Renting a Car in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay: Border Rules

Many trips through South America start at the airport: fly to Santiago, Mendoza, Montevideo or Calama and hit the road from there. A rental car solves the distance, but it brings questions that your own car does not: what documents the rental company asks for, how much gets held on your card and, above all, whether you can cross the border with it.

This guide brings together what changes from country to country and what applies to all of them, with an eye on those who want to drive freely, and not just go from the hotel to downtown.

In short: To rent a car in South America you need a valid Brazilian driver's license (CNH), a passport and an international credit card in the driver's name, with enough limit for a deposit that usually falls between US$ 500 and US$ 1,500. Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay accept the Brazilian CNH; in Chile, the official guidance is to carry the International Driving Permit. Crossing the border with a rental car is only possible with written authorization from the rental company, requested when you book, and it usually comes with a fee.

What applies in any country

• Documents: a CNH within its expiration date, a passport (many rental companies ask for it even if you entered the country with your Brazilian ID card) and an international credit card in the name of whoever is going to drive. Debit cards and cards in someone else's name are usually not accepted.
• Age: the most common requirement is 21 years old and 2 years with a license. Under 25, several companies charge a young driver fee.
• Deposit: the amount stays blocked on your card until you return the car. The sources we checked point to between US$ 500 and US$ 1,500, depending on the car. Check your limit before traveling.
• Insurance: basic protection with a deductible already comes with the booking. At the counter, the offer of extra coverage (glass, tires, zero deductible) can double the daily rate. To drive on ripio, as in the Atacama or Patagonia, glass and tire coverage makes more sense than in the city.
• Pickup: photograph the outside of the car, the dashboard with the mileage and the fuel gauge. Returning without a full tank usually costs much more than filling up at the gas station.

Renting a car in Chile

It is the country where Brazilians rent the most, because of the Atacama, Santiago and Chilean Patagonia. About the driver's license, sources disagree: there are blogs saying the CNH is enough, but Detran advises that it is not valid in Chile on its own. The safe route is to get the International Driving Permit (PID) from Detran before you go. It is cheap compared to the problem it avoids at a police check.

On Santiago's urban highways tolls are electronic. Rental cars usually have a tag, but billing varies between a fixed daily charge and per use, so ask at pickup. On the highways between cities, bring Chilean pesos in cash for tolls. For the desert, the most practical pickup is in Calama; for the south, in Puerto Montt or Puerto Natales.

Renting a car in Argentina

The Brazilian CNH is valid in Argentina, without a PID. The most popular bases are Bariloche, Salta for northern Argentina and El Calafate for the glaciers. In Patagonia the distances between gas stations are long: always leave with a full tank and do not count on cell signal between towns.

Remember that health insurance is now required of foreigners in Argentina. It is separate from the car insurance and does not come with the rental.

Renting a car in Uruguay

Uruguay is the simplest: the Brazilian CNH is accepted, the roads are good and the distances are short. Picking up in Montevideo or Punta del Este, you can cover the entire coast in a few days. Ask at pickup how the car pays tolls, because the system is electronic at most toll plazas.

Peru, Bolivia and Colombia

In all three countries you can rent in the capitals and in tourist cities, but the picture is different:

• Peru: renting in Lima or Arequipa works well for the coast and the south. Being allowed to leave the country with a rental car is rare, so treat Peru as a round trip.
• Bolivia: supply is small and concentrated in 4x4s, because much of what is worth seeing is off the asphalt. It is also hard to get authorization to take the car to another country.
• Colombia: the fleet is large and the country has an agreement with Ecuador that allows a rental car to enter, with the rental contract and the local mandatory insurance. Even so, the final word belongs to the rental company.

Can you cross the border with a rental car?

You can, but never on your own. Crossing without authorization in the contract can void the insurance and leave you liable for any damage or theft. This is the way to do it:

1. Choose the rental company already knowing about the crossing. Some simply do not authorize it. When comparing, filter for the ones that allow it and read the conditions before paying.
2. Request authorization when booking, stating countries, dates and route. Some rental companies ask for up to 30 days' notice.
3. Expect a fee. Authorization is usually charged separately, and sources mention amounts that can exceed US$ 200 for the Chile and Argentina crossing.
4. Bring the car's papers and the insurance. The rental company's authorization does not replace the Carta Verde, the mandatory insurance between Mercosur countries. Ask whether the rental company already hands over the car with it.

Returning the car in another country is possible with some rental companies, but the cross-border drop-off fee is usually high. In many cases it pays off more to rent one car on each side of the border. For the bureaucratic side of customs, which is the same as with your own car, it is worth reading the checklist of documents to cross borders by car.

Plan the route before picking up the car

With a rental car the clock runs by the day, so arriving with the route already defined saves money. Describe the trip in GT Overlander in natural language, for example "7 days starting from Calama, with the Atacama and returning to the same airport", and the AI builds the route with the roads and towns along the way. That way you know how many days you really need before closing the booking.

To compare rental companies and prices at these destinations, you can use the DiscoverCars car rental search. DiscoverCars is a GT Overlander partner and brings together the best rental company options and prices.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rent a car in Argentina with a Brazilian driver's license?

Yes. Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay accept a valid Brazilian CNH, without a PID. The rental company will also ask for a passport or Brazilian ID card and a credit card in the driver's name.

Do you need a PID to rent a car in Chile?

Sources disagree, and some rental companies accept only the CNH. Detran's guidance is that the CNH alone is not valid in Chile, so carrying the PID is the way to avoid problems at a police check.

Can a rental car cross the border?

Yes, if the rental company authorizes it in writing. Request it when booking, pay the crossing fee and carry the authorization along with the insurance required in the other country. Without that, the car's insurance may no longer be valid.

Can you rent in Chile and return in Argentina?

Some rental companies allow it, but the drop-off fee in another country is usually high. Compare it with the option of returning in Chile and renting another car on the Argentine side.

Wrapping up

A rental car opens up South America for those who do not have time to drive down from Brazil, as long as you sort out beforehand what your own car would handle on its own: documents, deposit, insurance and border authorization. With that settled at booking, the rest is road.