Car Hire - Frequently Asked Questions

In Australia all drivers are required to hold a current full and valid driver’s licence for at least 12 months, without any restrictions. Probationary licences are not accepted. Your valid driver’s licence must be presented when collecting your rental vehicle along with the licenses of any additional drivers.

Driver licences must be in English or supported by a certified translation or international driving permit along with your licence. For non-English language-based driving licenses we always recommend to also carry an International Driving Permit.

All drivers are required to hold a current full and valid driver’s licence for at least 12 months, without any restrictions. Probationary licences are not accepted. Your valid driver’s licence must be presented when collecting your rental vehicle along with the licenses of any additional drivers.

Many countries such as New Zealand, UK, US, Canada and some European countries may not require an International Driving Permit, if you intend to hire a car elsewhere having a Permit is strongly recommended

Depending upon the country and rental company this can vary between 21 and 25. The following applies for our most popular destinations.

With some exceptions you need to be over 21 to hire a car in Australia. If you are between 21 and 25 the rental car supplier at the collection point may ask you:

• To pay a Young Driver's Age surcharge to complete the rental agreement
• Be required to choose a particular insurance liability option
• To select a specific vehicle category that allows drivers to be under 25 years of age (some suppliers restrict certain vehicle categories to only 25+ hirers)
• Have your rental agreement denied and your booking cancelled if the driver does not meet the requirements of that rental branch (refer to the rental car supplier’s cancellation policy)

The minimum age to rent a car in New Zealand is 21 however this can vary between rental companies. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver’s surcharge and be restricted from hiring certain vehicle types. In addition to the hirer all drivers of a rental car must have held a full license for a minimum of 1 year.

When hiring a car in the UK, the minimum age can vary between 22 and 25 depending on the rental car company, the branch location or the vehicle category type.

An age surcharge will apply to drivers under the age of 25. Particular categories or vehicle types are restricted to drivers older than 25 and some luxury cars require drivers to be over 30.

The minimum age required to hire a car in the USA is between 21 and 25 and varies between rental companies, the branch location and the vehicle category. An age surcharge will apply to drivers under the age of 25. Particular categories and vehicle types require the hirer/driver to be over 25.

The minimum age required to hire a car in Canada is between 21 and 24 and a license to have been held for 3 years. Some rental companies will hire certain vehicles to drivers as young as 18 but this is often accompanied by an increase in the rental rates. Drivers under the age of 25 will incur a young driver surcharge. Certain vehicle categories such as minivans, people-movers, SUVs and luxury cars are not available for hire to under 25 drivers.

Restrictions vary between rental companies, branch locations, province and the vehicle category.

When travelling in European countries, the minimum age can vary between 21 and 25 depending on the rental company, country, the branch location or the vehicle category type. An age surcharge will apply to drivers under 25. Particular categories or vehicle types require the hirer and drivers to be over 25.

As Conditions may vary, contact the DriveNow Reservations team or refer to the applicable rental car company’s terms and conditions in the country you are travelling in. A list of Terms and Conditions for rental companies in our most popular destinations can be found here.

This varies between countries, individual rental companies and branch locations. Some companies have no maximum age restrictions whilst others vary between 70 and 75 and restrict the vehicle categories available. At the end of the day the decision to rent a car to you is at the discretion of the individual branch.

For information on your specific requirements speak to the DriveNow Reservations team prior to making your booking.

With some suppliers the maximum age to rent a car in Australia is 75. Others including Budget have no maximum age limit whilst providers such as Hertz recommend a medical certificate for drivers over 75 and a letter from your insurance company stating you have not had an accident within the last 5 years. Ultimately it is at the individual branch’s discretion as to whether they will rent a vehicle to 75+ driver.

Maximum age limits on renting a car in New Zealand are less common however for those over 75 it is recommended to have a medical certificate and a letter from your insurance company confirming you have not had an accident within the last 5 years to present if required. Ultimately it is at the discretion of an individual branch as to whether they will rent a vehicle to 75+ driver.

