Please always remember to bring BOTH parts of your driver’s licence if you have a new style picture one. It’s essential that we check both parts for identification and driving endorsements. Sometimes our Avis Preferred members forget as they understandably assume that they don’t need ANY paperwork, but we do need to be able to check a valid driving licence at each rental, so please bring it along.
If you forget, we can call the DVLA in your presence (during their opening hours) to perform a check for us, but they charge a premium rate 
( , so this will cost you extra.
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I’m looking into renting a car in Scotland and am wondering whether my driver’s licence from Canada will be alright to pick up the car or do I need to get an international driver’s licence?
Hi Jennifer, yes it is fine for you to use your Canadian licence. You only need an international one if your current licence is written in a non roman alphabet. I hope you have a good time in Scotland!
Dear Customer Service.
I work for a US based company ( MPR Services Inc) and I am based in the UK.
We have tried to obtain a corporate card for my use in UK, Europe and Africa and billed to my H/O in Texas and have had very little qualified advice. So far we have contacted the US, Holland, and UK when the application is submitted it is referred elsewhere…. Please advise the correct address, Tel number, fax number and PERSON (NOT a call centre please I am sick of waiting on yours). This query is now been ongoing for 2 weeks
Neil
Charge cards are allocated to accounts and managed in the country that holds the account. On the face of it that seems to be the US. Our colleagues in the US(separately owned and operated from Avis Europe) are trying to find the right contact for you. We will post it here as soon as we are able.
Hi – does the same apply to additional drivers? I want to hire a car in Barcelona on a date in October and the additional driver I would like to add to the booking won’t actually arrive (along with their driving documents!!) until a few days after me. How should we address this? Is a photocopy worth bringing?
The additional driver does need to be present with their original licence in order to be covered to drive the car. However, this does not necessarily have to happen when you pick up the car and you can go to any Avis location (at any time) to add this. Just remember to bring your rental agreement and the drivers licence for the additional driver.
Thanks Rob
I am travelling to the UK in December and have a Greek (EU) driver’s license. The license is printed in Greek only. Is this ok for renting a car from you?
The reason I am asking is that in the past I have rented a car in the UK (from another company) and they had no problem with the Greek license. They simply read my details in roman script from my passport.
Hi Alex, sorry for the late response.
Yes, your Greek driver’s license is fine. Have a great trip to the UK!
Rob
++++++++
Addition to original response:
Hi Alex, I have double checked this and it seems my original comment might not necessarily be correct. To clarify the rule on drivers licence is that they must be in the roman alphabet. If it is not, the licence holder must provide an International Driving Permit from the licence-issuing country. Alternatively, you can provide a written translation, on headed paper, from their Embassy or National Airline, together with their national licence. Sorry for the confusion on this.
Rob
Hello. I’m student from Mongolia in London. Me and my brother planning to around north endland. We have international driving license and have been here little more than year. Do you think we could rent a car with this driving license? Thanks
Presumably you have an International Driving Permit from your licence-issuing country? If so, this is fine to rent with (subject to meeting minimum age of 23 – there is a young drivers surcharge for under 25s). Have a great trip!
Rob
I will be returning to the UK after an eleven year absence and still have my old UK driving licence, will this be acceptable as it shows valid till 2037, I read something about new licences in the UK and just wondered if the old paper type is still okay.
Hi Mick
As long as it is the old paper licence then that is be fine.
It is only if you had a new licence you would need both the paper copy and the photo ID card together.
Rob
please i currently living in gran canaria and am visiting my home ground in england next week and i need to rent a car. my credit card and identity card and passport are in my maiden name but my drivers license is still in my married name will this be a problem as I dont have my divorce papers with me .
Hi Kim
This is down to the station managers discretion, but 99% of the time it is fine. You just need to let the person at the desk know that this is your married name and you haven’t changed the details on your driving license.
Hope you have a good trip.
Rob
I had recently passed my UK license (less than a year old) and I have had my home country driving license since 1996. I have noticed the requirement of most car rental company is to have owned the license for a minimum of 12 months or 24 months. Would I be able to hire a MPV? I would like to rent a people carrier to visit Yorkshire. Please advise me on the best way to rent a 7 or 8 seater vehicle. Thanks
You are correct Yasmin, a drivers licence must be held for at least a year. However, as long as your home country licence has not expired and it is still valid then it is fine to rent with this one – as long as it is written in roman alphabet. If it is in non-roman alphabet then you will require an international drivers permit from your home country.
I think this answers your question but let me know if you require any further clarity.
