Driving in Peru: licences, car rental and road rules

Use this table to decide before you book. Rates are 2026 estimates for a compact or small SUV picked up in Lima, Cusco or Arequipa; high season and one-way drop fees push them up.

Decide first whether you actually need a car. In Lima, traffic and parking make app taxis cheaper and calmer; in Cusco, the historic centre is a walking and taxi zone. A car earns its place for the Sacred Valley, the Colca Canyon road from Arequipa, and coastal runs such as Lima to Paracas or Trujillo.

Book online before you arrive, from an international brand or a well-reviewed local agency at Lima, Cusco or Arequipa airports. Compare the total, not the headline rate: mandatory third-party insurance, airport surcharge, one-way drop fee and the deposit hold all appear at the counter. Pay by credit card in the main driver's name; debit cards are often refused for the deposit.

At pickup, walk the car with the agent and photograph every scratch, the spare tyre, the jack and the fuel gauge. Confirm whether the tank is full-to-full and whether the car may cross into Bolivia or Chile, which most rentals forbid. Ask for a written emergency number and check the spare is inflated before you leave the lot.

On the road, carry your licence, IDP, passport copy, rental contract and insurance paper. Police checks are common outside cities; stay polite, show documents and do not offer payment. Fill up when you see a station on Andean routes, since the next one can be an hour or more away.

Altitude changes how you drive. Above roughly 3,000 m, a petrol engine loses power on climbs, so overtaking takes longer than you expect. Give yourself a day to acclimatise before driving high passes, and do not drive the Cusco–Puno or Colca routes on your first day at altitude.

Night driving outside cities is the single biggest risk: unlit roads, unmarked speed bumps (rompemuelles), pedestrians, stray dogs and trucks without working tail lights. Plan to arrive before dark. In the rainy season, dirt roads in the Sacred Valley, the jungle and the high sierra can be cut by landslides; ask locally before committing.

City driving in Lima rewards nerve more than skill. Lanes are advisory, motorcycles filter on both sides, and left turns across traffic are often made from the right lane. If that sounds stressful, park outside the centre and use taxis. Fuel stations are usually attended; say the amount in soles or ask for lleno (full).

Check your travel insurance covers rental car excess and medical care before you drive; standard policies often exclude the first. If you plan a long stay, the visa rules matter more than the car — see the visa and long-stay pages.