Guide
Requirements for a quad tour in Tenerife: licence, age and what to bring
What Spanish rules say about licences and what each operator asks for in its listing, which do not always match. If you are going to drive, this is what to be clear about before you pay.
Which licence do you need to drive a quad?
What Spanish rules say
Spain’s driving licence regulations distinguish two cases:
- Category B (the standard car licence): covers “motor tricycles and quadricycles”. Available from age 18 (tricycles over 15 kW only from 21; quads are quadricycles).
- Category AM: covers only “light quadricycles”, from age 15.
What the operators ask for
Each company also sets its own conditions. Of the 19 tours we compare:
- Every listing that mentions the driver asks for a driving licence, and those that give an age say 18 or over. One asks for 21, and two, from the same operator, require drivers under 25 to have held their licence for two years.
- 4 require the physical licence card, and one explicitly refuses provisional and digital licences and copies (although another section says Spanish licence holders may use the miDGT app: ask if that applies to you). Two others accept a photo of the licence on your phone if you carry a physical ID document.
- 5 mention an international driving permit.
If your licence is not Spanish
According to Spain’s traffic authority (DGT):
- EU and EEA licences are valid in Spain while they are in date.
- Licences from other countries: the DGT advises carrying an international driving permit, always together with your passport and national licence. Licences written in Spanish or with an official translation, and those following the Geneva or Vienna convention models, are also accepted if they are in date and you meet the Spanish minimum age.
- If you live in Spain: a licence from outside the EU is only valid for six months after you take up normal residence.
Two listings ask for an international driving permit if you live outside Europe and another if your licence is from outside the EU. If your case is unclear, check the DGT page before you travel: we do not give legal advice.
What each operator asks for
Everything above is the law and applies to every tour. What follows are each company’s commercial conditions: they can be stricter than the law (minimum age 21, physical licence card, years of experience) and change without notice. What the listing of your tour says on the day you book is what counts.
Find your tour (19)
- Arona: Teide by quad from Arona, daytime or sunset
- Chío (Guía de Isora): Teide by quad from Chío, daytime or sunset, with optional jet ski · Teide by quad from Chío, daytime or sunset · Guided quad tour of Teide from Chío
- El Roque (San Miguel de Abona): Teide by quad from El Roque with food and drink, daytime or sunset · Teide by quad from El Roque with drinks, daytime or sunset · Scenic quad route to Teide from El Roque, with a picnic · Teide by quad from El Roque with a snack, daytime or sunset · Teide by quad from El Roque on mountain roads, daytime or sunset
- Granadilla de Abona: Daytime Teide quad tour from Granadilla de Abona, optional transfer
- Hotel pickup in the south: 100% dirt-track quad route with south Tenerife pickup
- La Escalona (Vilaflor): Teide by quad from La Escalona, sunset or morning · Teide on a double quad from La Escalona: driver and passenger
- Playa de las Américas (Arona): Teide by quad from Las Américas via Vilaflor and Boca Tauce
- Puerto de la Cruz: Teide or northern route by quad from Puerto de la Cruz · Sunset Teide quad tour from Puerto de la Cruz · Off-road quad route in the north from Puerto de la Cruz · Teide by quad from Puerto de la Cruz, morning or sunset
- Vilaflor: Small-group sunset Teide quad tour from Vilaflor
Age, height and weight by tour
What each listing says. “Not stated” means it did not appear in the listing on 29 October 2026. All 19 tours we compare are included, from most to fewest reviews on GetYourGuide.