Rob
I rented a car at Edimburgh airport on August 2007. Unfortunatly a motorbike crash on the back of the vehicle, and, although it was not my fault, as told by the police and a witness, I was charged with the damage: 712 pounds!!,
In the Edimburh Airport office your staff, told me that as soon as the third part insurance company refund the cost of the damages, Avis would pay me back the amount charged.
I´m still waiting any response from Avis, and although I have made a complain in the Customer Service in Spain, where I live, I am only told that the proccess is very slow. More than three months!!!!
I moved house recently and sent in my driver’s license to be updated. I have not received it back yet but need to hire a car this Friday in Barcelona. The DVLA have offered to fax Avis proof of my licence. Is this acceptable, if not is there anything else I can do?
thanks,
Will
Hi Will, I’m really sorry for the late response on this. I was going through our old comments and realised we hadn’t responded. I do apologise for this as we do try to respond to everyone who has a question.
Hopefully you’ve found the answer somewhere else but for future reference I thought I’d post the answer anyway. In a nutshell, our policy is that the customer must present his original license at the rental office. So in this instance we would not be able to accept a faxed copy of the licence.
I hope the DVLA got your licence sent in time and you had a good trip to Barcelona.
Rob
Hi, my company has a corporate rate with Avis and I was looking to hire a car for customer visits. I am 27yrs old and have held my license since June 07. I read in the small print that you must have held your license for 1yr+, is there no way to consider an individual who hasn’t or is there any other possible way of renting a car with any co. pls? thnx,
Hi Aaron, unfortunately we have to be strict on the 1 year rule for driver’s licence. However, you did mention you have an corporate account with Avis and this may be different if your company is set up as having company own insurance. If you could email me at comments@avis.co.uk with information about who you work for I can seek clarification on how your account is set up.
Rob
Sorry but I cannot seem to find it anywhere on your website. I am a UK resident. I would like to hire a car from Germany this summer. I have 3 points (sp30) on my licence from 2 years ago. Will you still hire a car to someone with 3 points? Surely lots of people have got 3 points nowadays but I just wanted to check for sure. Thanks.
Another sorry, but I forgot to ask if I can take your cars into Czech Republic (Prague only) and Slovakia (Bratislava only – it’s barely even in the country on the western edge!!). I will not be going any further east than that. Hope you do allow this. Thanks..again.
We are going to visit England in September 2008. I have a valid United States (Ohio) drivers licence. First, I’m uncertain what you mean regarding “both parts”. Our licence looks like a credit card, photo on front with vital stats, and endorsements on the back. Secondly, do I also need an international drivers license or just my Ohio Driver license.
Hi Gordon,
What you say above only applies to UK residents. In the UK we have a separate paper licence, which highlights any endorsements. Your Ohio driver licence is fine. No need for an international drivers permit. This only applies in the case that your driver’s licence is written with a non-roman alphabet.
Rob
Hi Tim,
3 points will be fine. Rentals picked up in Germany are allowed cross the border to Czech Republic and Slovakia free of charge although a Travel East certificate is required. This can be organised at the rental station.
Rob
Tim asks if it is possible to hire a car if you have points on your licence. To take this further-if you have a disqualification can you hire a car again once you have held a new licence for one year. Would especially like to know this re USA rental.
Hi Lee, for a UK rental this is generally fine as long as the disqualification period is complete and the licence is a full one and held for at least a year (although the station manager does always retain the right to refuse the rental). The only instance where we would definitely not rent to the customer is if the disqualification was for an unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle. As you are looking to rent in the US it would be helpful if could inform us of nature of the disqualification so we can double check with the team over there. If you be able to email me at comments@avis.co.uk with this information and where exactly you are planning to rent then I can check this out for you.
I have a chinese drivers license and a notarized translation of it, is that enough to rent a car? Also, I have had it for less than a year so is it still advisable to use it for when I rent a car in Uk or should i just use my international driving license, the one i have used before when i rented a car in UK in 2003 and is still valid for this year?
Hi Maria, if your international drivers permit is still valid then I would suggest bringing this along with your notarized translation and your original Chinese drivers licence just in case. Better safe than sorry!
Rob
Hi there, I have a Russian driving licence (not an international permit). The words “driving licence” and my name and surname are written in both Russian and French, as this is the standard form Russian authorities use for driving licence. Will that be fine? I am sure you had Russian customers before with the same problem
Hi Damira, the whole licence needs to be in roman alphabet. If this is not the case then you’ll need an International Driving Permit.
I hope this helps. Let me know if have any other questions!
Rob
Hi. I hold a valid (full, clean) Malaysian driver’s license since 2003. My license is written in Malay language which uses the Roman alphabets. Can I hire (and drive in the UK) a car from Avis with my Malaysian license, or would I need an International Driver’s license? Also, I have been in the UK for more than one year, would I still be permitted to drive on UK roads with my Malaysian license?
