For the licence, age, insurance and fine rules that apply everywhere in Spain, read renting a car in Spain and traffic fines. This guide covers what is different on Tenerife.
Can you drive to Teide National Park, and what needs a permit?
Yes. Four roads climb into the park, according to the national parks agency's access guide:
| From | Road | Enters the park at |
|---|---|---|
| La Orotava (north coast) | TF-21, 31 km | Portillo de la Villa |
| La Laguna (near Santa Cruz) | TF-24 along the ridge, 30 km | Portillo de la Villa |
| Granadilla and Vilaflor (south) | TF-21 | Boca de Tauce |
| Chío (west) | TF-38 | Boca de Tauce |
The park sits above 2,000 metres, and the visitor rules warn that parts of it can be covered in ice and snow at some times of year. Driving off the public roads and open tracks is an offence.
Driving through costs nothing on the pages checked. What costs money is walking two trails. Since 19 January 2026 the Cabildo, the island government, charges non-residents for trail No. 10 (Telesforo Bravo, to the crater) and trail No. 7 (Montaña Blanca to La Rambleta), as its press office reported. The price list:
| Trail | Visitor from outside the Canaries | Other Canary Islands resident | Tenerife resident |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 10, crater, without a guide | 15 euros | 6 euros | Free |
| No. 10, crater, with a guide | 10 euros | 4 euros | Free |
| No. 7, weekdays | 6 euros | 3 euros | Free |
| No. 7, weekends and holidays | 10 euros | 5 euros | Free |
Trail No. 10 is capped at 300 people a day, in slots of up to 50 people, and permits are sold only on the Cabildo's Tenerife ON platform. Children under 14 do not pay for trail No. 10.
The bus alternative is thin. From the south coast, TITSA line 342 runs once a day: it leaves Costa Adeje at 9:25, takes about 2 hours 15 minutes, and returns from the Parador at 16:00. That leaves no slack for a sunrise, a sunset or a crater permit outside the middle of the day, which is why most visitors drive.
How do you visit Masca and Punta de Teno with a rental car?
The north-west corner is where the car has to stop short.
Masca. The Cabildo's Masca site describes the road into the hamlet as narrow and winding with steep sections, and parking in the hamlet as very limited. If you are hiking the gorge, you must use TITSA bus 355 from Santiago del Teide to reach the start, and be there at least an hour before your slot. The booking page lists the trail from 40.66 euros for non-residents. That price covers the slot, a helmet, insurance and rescue cover. It does not cover the bus, the boat back from Masca bay to Los Gigantes, or the return from Los Gigantes to Santiago del Teide, where your car is.
Line 355 runs between Buenavista del Norte and Santiago del Teide through Masca. It has more departures from Wednesday to Saturday than on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and some midday trips give priority to people holding Masca trail tickets.
Punta de Teno. The lighthouse road, the TF-445, is closed to private cars, pedestrians and bicycles every day, according to the Buenavista del Norte town hall. You get there by bus 369 from the Buenavista del Norte bus station, about 20 minutes and 1 euro each way, or by taxi. Access runs 10:00 to 19:00 from 1 October to 20 June and 8:00 to 20:00 from 21 June to 30 September. Road works started on 19 January 2026 with no end date given, and the works notice warns that taxis may have to wait.
Decision table: where to leave the car
| Plan | Drive to | Then | Fixed cost per non-resident adult |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teide viewpoints and short walks | Any park road | Park at signed areas | None on the pages checked |
| Teide crater on foot | Trail No. 10 start | Booked slot | 15 euros unguided |
| Masca gorge hike | Santiago del Teide | Bus 355, trail, boat, bus back | From 40.66 euros, plus bus and boat |
| Punta de Teno lighthouse | Buenavista del Norte bus station | Bus 369 | 2 euros return |
| Teide without a car, from the south | None | Line 342, one departure | Bus fare only |
The table combines the trail rules, the bus timetables and the road bans. The switch point is simple: if the plan includes Masca or Teno, build the day around the bus times, not the drive.
Is fuel cheaper in Tenerife than in mainland Spain?
The taxes on it are lower. The Canary Islands are outside the Spanish excise on hydrocarbons, as Article 3 of the Excise Duties Act states. Fuel pays a Canary special tax instead, set in Article 9 of Law 5/1986. On top of that, the Canary sales tax, IGIC, is at 0% on fuel for September 2026: the Canary government keeps the zero rate month by month while the fuel price index in the islands stays more than 15% above the same month a year earlier.
Worked example: a week of driving on 100 litres
| Fuel | Canary special tax | Mainland excise (general plus special rate) | Tax difference on 100 litres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unleaded petrol (95) | 265 euros per 1,000 litres | 400.69 + 72 = 472.69 euros per 1,000 litres | 20.77 euros |
| Diesel | 222 euros per 1,000 litres | 307 + 72 = 379 euros per 1,000 litres | 15.70 euros |
This compares tax only, not pump prices, which also depend on supply costs and each station's margin. The IGIC zero rate is temporary, so for a trip after September 2026 check the Canary government's monthly notice.
Parking and driving in Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz is rewriting its street-parking rules. In a public consultation that ran from 1 December 2025 to 1 January 2026, the city said it lacks an up-to-date ordinance for surface parking, and that occupancy averages over 90% in some districts. Until the new ordinance is in force, rely on the signs and the meter at each street rather than on a single city-wide rate.
A low-emission zone is also planned. The Canary government's page lists it as in the approval process, not in force. Once it starts, entry will depend on the vehicle's Spanish environmental label, with ECO and zero-emission cars allowed, and driving in without permission carries a 200 euro fine. Ask the rental desk which label your car has.
Rental rules that matter on Tenerife
Rental terms vary by company. For example, CICAR's Canary Islands conditions, checked in September 2026, require drivers to be at least 21 with two years' licence, include insurance without excess, and say the renter must carry a printed copy of the contract in the car or risk a fine from the Spanish authorities. The same page does not mention taking the car on a ferry.
Ferries to La Gomera, La Palma or Gran Canaria are therefore a question for your own contract. Ask the desk in writing whether the car may leave Tenerife, whether a fee applies, and whether the insurance covers the car on board. If the answer is no, a car rented on arrival on the other island avoids the question.