Car rental in the Dominican Republic solves a multitude of travel-related challenges. It provides a level of mobility that public transport simply cannot match. In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know about renting a car in the Dominican Republic, including important tips, potential difficulties, and answers to common questions.
By the time you finish reading this article, you should have no lingering doubts about renting a car in the Dominican Republic—at least, that’s my hope! 😊
Table of contents:
- Car Rental in the Dominican Republic: Key Facts and Rental Company Rules
- Where to Rent a Car in Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, and Other Cities: Options to Consider
- Rental Prices and Fuel Costs: What to Know About Gas Stations
- Franchises, Full Coverage, Super Insurance, and Deposits Explained
- Traffic Rules, Toll Roads, Parking, and Driving Culture (Covered in a Separate Detailed Article)
Car Rental in the Dominican Republic: General Guidelines and Rental Company Rules
Here are some general facts that apply to car rentals throughout the country:
- Road Quality: The country’s roads are generally good, especially the toll highways. There are some nuances, but I’ll cover those in the article about traffic rules and roads.
- Police Presence: There’s a noticeable but reasonable police presence on the roads. They typically don’t stop drivers without cause, and when they do stop tourists in rental cars, they’re generally polite. There’s no hint of corruption or demands for bribes, unlike experiences in places like Tanzania.
- Security Near Haiti: The closer you get to the Haitian border, the more security checkpoints you’ll encounter. These are primarily for safety and to prevent illegal immigration.
- Types of Rental Cars: Most rental cars in the Dominican Republic are gasoline-powered with automatic transmissions. Manual transmissions are rare and require extra effort to find.
- Love for Big Cars: The Dominican Republic ranks second only to the U.S. in its love for massive vehicles. Many locals firmly believe that the only thing with a 2-liter engine is a juice box.
- Traffic Intensity: Traffic is heavy in cities, including small towns. Santo Domingo, in particular, is almost always congested. However, once you leave the urban areas, traffic becomes sparse, making for a comfortable drive.
Important Rental Company Rules:
- Fuel Policy: You’ll receive the car with a full tank, and you must return it the same way.
- No Mileage Limits: There are no restrictions on mileage, daily or otherwise.
- Payment and Deposit: Payments for rentals and deposits are almost always made in U.S. dollars. You can pay in Dominican pesos if you prefer, but the documentation will still be in USD.
- Required Documents: You’ll need a passport, a valid driver’s license (the standard plastic card from most countries works fine), and a credit card for the deposit.
It is important to know:
Car Categories: Two types of cars dominate the market: economy models like the Kia Rio, and large SUVs like the Ford Explorer or Chevrolet Tahoe with 6.2-liter engines. Rental companies may try to “upgrade” you to a large vehicle if your reserved economy car isn’t available. Don’t fall for this trick—it’s a costly upgrade, with fuel consumption around 25 liters per 100 km.
Where to Rent a Car in the Dominican Republic
There are three main options:
- Book Online in Advance: Either through booking platforms or directly on rental company websites. This typically involves reputable international companies.
- Rent at the Local Office: This also applies to international rental companies with physical offices.
- Rent Locally from Small Companies: These are usually independent local businesses.
Warning:
Avoid Dollar Rent a Car at All Costs! Even if their prices seem unbeatable, renting from Dollar will likely ruin your plans and cost you more in the long run. We had multiple disappointing experiences with them, despite their low prices. The biggest issue? The car you reserved often simply isn’t available, even with full prepayment and a confirmed reservation. You arrive at the office, only to hear “Sorry, no car available,” with a shrug from the manager. Arguing is pointless—the car won’t magically appear. Their ratings on review sites speak for themselves.
Online Car Rental Platforms
This option comes with many advantages but also a few drawbacks. Let’s break them down:
Pros:
- Security for Travelers: If the rental company fails to deliver as promised, the platform will protect your rental and your money until the end of the rental period.
- Useful to Know: These platforms act as intermediaries, comparing prices and vehicle availability across multiple rental companies. To qualify for listing, rental companies must meet a stringent set of requirements, ensuring a higher level of service.
