Taiwan is a place that should be explored not just with public transportation (as convenient as it is). If you only take public transportation everywhere you go, you are missing out on a huge part of Taiwan. You could take taxis everywhere to see these sights, like a rich Chinese person, or you can take the cheaper option and rent a vehicle. Many of the scenic and rural sights of Taiwan can’t be experienced except by hiring your own vehicle.
Renting cars or scooters in Taiwan: Taiwan is the scooter capitol of the world. Driving a scooter is dangerous, but scooters are fun. You can stop pretty much anywhere on the side of the road easily and take photos and enjoy the scenery. They are also pretty easy to learn how to operate; if you can already drive a car and/or ride a bike, picking up riding a moped shouldn’t be that hard. There’s not much better of way to experience Taiwan than cruising down the streets like everyone else with the wind blowing in your face. However, if you are afraid that scooters are dangerous, I would suggest renting a car. Gas Scooter Rental Fast Facts: Where? Scooter rental shops are next to most all train stations in Taiwan, which include gas and electric options. I recommend gas because you don't have to worry about limited range and lack of charging stations. Some scooter repair shops also rent scooters. Most of these are mom and pop rental stores, but more expensive ones are in Chains like Heyun or Yamaha. SKRT: SKRT is an English based scooter rental platform that is easy to use and friendly to use, that lets you rent reliable gas and electric scooters from all major cities in Taiwan. You can sign up by using Facebook, Google, or email. No sign-up fees and no membership fees are required, all they need to do is verify your driver's license, and passport for international users. Check out their website here. Pricing? Cheapest is 100 NT a day, average is about 500 NT per day, expensive is 800 NT or above per day. What should I bring? Maybe rain gear. Usually they will provide rain gear for you. They will definitely give you helmets. Some will siphon the gas out before you ride so you need to go get gas right away. Do I need a Scooter License? Maybe, it depends on where you go. If you go to the countryside or some outer islands, they may not care. If you go to a more rural part of Taiwan, most likely they will accept an International Driver’s Permit (IDP). If you go to a place such as Taichung, no one will let you rent a scooter unless they see your Taiwanese license. For more information, please see our blog post about getting a Taiwanese driver’s license here. How do I get a local Taiwanese licence? Check out our guide on getting a driver's licence in Taiwan here. Cities that require a local Taiwanese Scooter License (that we know): Taichung, Taipei, Magong, Chishang. Cities that only have a few shops that will let you rent with an IDP: Tainan (北門租車), Hualien (Pony leasing and Rental Group 小馬租車集團), and Yilan. Otherwise you will need a local license for these cities. Cities that accept an international driver’s permit: Tainan (北門租車), Chiayi, Kaohsiung, Nantou county (Sun moon lake and Jiji) , Taitung, Hualien (Pony leasing and Rental Group 小馬租車集團), Ruisui, Kenting, Jiaoxi, Nanzhuang, Jiji, and offshore islands Cities that do not require a license: Offshore islands (Xiaoliuqiu, Green Island, and Lanyu) and Chiayi (some). (please feel free to comment if you have an update to any of the lists above) Electric Scooter Vehicle Sharing: Recently there have been quite a few electric scooter sharing companies popping up in major cities in Taiwan. The nice thing about these is that you just need to register using the app and can rent the scooter with your phone, which can be done 24/7. Once you are done you can park it in a legal scooter parking spot, however these can only be used in major cities and you need a local Taiwan scooter license to rent. Here is a list of the major scooter sharing companies:
Anything else I should consider when renting a scooter in Taiwan? Yes!
Rent out your Scooter
Renting a car? Please see our guide on car rental in Taiwan here.
Please like, comment, and share!
Also, feel free to contact us with any specific questions about car or scooter rental in Taiwan. -FiTW
33 Comments
Gunter
10/2/2018 10:31:58 pm
Update September 2018: It seems that rental places in Taitung now require a Taiwanese Scooter License.
Reply
Foreigners in Taiwan
10/4/2018 03:58:56 pm
Thanks, I haven't rented there. I think there was one shop that was willing in the past according to lonely planet but I'm not sure now.
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Laura
7/11/2019 10:07:14 am
Yes, and more than that they forbid for foreigners even if you have taiwanese license sometimes..
Reply
Will
2/4/2020 09:58:31 pm
I found one place in Taitung will to rent me a scooter with an IDP. Leave taitung railway station, past the car park, past the first scooter rental place, when you get to the junction there is a more official looking car hire place in front of you, now about 5 shops to the right of the car hire place on the corner is a scooter rental place with a blue sign. They'll rent you one with an IDP. Hope someone finds this helpful
Mai
8/26/2020 01:25:09 pm
Hi Will, by any chance do you have the name or telephone number of that store? 2/23/2019 08:04:20 am
That's good to know that some places require a scooter license and other places don't. My daughter and her friends will be taking a trip during spring break and they want to rent scooters, so I'm looking into it for them. We'll have to see if where they're going requires a license so we'll know if they can rent one or not.
