Renting a Car at Bogotá Airport (BOG): Complete Guide for Foreign Travelers

Yes, US citizens and other foreign visitors can rent and drive a car in Colombia using their home country driver’s license. You do not need a Colombian license, and in most cases you do not need an International Driving Permit either. The whole process at Bogotá’s El Dorado airport takes 20 to 40 minutes if you arrive with a reservation and the right documents.

This guide answers the questions foreign travelers actually ask before booking: what paperwork you need, whether your rental is legitimate, what happens if you do not have a credit card, what it costs, and the one local driving rule that catches almost every first-time visitor by surprise.

How do I rent a car in Bogotá without a local driving license?

You rent it with your own license. This is written into Colombian law: Article 25 of Law 769 of 2002, the national traffic code, states that valid foreign licenses are accepted for driving in Colombia when used by tourists or persons in transit, for the duration of their authorized stay and up to a maximum of six months. A US, Canadian, British or EU license is accepted as-is at the rental counter and at police checkpoints.

There is no requirement to convert your license, register it with a Colombian authority, or obtain any local permit before you arrive. The license simply has to be valid and unexpired on the day you pick up the vehicle.

What documents are required to rent a vehicle in Colombia as a US citizen?

You need three things: your passport, your valid home country driver’s license, and a payment method for the security deposit. All three must be in the name of the person signing the contract and driving the car.

• Passport. Bring the physical passport, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. The entry stamp or digital entry record may also be checked.
• Driver’s license. Valid and unexpired. We do not require a minimum number of years since issue, only that it is currently valid.
• Security deposit. Credit card or bank transfer, placed when you collect the car rather than when you book, and returned 15 days after you bring the vehicle back.

Do I need an International Driving Permit in Colombia?

No, not if your license is printed in the Latin alphabet. An International Driving Permit is recommended as a convenience but is not legally required for a US, Canadian, British, Australian or EU license.

If your license uses a non-Latin script, such as Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Russian or Hebrew, bring an IDP or a certified translation. It will save you time at the counter and prevent a difficult conversation at a roadside checkpoint, where officers may not be able to read your license at all.

What is the minimum age to rent a car in Bogotá?

The minimum age is 25 years old. This applies to the person signing the rental contract and to any additional driver you register on it.

If you are traveling as a group, make sure at least one person meets that requirement before you book. Unlike some US rental companies, there is no «young driver surcharge» option that lets a younger driver rent at extra cost: 25 is the floor. Registering an additional driver, on the other hand, is free.

Are there any reputable car rental companies operating in Bogotá?

Yes. Bogotá has both international chains and established local agencies, and a reputable operator can be verified before you pay through four concrete signals rather than brand recognition alone.

• A verifiable physical office. A real address you can look up, not only a social media account or a WhatsApp number. Be cautious with anyone requesting a deposit to a personal bank account.
• A written contract with itemized coverage. What the policy covers and what it excludes should be stated in writing before you sign, not explained verbally at pickup.
• A signed vehicle inspection with photos at both pickup and return. This is your only real protection against being charged for pre-existing damage.
• Damage quoted before it is charged. Andes Auto Rental does not work from a fixed damage price list: any damage is quoted first and the amount is communicated to you before anything is deducted.
• Support that works outside business hours. Ask what happens if the car fails on a Sunday 100 miles from Bogotá. At Andes Auto Rental the full-coverage insurance includes 24/7 roadside assistance nationwide for the full rental period; the agency also answers WhatsApp around the clock, and has operated as a local agency for more than 28 years.

Can I rent a car in Bogotá without a credit card?

Yes. At Andes Auto Rental the security deposit can be placed with a credit card or by bank transfer, which is unusual in this market: most international chains require a credit card with no alternative.

This matters more than travelers expect. US cards are frequently declined abroad on a first large hold, banks block foreign transactions without warning, and available credit is often consumed by hotel pre-authorizations. Being able to place the deposit by transfer removes all three failure points.

How much is the security deposit and when do I get it back?

The deposit is 30 % of the total rental value, placed when you collect the vehicle, not when you book, and returned 15 days after you hand the car back.

That 15-day window is worth understanding before you sign, because it is the part travelers most often misread as a delay tactic. Colombian traffic fines are notified to the vehicle’s owner weeks after the offense, not immediately, and the deposit is what covers them if they arrive after your rental has ended. If you picked up a ticket during the rental, it is deducted from the deposit; if there were no incidents, the full amount is returned.

For the rental itself we accept Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club and American Express, plus the payment link on our website, which works the same from abroad.

What are the best car rental options available at Bogotá’s main airport?

Rental desks at El Dorado are concentrated in the International Terminal, second floor. Andes Auto Rental operates there at Exit 1, with airport delivery from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and delivery outside those hours by arrangement on WhatsApp.

Check that against your itinerary, because it is where most US travelers get caught. Flights from the United States tend to land at El Dorado late at night or before dawn, when several rental desks have already closed for the day. We do deliver at those hours: send us your flight number on WhatsApp and there is no need to book an airport hotel just to collect a car the next morning.

Note also that El Dorado has two separate terminals: Terminal 1 and the Puente Aéreo (Terminal 2), about 10 minutes apart by car. Confirm which one your flight arrives at when you book. You can check your terminal on the official El Dorado Airport website.

How much does it cost to rent a car in Bogotá?