- Perfect for Pre-Planned Itineraries: If you know exactly where you’ll be in a week or two, this is an ideal solution.
- Early Booking Discounts: Booking several months in advance often comes with discounts, making the prices quite attractive.
- High Customer Loyalty and Transparency: No one will nitpick over barely visible scratches on the car.
- Nationwide Presence: Many rental offices across the country, allowing you to pick up a car in one city and drop it off in another.
- 24/7 Emergency Assistance: Excellent customer support in case of emergencies.
- Flexible Deposit Options: Recently, some companies have started accepting and returning deposits in cash, making a credit card less essential.
Cons:
- Uncertainty Over Specific Car Models: You book a car class, not a specific vehicle. For example, even if you select a Kia Rio on the website, you might receive a VW Polo upon arrival. We once booked a hatchback, only to be given a sedan, which was disappointing but common practice.
- Guaranteed Features: If you book a gasoline car with an automatic transmission and air conditioning, you’ll get exactly that. The vehicle will always match the class and features you selected.
Renting Directly at a Major Rental Company Office
This option is perfect for those without long-term plans. Suppose you decide today to explore the beautiful beaches of the Samaná Peninsula or need a car to visit Jarabacoa and Pico Duarte. In that case, this approach is for you.
The advantages are similar to booking online, but there are two significant drawbacks:
- Limited Availability During High Season: Smaller town offices may run out of available cars. However, airport offices usually have cars available year-round.
- No Guarantee of Economy Cars: Sometimes, only larger vehicles like the Chevrolet Tahoe are available. Unlike online bookings, where an upgrade to a Tahoe might be free, you’ll likely have to pay extra in this scenario.
Below are links to two of the most popular car rental platforms. I recommend checking both and booking with the one offering the best price or service:
- DiscoverCars: The most popular car rental service in the Dominican Republic, with excellent customer reviews.
- EconomyBookings: A strong competitor, often offering lower prices (though not always).
Local Car Rental Companies
This option is suitable for those without a set plan or a credit card for the deposit, as well as those who don’t plan to venture far from their accommodation. Let’s explore the pros and cons:
Pros:
- Convenient Delivery: They’ll often bring the car directly to your hotel.
- Minimal Bureaucracy: Paperwork is kept to a minimum.
- Cash Deposits Accepted: You can leave a cash deposit of around $400, which is fully refunded if you return the car in good condition.
- Negotiable Prices: You can haggle, although prices rarely fall below those of international companies.
- Specific Car Selection: You rent a specific vehicle rather than just a class.
Cons:
- Small Operations: These are often tiny businesses with only one or two offices.
- Limited Return Options: You usually can’t return the car in a different location.
- Opaque Pricing: Pricing isn’t always transparent.
- Lower Customer Loyalty: Since you’re often dealing directly with the owner, their priority is to make a profit. They might nitpick over scratches or chips, so inspect the car carefully when picking it up.
- Limited Roadside Assistance: If something happens on the road, help may be slow or unavailable.
Important Note:
No matter which option you choose, always buy full insurance or a comprehensive franchise waiver. I’ll explain why further down.
Top Car Rental Locations in the Dominican Republic:
- Punta Cana Airport
- Santo Domingo (Capital)
- Las Américas International Airport
- Puerto Plata
Car Rental in the Dominican Republic: Rental Costs and Fuel Prices
The point is not big but important. On the links that were above, you can open sites and see car rental options.
Useful information:
The average cost of renting a car in the Dominican Republic (economy-class), including all necessary insurance, is around $45 per day.
If you rent a car without full insurance, the price will be almost half, around $25 per day, though finding such a provider can be challenging. Even if you do, my personal recommendation is not to skimp on full coverage—it’s essential in the Dominican Republic.
A typical 10-day “all-inclusive” car rental costs around $400, but don’t forget to budget for toll roads and fuel. Early bookings often come with great discounts. Once, we rented a fully insured car for 10 days for just $210, which is an excellent deal for the Dominican Republic.
