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What is the legal driving age in Mexico?

So I’m taking the family down to Mexico for a vacation, and I’d like to relax and let my teenage kids drive my spouse and I around—what is the legal driving age in Mexico?

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Jason Tushinski · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Ah yes, we here at Jerry are familiar with this switcheroo—in return for chauffeuring your kids around town for most of the year, you get them to drive you around on vacation! It’s a lovely fantasy, but it may have to wait—in Mexico, the legal driving age is 18 in order to qualify for a valid driver’s license, which is administered by individual states.
Teenagers who are 15 are allowed to drive a vehicle in Mexico and seek a minor permit with their parents’ permission. Sixteen-year-olds can drive and seek a minor permit in Mexico with parental agreement. These rules apply to Mexican citizens only—so if your 15 and 16-year-old kids are chomping at the bit to get behind the wheel, they’ll have to wait.
Now, if your American children are already fully licensed in the U.S. and are 18 years of age or older, they can legally drive a car in Mexico. However, they will not be able to rent a car—you need to be at least 25 years old to rent a vehicle in Mexico, even if there are rumors or some rental agencies providing vehicles to drivers in their early twenties. Anyone renting a car in Mexico should be at least 25 years of age and be properly insured.
So, will your kids be chauffeuring you around as you fry in the Mexican sun? Probably not. Maybe next vacation!
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