Ibiza in the Balearic Islands, one of Spain’s most popular Mediterranean destinations, began restricting the number of tourist vehicles arriving on the island as of Sunday, in response to the overwhelming volume of visitors.
Between 1 June and 30 September, authorities will enforce a daily limit of just over 20,000 vehicles used by non-residents. The cap includes 16,000 rental cars available on the island, while the remaining 4,168 slots are allocated for private vehicles arriving via ferry – provided they obtain prior authorisation.
Caravans must prove they have reservations at a campsite and are prohibited from being parked in open countryside. Motorbikes, however, are not subject to the new seasonal limits.
Vicent Marí, president of Ibiza’s governing council, said the measure aims to ‘guarantee the sustainability’ of the island, which has a permanent population of 150,000 but receives around 3.6 million tourists annually – many also heading to nearby Formentera.
The authorities in Ibiza have launched a specific website – ibizacircular.es – where visitors to the island can apply for authorisation to take their vehicle over the summer months – ‘as long as the quota of 4,168 vehicles circulating on the island has not been exceeded, excluding the cases contemplated by law’, as is stated on the site.
Exemptions include freight transport, official and public service vehicles, as well as the vehicles of Ibiza residents (excluding rental cars) with tax domicile on the island. Additional information is required for non-residents with a home in Ibiza, residents in Formentera, Menorca or Mallorca travelling to Ibiza for work reasons, people with reduced mobility or for vehicles in transit to or from Formentera.
Government data highlights a dramatic increase in the number of vehicles on Ibiza’s roads, rising from 51,000 in 2002 to 207,000 by 2022.
Marí acknowledged that several vested interests, including major companies and car rental agencies, had opposed the initiative, while Spain’s National Markets and Competition Commission (CNMV) has also urged him to allow a wider quota of permitted vehicles to the large rental companies.
Nevertheless, Marí has insisted the restrictions are essential ‘to regulate and control unsustainable (tourist) flows’. ALSO READ: Local residents in Ibiza block tourist access to idyllic viewpoints.
Formentera already enforces vehicle limits, and Mallorca – another major Balearic tourist hub – is preparing to introduce similar measures next year. ALSO READ: Spain orders Airbnb to remove over 65,000 ‘illegal’ holiday rental listings.
The Balearic Islands collectively draw in about 19 million visitors annually, contributing significantly to the 94 million tourists who travel to Spain each year, making it the world’s second most visited country after France.
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ALSO READ: Draft bill submitted for 100% tax on property purchases by non-resident, non-EU nationals.
Baleares trata de aliviar la saturación turística limitando la entrada de coches.
Ibiza limitará a partir de este domingo la entrada de vehículos desde la Península.https://t.co/pqEOfSSH34
— EFE Noticias (@EFEnoticias) May 31, 2025
El Consell d’Eivissa ha establecido un tope de 16.000 vehículos para coches de alquiler.https://t.co/e8Kx3TGlCe
— Periódico de Ibiza (@periodicibiza) June 1, 2025
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