In the UK most rental companies do not have a maximum age limit. However as the decision to rent out a vehicle is ultimately at the discretion of an individual branch it is recommended for drivers of 75+ to have a medical certificate and a letter from your insurance company stating you have not had an accident within the last 5 years for presentation if required.

Speak with the DriveNow Reservations team with regards to your specific requirements prior to making your booking.

No. US car rental companies do not have hard and fast rules on the maximum age of a driver. However as with any aged driver ultimately it is at the discretion of a rental individual branch whether they rent a vehicle to you.

There are no maximum age restrictions to rent a car in Canada. However as with any aged driver ultimately the decision to rent a car to you is at the discretion of the individual branch.

In most European countries there is no maximum age limit to rent a car. Exceptions to this are Croatia and Bulgaria at 70, Greece and Ireland at 75, Portugal at 80, Hungary at 85 and Finland at 97.

Whilst other countries have no stated maximum there may be additional fees for older drivers and ultimately the decision to rent a car to you is at the discretion of the individual branch. Check with the DriveNow Reservations team regarding your itinerary prior to making your booking.

No. DriveNow does not charge booking fees or service charges when making a booking through our website.

All prices on DriveNow come directly from the supplier with no added charges. These are for the basic rental of a vehicle with standard excess insurance and do not include optional extras or Young Driver charges which are payable to the rental company when collecting your vehicle.

Rates displayed are based on drivers over the age of 25 years. The majority of rental companies around the world charge a Young Driver fee for those between 21 and 25.

Yes. DriveNow is a comparison web site with live pricing fed directly from our rental partners. As such pricing can change at the discretion of the rental provider and as vehicles are booked by other customers. However once you have made your confirmed booking the rates are locked in for the booking dates you have selected.

Booking in advance is always recommended to secure the best rate, generally the earlier you book the cheaper the rate.

Where possible it is recommended that you book in advance. During peak periods such as long weekends, Easter, Christmas and School Holidays, vehicles sell out well in advance.

This is particularly true for specialty vehicles such as 12-seaters, People Movers, luxury & sport cars along with 4WD’s which all sell-out quickly and early. Customers should considering booking 3-4 months in advance to secure the best rate and avoid the disappointment of missing out due to supply being exhausted.

Yes your arrival flight number is important information for the car rental company if you are collecting a vehicle from an airport.

If you experience a flight delay and the rental company is aware of your flight details, they are more likely to hold the vehicle for you. Without arrival flight details in your reservation and if you haven’t collected the vehicle at the booked time, they may treat your reservation as a ‘no-show’ and release the vehicle to another customer.

If no flight details are entered into your reservation, we cannot guarantee the rental car supplier will hold the vehicle for you, especially during busy holiday periods.

No. No rental supplier will guarantee that a particular make, model or colour will be available for a specific reservation. You will notice that vehicles are always designated “or similar” as specific makes & models within a vehicle category may vary in availability and features such as passenger seating, luggage capacity, equipment, mileage and engine size.

Vehicle types, images and specifications displayed online are given as a guide only, they are simply an example of the type of vehicle that the rental company includes within that Vehicle category. You will be booking a particular category rather than a specific vehicle model.

Each vehicle is displayed with ‘or similar’. When making a reservation, you are booking a vehicle category and not a specific vehicle model. Specific makes and models within a vehicle category may vary in availability and features such as passenger seating, luggage capacity, equipment, mileage and engine size.

Car rental companies turn over their rental fleets on a regular basis and as vehicles move between branch locations and different cities. Therefore, occasionally the vehicle you pick up may not be the exact make and model you selected at the time of booking. Normally the vehicle will be within the vehicle category booked however if none are available it will be a similar size or alternatively the next category available.

Not all vehicles are available from all locations. We are unable to monitor a supplier’s fleet movements across a particular country.

As rental car companies will not guarantee that a particular make, model or colour will be available for a specific reservation, unfortunately DriveNow cannot either.

