Renting a car in the UK: the obligations

Published on : 12 December 20182 min reading time

Car rental in the UK can be both simple and complicated because of the multitude of different rental agencies. To be able to rent a car in the UK, you must meet a number of conditions, as it’s the case for every country in the globe. 

Table of Contents

AGE

Although the legal age to drive in the UK is 17, to rent a car, you must have at least 22. By the way, drivers under 25 are overloaded to be considered « young driver ». That said, it is better to make sure you have all the crucial information in advance, as some companies ask you to be at least 25 years old to rent one of their cars.

DRIVER’S LICENSE

For starters, your European driving license is valid to rent a car in the UK. Notwithstanding, for more guarantee, obtaining an international driving license can be a good thing. If your driver’s license has the photo included in it, you will have no problem with the documentation for renting a car in the UK. Otherwise, you will be asked for a photo ID (passport, ID card, etc.) with your driver’s license when you rent a car in the UK. In addition, most car rental companies in the UK refuse rental to apprentice drivers and some will ask you to have a license with one or two years of seniority minimum. Make sure your card is perfectly readable because not all damaged driver’s licenses are accepted.

PAPERS

To rent a car in the UK, you must always bring your driver’s license, your identity card and your credit card with which you make the payment. Sometimes, if you are traveling to the UK, you will be asked to show your exit ticket from the country to rent a car in the UK. In case you live in the UK, you may be asked to show a proof of address, such as an invoice, in which your name and address appear. If you have a UK license, they may also ask you to check your license online to see if you have penalty points.

Why going through an agency for any car rental is important?
What are the main steps of renting a car in the UK?

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