Reply
CT Cheong
4/6/2019 10:54:40 am
Do Keelung, Ruifang district and north east Taipei require a Taiwan scooter licence? Appreciate advice and feedback. Thank you.
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Kris
5/27/2019 12:40:56 pm
Hi, i wonder if you could recommend e bike rentals in tainan.
Reply
6/6/2019 08:17:32 pm
Need a reliable scooters shop to rent for 2 days. Currently i do have an International License from my country. Info appreciated such as the rental rates, type of scooters.
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Andrew Peters
6/13/2019 08:56:50 am
Scooter rental shop next to Hualien station was happy to rent with Australian motorcycle license. I did not have an IDP.
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Andrew
9/10/2019 08:47:18 am
Rented a scooter in Kenting last week without any license. Just had to promise the guy I would be careful and give him my domestic id
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Alire
1/15/2020 12:11:18 pm
Which shop?
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Tom
12/30/2019 04:45:19 pm
Tried a few places in Yilan but they either required a Taiwanese license or IDP with motorcycle license. Ended up having to taxi it :'(
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Mai
6/3/2020 07:12:23 pm
Can I rent scooter in Hualien, drive to Taitung and drop it off there? Basically a one way scooter rental. Is that possible? I can't see to find any info on that. Thanks!
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GG
7/3/2020 12:28:34 pm
What about in Taoyuan, would you need a license to rent a scooter ?
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Chen
1/4/2021 03:46:45 pm
Hey! JUST If you have a international drive licence (motor), you can register the WeMo to enjoy the ride in Taiwan immediately! But remember, you should input the invitation code: NFGAZQW to GET your free riding bonus! NTD 50!
Reply
9/22/2021 03:52:52 am
Thank you for this guide. It did help for sure. How much do you know about electric scooters btw? <a href="https://www.electricscooterarena.com/"> Electric Scooters Guide </a>
Reply
Jessi Millwood
10/10/2021 12:47:11 am
Natural Herbal Medicine To Cure {HERPES DISEASE} TOTALLY HERE
Reply
10/12/2021 03:07:25 pm
Awesome guide for travelers. This is actually a lot of savings for my pocket money. I imagine this to be extra fun, too! More fun things to try in Taiwan please.
Reply
10/22/2021 10:33:09 pm
Falcon Rentals has a nice reputation, but I've never leased a car from them; however, my experience with the Posh Collection was fantastic. If you're looking for a <a href="https://theposhcollection.net/exotic-car-rentals/">Los Angeles exotic car rental</a>, give them a call.
Reply
9/8/2022 12:23:20 pm
I think the best helmet for Vespa is for you. as a motorbike rider, you ought to always put safety first, Such Vespa helmets protect against head damage.
Reply
10/16/2022 04:31:05 pm
Electric scooters are for everyone – and rightly so. The best scooter for heavy adults are a unit for everybody. As directed by the United Nations, when you buy a heavy scooter for yourself, you must know its advantages and disadvantages. It can use both small and large.
Reply
n8
10/26/2022 02:33:50 am
Are there scooter rental places that rent their scooters one way? I want to rent one in Hualien and drop off in Kaoshiung.
Reply
10/30/2022 03:28:14 pm
Thanks for sharing the info. I have finally found the best info regarding Scooter/Moped Rental In Taiwan which clearly seems that this has been written by the expert.
Reply
chris g
1/13/2023 01:51:54 am
Any places that rent adventure motorcycles? 250 cc with a rack? I have canadian motorcycle le license and IDP
Reply
1/16/2023 03:24:43 pm
Taiwan is a place that should be explored not just with public transportation (as convenient as it is). If you only take public transportation everywhere you go, you are missing out on a huge part of Taiwan. You could take taxis everywhere to see these sights, like a rich Chinese person, or you can take the cheaper option and rent a vehicle. Many of the scenic and rural sights of Taiwan can’t be experienced except by hiring your own vehicle.
Reply
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Author 作家We are US Expats that have extensive experience living, working, and travelling in Taiwan. In our day, we had to learn many things about Taiwan the hard way. But we have come to learn that Taiwan is one of the best places in the world for Foreigners to live. Our blog does not represent the opinions of every foreigner in Taiwan. We are just trying to help others learn more about this beautiful country. Archives 檔案
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