Renting a Car in Cancun: Here’s What You Need to Know So You Don’t Get Scammed

Renting a Car in Cancun With Discover Cars

I have been living in Mexico since 2018, and travel frequently within the country.

What I am going to explain is my personal experience renting a car about 10 times, in seven cities throughout Mexico (including Cancun).

🚙 When I book a Mexico car rental online, I recommend and use Discover Cars because they always seem to have the best rates.

I use them because they have always had the best deals when I’ve searched, and they offer FREE cancellations up to 48 hours before your reservation.

Here is the exact process I have followed to get my rental car:

Renting A Car in Cancun

1. How to Reserve Your Car Online with Discover Cars

Head to the Discover Cars website, and input your travel dates and preferred pick-up location.

For most travelers, this will be the airport in the city you’re visiting, which is CUN Airport in Cancun. It has A LOT of international and local agencies on site to choose from.

⭐️ Only rent from well-rated places

I advise you to filter by ratings because while everyone wants to get those sweet Mexico car rental deals, the cheapest place is rarely the best. These also tend to be the places with additional fees and extra costs.

Personally, I don’t rent from local agencies with less than a 7 out of 10 Stars rating so that I have a great experience like those other reviewers did.

It’s like the saying goes: You get what you pay for. For me, it’s worth sacrificing some money so I don’t get terrible customer service on my vacation in a foreign country.

Renting A Car in Cancun

2. Opt for Full Coverage with Discover Cars

I always opt for their Full Coverage when I rent with Discover Cars — and I’m not alone!

According to the Discover Cars site, 85% of customers use their Full Coverage Policy to enjoy peace of mind when renting in Mexico.

For about $7-10 USD per day, Discover Cars covers up to $58,500 pesos (about $3,300 USD) of damage to the rental car.

This includes body repair work, dings, scratches, windows/glass, tires, towing, lost keys, and more.

What’s covered with Discover Cars? (And what’s not covered?)

🤔 Will car Rental companies accept this Policy?

Legally, they have to, and personally, any company I have used has accepted this third party policy through Discover Cars.

This is just one reason I encourage you to rent from a well-rated company known for good customer service.

😎 Here’s the Process

What has happened almost every time I’ve rented is that they will try to up-sell me to their insurance, which I decline.

As mentioned, the Discover Cars policy does legally satisfy any Mexico car rental insurance requirements.

When you decline the car rental company’s insurance, they will hold about $50,000 pesos ($2,700 USD) on your credit card.

When you bring the rental car back with no damage, they return your deposit in full.

When you bring the rental car back with no damage, they return your deposit in full. If you bring the rental car back with damage, they will take it out of your deposit.

From there, you’ll have to make a claim with Discover Cars, which is usually processed in 48 hours or less, according to their site.

As long as the damage is under $58,500 MXN pesos (about $3,300 USD) — which does cover a lot — Discover Cars will reimburse you under their Full Coverage Policy.

🤔 How do I make a Claim with Discover Cars?

If you need to file a claim with Discover Cars, the process is easy.

You’ll find your login credentials in your booking confirmation email, which you can use to login via your laptop or the Discover Cars app (📲 Android; 🍎 Apple).

At just $7-10 USD per day, the Discover Cars Full Coverage Policy is far cheaper than any I’ve been offered through the car rental companies themselves.

With direct policies, they usually charge about $30 USD per day.

If you choose to go that route, you must pay for car insurance when you get the car; it will not show up in then rental price upon booking.

If you would rather get full coverage Mexican insurance from the company directly, you can also do that and still rent with Discover Cars to take advantage of their great rates and NO FEE cancellation policy.

🚨 Disclaimer: Please Read This before you book

This information above is my first-hand experience of renting cars about 10 times in seven Mexican cities (including getting Tulum, Cancun, and Mexico City rental cars).

I have always used Discover Cars, and always had a good experience.

Unfortunately, I have no way of knowing how your rental process will play out, but I do hope this info was helpful for your Mexico trip.

If you do decide to rent with Discover Cars, the one tip I can’t stress enough is to only rent with a well-rated company. I have has good experiences — and I directly attribute that to only using top-rated companies.

If you need further clarification on Discover Cars, please contact the company directly.