| Tour | Driver | Passenger | Weight | Maximum age | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teide by quad from Chío, daytime or sunset, with optional jet skiQuad RidersSee the listing | 18+, full car licence, physical card | From age 7 and 120 cm | 200 kg per quad; not suitable from 118 kg per person | 70 | €100 cash deposit per quad. ID card or passport. Closed shoes and long trousers |
| Teide by quad from Chío, daytime or sunsetJet hubSee the listing | 18+ with a licence valid in Spain; international driving permit with a non-EU licence | From 125 cm, seated behind the driver | Not stated | Not stated | Closed shoes. Not suitable with back problems or for wheelchair users. Second driver: +€10 on the day |
| Teide by quad from Arona, daytime or sunsetVilosquadsSee the listing | 18+, full category B licence as a physical card: the listing refuses digital and provisional licences, photos and copies (another section says Spanish licence holders may use the miDGT app). Tell staff at check-in if you have held your B licence for under a year | From age 6 and 120 cm; no licence needed | 180 kg and 2 people per quad | Not stated | Closed shoes. Top speed 45 km/h. Not suitable during pregnancy or with altitude sickness, fear of heights or epilepsy |
| Teide or northern route by quad from Puerto de la CruzClick and QuadsSee the listing | 18+ with a driving licence | From age 7 | Not suitable from 159 kg | Not stated | Passport or ID card and driving licence. Closed shoes. Not suitable during pregnancy |
| Teide by quad from El Roque with food and drink, daytime or sunsetBooking excursionSee the listing | Driving licence (under “What to bring”) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Closed shoes |
| Teide by quad from El Roque with drinks, daytime or sunsetJurassic QuadSee the listing | Driving licence (under “What to bring”) | From 120 cm | Not stated | Not stated | Closed shoes |
| Scenic quad route to Teide from El Roque, with a picnicJurassic QuadSee the listing | Driving licence (under “What to bring”) | From 120 cm | Not stated | Not stated | Closed shoes |
| Teide by quad from La Escalona, sunset or morningFUN TEIDE QUADSee the listing | 18+, physical licence card; international driving permit if you live outside Europe | From age 6 and 110 cm | 150 kg per quad | Not stated | Arrive 30 min early (no refund if late). Closed shoes. Not suitable during pregnancy |
| Teide on a double quad from La Escalona: driver and passengerFUN TEIDE QUADSee the listing | 18+, physical licence card; international driving permit if you live outside Europe | From age 6 | 150 kg per quad | 95 | Arrive 30 min early. Not suitable during pregnancy or for wheelchair users |
| Daytime Teide quad tour from Granadilla de Abona, optional transferjld top quality multiserviceSee the listing | 18+ with a category B licence (no provisional or learner licences); under 25s need 2 years’ experience. A photo of the licence on your phone is accepted, but you must carry a physical ID document | From 120 cm (about age 7) | 170 kg per quad; not suitable from 159 kg per person | Not stated | Arrive 45 min early. Closed shoes. Passenger may swap to drive only if 25+. Not suitable if you have dived in the previous 24 h |
| Teide by quad from El Roque with a snack, daytime or sunsetyouquadSee the listing | Driving licence (under “What to bring”) | From 120 cm | Not stated | Not stated | Warm clothing |
| Guided quad tour of Teide from ChíoMomenta ExperienceSee the listing | Driving licence and international driving permit (under “What to bring”) | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| Sunset Teide quad tour from Puerto de la CruzClick and QuadsSee the listing | 18+ with a category B licence | From age 7 | Not suitable from 159 kg | 80 | Arrive 15 min early. Closed shoes. Not suitable during pregnancy |
| Teide by quad from El Roque on mountain roads, daytime or sunsetBooking excursionSee the listing | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Closed shoes |
| Off-road quad route in the north from Puerto de la CruzClick and QuadsSee the listing | 18+ with a driving licence | From age 7 | Not stated | 70 | Passport or ID card and driving licence. Arrive 15 min early. Closed shoes. Not suitable during pregnancy or with reduced mobility |
| Teide by quad from Puerto de la Cruz, morning or sunsetClick and QuadsSee the listing | 18+ with a category B licence | From age 7 | Not stated | 70 | ID card or passport (a copy is accepted). Arrive 15 min early. Closed shoes. Not suitable during pregnancy or with reduced mobility |
| 100% dirt-track quad route with south Tenerife pickupFreedom Tours in TenerifeSee the listing | Driving licence (under “What to bring”) | From age 8 | Not stated | Not stated | Closed shoes. Not suitable during pregnancy or with back problems |
| Teide by quad from Las Américas via Vilaflor and Boca TaucePrime Quads TenerifeSee the listing | 21+ with a valid licence; international driving permit under “What to bring” | From age 7; under-18s ride as passengers | Not stated | 80 | Not suitable during pregnancy, with back or mobility problems, or within 24 h of scuba diving |
| Small-group sunset Teide quad tour from Vilaflorjld top quality multiserviceSee the listing | 18+ with a category B licence (no provisional); under 25s need 2 years’ experience. A legible photo of the licence is accepted, but you must carry a physical ID document | From 120 cm (about age 7) | 170 kg per quad | Not stated | Arrive 45 min early. Closed shoes. Passenger may swap to drive only if 25+ |
You book on GetYourGuide. If you book from here we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. “From” prices and ratings checked on 29 October 2026; the ones that apply are those on GetYourGuide when you book.
