How to Rent a Car in Phuket in Five Steps
To rent a car in Phuket, get an International Driving Permit at home, book with no prepayment, inspect the car and sign the contract at pickup, then get your deposit back at return. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before pickup, you pay on handover, and the car waits at HKT airport or comes to your hotel. A national licence is enough to collect it, but Thai law also requires an IDP at the wheel.
In short
- Get your International Driving Permit at home: it cannot be issued on the island.
- No prepayment, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before pickup.
- Pay at pickup: cash in baht, dollars or euros, or card with a 7% bank fee.
- Term discount: −8% from 7 days, −15% from 11, −22% from 16.
- The deposit is refundable, and with full insurance from 7 days you need none.
What to do before you fly, and what waits until you land
Before the flight you only need an International Driving Permit and your dates. The model, pickup point and time can be agreed in chat a couple of days before landing. No work certificates, bank statements or prepayment by bank transfer are needed.
On the island two things are left: taking the car and returning it. The pickup inspection takes a few minutes and decides whether there will be disputes at return, so it has its own step.
More: The Whole Fleet. Next on this topic: How to Get from Phuket Airport: Taxi, Bus or Car. Short version in the driver guide: Arriving in Phuket.
Choosing a car? The whole fleet by class, with prices and terms, is on a separate page.
The Whole FleetStep 1. Which documents should you prepare at home?
The International Driving Permit is the one thing you cannot sort out in Phuket. To drive legally in Thailand you need an IDP together with your national licence. In Russia an IDP is issued at the GIBDD or an MFC centre, usually in one visit; it is valid for three years, but no longer than your national licence.
The car is handed over on a national licence too, but without an IDP the police fine you at checkpoints, and after an accident the insurer can refuse to pay, so the full damage falls on the driver. How to get one is covered in the article on the International Driving Permit for Thailand.
- National licence and passport to collect the car, plus an IDP to drive legally
- Age 21 or over, at least one year of driving experience
- Every driver goes on the contract, otherwise the insurance will not apply
Step 2. Which car suits your route?
Choose the class by who is travelling and where. A couple doing beaches, restaurants and town needs only a compact economy car from ฿1,180 a day: low fuel use and easy parking in Patong and the old town. A family with children and luggage is more comfortable in a crossover or SUV, and a group of 5–8 in a minivan, which is almost always cheaper than two cars.
Long trips are part of the standard contract: insurance covers three provinces (Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi), so Khao Lak, Phang Nga Bay and Ao Nang are within reach with no fee for leaving the island. On those routes with a full load, extra power and ground clearance help. The classes are compared in detail in which car to choose in Phuket.
- Two people, trips around the island: a hatchback or sedan with low fuel use
- A family with children, mountain viewpoints: a crossover
- A group of 5–8: a minivan, with the cost split between everyone
- Boards, bulky cargo, building materials for a long stay: a pickup
Step 3. How do you book the car and arrange delivery?
You book online in the catalogue: model, dates and pickup point. The minimum term is three days, and no prepayment is needed. If the car is free, we confirm the booking straight away and the manager agrees the delivery time; that is also when you can change the model or the pickup point. Changed your mind? Write in the same chat up to 24 hours before pickup and the booking is cancelled for free.
The rental is paid at pickup: cash in Thai baht, US dollars or euros at the exchange-office rate, or card via the terminal with a 7% bank fee. The term discount applies automatically and shows in the calculator. Pickup at HKT airport is free, and delivery to other districts is charged at the district rate. If you land at night, give your flight number when booking.
| Term | At MonkeyCar |
|---|---|
| Prepayment | None, you pay at pickup |
| Minimum rental | 3 days |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before pickup |
| Payment | Cash (baht, dollars, euros) or card with a 7% bank fee |
| Term discount | −8% from 7 days, −15% from 11, −22% from 16 |
| Pickup and return at HKT airport | ฿0 |
| Delivery to your hotel | At the district rate |
- Child seat and booster: ฿100 a day; give your child's age when booking
Step 4. What should you check when picking up the car?
At handover you walk around the car with the representative, mark existing scratches and chips on the diagram, photograph the body and interior, check the fuel level and sign a contract in Russian and English. Film the car on your own phone as well: the wheels, the windscreen and the dashboard with fuel and mileage. Two minutes of filming settles most disputes at return.
Ask how the air conditioning works, which fuel this car takes and how the fuel cap opens. Fuel works full-to-full: the car is handed over with a full tank and taken back the same way. Which fuel to use and what it costs is covered in the guide to petrol in Thailand.
- The damage diagram in the contract matches what you see on the car
- The car's documents are in the glovebox
- The support contact is saved: it answers around the clock on Telegram and WhatsApp
Step 5. How do you return the car and get the deposit back?
Return is the same procedure in reverse: inspection, photos, fuel check, deposit refund. You can hand the car back where you picked it up or at the airport before your flight; arrange it in advance and you will not need a taxi to the airport. If there is no new damage, the deposit is returned in full.
The deposit depends on the model and shows in the calculator before booking. With full insurance from 7 days you can drive with no deposit. Never leave your passport as security: if a company asks for it, look elsewhere. How basic and full cover differ is explained in what insurance you need to rent a car.
- Return at the airport before your flight, by prior arrangement
- The deposit is returned if there is no new damage
- MonkeyCar never takes a passport as security
Frequently asked questions
Is prepayment needed, and can I cancel a booking?
+
Can I rent a car for less than three days?
+
Who needs to be on the rental contract?
+
How long does the paperwork take at pickup?
+
Can I collect the car right at Phuket airport?
+
From the blog
How to Get from Phuket Airport: Taxi, Bus or Car
Taxi, Grab, bus or your own car: prices and travel time from HKT terminal to Patong, Karon and Kata, including at night and with children.
Read PricesHow Much Does Car Rental in Phuket Cost? Price Breakdown
What makes up the price of car rental in Phuket: the car's rate, the season, the long-rental discount, delivery, insurance and the deposit. With tables and a market comparison.
Read Thailand's road rulesParking in Phuket: Kerb Markings and Fines
What red-and-white and yellow-and-white kerbs mean in Phuket, where parking is tight, what a fine and towing cost, and who pays in a rental car.
ReadWhich area of Phuket should we deliver the car to?
Ready to book a car?
Choose a car in the catalogue: free delivery to HKT airport, basic insurance included, 24/7 support.
Go to car catalog