You can also read Discover Cars reviews on TrustPilot, where they have a 4.6 out of 5 Star rating, and more than 162,000 reviews.

Renting a Car in Cancun: Frequently Asked Questions

That’s not to say bad things don’t happen in Cancun Mexico; they do.

However, if you’re prepared (which you will be after you read this article!), you should be perfectly safe renting a car in Cancun.

For a deep dive into this topic, check out Is Cancun Safe to Travel to Right Now? and Is Mexico Safe? 25 Tips to Stay Safe in Mexico.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

The one obvious caveat is that you’ll be driving in a foreign country, with different driving laws than your home country.

Make sure you check out the 10 Mexico Driving Tips for Cancun listed below. These that will help you get comfortable and feel confident while driving a rental car in Mexico.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

Unless you’re venturing off the beaten path in Yucatan on a road trip, you’ll be just fine with mid-size or economy cars, and you shouldn’t need a full-size car, Jeep or SUV.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

With your own car, you can venture off the beaten path in Mexico to see the lesser-visited cenotes, pueblos magicos (magic towns) like Valladolid and Izamal, ancient sites and Mayan Ruins near Cancun.

Now, if you just want to lay on a Cancun beach, drink in hand while soaking up the sun, skip the rental.

🏝️ Planning to visit Isla Mujeres? You can’t take your rental car to the island, so keep that in mind.

Instead, opt for Cancun Airport Transportation to your hotel and use taxis or public transportation to get around. To see the sites, you can book these Cancun tours.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

Though Uber is operating legally in Cancun, they can’t pick you up from Cancun Airport, so opt for this private shuttle, a rental car, taxi or ADO bus.

However, while Uber is technically legal in Cancun, it’s not used much because of clashes with taxi drivers and taxi unions. For safety, even many Cancun locals usually opt for taxis over Uber.

There’s also no Lyft in Cancun, no Uber in Tulum and no Uber in Playa del Carmen either. In short, without a Cancun car rental, you’ll mostly be using taxis and buses to get around.

Without a Cancun car rental, you’ll want to book this Cancun Airport Shuttle.

For those who aren’t renting a car, it is the easiest, safest, fastest and best way to get to Cancun Airport to Cancun Hotel Zone or Downtown Cancun.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

A Cancun Airport car rental is the most convenient, since you’re flying there anyway. You’ll find the most rental car companies there, with a wide range of vehicles to choose from.

While a car rental in Cancun Airport might be a bit more than an off-site agency, you spend more in taxis to get to off-site car rental locations than you save in rental costs.

It also saves you time to rent a car in Cancun Airport — and extra time is the most precious of all travel commodities.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

I love renting with Discover Cars because I can see reviews from recent customers. Also, their FREE cancellation policy gives me a lot of piece of mind in case my travel plans change.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

They compare local, national and international companies so you always get the best rates from any Cancun car rental services, even in the high season from November to March, when rates are highest.

I’ve found the cheapest Cancun car rentals from Mex Rent A Car, America Car Rental and Yes Rent A Car Cancun, which all have good reviews.

Based on many bad reviews, Fox Rent A Car seems to be the worst place to rent a car in Cancun — so please don’t skimp on excellent service for a cheap car rental.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

In this article, you’ll see why you can’t believe the first price you see quoted online, and discover your options for Mexican car insurance, which will affect the rental price.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

1. A Valid Driver’s License (or IDP)

If you have a valid driver’s license in a language that uses the Roman alphabet (this alphabet), you can rent a car in Cancun with your country’s license.

Wondering, What do I need to rent a car in Mexico if I don’t have that?

Drivers from countries like Japan and China, which use the character alphabet, will need to get an International Driving Permit, or IDP. 🪪 Need an IDP? You can apply here.

2. A Valid Credit Card or Debit Card

When renting a car in Cancun, they will swipe your credit or debit card to have on file in the event of damage to the car.

Different companies hold a different amount of money, but it’s usually about $1,000-3,000 USD. When you return the car undamaged, you’ll get that money back.

If you opt for full coverage insurance through the car rental company directly, they usually hold a lower amount of about $500-1,000.