Fuel and Gas Stations in the Dominican Republic
There are four types of fuel available at gas stations:
- Gasolin Normal (Regular): Equivalent to 95-octane gasoline
- Gasolin Premium: Equivalent to 98-octane gasoline
- Diesel Normal (Regular)
- Diesel Premium: The only noticeable difference is the price since there’s no winter and temperatures rarely dip below 15°C, even at night.
Most rental cars in the Dominican Republic are gasoline-powered, though diesel options are also available. I personally always fill up with Gasolin Normal.
Important to Know:
- Fuel prices are uniform across all gas stations in the country, and the quality is consistent with no fuel dilution issues. You can safely refuel at any station.
- I personally recommend Texaco, one of the largest and most widespread networks in the country. I refueled there my first time and have stuck with them ever since.
Another important point:
Every gas station has a security guard. Self-service is prohibited in the Dominican Republic. Just pull up, roll down your window, and tell the attendant what type of fuel and how much you want. You pay directly to the attendant. Some stations accept cards, but cash is more common.
Fuel Prices in the Dominican Republic
Read about prices for all categories of goods, for products, excursions, accommodation, attractions in a large article: prices of the Dominican Republic.
Prices are displayed in pesos per gallon. One Dominican gallon equals the American gallon, which is 3.79 liters.
- Gasolin Regular: 280 pesos/gallon (~75 pesos/liter or $1.35/liter)
- Gasolin Premium: 290 pesos/gallon (~78 pesos/liter or $1.40/liter)
- Diesel Normal: 220 pesos/gallon (~60 pesos/liter or $1.03/liter)
- Diesel Premium: 230 pesos/gallon (~62 pesos/liter or $1.05/liter)
Despite being close to oil reserves, fuel in the Dominican Republic isn’t cheap.
Car Rental in the Dominican Republic: Insurance and Deposits
All rental cars in the Dominican Republic come with basic insurance, which covers:
- Theft
- Damage in accidents when you are not at fault
- Natural disasters (e.g., a hurricane causing a tree to fall on the car)
Most rental companies will offer you the option to purchase full coverage, which may be called:
- Super Insurance
- Full Coverage
- Super Cover
- Total Protection
- Comprehensive Insurance
On average, full coverage for an economy-class car costs around $10-15 per day. When I mentioned the average rental price of $45 per day earlier, that included full insurance.
Important:
If you rent a car with full insurance, your only responsibility is to return it on time. In this case, the deposit will be fully refunded. Without full coverage, you may be charged for things like a broken windshield or flat tire.
Deposit Requirements
This is another strong reason to opt for full insurance.
The security deposit for an economy-class car in the Dominican Republic usually ranges from $600 to $1,000, but it can go as high as $1,200 or $1,400, which is a significant amount that not all tourists can easily afford.
If you return the car without any issues, the deposit will be refunded to your card within 10 days, depending on your bank.
However, with full insurance, the deposit is often reduced to just $200, serving as a guarantee that you won’t abandon the car. Any damage would be covered by insurance.
Car Rental in the Dominican Republic: Traffic Rules, Toll Roads, and Driving Culture
This is a vast topic covered in detail in another article. You can find everything you need to know here: traffic rules and roads of the Dominican Republic.
- Despite what you may read about driving in the Dominican Republic, drivers here are not worse than in Europe or the US. In fact, they often show better driving etiquette.
- Traffic rules are generally intuitive and familiar, with only a few exceptions.
- Road quality is good, though there are a few rough spots.
- The country follows right-hand traffic.
There are many exaggerated horror stories online about Dominican roads and drivers, but things are not as chaotic as some suggest. Be sure to read the detailed article linked above for practical tips and insights.
If you’re interested in using taxis instead, you can find a detailed guide about taxi in the Dominican Republic here.
In conclusion: Renting a car in the Dominican Republic is straightforward but not the cheapest option. However, due to the underdeveloped public transportation system and the abundance of incredible attractions that buses can’t reach, a rental car is often the only convenient option. It can significantly save you time and give you the freedom to explore the country fully.
Wishing you a smooth and enjoyable car rental experience without any unexpected issues!
Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Dominican Republic
- Cheap Flights and best deals
- Car rental: DiscoverCars – a largest international resource
- Hotels and apartments:
- Tripadvisor – compares prices among a dozen other services and platforms and offers to choose the best one.
