What is the minimum age to rent a car?

Car Rental Age Requirements and Restrictions

When renting a vehicle anywhere in the world, it's important to remember that certain maximum and minimum age limits might apply which in turn will often result in an additional fee, which can ultimately affect the total cost of your booking with Auto Europe. This type of information is especially important for younger drivers (ie those under the age of 26) because some rental companies choose to charge an additional fee (better known as a Young Driver Fee) in addition to any age restrictions they might apply. Age limits and any associated fees can vary according to your chosen country, rental company, pick-up point, vehicle type and car category, etc. To avoid any further stress after a long journey, please always read the full terms and conditions of your booking in order to be aware of any local charges that might apply when you arrive to collect your vehicle.

What is the minimum age to rent a car?

In some countries, it is possible for drivers aged 18 to rent a car, subject to certain restrictions. Despite the fact that many car rental companies rent vehicles to young drivers, it is most likely that an additional fee will apply on top of certain restrictions in terms of the categories of vehicles available to rent. Nevertheless, it's important to consider the fact that the minimum age for renting a car is over 18 in the majority of countries. As a general rule, it is possible to rent a car from the age of 20 upwards, although drivers under the age of 26 will most likely be subject to an extra fee (Young Driver fee).

It's also worth being aware that rental companies often have restrictions on the validity of some driving licences, in addition to age restrictions. Normally, driving licences cannot be a temporary document and must have been valid for at least one year. For this reason, and believing that the first thing an 18-year-old does is get their driving licence, the minimum age for renting a car would most probably be 19.

Please also let us remind you that an age limit will apply to any driver who is added to the rental contract (as an Additional Driver) and that extra fees and/or restrictions apply to all drivers. In some cases, the age limit of the additional driver may even be higher than that of the main driver.

With over 70 years of experience in the international car rental industry, Auto Europe offers car rental to travelers of all ages all over the world. Below you will find more detailed information about renting a car for drivers under 26 years of age.

Does car rental have a maximum age?

The existence of a maximum age limit is something that's come about more recently, but nevertheless is becoming more common with car rental companies as time goes by. The idea behind this restriction is to reduce the risks for senior drivers, bearing in mind that rental companies want to avoid any potential problems whenever possible.

Because there is a maximum age for renting a vehicle, some older people are now prevented from making a reservation. This rule mainly affects drivers aged 75 or over, but please note that local car providers are free to set these limits according to their own criteria. The good news for European senior citizens is that these rules do not normally apply in the majority of countries in Europe.

As is the case with young drivers, extra charges may apply for senior drivers renting a car with Auto Europe (the fee applied in this case is called the Senior Driver Fee). Furthermore, rental companies may ask for additional documentation for drivers over a certain age, such as a medical certificate confirming that the driver is in good health and therefore fit to drive, or a letter from the customer's insurance company detailing any recent accidents and information on the validity of the senior driver's licence.

The local rental company may also limit the availability of certain models or categories of vehicles available for rent to senior drivers. However, this only means that maximum age limits may only apply to certain categories of vehicles. Please note that any age restrictions and/or age limits imposed upon senior drivers (including added fees) apply to both the main driver and any additional drivers. In any case, it makes sense to find out well in advance about any minimum or maximum age limits, as this information can greatly influence the planning and costs of your trip.

Car Rental Age Limits – Important Information

• The first thing to take into consideration is that the age limits for renting a car are set independently by the car rental companies.
  In some cases, 18-year-olds might already have the opportunity to rent a car with some suppliers, despite the fact that the minimum age for driving in most European countries is under 18. Basically, each individual car rental company can decide for itself who to rent a car to by setting its own rules, restrictions and age limits.


• The age limits for renting a car are governed by the regulations of the country where the rental takes place.
  These age limits are listed in the terms and conditions of your rental agreement, although you'll also need to take into account the general driving rules of the country you're visiting. It's always best to find out in advance about the driving rules of the destination country and get in touch with Auto Europe if you want to travel with the rental car outside the country where the rental takes place.


• When applied, the young driver or senior driver fee is charged locally by the car rental company.
  If you have to pay an additional fee (taking into account your age and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the car rental contract), then this additional fee is not included in the rate paid to Auto Europe. Instead, the amount will be charged locally when you arrive to pick up the vehicle.


• Age limits for renting a car may be linked to paying for extra insurance locally when you arrive to collect the vehicle.
  Senior drivers and young people under 21 may be asked to pay for an inclusive rate instead of the basic rate or for extra insurance sold by the local supplier.


• Age limits can be associated with restrictions on the rental of certain vehicles (or categories of vehicle).
  Many rental companies set higher age limits for luxury and special vehicles. However, the good news is that vehicles in the mini/economy/compact categories generally have fewer age-related limitations.

How can I book a car rental as a young or senior driver?

When booking through Auto Europe, it's important to always make sure that you enter your correct age in the search engine so that we can correctly inform you about any age limits, driving restrictions, etc. We will also inform you of any possible charges that will applied to your booking, be it a young driver charge for younger drivers or a senior driver charge for older drivers. For more information on age limits, please click on the blue and white info (i) button relating to each rate to learn more about the minimum and maximum ages for renting a car, as well as the young and senior driver rates and ages to which these rates apply. If the local car rental company requires any documentation, we will get in touch with you regarding this specific request.

If you're having trouble finding a reservation that suits your travel plans or your age, don't worry because our car rental specialists will answer any questions you might on this and any other matters relating to your trip. Please check out our special offers which will help you save even more money with Auto Europe!