3. with most companies, You must be 25 years old (but some places take 18-24)

As with the U.S., anyone aged 25 and older can rent a car in Cancun from any car company without restrictions.

Some companies do rent to drivers aged 21-24, though they often have a $10-20 USD per day surcharge for underage drivers.

There’s a very small minority of Mexico car rental companies in Cancun that rent to drivers aged 18-20, but they are out there.

For 18- to 24-year-olds renting a car in Cancun, you’ll need to call places directly to see what they offer for underage car rentals in Mexico.

Ask a lot of questions about all their fees, and double check each company’s policy before booking to see which one offers the best option for underage renters.

4. Mexico Car Insurance is mandatory

You do need car insurance to drive in Mexico. There’s a whole section of this article that covers everything you need to know about getting the best Mexican auto insurance, as it’s a big topic.

If you want to jump ahead, use this link to find out all about mandatory insurance in Mexico.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

Besides those, some common companies in Mexico that aren’t common in the U.S. include Peugeot and Renault, both French companies.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

When I book with Discover Cars, all cars are labeled as automatic or manual (stick shift), so you know what you’re getting.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

Note: If you have any general questions like this, don’t hesitate to ask when you pick up your reservation at the car rental agency. They are there to help you be as comfortable driving in Mexico as possible.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

If you prefer to use a Mexican company to support the national economy, one of the best car rental companies in Mexico is Mex Rent A Car.

While some brands and companies are generally considered good overall, many car rental companies are franchises. This means they might have a location that’s sub-par — and you don’t want to rent from there.

🚙💨 Car Rental Cancun Tips: Wherever you choose to rent a car in Cancun, make sure to read reviews about that particular location.

Using an aggregate search service like Discover Cars means you get the best deals.

As Discover Cars checks all Cancun car rental company options at once, you know you get the best price at the highest-rated companies.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

At the minimum, you must have Mexican Personal Liability Insurance to legally drive in Mexico, and some car rental companies won’t let you take their cars unless you purchase it from them.

While Mexico car rental companies aren’t legally allowed to make you buy insurance from them. Here, the most you can do is argue with them, and as a worst case scenario, they just won’t let you rent the car.

🤔 Wondering, Do I Need Travel Insurance for Mexico? Legally, no. You don’t need travel insurance to visit Mexico — but you do need Mexico driving insurance to drive in Mexico.

This has become especially true of people who try to use U.S. credit card insurance. (More on insurance through a credit card in a minute.)

I rent cars in Mexico a few times each year, and have never had any issues using the Full Coverage Policy I have purchased through Discover Cars.

Legally, third party insurance is completely valid.

However, that’s not to say an agent won’t try to up-sell you their company’s insurance. They will! Some companies actually encourage employees to do so — which is why you want to read reviews before booking.

While Mexico car rental companies aren’t technically allowed to make you buy insurance from them, the most you can do is argue with them. As a worst case scenario, they just won’t let you rent the car.

For the least amount of headaches on your Mexico trip, buy insurance from the company you’re renting from.

If you get full coverage, you could essentially return it in any condition, and should not have to pay them a single cent.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

When I’m renting a car in Mexico, I always use Discover Cars. Their full coverage policies only cost about $7-10 USD per day. ▶︎ Book now with Discover Cars.

With just Personal Liability Insurance, you’ll usually have about a $2,000+ USD deductible. The full coverage deductible is often $0, because you’re already fully covered (though Terms and Conditions can vary by company).

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

Now, some car companies will let you take a rental car with just CDW insurance; but some won’t since it’s not Personal Liability Insurance.

This is just one more reason I always opt for Full Coverage when I rent with Discover Cars. Their policy means I am fully covered in Mexico for any damages to the car up to $58,500 pesos, and I won’t pay out of pocket.

The last time I rented a car in Mexico City (notoriously more expensive than most Cancun rental agencies), I paid just $10 USD per day for a Discover Cars Full Coverage Policy.

With this I am legally covered in Mexico — and no company can deny my rental. However, some places will attempt to upsell you their insurance (which is a bad practice, but it does happen).

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

Horror stories of using credit card insurance in Mexico

I have been in Mexico long enough, and heard enough horror stories, that I always tell people not to rely on credit card insurance.

