Car rental in Mallorca: Palma airport and the rules

In Mallorca, a rental car gives access to the coves of the east coast, the villages of the Serra de Tramuntana and the beaches of the north. You most often collect it at Palma airport, where Aena lists seven rental companies with a desk in the arrivals hall. One point to know for 2026: the road to Cap de Formentor was closed to private cars for much of the day from mid-May to mid-October.

This Mallorca car rental guide covers the official Spanish rules (DGT) and what is specific to the island. To plan your stay, see our Mallorca guide, the Palma page and when to go to the Balearic Islands. For entry requirements, see entry requirements for Spain.

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Is a car useful in Mallorca?

Palma can be explored on foot and the TIB bus network links many towns. But to combine in one day a cove on the east coast, a Tramuntana village such as Valldemossa or Deià, and a viewpoint on the north coast, a car remains the most flexible option. If you stay in a beach resort with no plans for excursions, a rental of just a few days may be enough.

Undecided between the islands? See our comparisons Mallorca or Menorca and Ibiza or Mallorca. If you are also visiting the neighboring island, see car rental in Menorca.

Licence and rental conditions

• 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; a paper licence may need updating to a photocard, and provisional licences are not valid.
• 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.

The minimum age, licence seniority and any surcharges are set by each rental company.

Type of road	Limit for a car (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)

The DGT points out that these limits are maximums to be adapted to the road, the weather and visibility. On alcohol, the general threshold is 0.5 g/l of blood (0.25 mg/l of exhaled air) and 0.3 g/l (0.15 mg/l of air) for novice and professional drivers. A proposal to lower it to 0.2 g/l was debated in the Spanish Parliament in 2026 and, to our knowledge, was not adopted: check dgt.es before you leave.

• Phone and seat belts: the UK FCDO notes that using a mobile phone while driving is illegal, that even an earpiece is not allowed, that seat belts are compulsory in front and back, and that children under 1.35 m must use an approved child seat (GOV.UK, updated 12 August 2026). The U.S. Department of State mentions a €300 fine for phone use without hands-free (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025).
• Roadside stops: the U.S. Department of State notes that you should wear a reflective vest and place a warning triangle if you stop at the roadside, and that liability insurance is required.

Formentor 2026: what the DGT says

A DGT resolution of 14 January 2026 regulated the Ma-2210 road to Cap de Formentor from 15 May to 18 October 2026 inclusive, from 10:00 to 22:00:

• Section to Formentor beach: private cars could reach the car park at kilometer point 8, without authorisation, until it was full; a barrier at Pollença then let only authorised vehicles through.
• Section to the lighthouse: reserved for authorised vehicles (TIB shuttle bus, residents, bicycles, emergency services, vehicles of people with reduced mobility with the V-15 sign). A rental car could not enter.
• The DGT noted that the restrictions could be modified around the eclipse of 12 August 2026; those dates have passed, so check its page for the next season’s rules before you go.

In practice, if you want to reach the lighthouse in season, plan on the shuttle bus from Port de Pollença.

Roads on the island

• The Serra de Tramuntana: narrow mountain roads, many hairpin bends, lots of cyclists; overtake them only with good visibility.
• Parking in Palma, Valldemossa, Deià and near the coves is limited and often regulated; historic villages have narrow streets.
• The network around Palma includes fast roads: respect the posted limit, which may be below 120 km/h (75 mph).

Where to collect your car in Mallorca

Aena, the operator of Palma airport, lists seven rental companies in the terminal. All have a desk in the arrivals hall on level 0; some also have one in the baggage reclaim hall. Vehicles are then handed over in the car park, on a level that depends on the company:

Company	Desk	Vehicles
Avis-Budget	Arrivals hall (level 0)	Car park, level 2
Europcar	Arrivals hall and baggage hall (level 0)	Car park, level 1
Goldcar	Arrivals hall (level 0)	Car park, level 1
Hertz	Arrivals hall (level 0)	Car park, level 1
OK Mobility	Arrivals hall (level 0)	Car park, levels 0 and 2
Record Go	Arrivals hall and baggage hall (level 0)	Car park, level 0
Sixt	Arrivals hall and baggage hall (level 0)	Car park, level 0

Other companies operate off-site, with a shuttle to their office: the transfer time then adds to the wait. Palma port and the beach resorts also have offices.

Insurance and excess

In Spain as elsewhere, third-party liability is included; damage and theft are covered with an excess (deductible). At the desk you will often be offered extra cover to remove it. Before accepting, compare it with excess insurance bought in advance or your credit card’s cover, and read the exclusions. The fuel policy deserves the same attention: a scheme where you pay for a full tank at the start is not the same as « full to full ». See our travel insurance guide. If you use UK insurance, the UK FCDO advises carrying your certificate and checking that it covers driving in Spain and for how long (GOV.UK, updated 12 August 2026).

Checklist in the airport car park

1. Find your rental company’s car park level before leaving the desk.
2. Photograph the bodywork, wheels and windscreen; have any damage noted on the handover document.
3. Check the fuel level shown and the policy in the contract.
4. Save the contract and the assistance number in your phone.
5. On return, follow the company’s return signs and photograph the parked car and the odometer.

In case of an accident or breakdown

Put on the reflective vest, make the scene safe, call 112 if anyone is injured (the U.S. Department of State gives 112 for emergency services and roadside assistance), then the assistance number on your contract. Complete an accident report form with the other driver and photograph the vehicles; tell the rental company without waiting for the return.

Common mistakes

• Planning to drive to the Formentor lighthouse between mid-May and mid-October during the day.
• Accepting extra cover at the desk without comparing it with your own.
• Overlooking the fuel policy, a frequent source of charges on return.
• Taking a wide vehicle for the Tramuntana and village lanes.
• Parking outside authorised areas near the coves: fines are common.
• Arriving as a US driver without an International Driving Permit.

Booking your rental car in Mallorca

Compare the actual rental company, the desk location (in the terminal or off-airport with a shuttle), the excess, the fuel policy, the security deposit and cancellation. In summer, booking early widens the choice.

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• Aena, Palma de Mallorca airport, « Alquiler de coches », consulted on 24 October 2026.
• DGT, « Regulación del tráfico en el acceso al faro de Formentor » (resolution of 14 January 2026), consulted on 24 October 2026.
• DGT, press release of 3 August 2026 on speed monitoring (generic limits), and DGT notes on alcohol limits, 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 and rental company lists may change: check the official sites before you travel.