Driving a hire car in Spain
Driving in Spain is easy and the roads are good. You drive on the right, the motorways are fast and mostly free, and the rules are close to the rest of Europe. The few things that catch tourists out are the speed limits on smaller roads, the new V16 breakdown beacon, the city low-emission zones, and on-the-spot fines for non-resident drivers. Here is what matters with a rental.
The basics
Get these right and the rest follows. Limits are in kilometres per hour, distances in kilometres.
Drive on the right
Overtake on the left, give way to the left at most roundabouts, and keep right on motorways.
Speed limits
120 on motorways, 90 on open roads, 50 in towns and 30 on single-lane city streets. Watch the drop entering a town.
Alcohol limit
0.5 g/l of blood - lower than the UK - and 0.3 for drivers in their first two years. Simplest to not drink at all.
Required kit
A reflective vest within reach inside the car, and the V16 beacon. Both should already be in a Spanish rental - check.
New for 2026: the V16 beacon replaces warning triangles
Since 1 January 2026, Spanish-registered vehicles must carry a connected V16 emergency beacon instead of the old warning triangles - a small yellow light you place on the roof without leaving the car, which also sends your location to the DGT traffic system. This applies to rental cars registered in Spain, and in a breakdown the driver, not the rental company, is liable if it is missing or not an approved model. So at pickup, check the car has an approved V16 in it. Tourists driving their own foreign-plated car can still use triangles, but that does not apply to a Spanish hire car.
Tolls and low-emission zones
Most Spanish motorways are free - several formerly tolled AP routes were opened up in recent years - but some toll stretches and tunnels remain, payable by card, cash or an electronic transponder. The bigger thing to know is the low-emission zone (ZBE). Madrid, Barcelona and a growing list of cities restrict older cars from the centre, with fines around 200 euros. A hire car is not a problem here: Spanish rental cars are new enough to carry the right DGT environmental sticker, so they are allowed in - just check the label is on the windscreen.
Parking and fines
On-street parking is colour-coded: blue lines mean paid parking from a meter, green lines are reserved mainly for residents, and yellow lines mean no parking. In the old centres, an underground car park is usually less stress than hunting for a space. One point specific to visitors - traffic fines can be charged on the spot to non-resident drivers, and an unpaid camera or toll fine will reach you later through the rental company, with an admin fee added. Pay attention to the town-entry speed drops, which are the most common catch.
Quick checklist at pickup
- V16 beacon - an approved connected one is in the car.
- Reflective vest - inside the cabin, not the boot.
- DGT sticker - on the windscreen, for the low-emission zones.
- Fuel type - confirm petrol or diesel before the first fill.
- Existing damage - photograph it and make sure it is on the agreement.