Yes, DriveNow offers a wide range of categories from 4 seaters up to the larger 12 seaters. The 8-seater vehicle type is popular with families and during holiday periods. Customers should considering booking 3-4 months in advance to avoid the disappointment of missing out.

Modify or Cancel your Reservation by visiting Modify Booking. Alternatively email the team at DriveNow on savemore@drivenow.com.au.

If you need to do a change of dates, change of location or change of vehicle type, the rental company will require a new booking. Simply go ahead and make a new reservation and then cancel your original booking.

When booking with DriveNow there are no cancellation fees.

Please note that any change made to a booking will see the original rate cancelled and the current rate applied. This is a requirement of the rental company.

Yes. You can select additional items in Step 2 on the booking page or include them in the comments box of the booking page.

• Child, Booster & Infant Seats – Select at the time of booking
• GPS - Select at the time of booking, if doing a one-way rental you will need to request in comments box
• Excess Liability Reduction – Request at the time of pick-up with the rental branch staff
• Additional driver - Request at the time of pick-up with the rental branch staff
• Snow Cover Package - Request at the time of pick-up with rental branch staff

Yes. Additional excess liability reduction is optional. DriveNow recommend you consider all options when collecting your vehicle. Some travel insurance policies & credit card company insurance cover include car hire excess option and not the car insurance itself.

Check with your travel insurer or credit card provider as to what you are covered for. In the event of an accident, you will still be required to pay the full excess amount to the car rental supplier and then submit a claim to your insurer. As a general rule travel insurance is strongly recommended.

Excess amounts, additional cover and security bond amounts will only be available at the time of vehicle collection from the rental company, as the costs of these may vary based on the customer’s and booking details. Please contact your rental location to confirm prior to pick-up if you have any questions.

For further information on insurance options please visit the DriveNow Car Rental insurance Cover Options page.

The price displayed on DriveNow will include the rental cost and standard liability. Your reservation may have additional costs involved however DriveNow displays the included items and excluded items, nothing is hidden as the customer has the opportunity to view this information prior to making a reservation.

The rental car rate price does not include additional extras such as liability reduction options, windscreen damage, additional driver fee, driver age surcharge for under 25’s, GPS, Child seats, toll charges, vehicle upgrades, premium roadside assistance, snow cover, credit card surcharges issued by the rental car supplier, security bond amount and all other optional extra items you choose to add on to your rental.

Credit card surcharge and a security bond amount will apply, these amounts cannot be built into the rental cost as prices can vary between card type, Airport, City, Regional or franchised owned locations.

An initial copy of your rental invoice will be provided when collecting your vehicle by the rental company of your choice. This may not include all charges arising during the period of your rental.

If you require a final invoice, once you have completed your travel, contact your car rental supplier directly and they will raise final invoice for you.

At DriveNow we recognise the importance of protecting your personal information. View DriveNow's Security and Privacy policies.

DriveNow will match any like-for-like genuine cheaper price from an Australian and New Zealand based business and website. This includes our supplier's own websites. Not only that, we’ll beat it by 10%. Conditions apply. See the Lowest Price Guarantee page for more details.

On Pick-up: Spend a few minutes checking the exterior and interior of your vehicle for any existing damage before departing the rental branch. If you have a smart phone taking photos of anything that you consider existing damage – as these are date and time stamped they can assist should a dispute arise. In any case should you identify any existing damage and bring it to the attention of branch staff and have it noted in writing before you depart.

Before Drop Off: Ensure you have filled up with fuel prior to dropping off your vehicle. Rental companies will charge a premium rate if they are required to fill up on your behalf. Retain the receipt as some rental companies want to see evidence that the car has been filled up locally.

At the time of collection you will be required to pay for your rental by credit card. At this time you will have the option to add additional items such as GPS hire, child seats, additional drivers, age surcharge, excess liability reduction, windscreen damage cover, premium roadside assistance, snow cover and toll passes.

