Car Rental in Portugal - Land of History, Golden Beaches and Fine Wines

If you are planning to rent a car in Portugal but not sure if you are old enough, please note that you must be at least 18 years old subject to some variations. In addition, the driver of the vehicle must present a driving licence that has been valid for at least one whole year. Some car rental providers such as Avis and Budget (two of our longest-standing partner companies, do allow 18-year-old drivers to drive hire cars in Portugal while others like Guerin and Europcar state that the minimum age for renting a car in this country is 19. Therefore, it's important to remember that the minimum age for renting a car in Portugal thus varies according to the local rental company, with the minimum age varying according to which pick-up point and car category the driver has selected. Another observation is importance of entering the correct age of the driver when making a search in the Auto Europe booking engine. This will give you access to the many offers available for that specific age and you can find out more by checking the blue and white info (i) button in the car details. More specifically, you can check the minimum age for renting a car, information on local taxes and all the respective driver information relating to each of our online car hire offers. Here you will also be informed of any possible additional fees that might be payable for drivers under the age of 26 (better known as a Young Driver Fee). Please note that the amount of this fee will also be visible next to the rental price after you click on book in the check-out section.

But the suppliers' car rental age restrictions don't only apply to young drivers; some vehicle rental suppliers also impose senior driver rates om drivers aged 75 or over, the amount of which can be found by clicking the same blue and white info (i) button mentioned above. Furthermore, if you enter the driver's correct age at the time of making a search and a senior rate is applicable, the amount is clearly stated next to the rental price in the check-out section.

Yes. More and more travellers are taking advantage of Auto Europe's convenient one-way car rental services, which is also available to drivers looking to further enjoy their car rental in Portugal by picking it up in one place (such as Lisbon) and dropping it off somewhere else, like Faro for instance, although some restrictions and extra fees may apply. It's very easy to find out if a one-way car rental fees applies and how much it is simply by checking the additional amount clearly stated under the normal car hire rate after making a quick search through the Auto Europe booking engine. Please note that the application of this fee is a decision of the rental company and not Auto Europe who can only inform its customers so that they can make a better informed decision. Some rental companies in Portugal do not apply a one-way fee at all while others charge an extra fee for this type of rental, and some do not allow one-way travel under any circumstances. Please note that any restrictions on one-way car rentals are generally associated with certain categories of vehicle, length of rental and/or selected destinations.

Most companies will charge this fee locally when you arrive to collect your low-cost car hire in Portugal, although occasionally the one-way fee will already be included in the online rate published on the Auto Europe website. All this information is clearly stated when you book online, whether the one-way fee is payable locally or included in the rate. Please note that Auto Europe does not profit from this fee, although we consider it very important to inform our customers about it because it can have a significant impact on the final price of their rental. That's why there's nothing better than comparing prices for car rental in Portugal, both in terms of the rental itself and the one-way fee, in order to be able to find the best deal for your trip.

It is also possible to pick up your rental car at a collection point in Portugal and drop it off somewhere in Spain, for example, but only with a limited number of rental companies. This type of service is called an international one-way car rental, as the pick-up takes place in one country and the return in another. Where possible, a one-way fee (usually quite high) will apply in order to cover the substantial costs associated with picking up the vehicle from the counter where it was returned and taking it back to the country of origin.

Perhaps a better option is to visit a neighbouring country and return the vehicle to Portugal because some car hire companies allow drivers to travel to other countries without major restrictions, especially if they are located in Western Europe, bearing in mind that a cross-border fee may apply. You can find out the cost of this additional charge by clicking on the blue and white info (i) button on below each rate offered on the Auto Europe website, as well as on the car rental voucher sent by e-mail once the booking has been confirmed. Please note that some restrictions may apply with certain categories of vehicles (ie luxury category vehicles) or if you want to travel to Eastern European countries. It is therefore extremely important to enter the countries you want to visit with your car hire in Portugal at the time of making the booking (either online or by phone) so that Auto Europe can check whether it is possible.

Yes. It's very important for all drivers to be aware that they will need to present a valid credit card with sufficient funds to block the security deposit when picking up their car hire in Portugal, whether in Faro, Lisbon, Porto or on the islands of Madeira and the Azores. The local rental company will block the security deposit for the duration of the rental period and release the amount as soon as the customer returns their rental car in the same condition as when they received it. Please note that although Auto Europe accepts other forms of payment in addition to major credit cards, the local vehicle supplier will only accept a credit card in the name of the main driver in order to block the security deposit.

Failure to present a valid credit card in the main driver's name may mean that the rental car will not be given to you and your reservation will be forfeited. Please note that if you are renting a luxury car, you may need to present not just one but two valid credit cards, both in the name of the main driver. You can find this information in the terms and conditions of each car hire offer available on our website. You can also check which types of credit card are accepted locally, most notably Visa, Mastercard, Diners and American Express which are the credit cards generally accepted by the majority of car rental companies, although a growing number of vehicle providers are refusing American Express and Diners, so please check all the related credit card this information in the terms and conditions prior to collecting your car hire in Portugal.

