With many having been in the situation before where ‘driver surcharges’ are only made apparent when arriving at the rental desk (myself included), questions are always asked about age ranges and car rental. What’s the lower limit, what’s the upper limit, how long do I need to have held a driving license? That’s something we’re going to answer in this article, so scroll down for the full info!
Am I too young to hire a car?
“How old do I need to be to hire a car?” is a frequently asked question in the car rental world. There are many misconceptions and some believe there are blanket rules across the world. Some think you must be 25 and others believe 21. In truth it varies. As a rule of thumb, you’re pretty safe at 25, most locations you’ll be able to rent any vehicle. However in some locations you can rent a car from as young as 19.
| Country | Min age |
|---|---|
| Australia | 25 |
| Balearics | 25 |
| Canaries | 21 |
| Cyprus | 21 |
| Greece | 19 |
| Italy | 19 |
| Portugal | 19 |
| Spain | 19 |
| UK | 25 |
| USA | 25 |
Am I too old to hire a car?
At the opposite end of the scale, there are many rental providers that have an upper age limit. We have many customers that ask us if they’re still able to hire a car due to their age. In Cyprus, Australia, Portugal and Spain some providers cannot supply a rental car if you are over 69. Whereas in the Canary Islands, there is no upper age limit at all.
| Country | Lower Max | Upper Max |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 69 | No limit |
| Balearics | 80 | No limit |
| Canaries | No limit | No limit |
| Cyprus | 69 | No limit |
| Greece | 73 | No limit |
| Italy | 74 | No limit |
| Portugal | 69 | No limit |
| Spain | 69 | No limit |
| UK | 70 | No limit |
| USA | 73 | No limit |
Why are there age limits for car hire?
Much like your own car insurance, age affects car rental. Rental providers need to protect their fleets from damage, their insurance will stipulate age ranges for the drivers they’re willing to insure. Younger, less experienced drivers are statistically more likely to have an accident, this increases the risk that the rental company takes when renting to a young driver. Likewise for older drivers, statistics say that those above a certain age are more likely to have an accident, therefore some rental companies or insurers don’t want to take that risk.
Older and younger driver surcharges
Aligned with the risk factor are age-related driver surcharges. These are applied when you’re under the minimum or above the maximum age. This charge can be related to a surcharge clause in the rental company’s insurance that means they will have to pay extra if a driver of an age outside of the normal age range has an accident. We display any older or younger driver charges clearly in the booking process so you know exactly what you need to pay.
Hiring a car, no matter your age can always be a bit of a minefield but our team is on hand every step of the way. If you need advice or are worried about whether you’re able rent a car with us, just speak to a member of the team and we’d be happy to help.
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