Menorca is smaller and quieter than Mallorca, but its best coves are at the end of minor roads: a rental car remains the freest way to reach them. You collect it at Maó airport, where Aena lists five rental companies on the ground floor. Before heading for the most popular coves in the south, such as Macarella, check for any access restrictions that season.
This Menorca car rental page brings together the official Spanish rules, the rental companies listed by the airport and what is specific to the island. To place the coves and towns, see our Menorca guide and our comparison Mallorca or Menorca. For the neighboring island, our page on renting a car in Mallorca follows the same method. For entry requirements, see entry requirements for Spain.
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Car rental in Menorca: key facts
- Licence: UK citizens can use a UK photocard licence; US citizens need an International Driving Permit (details below).
- Pick-up: Menorca (Maó) airport, Sixt, Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Enterprise, level 0, according to Aena.
- Speed (DGT): 90 km/h (56 mph) on conventional roads, 20 to 50 km/h (12 to 31 mph) in towns.
- Alcohol (DGT): 0.5 g/l of blood, 0.3 g/l for novice drivers.
- Southern coves: access restrictions are possible in season (check the island’s official sites).
Why rent a car in Menorca?
The island stretches between Maó in the east and Ciutadella in the west, linked by the main road, the Me-1. From this road, smaller roads descend to the coves of the north, with often rougher water, and of the south, sheltered and wooded. Buses serve the towns and some of the beaches, but not always at times that let you see several in a day.
A car also lets you reach the prehistoric Talayotic sites, the Favàritx lighthouse or Cap de Cavalleria. In Ciutadella and Maó, however, it is better to park and walk around the old centers.
Licence and 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.
Minimum age, licence seniority and additional-driver fees depend on each rental company’s conditions.
Traffic rules in Spain
| 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) |
Alcohol thresholds according to the DGT: 0.5 g/l of blood (0.25 mg/l of exhaled air) for most drivers, 0.3 g/l (0.15 mg/l) for novice and professional drivers. A lowering of these thresholds was discussed in 2026 and, to our knowledge, not adopted: check dgt.es.
- 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 and says liability insurance is required (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025).
The coves and access by car
Some very popular coves have been subject, in past years, to car access restrictions in season (the local press, Menorca.info, reported them for Macarella in 2024). We found no official 2026 calendar: before going, check the website of the Consell Insular de Menorca (cime.es) or the tourist office (menorca.es), which publish any measures and shuttle buses.
- Cove car parks are often some distance from the beach, at the end of a path: bring suitable shoes.
- Minor roads are narrow, lined with dry-stone walls: pass slowly.
- Share the road with cyclists, who are numerous on the island: overtake only with visibility and space.
- The Camí de Cavalls is a hiking trail: it is not open to cars.
- Leave nothing visible in the car in isolated car parks.
Where to collect your car in Menorca
The « Alquiler de coches » page of Menorca airport (Aena) lists five rental companies, all shown on level 0 of the terminal: Sixt, Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Enterprise. Other companies, notably local ones, operate away from the terminal or deliver to your hotel: in that case check the exact meeting point and time.
On days with many arrivals, the wait at the desk can be long: one driver can queue while the others collect the bags. Have your licence, ID and a payment card in the main driver’s name ready; some companies refuse debit cards for the security deposit, a condition to read before booking. If an off-airport company comes to meet you, note its phone number and the precise meeting point.
If you arrive by ferry, at the port of Maó or Ciutadella, there are offices in town; opening at the boat’s arrival time is not guaranteed, especially off season.
Which vehicle and which plan?
A small car suits the vast majority of stays: the island is compact, minor roads are narrow and cove car parks are often dirt, with tight spaces. A convertible is pleasant but offers no protection for belongings left in the car while you swim. For a family with a stroller and a cooler, check the trunk volume of the category booked rather than relying on the model name, often followed by « or similar ».
As for the plan, many travelers alternate a day of coves in the south, a day on the wilder north coast, and a day in town (Ciutadella, Maó). On days of strong north wind, the sheltered southern coves are often more pleasant; check the weather before choosing your side. Allow a margin for parking: in summer, it is better to arrive early in the morning.
Insurance and excess
Third-party liability is always included; damage and theft are covered with an excess you pay. The rental company may offer to remove it for a fee; external excess insurance or a credit card’s cover are alternatives, provided you read the exclusions (tires, glass, underbody, unpaved tracks to some coves). 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).
Pick-up and return checklist
- Walk around the vehicle and photograph scratches, wheels and mirrors: the dry-stone walls put them to the test.
- Check the fuel policy and any fuel deposit requested at pick-up.
- Ask whether unpaved tracks are excluded from the contract.
- Locate a gas station on the road back to the airport.
- On return, photograph the car, the odometer and the fuel gauge.
Common mistakes
- Heading for Macarella in summer without checking that year’s access restrictions.
- Arriving late at the southern coves: the car parks fill up.
- Choosing a wide vehicle for roads lined with walls.
- Signing without reading the fuel policy.
- Booking at the last minute in summer, when the island’s supply, smaller than Mallorca’s, is tight.
- Arriving as a US driver without an International Driving Permit.
Booking your rental car in Menorca
Compare the actual rental company, the exact pick-up place (desk in the terminal or off-site office), the excess, the fuel policy, the security deposit and cancellation. In high season, small categories go fast.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a car in Menorca?
To visit several coves and the prehistoric sites in the same day, it is the most practical option. Buses serve the towns and some of the beaches.
Which rental companies are at Menorca airport?
According to Aena: Sixt, Avis, Europcar, Hertz and Enterprise, on level 0 of the terminal.
Can you drive to Cala Macarella?
Restrictions have been applied in some summers. We found no official 2026 calendar, so check the arrangements on the Consell Insular or tourist office website before going.
What is the speed limit on Menorca’s roads?
90 km/h (56 mph) on conventional roads and 20 to 50 km/h (12 to 31 mph) in towns according to the DGT, unless a sign says otherwise.
Is a UK or US driving licence valid in Menorca?
UK photocard licences can be used in Spain, according to the UK FCDO (GOV.UK, updated 12 August 2026). US citizens need an International Driving Permit, according to the U.S. Department of State (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025).
Can you take a rental car on the ferry to Mallorca?
Only with the rental company’s written agreement: most restrict or forbid taking cars on boats, and the insurance may not apply without permission. It is often simpler to rent another car on each island.
Do you need a 4×4 for the coves?
No. The access roads to the cove car parks can be driven in an ordinary car; some unpaved tracks are, however, excluded from contracts, hence the value of reading the conditions.
Our sources
- Aena, Menorca airport, « Alquiler de coches », consulted on 24 October 2026.
- DGT, press release of 3 August 2026 (generic limits) and DGT notes on alcohol limits, consulted on 24 October 2026.
- Menorca.info, « El Consell no permitirá este verano el acceso en coche a Macarella » (23 January 2024), 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.