Can you take a rental car from Nicaragua to Costa Rica or Honduras?
Most rental companies do not let you drive their cars out of Nicaragua. Some arrange a car swap at the Costa Rica border instead.
- Alamo, National and Enterprise: you cannot drive into Costa Rica, but with 3 days’ notice they arrange a vehicle exchange at the border; you get a second contract with their Costa Rica operation at the same rate, and a US$50 exchange fee applies each way.
- Budget: cross-border driving is not allowed.
- Avis: no one-way rentals out of Nicaragua.
- Payless: you need the company’s written authorization and an extra mandatory cover for rentals outside the country.
- Honduras is not covered by the published exchange schemes we found.
Official land borders: Peñas Blancas and Las Tablillas (Costa Rica); El Guasaule, El Espino and Las Manos (Honduras).
Sources: Alamo Managua airport; Budget Managua airport location; Avis Managua airport location; Payless Nicaragua; INTUR, getting to Nicaragua.
Updated: 2026-11-13