If you do opt for it, you’ll want to call the credit card company and double check their policies (even the fine print), so you know you’re comfortable with it.

Also, know that if anything happens to the car, you will likely have to pay for 100% of the damages out of pocket when you return the car in Cancun.

You’ll then file a claim with the credit card company, and hope they fully reimburse you 🤞 Spoiler: They don’t always do so!

Purchase Third Party Mexico Car insurance

You can also buy a separate Mexican auto insurance policy from a Mexican insurance company or a U.S. company that works with Mexican insurers, like Baja Bound, Allstate and Geico.

This is called Third Party Liability Insurance (sometimes called TPL insurance, or PLI insurance), it is 100% legal.

It is also enough to satisfy the Mexico Personal Liability Insurance requirement. Depending on where you’re renting, this can be the cheapest Mexico car insurance for drivers who need extra coverage.

🚙💨 Driving to Mexico with your own car? Get your FREE quote on Mexican Insurance from Baja Bound so you can cross the U.S.-Mexico border without any issues or delays.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

How this is legal anywhere, we may never know, but here’s the rundown:

Months before writing this article, I booked a Miami rental car online. When I picked it up, I had to pay $200 USD in extra charges, taxes and additional insurance costs.

If this has also happened to you, you’re already familiar with the “Mexico car rental scam” — which isn’t exclusive to Mexico at all.

If you’re lucky enough to have never fallen victim, the scam in question is that most renters don’t read the fine print (who does?!) and aren’t aware of the fees, taxes, etc., that get tacked on.

For many, the price you end up paying is double what you saw online when you booked the car.

Renting A Car in Cancun Mexico

How to avoid the Cancun rental car travel scam

When renting a car in Mexico, you may see rates as low as $5-10 USD per day — and if this seems too good to be true, it is.

This base cost doesn’t factor in a whole slew of fees, taxes and the legally-required Mexico car rental insurance, all of which you do have to pay for.

To avoid this most notorious of Mexico travel scams, simply double the price you see online listed as the base price for the car if you’re taking the minimum insurance, and triple it for full coverage.

This new amount is closer to what you end up paying anyway — and now you won’t feel scammed.

3 Other Common Cancun Travel Scams

1. 📑 Extra Insurance Scam

Unless you purchase Mexico car insurance from the rental agency directly, they will try to upsell you extra services and coverage that they provide.

There is no need to pay this extra insurance cost if you already have a full Coverage Policy coverage — which I purchase when renting with Discover Cars, as it’s the cheapest I’ve seen.

2. ⛽️ Non-Reset Pump Scam

In Mexico, you don’t pump your own gas. When you get to the pump, there will be an attendant who pumps and takes your payment.

When you pull up, make sure the pump is zeroed out — meaning the pump is set to $0. Some attendants will even ask you to verify before they start pumping.

3. 💸 Quick Change scam

This is a pretty standard bill swap, or wrong payment scam.

If you’re paying in cash, count the bills one by one in front of the attendant, otherwise they can quickly change the bills with sleight of hand after you hand them the money.

With this scam, they’d take your money and quickly swap out a $500 peso bill with a $20 peso bill, saying you gave them a $20 MXN pesos when it should have been a $500 — you’ll then give them a $500, which they will pocket.

This has never happened to me in Mexico, as I pay with a credit card. Also, I’ve found that most gas pump attendants ask you to verify that the pump is set at $0.00 before they start pumping your gas.

10 Cancun Driving Tips for Mexico

Wondering, Is it easy to drive in Mexico? For the most part, it’s not too dissimilar from the U.S. or Canada. However, here are 10 things to keep in mind when driving in Mexico:

1. Avoid driving at night in Mexico

When you live in Mexico as long as I have, you realize many people simply avoid driving at night, if possible.

If you do drive at night, stick to only main roads and paid highways, called cuota roads (the free roads are called libre roads). Note: Remember to always keep some cash (pesos) on your for the tolls.

3. Beware of topes (speed bumps)

Mexico roads are notorious for an abundance of topes (speed bumps).

While some roads have bright yellow road signs that do alert you to the topes, keep your eyes on the road at all times, as some topes don’t have a sign — and can cause serious damage to your Cancun rental car.