- Trip.com – large online booking platform.
- Vacation packages: CheapOair – cheap packages from all US cities.
- Tours, excursions and extreme activities:
- GetYourGuide – more than 800+ tours and water activities.
- Viator – 3500+ tours and excursions in Dominican.
- Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
- Internet and Calls:
- Airalo – eSIM with internet package.
- Drimsim – universal SIM card (or eSIM) in any country in the world.
- Taxis and airport transfers: Intui.Travel
Good afternoon. Tell me, if you book a car in the location of Hotel Casa De Campo, but stay in another hotel in La Romana, then it will not be possible to get to the territory of the Casa De Campo hotel by taxi?
Alex, probably yes. This is a closed area, entry / entry only for those who live there. But if you really want to, you can write to the agency where you plan to rent a car – they will tell you for sure.
Do I need an international driver’s license?
Oleg, our driver’s license is enough in the form of a plastic card where all the fields are duplicated in English
Good afternoon, can you tell me a cheap transfer from Punta Cana to Boca Chica??
Oleg, good afternoon.
All links at the end of the article
Hello, if there was an accident, there is compulsory insurance (standard), what are the next steps?
Andrey, good afternoon. No matter what kind of insurance is full or basic, the first thing you always call the rental company immediately. Any company has round-the-clock support for such cases. And then they already tell you a plan of action, call the police and everything you need.
Hello. I wonder if it is possible to leave Euro as a deposit for car rental? And will the same Euros (bills) be returned back when the car is returned?
Ildar, good afternoon. I think you can, the question will be at what rate they will recalculate the deposit amount for you, maybe even 1 to 1 :). And if you leave a deposit in cash, they will pack it right in front of you in an envelope and, together with the contract, in a safe. Technically, when you return the car, even your banknotes will be returned to you. So almost everywhere.
Thanks for the informative articles. A lot of useful information. I would like to share a little story and get your opinion. We rented a car with friends and on the second day on the highway near the turn to Hard Rock in Punta Cana we were stopped, running out onto the road, two of them were on the policemen. In the bushes they had an ordinary motorcycle (enduro). In their hands they had a radar, which probably no one has been using in France for 10 years. And they, without showing the numbers on the radar itself, began to explain in their native language, writing it down in Google translator on the phone, saying that we exceeded the speed limit by 37 km/h. Like, instead of the prescribed 60, we drove 97.
Since we literally just arrived, we didn’t really read anything about the rules, the strictness to comply with these rules, we ourselves didn’t know how much the real speed was (there was an elementary stupor when we saw the police), and there was also no desire to argue with them and waste our rest time , we decided to accept a fine of 2700 pesos and pay it on the spot.
Not to say that a lot of money, but not small. We do not feel sorry for money, we will be smarter. Now we carefully look at the signs and the roadside, because various kinds of posts can often be seen on the tracks (including those with radars in their hands). Especially towards the capital. I would like to know the real amounts of fines for speed, and which police officers have the right to issue them. It even seems to us that it could be some kind of road workers or something. Painfully, they did not look like real policemen. Only the form is real. And this handheld radar
Alexander, this is the first time I have encountered such a situation as you describe. My opinion is that this is a scam. Advice, always in any such incomprehensible case, especially with a language barrier and if there is any suspicion: try not to hand over documents and drivers license, hold it in your hands and just show it. Smile and say that you drove without exceeding and you are sure of it, you can just repeat the same thing and that’s it.
And most importantly, it’s impossible to explain even banal things, you can always call your rental company, they always leave a number for various situations, explain the situation and say that you don’t plan to pay, because you didn’t exceed the speed limit. And they will almost always tell you a real plan of action.
You can always get in the car. Close and say call the boss, we’ll wait, but you’re wasting time, it’s unpleasant. Well, there is a tourist police everywhere, and all the locals in the Dominican Republic are afraid of her, she is always on the side of the tourist, well, if he is right of course. You can also mention these two words and say call them here, if this is a scam, then after the words “tourist police” they should admit defeat and let you go. Well, that’s what I would do, I guess. ))