Car rental in Cyprus: left-hand driving, the north and rules

In Cyprus, a rental car is the most practical way to link Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, the beaches and the Troodos villages. You usually pick it up at Larnaca or Paphos airport. Traffic drives on the left, and the UK FCDO says a UK photocard licence can be used. Key point: if you want to cross into the north of the island, first check that your rental company allows it, and know that insurance bought at the crossing points may not cover damage to the rental car.

This page relies on the UK FCDO, the U.S. State Department, the EU’s Your Europe portal and the airports’ website, and gives no prices. For the rest of the trip, see our Cyprus guide, when to go to Cyprus and our pages on Paphos, Larnaca and Nicosia.

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Do you need to rent a car in Cyprus?

If you stay in a beach resort and explore the town on foot, no. But the island is large and its sights are scattered: ancient sites, monasteries and mountain villages, beaches away from the resorts. The U.S. State Department notes there are few public buses and no rail lines in Cyprus. A car becomes useful if you want to:

• combine several towns during the stay (Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, Nicosia);
• go up into the Troodos massif and its villages;
• discover the beaches and the Akamas peninsula, north-west of Paphos;
• travel as a family or stay outside the towns.

Before choosing a small city car, look at your itinerary: most rental contracts exclude unsurfaced tracks. The State Department adds that secondary roads, especially in mountainous areas, tend to be narrow and winding, and not as well maintained as major highways.

Licence, age and documents

UK citizens: according to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 14 August 2026), you can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Cyprus; if you still have a paper licence you may need to update it to a photocard or get the correct version of the international driving permit (IDP) as well. You must display a UK sticker to drive a UK-based car. US citizens: the U.S. State Department (travel.state.gov, Cyprus page, last updated August 13, 2026) says traffic laws, signs and speed limits are consistent with European standards and that liability insurance is required, but does not state a licence requirement for visitors: ask your rental company what it accepts. Provisional licences may be refused.

Minimum age, years of licence required and the « young driver » surcharge are set by each rental company, not by law. Bring a card in the main driver’s name for the deposit: many companies require a credit card and refuse debit cards.

Type of road	Maximum speed, cars
Pedestrian zones	30 km/h (19 mph)
Urban roads	50 km/h (31 mph)
Non-urban roads	80 km/h (50 mph)
Motorways and expressways	100 km/h (62 mph)

• Driving on the left: the U.S. State Department notes that this is the opposite of what most US citizens are used to and that pedestrians should look both ways before crossing. Cars are right-hand drive; an automatic gearbox makes the adjustment easier.
• Alcohol: 0.5 g/l for most drivers; 0.2 g/l for drivers with under three years’ experience, professionals and riders of two-wheelers and quadricycles (Your Europe). The UK FCDO says you could be heavily fined for drink-driving.
• Drugs: driving under the influence of drugs is prohibited; Your Europe cites cannabis (THC), methamphetamine and MDMA.
• Phone: only with a hands-free kit (U.S. State Department); the FCDO says you could be heavily fined for using a mobile while driving.
• Seat belts: compulsory, with a suitable child seat for children (U.S. State Department); the FCDO lists driving or traveling as a passenger without a seat belt among offenses that can bring heavy fines.

The UK FCDO says driving standards are poor and there is an increased risk of road deaths compared to the UK; the U.S. State Department says speeding, tailgating, overtaking and running caution lights, though illegal, are common and are major causes of accidents. Drive defensively, especially at roundabouts, which you take clockwise.

Going to the north of the island with a rental car

This is the most frequent question, and the answer comes down to these points from the UK FCDO and the U.S. State Department:

• Check that the rental company allows travel to the north: many contracts forbid it, so have it confirmed in writing. The UK FCDO says cars hired in the Republic of Cyprus often have no insurance cover in the north, and that you will not be allowed through a crossing without the correct insurance documents.
• Insurance: the U.S. State Department says car insurance purchased in the government-controlled area is not valid in the area administered by Turkish Cypriots, and that separate insurance can be purchased at the crossing points; the FCDO says this is possible at some crossing points, including Agios Dometios. Damage to the rental car is therefore a point to settle with the company before you go.
• Crossing points: according to the FCDO, only pedestrians can use the crossings at Ledra Palace and Ledra and Lokmaci Street. The State Department says you cross by showing a valid U.S. passport at a recognized checkpoint.

