Tourists driving to Menorca could soon need a permit and pay to bring their car

Soon, tourists visiting Menorca may need a permit and pay for bringing their own cars. Credit: vivooo / Shutterstock Instead of jumping onto the ferry and heading straight to the beach, visitors would first need to complete an online form and make a payment. The Balearic Parliament recently granted initial approval to a legal change that would allow Menorca’s governing council, the Consell de Menorca, to set a limit on the number of vehicles on the island during the summer months and manage their arrival times.

Currently, tourists can simply disembark from the ferry and start exploring without any restrictions. The proposal received 46 out of 56 votes in favor from the deputies present, with the opposition party Vox abstaining and Més per Menorca voting against due to concerns about excessive bureaucracy. A capacity study suggested a summer limit of 120,000 vehicles, divided between 86,023 residents and 33,977 visitors and businesses.

However, this figure is not yet final and will be decided annually or biennially by the Consell based on its own assessments of the island’s road capacity. While individuals with second homes on Menorca, people with reduced mobility, and those with professional reasons can already bring one vehicle under current rules, most holidaymakers would be counted against the new quota.

Formentera, another Balearic island, has already implemented a vehicle permit system since 2025, which sold out its daily quota of 1,732 cars and 122 motorbikes during peak weeks. Visitors would need to apply through formentera.eco and pay a daily fee, with fines for unauthorized driving ranging from €1,000 to €10,000. Mallorca is also considering a similar law, with the process still ongoing in its parliament.

Menorca’s version of the permit system is still in its early stages, with the council aiming to have its final approval by the end of the year, and the scheme expected to begin in summer 2027. Currently, tourists planning to bring their own car to Menorca can proceed as usual.