Maybe you just moved to Spain, you're a remote worker spending a few months in Valencia, or you're planning a long road trip around Andalusia. Whoever you are, there's a good chance you'll want a car while you're here. Renting one for longer than a month can be harder than it should be for foreigners in Spain. Below I share what worked for us, how the options compare in 2026, and what paperwork you need before you sign anything.
Free2Move long term car rental in Spain, hero image
Key numbers (checked 22 Oct 2026)
- Free2Move Car On Demand: from €499 a month for a Peugeot 208, from €664 for a Jeep Compass hybrid. Insurance, maintenance, tyres and assistance included. (Free2Move)
- Bipi monthly subscription (1, 3, 6 or 12 months): small cars and small SUVs listed from €399 to €499 a month. (Bipi)
- Northgate renting for private drivers: from €290 a month (Kia Picanto offer), €350 for a small car, €425 for a mid-size car, VAT included. No minimum after the first month. (Northgate)
- Centauro Suscripción: from €799 a month (Fiat 500 or similar), 3,000 km a month, 3 month minimum. (Centauro)
- Non-EU licence after you become resident: valid for 6 months at most. (DGT)
- ITV for private cars: first at 4 years, then every 2 years, then every year once the car is over 10. (administracion.gob.es)
- Motorway tolls in 2026: concession toll roads rose 3.64% to 4.68% on 1 January 2026. (Europa Press via Bolsamanía)
Prices are the "from" prices each company showed on its website on 22 October 2026. Your quote depends on the car, the term and the kilometres you choose.
Why we ended up needing a car
My wife and I never planned to have a car long term in Spain. We pictured a nice apartment in Barcelona or Valencia. Then the seaside villages won us over. Being Americans, we found a car-free life much too hard. I can walk to the corner shop for small things, but I love a weekly run to Mercadona for the essentials, and that's a 15 minute drive from our little village by the sea. Then there's the fun of driving up into the hills to visit other towns and wineries. Public transport in Spain is great, but we love the freedom a car gives you.
Soon we were going back to the rental office every 28 days to swap one Fiat 500 for another. As you can imagine, that got old, and expensive. After hours of searching, we found Free2Move, a long term rental service that made the whole thing much easier.
The problem with standard car rental for long stays
When we started in 2022, most of the rental companies we tried would not rent to us for more than 28 days. The ones that would were very expensive. I was once quoted €15,000 for a 6 month rental. That meant a new contract every 28 days and a drive back to the rental office to swap cars. We were also at the mercy of seasonal prices. A car that cost us €300 for a month in February was over €600 in July.
Those were our quotes in 2022, not today's prices, but the pattern still holds: daily rental is priced for tourists, and summer costs more. If you need a car for more than a month, look at the monthly options below first.
Rental, subscription, renting or buying: what's the difference?
Spanish companies use a few words that sound alike but mean different things.
| Option | Typical length | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alquiler (classic rental) | Days to weeks | Airport or town office rental, priced by the day | Short trips, a first few weeks |
| Suscripción (subscription) | 1 to 12 months, sometimes longer | One monthly fee covering car, insurance, maintenance and assistance | Stays of 1 to 12 months, people testing a region |
| Renting | Usually 24 to 60 months (some offer month to month) | A long all-inclusive lease without buying the car | Residents staying several years |
| Buying | As long as you like | You own, register, insure and inspect the car yourself | Residents planning to stay long term |
Bipi, for example, sells monthly subscriptions from 1 to 12 months and renting from 24 to 60 months (Bipi). Northgate sells "renting" month to month with no minimum after the first month (Northgate). Read what each contract actually says rather than going by the name.
Buying is the cheapest route over several years, but you need an NIE before you can register a car in Spain (Zurich), plus your own insurance and ITV. If you're still deciding where to live, a subscription buys you time.
Long term car rental providers in Spain (checked October 2026)
Free2Move Car On Demand (what we used)
Free2Move's Car On Demand is still running in Spain. It works like a subscription: one monthly price for the car, insurance, maintenance, tyres and 7 day assistance. On 22 October 2026 their site listed the small electric Citroën Ami two-seater from €259 a month, the Peugeot 208 from €499 and the Jeep Compass hybrid from €664. There's no down payment. You pay an administration fee that covers processing, opening your account and delivery, and they deliver within 14 days anywhere in Spain (Free2Move).
Here's how it went for us in 2022:
- We booked a call. On their website I scheduled a time for Free2Move to phone me. I was a little nervous because my Spanish isn't great, but they spoke English. Laura was a huge help and became my go-to car person in Spain. I told her what I needed and she made it happen.
- We chose a car. They had everything from a little Fiat to large vans and SUVs. We needed 4 doors, so we went for something in the middle.
- We chose a term. The price depended on how long we committed. Back then the options ran from no fixed term up to 3 years, which is handy if you only plan to spend 90 days in Spain.