Not chosen a tour yet? Compare them by starting point in the south, by route from Puerto de la Cruz or by price for one or two people.
Deposits and payments on the day
The booking price is not always all you pay. The listings that give details mention:
- A €100 cash deposit per quad.
- A second driver for €10, paid on the day.
- Photos for €20 to €30, optional.
- A €30 damage cover on top of the price and, on the same tour, €50 to change the date between 12 and 24 hours ahead.
- An optional €6.67-per-person transfer on one tour starting in Granadilla de Abona.
Each tour’s price, and whether it is charged per person or per quad, is in the price comparison.
Who cannot take part
Listings include “not suitable for” lists. The most common items:
- Pregnancy: excluded by 10 of the 19 tours we compare.
- Back problems or reduced mobility: listed by several.
- Weight limit: between 150 and 200 kg per quad depending on the tour; some also set a per-person limit of 118 to 159 kg. The table shows which.
- Maximum age: 70, 80 or 95 depending on the tour.
If your group includes children below the passenger minimum age, Kayak Tenerife, another site by the same owner, has a guide to kayaking in Tenerife with kids in case you want a plan on the water.
What to bring
- Your physical driving licence, plus an international driving permit if required.
- ID card or passport: 4 listings ask for it as well as the licence.
- Closed shoes: required by 15 listings.
- A warm layer: it is colder up on Teide than on the coast, especially at sunset.
- Sunglasses and sun cream.
- Cash if your tour asks for a deposit.
Can you do a quad tour without a licence?
Drive, no. Ride as a passenger, yes: on a double quad someone else with a licence drives and you sit behind. One listing says so explicitly (“passengers do not need a driving licence”). For the difference between a guided tour, hire and a buggy, see quad or buggy.
Before you pay, check in the listing: the passenger’s minimum age, the weight limit, whether the licence must be the physical card, whether there is a deposit and how much, and the meeting point.
Frequently asked questions
Is a car licence valid for driving a quad?
Under Spanish rules, a category B licence covers motor tricycles and quadricycles from age 18 (Royal Decree 818/2009, art. 4). On top of that, each operator sets its own conditions: every listing that mentions the driver asks for a licence, and those that give an age say 18 or over; one asks for 21.
Can I drive with my licence on my phone?
Do not count on it. 4 listings require the physical licence card. Two, from the same operator, accept a photo of the licence on your phone if you carry a physical ID document, and another mentions the miDGT app for Spanish licences but refuses digital licences in another section. Carry the card with you.
Do I need an international driving permit?
If your licence was issued in the EU or EEA, no: it is valid in Spain while it is in date. For licences from other countries, Spain’s traffic authority (DGT) recommends an international driving permit. Two listings ask for one if you live outside Europe and another if your licence is from outside the EU.
From what age can a child ride as a passenger?
Depending on the tour, from age 6, 7 or 8, and some also set a minimum height of 110, 120 or 125 cm. See the table on this page or the tour’s listing.
Do I need to leave a deposit?
On some tours, yes. One listing asks for a €100 cash deposit per quad and another charges a separate €30 damage cover. Read the “Important information” section of the listing before you go.
Sources
- Royal Decree 818/2009, General Driver Regulations, art. 4.2. BOE, consolidated text.
- DGT, “Driving with a foreign licence” and “Licences valid for driving in Spain”. dgt.es.
- Each tour’s listing on GetYourGuide, checked on 29 October 2026 (linked in the table).
A sister site
More activities in Tenerife
If someone in your group does not meet the quad requirements, or you would rather have an engine-free plan, Kayak Tenerife, another site by the same owner, offers kayak trips from Palm-Mar (Arona). Each activity has its own conditions: check them on its page.