Montevideo International Airport Car Rentals: Best Rates & Zero Hidden Fees

Your US driver's license is valid for up to 90 days in Uruguay. However, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is strongly recommended—it's cheap (~$20), widely available at AAA offices, and rental companies and police often prefer it. Carry both your US license and IDP together. The IDP is essentially a multilingual translation, not a replacement for your actual license.

Yes, you can rent at 21, but expect a 'young driver surcharge' of roughly $15–$25 USD per day. This fee applies to drivers under 25 across most agencies (Hertz, Budget, Localiza). Compare this to the base rate—if a compact car costs $40/day, you'll pay $55–$65/day total. Under-25 surcharges are mandatory by law in Uruguay, so shop around for the lowest young driver markup rather than trying to avoid the fee.

Major highways (like Ruta Interbalnearia and Ruta 5) have toll booths charging 50–200 UYU (~$1.50–$6 USD) depending on vehicle class. Cash and credit cards are accepted at most tolls. There's no electronic toll system like Italy's Telepass, so just stop at the booth, take a ticket on entry, and pay on exit. Rental agencies sometimes bill tolls back to your card with a 10–15% admin markup—ask before you drive on highways.

Speed limits: 45 km/h in urban areas, 75–90 km/h on rural roads, 110 km/h on highways. Radar guns are active, and unmarked police cars do patrol. Fines are roughly 1,500–5,000 UYU (~$40–$130 USD) depending on excess speed. Speed cameras are common near Montevideo and along coastal routes. In practice, locals often push 10–15 km/h over the limit, but catching a ticket isn't worth the hassle—stick to the limits.

Street parking in central Montevideo uses a 'zonificacion' system with metered spots (blue zones) charging roughly 25–40 UYU/hour. Payment is via the ' Montevideo Parking' app or at nearby pay stations. Free parking exists further from downtown but can be scarce during rush hours. For peace of mind and vehicle security, opt for a guarded parking garage ($3–$6 USD/hour) rather than street parking, especially at night.

Uruguay uses gasoline (nafta super ~95 octane) and diesel. Gas stations are widespread along highways and in cities—look for 'Ancap' (state-owned) or 'Axion' brands. Most rentals come with a full-to-full policy: receive the car with a full tank, return it full to avoid refueling charges at above-market rates. The scam risk is real—take photos of the fuel gauge at pickup and return, note it on your contract, and fill up at a station near the rental office before returning to be safe.