- We chose the kilometres. Adding more as we went was easy, so there was no need to overthink it.
- We got the car delivered. That mattered to us because we're all the way down in the south.
- We drove it everywhere. Our 4 door Peugeot 2008 arrived in excellent condition. We took it up to Barcelona, around the wineries, beach hopping on the Costa Tropical, literally everywhere.
They accepted my US licence with an International Driving Permit (IDP) and I didn't need a Spanish licence. That was our experience in 2022. Confirm current terms, kilometre packages and licence rules with them before you book, because their website no longer lists a fixed term range.
The website is in Spanish. A browser translation extension handles it fine.
Bipi
Bipi offers monthly subscriptions of 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, and renting from 24 to 60 months. On 22 October 2026 its 1 to 12 month listings started at €399 a month for a Hyundai Bayon, €415 for a Peugeot 208 and €425 for a Citroën C3 or Dacia Jogger. The price changes with the term you pick, and some models also offer a no-commitment option. The monthly fee includes comprehensive insurance, maintenance, 24/7 roadside assistance, ITV and taxes. Kilometres you don't use roll over to the next month, and adding another driver costs €12 a month (Bipi).
Northgate
Northgate is a Spanish flexible renting company that also serves private drivers. Contracts run month to month with no minimum after the first month and no down payment. On 22 October 2026 prices started at €290 a month for a Kia Picanto offer, €350 for a small car like a Renault Clio or Citroën C3, €395 for a small SUV, €425 for a mid-size car and €550 for a mid-size SUV, VAT included (Northgate).
The fee covers maintenance, tyres, 24 hour assistance, third party insurance and own damage cover with a €300 excess per claim, a replacement car and ITV. You pay a deposit equal to one month's fee, returned within 15 days if there's no damage. You can collect from one of their branches or pay for delivery (€66.55 to €127.05 depending on the province, not available on the islands).
Northgate is the strictest on paperwork. You need a Spanish DNI or NIE, your last two payslips or proof of regular income, and a recent utility bill or bank document. The minimum age is 21 with two years of driving experience (Northgate help). It suits people who already live here more than short-stay visitors.
Centauro Suscripción
Centauro, a big Spanish rental company, sells a monthly subscription with a 3 month minimum. On 22 October 2026 prices were from €799 a month for a Fiat 500 or similar, €899 for a Fiat Tipo or similar and €999 for a Hyundai Tucson or similar. That includes 3,000 km a month and full cover with no excess, and the price is fixed for 12 months. A vehicle check every 3 months is mandatory. Drivers need at least one year of licence, and under-25s pay a young driver supplement (Centauro). It costs more than the others, but the kilometre allowance is generous if you drive a lot.
For freelancers and companies: Ayvens Flex
If you're registered as autónomo or have a Spanish company, Ayvens Flex rents cars from 3 months. Small cars like a Citroën C3 or Peugeot 208 start at €372 a month plus VAT, based on 20,000 km a year (Ayvens). It isn't sold to private individuals.
What documents does a foreigner need?
If you're visiting with an EU or EEA licence: you can drive on it for as long as it's valid (DGT).
If you're visiting with a licence from outside the EU: the DGT advises getting an International Driving Permit in your home country before you come. The IDP is valid for one year and you carry it with your passport and your own licence (DGT). The US State Department is firmer for Americans: you must get an IDP before you arrive, and renting a car without one is illegal (US State Department). UK licences can be used in Spain for up to 6 months (GOV.UK).
Once you become a resident: a non-EU licence stays valid for 6 months at most from the date you become a normal resident. After that it's no longer valid in Spain (DGT). If your country has an exchange agreement, you can swap your licence for a Spanish one. The DGT list (updated 26 June 2026) includes the UK, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and much of Latin America, but not the United States, Canada or Australia (DGT). If your country isn't on the list, you'll need to get a Spanish licence, which means the theory and practical tests. Start early.
What providers ask for: at a minimum, your passport, licence (plus IDP if non-EU) and a bank card for the deposit. Some, like Northgate, also need an NIE and proof of income. Ask before you pay anything.
Staying without residency? Non-EU visitors are limited to 90 days in any 180 in the Schengen area. Plan your rental term around it with our 90/180 calculator.
Insurance basics
Liability insurance is compulsory for every car in Spain (US State Department). All four providers above include insurance in the monthly fee, but the cover differs. Bipi includes comprehensive (todo riesgo) cover, Centauro includes full cover with no excess, and Northgate covers own damage with a €300 excess per claim. Before you sign, ask:
- What's the excess (franquicia) if I damage the car?
- Is a second driver covered, and does it cost extra?
- Am I covered if I drive into Portugal or France?
