A car is how you see Lanzarote: the island is only about 60 km from end to end, and Timanfaya, the César Manrique sites and the north are an easy drive away. But only some trips need one. Puerto del Carmen, about 10 km from the airport, is walkable; Playa Blanca and Costa Teguise are further out. Hire for the days you explore, and read the fuel, dirt-road and ferry rules first.
Do you need a car in Lanzarote?
It is worth hiring a car in Lanzarote if you want to see the island rather than the resort, because the volcanoes, the Manrique sites and the north are spread out and tours fix your timetable. If your plan is a beach, a pool and one excursion, you do not need one for the whole week.
Your base decides how many days to hire for.
| Base | Without a car | Hire for |
|---|---|---|
| Puerto del Carmen | Walkable seafront, airport bus 161 | 1–2 sightseeing days |
| Playa Blanca | Spread-out resort, 30–40 min from airport | 2–3 days, or the week |
| Costa Teguise | Buses to Arrecife | 2–3 days for the north |
If you are still choosing where to stay, our best hotels in Lanzarote guide compares the three resorts and their distances from the airport.
What a car lets you do on your own
Timanfaya is the clearest case. With a car and a timed ticket, you drive to the entrance on the road between Yaiza and Tinajo; you cannot drive the Route of the Volcanoes itself, which is a park coach included in the ticket. Our Timanfaya National Park tour guide works out when driving yourself beats a tour.
The north is the other reason to hire. Jameos del Agua, Cueva de los Verdes and the Mirador del Río sit close together, which makes a comfortable half-day by car; our Lanzarote excursions guide covers what you can do without a tour, and our things to do in Lanzarote guide plans the sights by day.
Two trips need the car parked. La Graciosa ferries do not carry cars, according to the booking platform Ferryhopper, so you drive to Órzola and cross on foot, as our La Graciosa guide explains. Fuerteventura is covered further down.
Which car hire company: local firms or a comparison site?
Nine car hire companies are listed in Terminal 1 at Lanzarote airport by the airport operator Aena: AutoReisen, Cabrera Medina, Cicar, Europcar, Goldcar, Hertz, Payless, Sixt and TopCar. The difference that matters is not the logo but what the price includes.
The two big Canary Islands firms publish their terms in plain language:
| Cicar | AutoReisen | |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance | Comprehensive, no excess | Zero excess included |
| Deposit | Fuel deposit at pick-up | None, no card hold |
| Fuel | Return the level you took | Return the level you took |
| Minimum age | 21, licence 2 years | 23, licence 2 years |
| Included | Extra driver, child seats | Unlimited mileage |
Cabrera Medina, founded on Lanzarote in 1967, offers free delivery to your accommodation and quotes the same group fleet as Cicar, more than 15,000 vehicles.
A comparison site, such as the one our button above links to, shows these desks alongside the international brands. Before you pay, open the supplier's own terms and check the excess, the deposit and the fuel rule, because those three lines, not the headline rate, decide what the week costs.
What drives the price
There is no single price for car hire in Lanzarote, so we do not quote one. Four things move it most: the season (school holidays and winter-sun weeks cost more), where you collect (airport or resort office), the driver's age (some firms do not rent under 21 or 23) and the insurance level you are actually buying.
A cheap headline rate with a high excess and a full-to-empty fuel policy can cost more by the end of the week than an all-in local rate. Compare like with like.
Can you drive in Lanzarote with a UK licence?
Yes. GOV.UK says you do not need an international driving permit (IDP) to drive in the EU, including Spain, with a UK photocard driving licence. You may need one if you hold a paper licence, or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man.
Rental firms add their own rules on top. Cicar asks for a licence held for at least two years and a driver aged 21 or over; AutoReisen sets the same two years and a minimum age of 23. AutoReisen accepts credit or debit cards; check your supplier's card rules before you travel.
Is driving in Lanzarote easy?
For most visitors, yes. Traffic drives on the right, and Spain's general limits apply: 120 km/h on motorways and dual carriageways, 90 km/h on ordinary roads, and 50 km/h in towns, falling to 30 km/h on single-lane town streets.
The main roads are simple. The LZ-2 runs from Arrecife to Playa Blanca, the LZ-1 runs north from Arrecife to Órzola, and the LZ-3 rings Arrecife. Expect wind on open stretches and tighter, slower roads in the north.
Papagayo, dirt roads and the ferry small print
The Papagayo beaches are reached along a dirt track from Playa Blanca into the Los Ajaches Natural Monument. Non-residents pay €3 per vehicle at the barrier, by card only, and the car park is open 09:00–19:00, according to Living Lanzarote in August 2026.
That track is the catch. AutoReisen's terms forbid driving on unsurfaced roads, and its zero-excess cover excludes off-road driving, tyres and wheels. Ask your company before you drive it, or reach the coves by boat instead.
The ferry to Fuerteventura is the other trap. AutoReisen's terms say a hire car must not leave the island without the company's written permission. If you want to take the car, get that permission first; our Fuerteventura day trip guide covers the crossing itself.
Without a car: bus, taxi and Uber
Bus 161 runs from the airport to Puerto del Carmen and on to Playa Blanca, and other lines link Arrecife with Costa Teguise and the resorts. Taxis wait at the airport rank, and Uber operates in Lanzarote, including rides booked up to 30 days ahead.
FAQ – car hire in Lanzarote
Yes, if you want to see the island rather than one resort. Lanzarote is only about 60 km from end to end, and Timanfaya, the César Manrique sites and the north are an easy drive from Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca or Costa Teguise. If you are staying in walkable Puerto del Carmen, hiring for one or two sightseeing days is usually enough.
Yes. GOV.UK states that you do not need an international driving permit to drive in the EU, including Spain and the Canary Islands, if you have a UK photocard driving licence. You may need an IDP with a paper licence or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man. Rental firms such as Cicar and AutoReisen also require a licence held for at least two years.
Yes, for most visitors. Traffic drives on the right and Spain's general speed limits apply: 120 km/h on motorways, 90 km/h on ordinary roads and 50 km/h in towns, or 30 km/h on single-lane town streets. The main roads are the LZ-2 from Arrecife to Playa Blanca, the LZ-1 north to Órzola and the LZ-3 ring road around Arrecife.
Check your rental terms first. Papagayo is reached on a dirt track from Playa Blanca, where non-residents pay €3 per vehicle by card, according to Living Lanzarote in August 2026. Some firms, including AutoReisen, forbid driving on unsurfaced roads and exclude off-road damage from their insurance, so ask your company or reach the coves by boat.
Not to La Graciosa: the ferries from Órzola do not carry cars, so you park in Órzola and cross on foot. The Fuerteventura ferry from Playa Blanca does take vehicles, but rental terms such as AutoReisen's forbid taking the car off Lanzarote without the company's written permission, so arrange that before you book the crossing.
Yes. Uber operates in Lanzarote, including airport trips and rides booked up to 30 days in advance, although availability varies by time and place. Taxis also wait at the airport, and bus 161 links Lanzarote airport with Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca.
Featured image: M.M.Minderhoud / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
