How old you have to be to rent a car depends on a few factors. The minimum age varies depending on the country you’re renting in. And different rental companies impose their own regulations around young driver car hire, from age restrictions to added fees. Lots to consider then – here’s what you need to know.
Can you hire a car under 25?
The minimum age for renting a car in the UK is 21. It’s not quite as simple as that though, as several car rental companies, including Avis, Budget, Europcar and Thrifty, impose their own varying minimum age limits. Almost all impose several other restrictions young drivers must meet before they can hire a car in the UK. Typically, these mean:
- You must have held a full valid driver’s licence for at least one year
- You must have valid secondary ID, such as a passport
- You should have a credit card in the driver’s name. Some companies will accept a debit card, but you’ll have to pay for full insurance, which is expensive, but…
- You may have to take out the rental company’s own insurance anyway, even if you’re already covered with an external policy. They may also charge a higher excess fee if the car is damaged
- You’ll need to conduct a DVLA check
- You may need an international driving permit, depending on the country your renting in
- You’ll have to pay a young driver surcharge to the rental company
- You may not be able to hire certain cars, such as luxury and sports cars
Why are there restrictions on car rentals for drivers under 25?
The simple answer is statistics and risk. Insurance companies consider drivers under 25 to be at higher risk of having an accident, which drives up insurance premiums. This in turn increases the costs for the rental company, which they pass on to young customers in the form of added charges and restrictions.
Young male car drivers aged 17 to 24 are four times as likely to be killed or seriously injured compared with all car drivers aged 25 or over.
Department of Transport Reported road casualties in Great Britain: younger driver factsheet
Some companies prefer to bypass those risks entirely by only allowing over 25s to rent from them. Measures like restricting cars to smaller, less powerful models and making sure you’ve been driving for at least a year also help mitigate their risks.
Minimum ages and young driver fees in the UK
| Car rental company | Minimum driver age | Young driver fee (under 25) |
|---|---|---|
| Avis | 23 | £40 a day on average (capped at 10 days) |
| Budget | 23 | £32.50-£37.70 a day depending on location (capped at 10 days) |
| Europcar | 22 | £33 a day (for drivers under 26) |
| Hertz | 21 | £47.26 a day or £330.76 a week (up to a maximum of £1,323) |
| SIXT | 21 | Fees vary based on rental period. On recent estimates, approximately £79 a day (for drivers under 28) |
| Thrifty | 22 | £35 a day (for drivers under 24) |
How old do you have to be to hire a car in different countries?
The age requirement for hiring a car abroad varies depending on the country you’re driving in. It can even change within some countries, depending on where you are. The US is a great example. In most states, the minimum age to rent a car is 21 years, but in New York and Michigan, you can rent from age 18.
Most countries have set the minimum age for hiring a car at 21. That includes the likes of Ireland, Greece, the Netherlands and Australia. Others allow drivers as young as 18 years to hire cars – France, Italy, Sweden, Germany and Morocco to name just a few. On the other hand, some countries have increased the minimum age, such as Malaysia, which only allows car hire if you’re 23 or older.
If you’re driving your rental car across borders on, say, a European road trip, make sure you’re old enough to drive in each country you’ll pass through. Let the rental company know your plans in advance and they’ll be able to assist.
Duncan Madden, travel writer
Note that the figures I’ve advised above are guidelines only and may vary. Ages, for example, can differ depending on the company you hire from. In some countries in the EU, the minimum age may well be 18 but you’ll sometimes find you need to have held a driver’s licence for at least two years to rent.
In the US and Canada, there may also be different provincial and state restrictions depending on where you are. The bottom line is to talk to the rental company before you book anything – check country rules, company regulations and let them know your trip plans so you can make sure you’re legal and insured for every mile.
How old do you have to be to hire a car in Europe?
The minimum age for hiring a car in Europe typically varies between 18 and 21, depending on the country. This isn’t set in stone though. As I mentioned above, some rental companies impose their own minimum driver age, usually up to 25. If you’re heading out on your first road trip (and Europe is one of the best places to do it), check carefully with the rental company first.
Most European countries including the UK do not have a maximum age for car hire. For those that do, the limit can be as young as 75, such as in much of Bulgaria, or as old as 97, such as in Finland.
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