Both governments also give warnings. The FCDO says that if you enter the Republic of Cyprus through the north (for example through Ercan Airport), authorities will consider you to have entered illegally; the State Department says to enter and exit the Republic of Cyprus only at Larnaca and Paphos airports and the seaports of Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos. The State Department says never to attempt to enter the UN buffer zone anywhere other than a designated crossing point, and never to photograph military installations; the FCDO adds that you could be arrested for photographing sensitive areas such as military buildings. The FCDO notes that its consular support is limited in the areas of the north not under the control of the Republic of Cyprus. If your rental company refuses the crossing, a simple solution is to cross the line on foot in Nicosia to visit the northern part of the city.

Where to pick up your rental car

At Larnaca and Paphos airports

According to the website of Hermes Airports, which operates both airports, the rental offices are in the arrivals hall, after the exit from the baggage reclaim area. The page lists the contact details of Avis-Budget, Hertz, Europcar and Sixt for Larnaca and Paphos, as well as Petsas and Astra (page checked 27 October 2026). Other companies meet their customers in the car park or after a shuttle: check the meeting point on your booking, especially for a late flight.

If you arrive in Larnaca but stay in Paphos (or the reverse), ask whether returning the car at the other airport is possible and at what cost.

Quad bikes and off-road vehicles

The UK FCDO says that companies renting mopeds and quad bikes usually only provide third-party insurance, so you will have to pay for any damage to the vehicle, and that you could be arrested if you do not pay. It advises using only properly licensed and insured operators and making sure the sport is included by name on your travel insurance policy.

Insurance and excess: what to understand

Every rental includes the compulsory third-party liability insurance. Damage to the vehicle and theft are covered by waivers (often called CDW, TP or equivalent) with an excess (deductible): the sum left to you in case of a claim. The company usually blocks a security deposit on a card in the main driver’s name. Check in particular whether the cover applies in the north of the island (generally not) and on the unsurfaced roads of Troodos or Akamas.

There are three options: accept the excess, buy it down at the desk, or take out third-party « excess insurance » (you then pay the sum first and are reimbursed). Some credit cards include rental cover: read the terms, as exclusions (windows, tires, underbody, dirt tracks) are common. Our travel insurance guide explains the differences.

Checklist at pick-up and return

• Photograph or film the vehicle from every angle, wheels, windscreen and roof included, with the agent present if possible.
• Have every scratch or chip noted on the condition report, however small.
• Check the fuel level and the fuel policy in the contract.
• Get written confirmation of whether travel to the north is allowed.
• Have the controls shown to you before you leave: on a right-hand-drive car, indicators and wipers are often swapped from what you are used to.
• On return, have the return condition report signed; if the office is closed, photograph the parked car, the odometer and the fuel gauge.
• Keep the contract, photos and receipts until the deposit is fully returned: fines can arrive after the trip, via the rental company.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crossing to the north without the company’s permission or without separate insurance.
• Assuming the insurance bought at the crossing covers the rental car: check what it covers.
• Having a drink with less than three years’ licence: the limit is 0.2 g/l.
• Taking a Troodos or Akamas track with an uncovered small car.
• Photographing near a marked military zone.
• Forgetting that traffic drives on the left when pulling out of the airport car park.

Booking your car rental in Cyprus

You can book directly with a company present at the airport or go through a comparison site, which shows several offers at once. Either way, compare the actual rental company (the one that will hand over the keys), the desk location (in the terminal or by shuttle), the amount of the excess and the deposit, mileage, fuel policy, additional-driver or young-driver fees, and cancellation terms. If the north of the island is part of your plans, add this criterion to your comparison before you book.

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• Hermes Airports, « Car Rentals » page (Larnaca and Paphos airports), checked 27 October 2026.
• UK FCDO, Cyprus travel advice (GOV.UK, updated 14 August 2026): road travel, licences and permits, car and motorbike hire, entry to the north of Cyprus.
• U.S. Department of State, Cyprus (travel.state.gov, last updated August 13, 2026): traffic laws and road conditions, the north of Cyprus, the UN buffer zone.
• Your Europe (European Commission), « Traffic rules and road safety – Cyprus » (last verified 18 September 2024), checked 27 October 2026.
• Our methodology

Updated November 2026. Rules, lists of companies and terms may change: check the official sites before you travel.