Oh and one more question: If the car’s named driver is my dad (60 years old), am I allowed to drive the car? Or would we need to add an Additional Driver when we hire to allow for me to drive the car too?
Hi Angel, if your licence is in Roman alphabet then it will be fine.
If your Dad is the named driver then you will need to be added as an Additional Driver in order to drive the car. This will cost £23.50 for the rental.
Hello,
I have a Greek driver’s license that is not written in the Roman alphabet and an international driver’s permit (written in Roman alphabet). The latter has an expiration date that has already past (it lasted only a year). Would it still work for translation purposes given that the original driver’s license expires in 20+ years?
Thanks
Hi Markos,
Unfortunately, the international driver’s permit does also need to be within its validity dates.
Rob
Hello,
I’ve just moved to the UK from Canada and have exchanged my full Canadian license (held for years) for a full UK license. Although the UK license will have been held less than a year, on the back of the photocard it indicates that I had been authorised to drive for the past several years. Would this pass muster for the one-year license holding rule?
Hi Tim, assuming you meet the minimum age to rent then this is fine! Rob
Hello,
I am planning to rent a car in Oman next month. I have a valid Dutch driver’s licence (in Roman alphabet), but I read that in some countries (incl Oman) an IDP is required under the Geneva convention. Should I apply for an international driver’s permit?
Thanks!
Hi Mari, this is only required if you plan to drive in Oman for over 90 days.
I hope this helps.
Rob
Thanks Rob! This blog is an excellent service.
Dear Sir or Madam,
I have just spent the past six months driving for two hours per week and have passed my driving test at the first attempt at the age of 35. I note that you will not, as is the policy with most other rental agencies, rent me a car until I have held my full driving licence for one year. So, to clarify, you will not rent me a car when my driving faculties are are optimised through practice and have recently been assessed favourably by the Driving Standards Agency; however, you are prepared to rent me a car in a years time when my driving skills will have diminished through unavoidable(in the absence of available car rental) neglect. I would be grateful if you could confirm this position to me. Yours faithfully,
Marc Fearns
Hi Marc, I appreciate your perspective on this.
Yes the policy is that a customer will need to have held a full driving licence for at least a year. The reason for this is that it is generally recognised that the more experienced a driver has, the less likely she/he is to be involved in an accident. This is a general rule that is employed by car insurers as well as car hire. You are right, it is possible that a driver who has held a licence for at least a year may not have driven in that time but unfortunately we simply cannot legislate for that.
I appreciate any further thoughts you might have on this.
Rob
Hi there, I am renting a car in Dubai with Avis. I just heard today that the law has changed in Dubai and that I will require an International Drivers License. Is this the case?
Hi Carmelle, yes this is the case. You will be required to present an International Driving Permit along with your home driving license.
Let me know if you have any other questions and have a great time in Dubai!
Rob
I’m about to head off to South Africa, and am renting a car (with Avis, of course!). I managed to get hold of an International Drivers Permit at the local Post Office. It cost £5.50, and took only a couple of minutes to process.
I found all the details on the Post Office website, including a list of all Post Offices that can process the paperwork, and what you need to take with you.
Apparently there are two types of IDP, but there’s a list of what countries require either type…you guessed it…on the Post Office website!
Here’s the URL:
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/jump2?catId=19100188&mediaId=19100201
Matt
I have a (German) EU driver’s license – if I am driving in the UK can I collect points on it if I am speeding (not that I intend on doing it)? So far the only reference I found was to UK driver’s licenses.
Thanks
Steph
Hi Stephanie, unfortunately we are not able to specifically comment on the allocation of points on drivers licenses. This is a matter for the relevant authorities who issue and administer speeding offences relating to country driving licenses.
If a speeding offence is incurred on an Avis rental car, then we would normally be required, under the relevant legislation, to furnish the details of the driver, irrespective of where their driving license was issued. It would then be up to the issuing authority in Germany to pursue the offence as appropriate.
I hope that makes sense and I am sorry I can’t be more definitive on with an answer (it is not a question with a straight forward answer unfortunately!).
Rob
I would like to pick up a car for a weekend at the Manchester, England Airport and drive to Edinburgh, Scotland and back. Is this border crossing an issue for Avis? Are there any surcharges that apply?
Hi,
My boyfriend and I want to hire a car in Germany in June but I only passed my test last August so haven’t had my license for more than a year. I do hire cars in the UK as my employer insures me to drive any hired/owned/leased car within Europe. Is there any chance that I could hire a car from you upon presentation of my insurance certificate?
Thanks,
Nicole
Hi!