4. Download an offline map for driving in Cancun

Your cell signal may go in and out as you’re driving in Cancun, especially when venturing to more rural places in the Yucatan Peninsula — so you’ll want to download an offline map from Google Maps or Maps.Me.

📲 Car Rental Cancun Tips: For the best possible cell signal, get a Mexico SIM Card.

5. Don’t use your cell phone while driving in Mexico

Not only is it unsafe to use your phone while driving, it’s also illegal in Mexico.

In fact, even just holding your phone is an easy way for you to get pulled over. When packing for Mexico, don’t forget to bring this hands-free phone holder for the rental car.

🇲🇽 Mexico Fun Fact: It’s also illegal to put on make-up or shave while driving, so avoid those activities as well.

6. Mexico traffic lights have an extra step

In Mexico, stop lights go from green to yellow, to flashing yellow for a few seconds, to finally, a red light.

Some lights go from green to flashing green for a few seconds, to yellow, to finally, a red light.

🚦 Car Rental Cancun Tips: Regardless of what they do, you are still legally supposed to stop at the yellow light — just like in the U.S.

7. Mexico speed limits are in kilometers per hour

Mexico street signs are not in not miles per hour; they are in kilometers per hour! For those who are curious, 1 mile is 1.6 kilometers.

Rather than having to do math as you’re driving in Cancun, just make sure the number on the speed limit sign matches the number on your speedometer.

As you might imagine, the street signs and highway signs in Mexico are also in Spanish. Here are a few you’ll want to know when traveling to Cancun:

• 🛑 Alto: Stop
• 🔄 Retorno: Turn-around, which is where you make legal U-turns
• Entrada: Entrance
• Salida: Exit
• 🅿️ Estacionamiento: Parking
• Restringido: Restricted area
• 🚧 Prohibido: Entry prohibited

8. Cancun gas stations are not self-serve

When you stop for gas, an attendant will pump it for you and take the payment. Many attendants don’t work for the gas station, and live off tips.

When they finish, it’s customary to tip them $10-20 Mexican pesos ($0.50-1 USD). If you ask them to perform a service like checking your tires or fluids, you should tip about $50 pesos.

9. Window cleaners may approach you at stop lights

When you’re at stop lights in Cancun, you may be approached by someone offering to clean the car windshield.

There’s no set amount to pay for this, but $10 pesos ($0.50 USD) is a standard amount — and well worth it for a nice, clean windshield.

10. Yes, Mexico cops do take bribes

If the cops pull you over — and they usually only will if you give them a reason to — they often expect a cash “payment” in exchange for not ticketing you.

The best ways to insure this doesn’t happen to you is to: 1) not speed, 2) not be on your phone, and 3) not break any other Mexico driving laws.

To be clear: I’m not in any way defending this practice.

Further, what I’m about to say might be controversial for some people, but it’s still the truth: The easiest way to make this problem go away is by paying them.

The worst thing you can do is argue because they can take you to jail — and is that where you want to spend your Cancun vacation?

👮‍♀️ Article 152 & Tarjeton Turistico

About 10 years ago, the Mexican government implemented Article 152, though efforts fell flat.

The Tarjetón Turístico tourist card was intended to end police bribes on tourists, so it’s sad the program failed, but if you see anything about Mexico Article 152 online, it’s no longer operational.

If you’ve looked for tips on renting a car in Cancun Mexico, you may have encountered conflicting info.

There are official rules for how to rent a car in Cancun — and then there’s how things play out in the real world.

As I’ve rented cars in seven cities in Mexico (including Cancun), I hope this article was able to demystify everything for you — and that you now feel comfortable with the entire Mexico car rental process.

Ready to get your rental car?

I recommend renting a car with Discover Cars. This is the company I have used many times, and the one I always encourage others to do as well because they offer an easy way to rent a car, and have the best rates.

Looking to rent a car in other parts of Mexico?

Renting a car in Mexico is a great way to see a lot of places in a short amount of time.

Often it’s the only way to visit the best off the beaten path hidden gems, far away from the tourists.

Check out these linked guides so you understand the process at car rental agencies throughout the country, and you avoid getting scammed when renting a car in Mexico.