How to Rent a Car in Azerbaijan: A Complete Guide to Driving a Rental Car Around the Country

If you want to rent a car in Azerbaijan, knowing the rules and options beforehand is essential. Having a car gives you the freedom to explore the country’s cities, mountains, and coastlines at your own pace.

Renting a car in Azerbaijan allows you to discover hidden gems off the beaten path, visit historical towns, and enjoy scenic drives that most tourists miss. With the right preparation, driving here can be an affordable and rewarding experience.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about renting a car in Azerbaijan, from choosing a rental company to understanding road rules and practical tips for navigating the country confidently.

Renting a Car in Azerbaijan: Basic Things to Know

Are you thinking of doing a road trip but are still on the fence? Here are some things you should know before you rent a car in Azerbaijan.

Is it a Good Idea to Rent a Car in Azerbaijan?

Renting a car in Azerbaijan allows you to see a lot of unique places you may not have been able to see by using public transportation.

The landscapes in Azerbaijan are stunning, and we can't even count how many times we stopped on our road trip unexpectedly. Some of our best finds were because we had a car, and that's why we'd highly recommend renting a car in Azerbaijan!

Of course, this depends on how many days you have in the country. If you're just visiting for a few days and are looking to hit some highlights, you can easily join a tour or two (they are pretty affordable). If you are visiting 5 or more days though, renting a car in Azerbaijan is an excellent option to consider!

Is it Safe to Self-Drive in Azerbaijan?

Azerbaijan is one of the safest countries we have visited. The people are friendly and helpful, and there are no dangerous animals or anything you'll need to be worried about.

All of the main roads are well paved, but if you do want to adventure off the beaten path, then you may just want to be careful on the dirt roads, particularly to small villages in the mountains.

 Is it Expensive to Rent a Car in Azerbaijan?

To rent a car in Azerbaijan, you won't really need to worry about the initial cost! That being said, we ended up spending a lot more money than we thought we would. 

This is because our rental company didn't have our car available, so we got conned into paying for an upgrade. We also wanted a 4x4 for exploring certain areas, which of course cost a bit more. Finally, we ended up with a ton of speeding tickets (even though we were careful), and our company had a ridiculous policy of charging 10x the actual fine. 

Renting a car in Azerbaijan can be really affordable, but the key is to choosing a reputable company and being really careful with your speed.

 Where to Rent a Car in Azerbaijan

The easiest place to rent a car in Azerbaijan is in Baku. You can rent a car in Baku's city center, or from the airport. Alternatively, if you are flying into another city of Azerbaijan, you could always rent from there as well.

How to Rent a Car in Azerbaijan

Renting a car in Azerbaijan is pretty easy! If you are flying into Baku, we'd recommend renting right from the airport. 

Do keep in mind that there are some companies who claim to be inside the airport, but actually are not. They'll come and deliver the car to you, which sounds fine, but our company caused us a world of problems, so we'd recommend keeping it safe and sticking with one of the companies that are actually located inside the Baku airport.

Avis, Hertz, and Sixt are the only rental companies actually located inside the airport, so we'd recommend sticking with them, even if they may seem a bit pricier. We chose the cheaper company and ended up spending a lot more than we would have had we just gone with one of the more reputable companies!

 What You'll Need to Rent a Car in Azerbaijan

In order to drive in Azerbaijan, you need to be at least 21 years old with a valid driver's license. Some companies may only accept 23+ or charge more for drivers under 25 years old.

You'll need your valid driver's license in English, your passport, as well as a credit card to put down in case anything goes wrong.

 Rental Company Scams to Watch Out For

When you rent a car in Azerbaijan, it's important to read the fine print, and to have all of your paperwork ready. We had our rental company show up with a different car, explaining that something happened and we got an "upgrade". It was far from an upgrade, as we paid for a 4x4 and they gave us a different one.

They also told us their credit card machine wasn't working, so we had to pay in cash. Later we checked and we had already paid for our reservation - yet another red flag!

