How to Rent a Car and Drive in Jordan?

Driving in Jordan can seem fairly intimidating. But, renting a car and driving yourself around the country is one of the best ways to see all of what Jordan has to offer.

After recently visiting, we rented a car and drove around to explore Jordan for 9 days. It was incredibly easy, which means most people can do it too!

So, let’s dive into what it’s like to drive and how to rent a car while in Jordan.

Article Contents:

What is it like Driving in Jordan?
Car Rental Companies in Jordan
How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Car in Jordan?
Jordan Car Rental Checklist and Tips

What is it Like Driving in Jordan?

I know what you’re thinking – driving in a densely populated middle eastern country, won’t that be a nightmare!

Surprisingly, driving in Jordan is not as bad as you think. In fact, we got to see and do more in Jordan because we rented a car and drove ourselves.

We got to stop and explore a lot of places not included on tours, and according to our timeline!

Road Conditions and Street Signs in Jordan

The majority of roads in Jordan are very well maintained. All roads we took, even the side roads, were paved and didn’t have any potholes to dodge.

The highways are especially nice which allows you to smoothly and quickly get from one major city to the next.

Road signs are clearly marked in English, with posted speed limits. In hilly or steep areas, the roads are wide so it feels safer.

In the countryside you might have to slowdown and stop for livestock crossing the road. Likewise, wild camels roam freely in the desert so watch out for them too.

The streets are illuminated at major intersections in the country side and in the city. However, the vast majority of the roads are not lit, so you need to rely on headlights to drive at night.

Pro-tip: I recommend you plan your itinerary to ensure you don’t have to drive at night for extended periods.

City Driving Conditions in Jordan

In the city, the traffic can get fairly busy at certain times of the day. Merging, changing lanes, and turning is definitely more challenging, but there are traffic lights that control the flow of vehicles.

The interesting part is that the traffic lights are installed above the line where you stop at an intersection. That means you can’t see when it changes to green. Luckily, your fellow drivers behind you will let you know when it’s time to drive… by honking at you!

Some intersections in Jordan, especially in Amman have dedicated crosswalk signs for foot traffic. Overall you need to be mindful of pedestrians crossing at random spots.

Also, we didn’t see too many people on bicycles but a few people on scooters, mopeds and motorcycles so be mindful of those vehicles on the road.

License and Age Requirements to Drive in Jordan

The legal driving age in Jordan is 18. However, you need to be at least 21 years of age to rent a car in Jordan, and have driving for 1 year [Reference]

You don’t need to apply for a Jordanian driver’s licence if you’re visiting and driving temporarily. Jordan accepts valid driver’s licences from foreign countries.

Pro-tip: You need to possess your full license from your home country before driving in Jordan.

Parking in Jordan

Finding parking in any country can be a pain. Luckily, there is plenty of street parking in Jordan. In the city, you can park on the side of the street and not have to pay.

At major attractions there are dedicated parking lots which are also free! But, in places like Petra and Jerash, getting there early will ensure you get a parking spot.

We did have to pay for parking when we visited Kerak castle, so keep some cash with you to pay the attendant.

At less popular attractions such as Qasr al-‘Abd and Iraq Al Amir, the only way to park is on the street, which is free.

All hotels had dedicated parking spots.
It’s tough to find free street parking in Amman around rush hour. However, there are private parking lots you can use for a fee. Otherwise there is plenty of street parking.
In Madaba, park at the visitor center to explore the city. It’s free, but gets busy by 10 AM.
Petra has plenty of free parking but it gets slammed by noon as people continue to arrive.
Jerash has a small free parking lot but as we left it still didn’t seem packed.

Gas Stations in Jordan

All the gas stations in Jordan are full service stations (i.e., an attendant fuels the car). We found the gas price was slightly cheaper outside of the major cities.

We were lucky since all the fuel attendants we encountered spoke partial English. So, we just told them to fill up the tank, or fill to a certain dollar (Dinar) amount.

Pro-tip: Some travellers found the attends to skimp on the fuel. So, get out of the car and watch the fuel meter to ensure they are doing everything correctly.

How to Rent a Car in Jordan?

Renting a car in Jordan is very straightforward. There are lots of reputable car rental companies which have locations in major cities and at the Airport.

So, which one do we recommend you use, and how much does it cost to rent a car in Jordan?

FYI, since our first day in Jordan was to explore Amman, we decided not to rent a car from the airport as soon as we landed. Instead, we rented a car on our second day in Amman and drove to Jerash.

Recommended Car Rental Company in Jordan

We ended up renting a car from Avis, which we found after searching for car rentals through Expedia. The pick-up location (located here) was a short Uber ride from our hotel in Amman (Layaali Hotel).

The Avis associate, Mohammed, greeted us and got all the paperwork completed quickly. He also gave us his WhatsApp contact information if we had any troubles on the road.

We actually contacted Mohammed on our drive back to Amman from the Dead Sea. He graciously accepted and arranged to pick-up our car from our final hotel at no extra cost – such great service!

Pro-tip: We ended up purchasing extended insurance for our rental. For us, the additional cost gave us absolute peace of mind if something went seriously wrong.

Beware of Monte Carlo Car Rental Company

If you do a YouTube search for car rental companies in Jordan, you’ll find one company with plenty of videos. Monte Carlo Carlo has posted video testimonials from what seem to be “happy” customers.

I had initially contacted them, asked for a discount, and they gave me a very competitive price. Plus, they included additional things like free internet and WIFI in the car, and extended insurance.

However, the “discounted” price came with a caveat. We first had to pay the full price, and then had to complete a video testimonial to receive the funds back for the discount. This was a bit shady for our liking so we politely declined.

After reading the YouTube comments on their videos, we found out that many renters faced similar shady tactics. They tried to return the car but to complete the transaction they were told to complete a video testimonial – fishy, fishy!

How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Car in Jordan?

Just like any other country, the cost of renting a car in Jordan depends on the make and model of the vehicle. Most rental cars are compact, 4 door sedans with automatic transmission.

We ended up renting a Kia Pegas. The interior was spacious, with air conditioning, plenty of space in the trunk, and enough engine power to make it up the steep roads. The car was great on gas, and a breeze to drive in the city and countryside.

The total cost to rent a car in Jordan, excluding extended insurance, was $441 CAD for 9 days, which is equivalent to $49 CAD per day. With extended insurance, the total cost was $576 CAD, which is equivalent to $64 CAD per day.

Jordan Car Rental Checklist and Tips

Tour your rental vehicle with rental agent and confirm existing damage
Take video and picture of the exterior for proof prior to driving
Check tire tread, spare tire condition and if tire changing tools are included
Check if air conditioning, lights, windows, interior outlets are working correctly
Add rental agency contact information to glove box
Bring a phone holder, phone charger, A/C adapter to recharge battery banks
Store water bottles in car for emergencies