Tolls
Most of Spain's motorway network has no tolls, but some autopistas still charge. For 2026 the government's toll update named the AP-6, AP-9, AP-51, AP-53, AP-61, AP-66, AP-68, AP-71, AP-46, the AP-7 between Alicante and Cartagena, the AP-7 between Málaga and Guadiaro, and several state-run roads around Madrid such as the R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5 and M-12. Concession tolls rose 3.64% to 4.68% on 1 January 2026, and the state-run roads rose 2% (Europa Press via Bolsamanía). Ask your provider whether the car has an electronic toll tag and how tolls get billed to you.
ITV (the Spanish vehicle inspection)
Every car in Spain has to pass the ITV. Private cars get their first inspection 4 years after first registration, then every 2 years, then every year once the car is over 10 years old (administracion.gob.es). With a subscription or renting contract you don't need to worry about it, because Bipi and Northgate both include it. If you buy, it's your job.
What a car adds to your monthly budget
At €290 to €999 a month in the prices above, a car is a real line in your budget. Add it to your numbers with our Buying costs cost of living calculator, and if you're house hunting outside the cities, browse Homes in Spain to see how far the nearest supermarket really is. More practical guides are in Spain buying guide.
FAQ
Can I rent a car in Spain for 3 or 6 months? Yes. Monthly subscriptions are made for this. Bipi sells 1, 3, 6 and 12 month plans, Centauro has a 3 month minimum, and Northgate runs month to month after the first month. Free2Move Car On Demand also offers flexible terms.
How much does long term car rental in Spain cost per month? On 22 October 2026, small cars started at about €290 to €500 a month, including insurance and maintenance: €290 for Northgate's Kia Picanto offer, €350 for a Northgate small car, €399 for Bipi's cheapest listing and €499 for a Peugeot 208 from Free2Move. Centauro starts at €799 but includes 3,000 km a month. Fuel and tolls are extra.
Do I need an International Driving Permit to rent a car in Spain? If your licence is from outside the EU, plan on yes. The DGT advises it, and the US State Department says Americans must have one to rent a car. UK licence holders can drive on their UK licence for up to 6 months.
Can I keep driving on my US licence after I get Spanish residency? Only for 6 months from the date you become a resident. The US is not on Spain's licence exchange list, so after that you'll need a Spanish licence, which means sitting the tests.
Is insurance included in a car subscription? Yes, with all four providers in this guide, but excess amounts differ. Northgate has a €300 excess per claim for own damage. Centauro advertises full cover with no excess.
Do I need an NIE to rent long term? It depends on the company. Northgate requires a DNI or NIE plus proof of income. You need an NIE to buy and register a car. Ask each provider before you apply.
Sources
All checked 22 October 2026.
- Free2Move, Car On Demand Spain: https://www.free2move.com/es/es/car-on-demand/
- Bipi, monthly subscription listings (1 to 12 months): https://bipicar.com/es/es/coches/?groupedCommitment=short
- Bipi, subscription explained (what's included): https://bipicar.com/es/es/suscripcion/
- Northgate, renting for private drivers (prices): https://www.northgate.es/renting/particulares
- Northgate, help for private drivers (documents, deposit, excess, delivery): https://www.northgate.es/ayuda/renting-particulares
- Centauro, Suscripción: https://www.centauro.net/servicios/suscripcion/
- Ayvens, Ayvens Flex: https://www.ayvens.com/es-es/ofertas-renting-flexible/
- DGT, valid licences for driving in Spain: https://www.dgt.es/nuestros-servicios/permisos-de-conducir/permisos-extranjeros-y-de-fuerzas-y-cuerpos-de-seguridad/permisos-validos-para-conducir-en-espana/
- DGT, driving with a foreign licence (IDP): https://www.dgt.es/nuestros-servicios/permisos-de-conducir/permisos-extranjeros-y-de-fuerzas-y-cuerpos-de-seguridad/conducir-con-un-permiso-extranjero/
- DGT, countries with a licence exchange agreement (updated 26 June 2026): https://www.dgt.es/nuestros-servicios/permisos-de-conducir/permisos-extranjeros-y-de-fuerzas-y-cuerpos-de-seguridad/canjes-de-permisos/paises-con-convenio-de-canjes/
- US State Department, Spain country information: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Spain.html
- GOV.UK, Living in Spain (driving): https://www.gov.uk/guidance/living-in-spain
- Punto de Acceso General (Spanish government), ITV: https://administracion.gob.es/tu-espacio-europeo/derechos-obligaciones/ciudadanos/vehiculos/itv
- Europa Press via Bolsamanía, 2026 motorway toll update (30 December 2025): https://www.bolsamania.com/noticias/empresas/economia--transportes-aprueba-la-actualizacion-de-los-peajes-de-las-autopistas-para-2026-con-un-alza-de-hasta-el-468--21439215.html
- Zurich Spain, registering a car in Spain as an expat (9 July 2026): https://www.zurich.es/blog/en/registering-car-in-spain-as-an-expat
