Car rental in Ibiza: airport, rules and the vehicle law

In Ibiza, a rental car lets you reach the coves of the north and west, the inland villages and the viewpoints at your own pace, places the buses serve less well. You usually collect it at the airport, where Aena lists eight rental companies on the ground floor. Traffic rules are those of Spain, and a licence issued in the UK is accepted, while US drivers need an International Driving Permit. The island has one particular feature: a 2024 law restricts the entry and circulation of vehicles during the season, which mainly affects people who want to bring their own car by ferry.

This Ibiza car rental guide draws on official sources (Aena, the DGT, the text of the law published in the Spanish Official State Gazette) and gives no prices: they vary too much with the season to be reliable. To plan your stay, see our Ibiza guide, our page on Formentera and the Balearic Islands guide. For entry requirements, see entry requirements for Spain.

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Do you need a rental car in Ibiza?

Ibiza is a small island, but its best coves are scattered and often at the end of minor roads. Buses link Eivissa (Ibiza Town), Sant Antoni, Santa Eulària and several beaches, with services that thin out off season and in the evening. A car becomes useful if you want to:

• visit several coves in a day, in the north (Portinatx, Sant Joan de Labritja) or the west (around Sant Josep);
• arrive early at the beaches to find a parking space;
• stay in a house or an agrotourism farm inland, far from bus stops;
• travel with family or equipment (diving, paddleboarding, a stroller).

On the other hand, if you stay in Eivissa, Sant Antoni or Playa d’en Bossa and mostly plan to go out in the evening, you do not need a car: buses, taxis and walking are enough, and you avoid the question of parking and drinking and driving. Many travelers rent for just two or three days in the middle of their stay to tour the coves.

Licence, age and documents

• UK citizens: according to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK foreign travel advice for Spain, updated 12 August 2026), you can use a UK photocard driving licence in Spain; if you still have a paper licence, you may need to update it to a photocard, and provisional licences are not valid. You must be at least 18 to drive a car and must carry a valid licence and ID.
• US citizens: according to the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025), you must obtain an International Driving Permit before arriving if you plan to drive in Spain, it is valid for 1 year, and it is required to rent a car; without one, police may impound the rental car and fine you on the spot.

The minimum age, the required licence seniority and any « young driver » surcharge are set by each rental company, not by law: read them before paying. At the desk, show your licence, a form of ID and a payment card in the main driver’s name. Many companies require a credit card for the deposit and refuse debit cards: check this if you only have a debit card.

The law limiting vehicles in Ibiza

Ibiza has a specific law on the influx of vehicles: Law 5/2024 of 11 November 2024 of the Balearic Islands, « on the control of the influx of vehicles on the island of Eivissa for tourism sustainability ». It was adopted at the initiative of the Consell d’Eivissa (the island council) to reduce peak-season congestion. According to the consolidated text published in the Official State Gazette (BOE), it provides for:

• a ban on entering and circulating on the island, during a period set by the Consell and published in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands, for motor vehicles that are neither exempt nor authorised;
• exemptions, notably for vehicles of Ibiza residents, those of non-resident owners of a home on the island (one vehicle) and authorised rental vehicles with their tax domicile in Ibiza;
• a cap on the number of rental vehicles in circulation during the restriction period;
• checks at boarding by ferry companies, which must verify the authorisation of vehicles heading to Ibiza.

In practice, for a traveler renting a car on the island, it is up to the rental company to comply: a vehicle rented from a company based on the island is part of its authorised fleet. The law mainly concerns those who want to bring their own car, or a car rented on the mainland or in Mallorca: during the restriction period, that vehicle must be authorised, otherwise boarding may be refused and a fine imposed. The dates and caps are set by the Consell: we do not quote them here, so check with the Consell d’Eivissa before booking a ferry with a vehicle.

Type of road	Maximum speed (km/h)
Autopista / autovía (motorway / dual carriageway)	120 (75 mph)
Carretera convencional (conventional road)	90 (56 mph)
Town, single-platform street (carriageway and pavement at the same level)	20 (12 mph)
Town, one lane in each direction	30 (19 mph)
Town, two or more lanes in each direction	50 (31 mph)

On conventional roads, the DGT specifies that 90 km/h (56 mph) may not be exceeded, even when overtaking. On alcohol, the DGT gives a maximum of 0.25 mg per liter of exhaled air (0.5 g/l of blood) for most drivers, and 0.15 mg/l (0.3 g/l) for novice and professional drivers (checked 24 October 2026). A lower threshold is under discussion in the Spanish Parliament but was not in force on that date. The simplest course is not to drink at all before driving.

• Phone: illegal to hold while driving; the UK FCDO adds that even an earpiece is not allowed and that you must be completely away from the road if stopped (GOV.UK, updated 12 August 2026); the U.S. Department of State mentions a €300 fine (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025).
• Seat belts: compulsory for all occupants, front and back; children under 1.35 m must use an approved child seat, which you can request from the rental company (UK FCDO, GOV.UK, updated 12 August 2026).
• Roundabouts: give way to vehicles already on the roundabout. Use the right-hand lane if you are leaving at the next exit.
• Parking: respect road markings; blue zones are paid and time-limited, and yellow lines mean no parking.
• Roadside stops: the U.S. Department of State notes that you should wear a reflective vest if you stop on the roadside and place a warning triangle, that liability insurance is required, and that you may be fined on the spot.