Rates start at COP $139,000 per day for a manual compact such as the Renault Logan, which is roughly US$35 at an exchange rate of 4,000 pesos to the dollar. Rates are always quoted in Colombian pesos, so your final cost in dollars moves with the exchange rate.

Insurance is added to whichever rate applies and costs 10 % of the rate. One thing that is genuinely unusual here and worth planning around: rates do not change by season. They are the same in December, during Easter week and on Colombian long weekends as they are in February.

A second difference from renting in the United States: most of the fleet in Colombia is manual transmission. Automatics exist but are priced as a higher category and sell out faster. If you cannot drive a stick shift, book well ahead rather than assuming availability on arrival.

Before comparing quotes between agencies, check what the rate actually includes:

• All-risk insurance on top of the mandatory SOAT. It costs 10 % of the rate and covers 80 % of the vehicle’s value in the event of total loss, partial loss or theft.
• Unlimited mileage in Bogotá and the surrounding area. On long-distance routes a daily limit is agreed when you book, so tell us your itinerary in advance.
• Nationwide circulation is permitted, so a trip outside Bogotá does not trigger a surcharge. Vehicles may not be taken across an international border.
• Additional driver, child seat and a Colombian data SIM card, all free of charge. The SIM solves the problem of landing without roaming and needing maps from the first day.
• Same-level fuel policy: return the car with the same amount of fuel it had at pickup (half to half, full to full). No refueling service charge.
• Long-stay offer: book three weeks and the fourth is free — 28 days for the price of 21.

How can I find good deals on economy car rentals in Bogotá?

The savings come from how you book rather than from which company you choose. Four decisions consistently lower the total:

1. 01Book early — for availability, not for price. Our rates do not rise with demand, but the fleet does sell out in December, Easter week and Colombian long weekends. Booking early is what secures the car you want.
2. 02Choose manual over automatic if you can drive one. It is a full category cheaper — from COP $139,000 against COP $195,000 per day.
3. 03Rent in full weeks for a long stay. Three weeks booked earns a fourth week free, so a month-long trip costs 21 days rather than 28.
4. 04Count the extras other agencies bill separately. Additional driver, child seat, data SIM and airport delivery within opening hours are all included here, which often closes the gap on a headline rate that looks cheaper elsewhere.

You can see the full fleet with photos and specifications on our car rental page.

What is «pico y placa» and how does it affect your rental car?

Pico y placa is a driving restriction that bans cars from circulating in Bogotá on certain weekdays based on the last digit of the license plate, and it applies to rental cars exactly as it does to private ones. It runs Monday through Friday during daytime hours. There is no restriction on weekends or public holidays.

This is the rule that ruins itineraries. Visitors land on a Sunday, drive with no issue, and discover on Monday that their plate is banned for the day. Driving in violation results in a fine and the vehicle can be impounded.

• Ask for the last digit of the plate when you book, not when you collect the car. With that number you can plan around the restriction.
• Schedule trips outside Bogotá on weekends. Zipaquirá, Villa de Leyva, Guatavita and Suesca have no restriction on Saturday or Sunday.
• Check the current digits and hours, which rotate periodically, with the Bogotá District Mobility Secretariat. A paid exemption scheme called Pico y Placa Solidario also exists.
• Remember that fines follow the car, not the trip. A ticket issued during your rental is deducted from your deposit when it is notified, which is why the deposit is held for 15 days after return.

Where can you drive from Bogotá, and what do tolls cost?

The four most visited destinations from Bogotá are all within four hours by road, and none of them has a direct flight from the city, which is precisely why a rental car is the practical option.

Budget for one detail that catches visitors out: tolls are charged in both directions, so a round trip costs twice the figure above. Zipaquirá and back is COP $32,200 in tolls, and Villa de Leyva and back is around COP $98,400.

The Andes toll rose to COP $16,100 on 1 July 2026 under the Accesos Norte highway program, which will keep applying gradual increases until July 2027. Rates are updated annually, so verify before you travel. Most toll booths accept cash and cards, but carry small bills: card lanes are the most congested at peak times. Fuel in Colombia is sold by the gallon rather than the liter, which is worth remembering when you budget.

Driving times vary because of traffic leaving Bogotá, not because of the highways. Crossing the city from El Dorado toward the north can add 30 to 45 minutes at rush hour. Leaving before 6:30 a.m. cuts that roughly in half.

If your trip ends somewhere other than Bogotá, one-way rentals are possible and priced by distance from the capital, starting at COP $500,000.

How do I book a rental car in Bogotá from the United States?

Booking takes about five minutes and is confirmed by email or WhatsApp before you fly. The steps:

1. 01Set exact pickup and return dates and times, using your flight’s landing time rather than its departure time.
2. 02Choose category and transmission. Manual for city driving, a sedan for up to four people on the highway, the 7-seater for a family trip.
3. 03Send your request with your flight number and arrival terminal.
4. 04Confirm in writing what the rate includes and how you will place the deposit, card or bank transfer.
5. 05Receive confirmation with the exact meeting point at the airport.

Sending the flight number matters more than it appears. It lets us hold the vehicle and adjust the handover if your flight is delayed, so you neither lose the reservation nor pay for hours you did not use.

Book before you land

The difference between starting your trip behind the wheel and starting it in a queue comes down to booking ahead with a confirmed flight number. We hand the car over at the International Terminal, second floor, Exit 1, and you drive straight out. Once you have the keys, the two easiest drives out of the city are the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá day trip, about an hour north, and the weekend route for driving from Bogotá to Villa de Leyva.