Make sure to read reviews of rental companies, and not to stand for any downgrades or extra charges that aren't stated at the time of booking.

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Renting a Car in Azerbaijan: Things to Know About Driving in Azerbaijan

Now that you know how to rent a car in Azerbaijan, here's what you need to know about driving around the country.

Speed Limits in Azerbaijan

One of the things that frustrated us a lot in Azerbaijan when doing our road trip was the speed limits. The speed limits are pretty low, and there are cameras EVERYWHERE, even in areas you'd least expect them! General speed rules are 60 km/hr in cities, 90 km/hr on highways, and 110 km/hr on expressways.

You'll never get pulled over for speeding - you'll just have a fine added to your account, which will go straight to your rental company. The fines aren't typically that high, but because rental companies have the power, they can charge you so much more than the fine actually is.

Our company charged us $60 administrative fee for each speeding ticket plus the cost of the ticket. It seemed even if you were 1 km over the limit you'd get a fine, and oftentimes the limits weren't listed, or would change really quickly. We can't stress it enough - make sure to go very slow, and to go with a reputable rental car company.

 We used Rental24, and really recommend you to NOT USE THEM!

Parking in Azerbaijan

The only place you'll really need to worry about parking is in Baku, or perhaps Sheki. These cities have limited parking, and also the rules are a bit confusing. While some signs on the streets have hours you can park there, many areas are only for locals to park.

In order to prevent yourself from getting any tickets, we'd highly recommend putting your car in a garage. They're relatively cheap, and you really don't need a car for Baku's city center. Outside the very center of the city though, you'll be able to easily find parking. Just always ask if there is a charge for street parking.

When it comes to small towns and villages, parking can be a total free-for-all. Even in lots with designated spots it seemed people would just park wherever they pleased. Parking is generally free of charge outside of cities, so not something you'll need to worry about too much on a road trip.

 Gas in Azerbaijan

One of the things that can add up quickly during road trips is fuel. The good thing about renting a car and driving in Azerbaijan is that distances aren't crazy long, and gas prices are inexpensive, especially compared to other areas in Europe.

The cheapest fuel option is diesel, which is about 59 cents/liter ($2.23/gallon), standard gas is around 65 cents/liter ($2.46/gallon), and premium fuel is typically about 94 cents/liter ($3.56/gallon).

Traffic in Azerbaijan

Generally speaking, driving in Azerbaijan is pretty great! There is hardly any traffic anywhere, and people don't drive too crazy. The one exception to this is Baku, where there is significant traffic, particularly during rush hour. If you can book your flight earlier in the day, it will save you having to drive during busier hours.

How to Rent a Car in Azerbaijan Successfully: Final Tips & What's Next

Now you know how to rent a car in Azerbaijan, and what expect driving in Azerbaijan. Here are a few final tips for you, and some key points to keep in mind in case you missed anything.

What's Next?

Now that you know all of about how to rent a car in Azerbaijan, you'll probably want to learn more about what to see and do on your road trip!

Here are a few other guides we have about Azerbaijan:

 How to Visit Azerbaijan

 The Best Places to Visit in Azerbaijan

 The Naftalan Oil Baths Experience

 Gobustan Mud Volcanoes

 Goygol National Park

We're going to also be having new articles each Thursday as well, so stay tuned!

So are you ready to rent a car in Azerbaijan and do an epic road trip? It truly was one of our favorite countries to explore, and having a car makes a big difference if you're staying a while.

Want to learn more about traveling around Azerbaijan? We have new Azerbaijan Travel Guides coming up every week! Make sure to subscribe to our newsletter so that you can stay up to date with our newest content, as well as to get special discounts on our shop.

Ready to start planning an unforgettable trip to Azerbaijan? Well, we're here to help! Scratch Your Mapa is dedicated to help save you both time and money on your travels, so that you can sit back, relax, and fully enjoy an amazing trip. Want more info? Take a look at a few of our travel planning packages we offer, or email us today to learn more!

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