Driving in Ibiza: the real difficulties

• Access roads to the coves are often narrow, winding, and sometimes unpaved for the last stretch: drive slowly and check that your contract covers these sections.
• Beach parking fills up fast in summer; never park on a prohibited verge or in front of an access.
• Two-wheelers (scooters, quads, bikes) are numerous in season: take extra care on bends and at roundabouts.
• The old town of Eivissa (Dalt Vila) and the center are poorly suited to cars: park in a car park on the outskirts.
• The trip home at night: if you go out, plan for a non-drinking driver, a taxi or a night bus. Breath tests are carried out everywhere in Spain; the UK FCDO notes that Spain has strict drink-driving laws, with penalties including fines, loss of licence and prison.

Where to collect your rental car

Rental companies listed by Aena	Location given
Avis, Europcar, Sixt	Level 0, baggage reclaim hall
Enterprise, Goldcar-InterRent, Hertz, OK Mobility, Sicily by Car	Level 0, arrivals hall

A useful detail: three companies have their desk in the baggage hall, before you even reach the exit. Companies missing from this list work from offices near the airport, with a shuttle or meeting on appointment: this is sometimes cheaper, but pick-up and drop-off take longer. Check your booking for the words « in terminal » or « shuttle » and the opening hours if your flight arrives late.

At the port and in town

There are also offices in Eivissa, Sant Antoni and Santa Eulària, handy if you arrive by ferry or rent for only a few days. Drop-off can sometimes be at a different office: ask about one-way fees.

Can you take the car to Formentera?

It depends on the rental company. Some contracts forbid leaving Ibiza with the vehicle, including for Formentera; others allow it under conditions. On a small island like Formentera, many visitors prefer to cross without a car and rent a bike or scooter there. If you want to take the car aboard, get this confirmed in writing before booking.

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 similar) with an excess (deductible): the sum you remain liable for after a claim. The rental company usually blocks a security deposit on a card in the main driver’s name. Minor parking scrapes and scratches from narrow tracks to the coves are the most common claims: this is the point to examine in the cover you choose.

There are three options: accept the excess, buy it down at the desk, or take out third-party « excess insurance » (you then pay the amount first and claim it back). Some credit cards include rental cover: read the terms, as exclusions (glass, tires, underbody, unpaved tracks) are common. Our travel insurance guide explains the differences. If you use UK insurance, the UK FCDO advises carrying the certificate and checking that it covers driving in Spain and for how long (GOV.UK, updated 12 August 2026).

Checklist at pick-up and drop-off

1. Photograph or film the vehicle from every angle, including wheels, windscreen and roof, and have every defect noted on the condition report.
2. Check the air conditioning, useful in summer, and the condition of the tires.
3. Note the fuel level and the fuel policy in the contract.
4. Get written confirmation of whether the ferry to Formentera is allowed.
5. On return, leave a margin before your flight and have the return condition report signed.
6. Keep the contract, photos and receipts until the deposit is fully released: fines sometimes arrive after the trip, via the rental company.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Booking a big car: it complicates parking and access to the coves.
• Bringing your own car by ferry during the season without checking Law 5/2024 and the authorisation required.
• Boarding for Formentera without the rental company’s agreement.
• Driving after a night out.
• Parking on a prohibited verge near a beach.
• Confusing the excess with the security deposit: the deposit is blocked even without a claim.
• Arriving as a US driver without an International Driving Permit.

Booking your rental car in Ibiza

You can book directly with a company present at the airport or use a comparison site, which shows several offers at once. Either way, compare the actual rental company (the one that hands over the keys), the desk location (in the terminal or shuttle), the amount of the excess and deposit, mileage, fuel policy, additional-driver or young-driver fees, and cancellation terms. In summer, book early: the number of rental cars allowed on the island is capped by law.

To compare with the neighboring island, our page on car rental in Mallorca follows the same method.

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• Aena, Ibiza airport, « Alquiler de coches » page, consulted on 27 October 2026.
• Ley 5/2024, de 11 de noviembre, de control de la afluencia de vehículos en la isla de Eivissa para la sostenibilidad turística, consolidated text (BOE), consulted on 27 October 2026.
• DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico), press release of 3 August 2026 on speed limits, consulted on 27 October 2026.
• DGT, « Así son los controles de alcoholemia y drogas », consulted on 24 October 2026.
• UK FCDO, foreign travel advice for Spain (GOV.UK, updated 12 August 2026; read 26 October 2026)
• U.S. Department of State, Spain country information (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025; read 26 October 2026)
• Our methodology

Updated November 2026. Rules, rental company lists and conditions may change: check the official sites before you travel.