Car rental · Canary Islands, Spain · File no. 019
Rent a car in Lanzarote without getting played
Deposits found per agency (platforms and customer reviews)
Amounts cross-checked between booking platforms and dozens of customer reviews, not just the advertised figures.
| Agency | Indicative price /day | Deposit blocked | Excess | Counter insurance | Verdict | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loueur local sans caution via LocalrentLocalrent's “no deposit” filter: Canarian agencies (CICAR, Autoreisen type) with the excess included and no hold. Confirm “no deposit, zero excess” on the contract. | 10-30 €/day | 0 € | 0 € | Included by default (full coverage) | ✓ My pick | Book |
| Low-cost à prix d'appel (type Goldcar)Hold around 800 € if you refuse their waiver, excess from 250 to 2,000 € by category. Observed ranges. Refuse the upsell, insist on the signed condition report at return. | 10-25 €/day | 800 € | 1,000 € | “Super Relax” 25-45 €/day | · | |
| Goldcar / InterRent (comptoir aéroport)Dedicated TripAdvisor thread “Goldcar/InterRent scam at Lanzarote Airport”: return with no inspection, then disputed damage billed from their photos and a barely-refunded fuel deposit. Unbeatable headline price, nasty surprise afterwards. | n.c. | Varies | Varies | “Super Relax” sold under pressure | ✗ Avoid |
⏲ Figures collected on 21 June 2026
Average market prices for an economy car (low season to high season), indicative only: they vary with the season, the model and how early you book. This is not the price paid, just a benchmark to compare.
If you book through this link, FirstHand earns a commission from the merchant, at no extra cost to you. That is what funds the on-the-ground checks.
The local references: CICAR or Autoreisen via DiscoverCars
CICAR and Autoreisen are the reference Canarian agencies: zero excess included, no deposit blocked (Autoreisen advertises no card pre-authorization), desk in the Arrecife arrivals hall. Excellent ratings (CICAR is a “Which? Recommended Provider”). The safest named option to leave no hold.
Do you actually need a car in Lanzarote?
Recommended. The bus network links the resorts (Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca, Arrecife) from 1.40 €, but major sites like Timanfaya and the rural areas are nearly unreachable without a car.
When NOT to rent here
If you stay in a resort (Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca) with no day trips: buses and taxis cover the basics locally. Rent for Timanfaya, the north (Jameos del Agua, Mirador del Río) and the isolated beaches.
Where you pick up the car
→ Desk right at ACE airport
- 01At Arrecife airport (ACE), the well-rated local agencies (CICAR, Autoreisen) have their desk in the arrivals hall, the multi-storey car park right opposite, no shuttle.
- 02Some low-cost firms use an off-site depot via shuttle, where the surprise charges cluster.
- 03Get a signed condition report and film the car before leaving, especially through an off-airport desk.
The fuel trap
With the locals (CICAR, Autoreisen) it is full-to-full / same level at return, and CICAR even refunds unused fuel. The trap to avoid: the prepaid full-to-empty of some low-cost firms, billed at an inflated agency rate with no refund. Photograph the gauge at the start.
At the counter: what they will push
To refuse politely
- The “Super Relax” insurance pushed at the counter (25 to 45 €/day) if your offer already includes zero excess.
- Any inflated fuel deposit presented as normal.
To insist on
- Written confirmation of “no deposit, zero excess” if you go through CICAR or Autoreisen.
- A signed condition report and a video of every side before departure, AND at return.
What my analysis reveals
I have not yet rented a car in Lanzarote myself: this page is an analysis, not a field report. It cross-checks Trustpilot and DiscoverCars reviews, the Which? comparison and forums.
As elsewhere in the Canaries, the strength is the existence of genuine no-deposit agencies. Autoreisen states “no cash deposit or credit card pre-authorization” with zero excess included, and CICAR includes insurance with no excess. By contrast, low-cost firms like Goldcar often block around 800 € if you refuse their “Super Relax”.
The best-documented scam at Arrecife airport: Goldcar/InterRent has you drop the keys with no return inspection, then bills disputed damage from its own photos (cases cited at 80 and 200 €), plus a barely-refunded fuel deposit. Signing the deposit form at pickup makes a bank dispute hard. The fix: a local with the excess included, and a video at pickup and return.
The anxious questions (the real ones)
+Can you rent without a deposit in Lanzarote?
Yes: the Canarian agencies CICAR and Autoreisen include zero excess and block no deposit. Localrent's “no deposit” filter leads to these local agencies.
+What is the most common scam in Lanzarote?
Goldcar/InterRent at the airport: return with no inspection then disputed damage billed from their photos, plus a barely-refunded fuel deposit. Pick a local with the excess included and film the car at pickup and return.
+Do you need a car in Lanzarote?
Recommended: buses link the resorts, but Timanfaya, the north and the isolated beaches are nearly unreachable without a car. For a pure beach stay, buses and taxis are enough.
An agency that is not in this table?
Thinking of booking elsewhere and wondering if it is safe? Give me the agency name and the city: I will tell you straight what I know, and add it to the file if it earns its place.
Ask me what I think