 6 days, check the price for 7 days – sometimes companies have a discount for week-long rentals.
- Book with limited mileage
Tip 15 – Check opening hours if you book a non-airport agency
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, the opening hours will be shorter (especially on weekends). This may mean that you will have to rent for an extra day if you cannot drop off the car.
Tip 16 – Car rental scams in Lanzarote
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 Lanzarote.
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).
Tip 17 – Be careful when changing islands
From Lanzarote, you can also visit the neighboring island of Fuerteventura.
However, this involves taking a ferry.
Most rental companies on the island of Lanzarote 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.
Alternatively, you can walk across and rent another car when you arrive at the port of Corralejo – see our article on renting a car in Fuerteventura.
Understanding insurance
The question of insurance is not easy to explain. But here are a few things you should know:
Minimum insurance requirements for driving in Spain are included in the rental price.
All we’re offering is a way of reducing the cost in case you damage the car (which is already limited to a certain sum).
Option 1 – Use your credit card insurance
Start by checking whether your credit card includes car rental insurance. But be sure to read all the fine print, as it often contains very precise criteria and limits. Among other things, there are limits on rental periods.
Option 2 – Rental platform insurance / or specialized insurance platforms
If you go through one of the platforms, they offer insurance.
Advantage: a very attractive price, many things are covered, fast refunds (we used it on Discovercars and the refund was made within 7 days).
Disadvantage: the rental company will still block the deposit on your card, insist that you take out their insurance (be careful not to double up), deduct the amount from your deposit, and you will be reimbursed by the platform when you send in the paperwork.
Option 3 – Rental company’s on-site insurance
Advantage: no deposit to block, no photos to take
Disadvantage: much higher price
Extras
Do I need a GPS?
To navigate, you may consider renting a GPS.
- Option 1 – Bring your own GPS
This is our preferred option. We know how it works, and we can enter all our destinations in advance, which saves us a lot of time.
In our eBook of travel guides, you’ll find GPS coordinates for parking lots in all our favorite locations. - Option 2 – Use your phone
If you have a phone, remember that roaming charges abroad can be very high (unless you’re from Europe and it’s included in your package).
However, you can download a map in advance, when you are connected to the wifi, so you can navigate without spending money.
Don’t forget your phone’s charger and holder to keep it comfortable! - Option 3 – Take the GPS as well
We do not recommend it. We think it’s a last resort if you don’t have your own or a good phone. We still find it very expensive.
Additional driver fee
Decide in advance whether or not you will need more than one driver.
If this is the case, keep this in mind when comparing rental offers between companies.
Some companies offer deals with an extra driver for free.
Child safety seat regulations in Lanzarote
Spanish 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.
How to 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 the rental. Sometimes they don’t tell you anything…
Make sure all dents and scratches are noted, if not, make sure they add them.
In addition, to have peace of mind, you can take pictures before leaving (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 back of the mirrors
- Check the interior for damage
- Check the condition of the tires
- Check the condition of the wing (mud wing above the wheels)
- Check that the spare tire is in place and in good condition
- Verify that the fuel level and mileage match the record
Check that all mandatory equipment is in the car
In Lanzarote, 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)
There are no toll roads in Lanzarote.
What to do if you get 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 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 more manageable for them.
Therefore, you need to understand how much the car consumes and how many kilometers/miles you have left, if you don’t want to waste money.
Parking the car
For peace of mind, try to drop off the car during business hours so that all checks can be completed 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 hire in Lanzarote.
However, keep 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.
What to do if you damage the car
If your rental car is damaged, the first thing to do is to contact the car rental agency.
- If your rental only has basic insurance, you will be responsible for covering damages up to your deductible.
- If you have full coverage with the rental agency, check with them and the damage should be covered.
- If you purchased with Discovercars.com, contact them and provide all information (within 28 days of the car drop off). 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 fees and costs associated with the damage, if they are justified.
Compare rental prices in Lanzarote
Get ready to drive in Lanzarote
Here’s an introduction to driving in Lanzarote.
Read all our tips in this other article.
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…
Watch videos
To familiarize yourself with driving, you can watch videos of people doing road trips in Lanzarote.
Here’s our little video to give you an idea of what it looks like:
Understanding potential hazards
There are 3 main dangers to be aware of when driving in Lanzarote:
- LANDSCAPE – The main danger is to be distracted by the magnificent landscape. 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 – Cyclists take to the roads at weekends. Be very careful when overtaking.
Plan your route
It can be fun to go on an adventure.
But if you want to see a lot of places on your road trip, it’s best to plan ahead to balance your days and book accommodation.
Find all our favorite locations and tips in our eBook on travel guides:
WITH OUR GUIDE PLAN YOUR DREAM TRIP TO lanzarote
All the information you need for your trip:
- 7 maps that make planning easier
- + 75 pre-selected locations
- Practical advice
- + 140 photos to help you choose
What to do in the event of an accident
If people are injured or there is a conflict, the emergency number in Lanzarote 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 Lanzarote
- Best of
Most beautiful landscapes
Best things to do in Lanzarote
Most beautiful beaches
Most beautiful villages
Best boat tours
César Manrique’s attractions
Secret places, off the beaten track
Most beautiful hikes
- Practical advice
25 tips for a successful trip to Lanzarote
How to get around
How to rent a car in Lanzarote
Driving tips
Where to stay in Lanzarote
Best hotels in Lanzarote
Best excursions
Itineraries: 3 days – 4 days – 5 days – 1 week – 10 days