And because we know that the issue of credit cards and security deposits when renting a car always raises a lot of questions, we advise you to read our dedicated credit card and deposits page before confirming your reservation, or alternatively please call our rental specialists on and they will be happy to provide you with all the info you need for a successful trip.

Along with driving on the right-hand side of the road, Portugal has many rules and regulations that apply in most European destinations, such as speed limits inside towns (50kph), outside towns (90kph) and on motorways (120kph). The use of seat belts is compulsory for all drivers and passengers travelling in the vehicle, both front and back, while children under 12 years old and 135 cm tall are not allowed to travel in the front seat. Don't forget, also, that babies and children up to a height of 135cm must travel in baby seats and booster seats suitable for their age/weight/height.

In Portugal, it's important to take your car documents with you wherever you go, which you'll need to show in case you're pulled over by the police, as well as your personal identification document and your driving licence. It is also compulsory to have a yellow high-visibility vest in the vehicle, as well as a red reflective triangle to use in the event of an accident or breakdown. Don't miss our dedicated page on what to do in the event of accident or breakdown with your hire car.

To avoid fines with your car rental in Portugal, please remember to dip your headlights when driving through tunnels and in poor visibility. Overtaking on the right is not allowed and high fines can be imposed in these cases. Do not use your mobile phone while driving unless you have a hands-free system. Failure to use a hands-free kit can result in a large fine. When parking, please make sure you don't park against the flow of traffic, which can also lead to a traffic fine. The blood alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l, so if you're driving - don't drink any alcohol!

Please note that if you receive a fine during the rental period, the local authorities will contact the owner of the vehicle, which in this case is the local rental company, and this in turn will bring the details to light of the person who was driving the vehicle at the time. For this service, rental companies charge their customers an administrative fee, but the local authorities will contact the driver directly to pay the fine, which means that hire companies do not pay the fines of their customers.

Yes. Drivers are expected to pay the tolls on all the motorways, bridges and other toll roads they use during the rental period. One option is to subscribe to the Via Verde service offered by most of the rental companies operating in Portugal, which means you won't have to worry about stopping at the toll booths to collect your ticket and then again at the exit to pay the toll. More importantly, you don't have to worry about going to a pay shop or associated shop to pay the electronic tolls a few days after using them. With the Via Verde service the tolls used will be recorded in the system and then the amount will be debited from the credit card linked to your booking, the same one used to block the deposit when you arrived to collect your car hire in Portugal.

For more information on tolls in both Portugal and neighbouring Spain, you may want to consult the terms and conditions and calculate the toll for your journey here. You can also use the Via Michelin website and calculate the price of your journey not only in terms of tolls but also in terms of fuel.

When you book a car rental in Portugal on the Auto Europe website, the standard rate always includes the minimum amount of legally-required coverage, comprising civil liability insurance, fire insurance, collision damage waiver (CDW) with associated excess and theft protection (TP), also with associated excess. It is important to note that collision damage waiver (CDW) does not include damage to certain parts of the hire car (ie wheels, mirrors, etc.) which is why many drivers opt for our popular Full Damage Protection coverage for additional peace of mind during their trip.

Drivers have the added possibility of being able to purchase all-risk insurance from the local rental supplier when picking up their low-cost car hire in Portugal. The car hire company can offer other types of insurance, such as personal accident insurance (PAI) or travel assistance for an extra daily fee, but it's important to remember that these additional products and services are completely optional and once they have been accepted and the rental contract is signed, Auto Europe will not be able to refund the cost if the driver later decides that the purchase was not necessary.

Yes. Adding extra drivers to the rental contract is a simple process when you decide to rent a car in Portugal with Auto Europe. Some companies offer the first additional driver without charging an additional fee while others will add the fee to the total, which is paid directly to the Local supplier when you arrive to collect your vehicle. You can save cash by checking out our free additional driver offers running throughout the year in popular destinations around the world, including Portugal. When making a quick search through our booking engine, just click on the Free Additional Driver button in the Promotions section and all the current offers will appear below.

Whether you are renting in Funchal, Ponta Delgada, Porto or Lisbon, it is well worth adding an additional driver if you wish to share time at the steering wheel during your trip. Please note that if someone else drives the car without proper authorisation and has an accident with your rental car or if it is stolen, then the insurance will be null and void and the main driver (who's name is on the rental contract) will be liable for the full value of the damage/theft of the vehicle. You can easily check the additional driver fee by clicking on the blue and white info (i) button after making a search in our booking engine, where all the relevant details are clearly stated in the Driver Information section.