Car Rental in Colombia (2026) - Driving Guide & Best Rates
Car rental in Colombia: compare rental companies, daily costs, driving rules, parking tips, and road conditions for self-drive travel in Colombia.
Driving Requirements
Visitors may drive on a valid foreign license for up to 90 days after entry. An International Driving Permit (IDP) is not legally required if the license is in Spanish or English; otherwise, an official translation or IDP is recommended.
Colombian law sets the minimum driving age at 16 for cars. But rental companies typically require drivers to be 21, 25 years old. Some companies allow drivers aged 18, 20 with a surcharge, while others impose a strict 25-year minimum.
Colombian law requires all vehicles to carry SOAT, a basic third-party liability policy. Rental companies usually offer additional CDW/LDW and supplemental liability coverage. These are optional under law but often required by the rental contract.
Rental companies universally require a credit card in the driver's name for a security hold. Debit cards are rarely accepted. The deposit amount varies by company and vehicle class, so check current terms before booking.
Colombia drives on the right. Right turns on red are generally prohibited unless a sign explicitly allows it. At uncontrolled intersections, the vehicle on the right has priority, and seat-belt use is mandatory for all occupants.
Helpful Tips
At Bogotá (BOG) you'll pay an airport surcharge. But skipping the city-center offices saves you from navigating chaotic downtownño traffic with luggage; Medellín (MDE) is the opposite, city branches are often cheaper and only 15 min from the terminal.
Film every panel, alloy, and the odometer on pickup. Many Colombian fleets have pre-existing scrapes that aren't logged, and CDW often carries a 10 % deductible, check if your credit card covers it before paying for extra coverage.
Google Maps works well in cities but drops signal on mountain roads. Download offline maps in advance or use Waze, which locals prefer for real-time police and pothole alerts.
Most cars run on regular gasoline (corriente); stations are plentiful on highways but scarce in colonial town centers. Pick full-to-full, pre-paid fuel is rarely refunded for unused liters.
In Bogotá and Medellín street parking is metered (look for parquímetro signs) and banned during peak hours on main avenues. Hotels in Cartagena's walled city offer secure overnight garages, while in smaller pueblos the main square usually has free guarded parking until midnight.
Driving Warnings
Right turns on red are illegal everywhere in Colombia. Ignore the rule at Carrera 7 in Bogotá and you will pay a fine plus lose license points. Simple. Just wait for green.
Landslides love rainy season. April-May and October-November swallow the Bogotá-Medellín highway, Autopista Medellín, for hours. Check Invías bulletins before you leave. Save the headache.
Morning rush on Avenida Oriental in Medellín and Calle 80 in Bogotá turns asphalt into slow motion. White taxis inch forward. Red buses snarl. Engines growl beneath the Andes ridge. Patience required.