Renting a car in Spain as a Canadian: licence, insurance and roads

Your licence

For stays up to six months, the Government of Canada says you must carry an International Driving Permit along with your valid Canadian licence. Spain's tourism board says non-EU visitors must get an IDP before travelling. An IDP alone is not valid without your licence.

At Hertz Spain the general minimum age is 25. Drivers aged 19 to 24 can rent most car groups and 21 to 24 select mid-range groups, with a young-driver surcharge of €31.76 a day (maximum €444.68 per rental). Luxury SUVs and performance cars need age 28, and some premium models age 30. The main driver must be present at pick-up and pay the rental charges.

Only CAA issues International Driving Permits in Canada. It costs $32 including tax, lasts one year, and is only valid with your Canadian licence.

Insurance: what to check

• Hertz Spain includes third-party liability insurance with every rental. Collision damage waiver (CDW), theft protection and SuperCover are optional and only reduce what you pay to an agreed excess.
• Waivers do not cover tyres, glass or underbody damage unless you buy a glass and tyre product. They also exclude damage from gross negligence such as wrong fuel, driving on a flat tyre or flooded roads, and lost keys.
• Hertz holds a deposit of at least €200 plus a full tank of fuel, and a further €500 if you do not buy SuperCover. You pay all traffic and parking fines plus an administration fee, and a cross-border fee applies if you drive out of Spain.
• Canadian credit-card cover applies to damage and theft only if you decline the rental company's CDW. It does not cover third-party liability.

Roads, tolls and parking

• Many Spanish cities have low-emission zones (ZBE) that are active or being phased in, including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Bilbao and Palma. Cameras read plates, and the article reports automatic fines of at least €200 for unregistered vehicles.
• The foreign-plate registration rules for ZBEs target cars brought in from other countries. Tourists renting in Barcelona do not need an extra permit because rental agencies provide cars that already meet ZBE standards. Ask your rental company about the city you will drive in.
• Speed limits are 120 km/h on motorways and dual carriageways, 90 km/h on regular roads, and 20 to 50 km/h in towns. Most national roads are free, but some motorways charge tolls payable by cash, card or electronic service.
• Road conditions and safety vary across Spain. In some areas aggressive drivers and excessive speeds can be a risk.

Staying safe on the road

• From 1 January 2026, only connected V-16 emergency beacons linked to the DGT 3.0 platform are legal, and warning triangles can no longer be used to signal a stopped vehicle. The fine for not complying is €80.
• Vehicles registered in other countries may still use warning triangles. A Spanish-registered rental car should carry a V-16 beacon, so confirm it is in the car at pick-up.
• Seat belts are mandatory for all occupants and hand-held phone use is banned. Children under 12 and under 135 cm must use an appropriate car seat.
• The legal blood-alcohol limit is 0.05% for most drivers and 0.03% for new drivers, with heavy fines, jail sentences and licence confiscation as penalties.