In some countries the car rental supplier may add to your total rental cost a credit card surcharge fee to cover the cost of processing the credit card payment. This amount will depend on the credit card type used. American Express and Diners Cards often attract a higher % fee.

Yes. A security bond amount will be required when you collect your vehicle and will be applied to your credit card. It is important you have sufficient credit on the card to cover this.

The amount on the security bond can vary due to a number of different factors including; the total amount of your rental cost, credit card type, age of the renter, type of vehicle, location of residency, length of the reservation, insurance options taken and if collection is from an airport, city, regional location or franchised owned branch.

The security bond is released when the vehicle is returned and without any damage. The release of the bond and the return of your funds are subject to your credit card’s terms and conditions (for example how long it takes for the bond to be credited back to your card).

Yes. The rental company will require the customer to have a credit card in the name of the driver at the time of pick-up. In Australia Debt cards can be used for vehicle payment and the bond. Elsewhere debit cards will not be accepted for payments or bond amounts when collecting the vehicle.

Conditions may vary between branch locations and rental provisions are at the discretion of the rental supplier during vehicle collection.

When you collect your rental car branch staff will provide local information and which toll options are available. Any toll charges will be added to your account and your credit card will be charged after you have returned the vehicle and once the rental is complete.

As there may be a delay in the processing and allocation of toll costs these may appear as a subsequent and separate charge on your credit card.

Yes. Check with the staff at the rental branch where you collect your vehicle before departing. Failure to adhere to restrictions will invalidate all insurance cover.

Rental companies do impose restrictions on vehicle usage and these may include driving only on maintained sealed roads with strictly no off-road use and not taking the vehicle on a ferry.

Rental companies reserve the right to restrict vehicle movements in certain areas due to adverse road or weather conditions (such as Outback Australia and the Northern Territory during the Wet Season). There may be certain exceptions to this, your chosen rental company can advise you when collecting your vehicle.

Not unless a Snow Cover package has been taken out with your chosen rental company. Driving above the snow line without such a package voids all insurance cover.

No. All of our suppliers do not permit towing with their vehicles.

No. Rental companies preclude pets being carried in their vehicles.

Most of our rental car partners will allow their vehicles to travel into Canada from the United States. When making your DriveNow reservation, please add a note in the ‘comments’ box that you wish to travel into Canada, so that we can contact the supplier for approval and confirmation.

At the time of pick-up the supplier will provide you with either a card or sticker that you must display on the front windscreen or show to border security when asked.

No. Most rental companies do not allow their vehicles to be driven into Mexico.

Multi country travel will be available with specific rental car suppliers. Hertz and Europcar may offer “Driving Abroad Rentals” into particular countries. If cross boarder travel is allowed, additional fees will be involved.

Speak to the Reservations team at DriveNow prior to making your booking about the best options for your itinerary.

If you are considering travelling throughout Europe and the UK for 21 days or more, Car Leasing may be a better option for you.

Contact DriveNow for assistance on determining which option is best for your travel needs.

Car Leasing out of the UK offers brand new left-hand drive Citroen vehicles (right hand if picking up from continental Europe locations) with unlimited kilometres, GPS, comprehensive insurance with no excess, additional drivers, choice between petrol or diesel, 24-hour assistance and will allow drivers 21+ years of age with a full licence with no restrictions.

Car Leasing out of the UK offers brand new left-hand drive Citroen vehicles (right hand if picking up from continental Europe locations) with unlimited kilometres, GPS, comprehensive insurance with no excess, additional drivers, choice between petrol or diesel, 24-hour assistance and will allow drivers 21+ years of age with a full licence with no restrictions.

To qualify, you must be a non-resident of the European Union travelling through Europe and travelling for leisure. Residents of Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the Americas qualify to lease a car. You must plan to return to your home country outside of Europe at the end of your stay. Any resident of the European Union is ineligible to lease with Citroen EuroPass, as is anyone planning on remaining in Europe on an ongoing basis.