I have just passed my driving test and would love to start hiring a car about once a month to travel around the UK. Have been trying to find a company that would hire me a car…but for some weird legislation it’s being really difficult (if not impossible)! Finding it really frustrating and unbelieveble as my experience as a driver will defenatly perish if I don’t driving for a year! Do you know of any companies at all that would hire me a car?
Thanks
Mariana
Hi Matt, there is no absolutely problem with you picking up a car at Manchester Airport and driving it to Edinburgh and back. There is only be an additional charges if you intend to drive the vehicle one-way into Edinburgh. If this is the case then please email me at comments@avis.co.uk with dates/times and car category that you would like to book and I’ll find out how much this will be.
Rob
Hi Nicole, this is not usually possible as company own insurance usually only covers rentals for business use only and generally only applies to rentals in the UK. If you could email me at comments@avis.co.uk with details about who you work for, I can get in touch with the relevant account manager for you and find out exactly what your company’s policy is on this.
Rob
Hi Mariana, I appreciate your frustration. It is something that has been voiced on this blog before, but unfortunately we need to insist on this rule due to the reasons explained in one of my previous comments that you can view by clicking on this link: http://wetryharder.co.uk/?p=171#comment-5603.
I have searched around but I haven’t had much luck. Perhaps a smaller, local provider may be more lenient on this rule?
I apologise that I could not be of more help.
Rob
I live in Germany and would like to hire an Avis car in the UK. Do you have any aids or devices to help me concentrate on driving on the “wrong” side (left!). If not, you should!!
It is so easy to pull out of a gas station or restaurant and set off on the right side of the road…potentially lethal!
I have never found any such aid offered by any other car hire company.
Great blog! Thanks.
Hope you can help.
Hi Stephen,
We do try to inform our foreign visitors to the UK to drive on the left by putting the relevant information on our rental agreement. However, your point is well made and I’ll pass your comments onto our marketing department to see if we can do more.
Thanks,
Stephen
I have a question about additional drivers. I’m planning to hire a car from Avis but I want an addiitonal driver added. My problem is the additional driver cannot get to the hire place and I understand they have to be there in person to be added on.
I am hiring and returning the car at Manchester airport (one of the Audis in the guaranteed select series) and travelling to Lincoln. Is it possible for me to hire it in Manchester, fill out all the paperwork there, then when I get to Lincoln, pick up the additional driver and go the Avis centre in Lincoln and have him added on as an additional driver (this would be a few hours later / the next day)? Thanks.
Hi Stephen, it is fine to add the additional driver in this way.
Let me know if you have any further questions.
Rob
Please can you confirm the deal on this for me? I lived in the USA for a number of years and held a driving licence there. I hired cars (through Avis) both there and in the UK on several occasions – including when I first returned to live in the UK. I’m even on your preferred members programme. Eventually my US drivers licence expired and I’ve now got a UK licence but it’s not a year old yet. I still have the US licence (although expired) as evidence that I have got a driving history of about 6 years and having rented through Avis several times, you can see for yourselves that I am an experienced driver with no points or problems in the past. Would I be able to rent a car from Avis in this situation? I called Avis and was told that it “shouldn’t be a problem” but there is a big difference between shouldn’t and won’t – and I don’t want to make my travel plans etc.. until I have a concrete yes or no. I can understand declining someone who rolls up with a new driving licence simply claiming they’ve driven before… but I have evidence that I’m an experienced driver and am on Avis’ records as a customer – so you’ve already rented to me. Please advise! Thanks.
Hi Hazel, this is fine. All you need to do is remember to bring your old US licence in addition to your new UK licence to prove your driving history.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
Hi,
I was wondering if I could rent a car from you guys.I am a Greek Driver’s license holder. It is written in a non roman alphabet ,but it has the EU formation . Furthermore, I have an official translation of it issued by the Greek ministry of foreign affairs.
Would that be ok to rent a car?
Thanks in advance
Hi Manos, you will have no problem as you long bring your official translation from the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs in addtion to your Greek driver’s licence.
Rob
Hi, a friend of mine is coming from Malaysia to the UK for a 4 week holiday. She holds a valid Malaysian driver’s licence. Does she need an international licence in order to legally drive here?
Thanks
Hi P K Chin, I believe that the Malaysian language is written in non-roman alphabet so your friend will require an International Driver’s Permit.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
Hi
I have an australian licence and I heading to Italy on Honeymoon with my wife and plan on hiring a car for 8 days at the start of June. I don’t have a International Driving Licence cause I don’t need one here in the UK But I believe I will need one for Italy. I have arranged to get a credited Translation of my Driving Licence(local translator service) done of my licence will that be sufficant or will i need to get it signed by the Australian Embassy or the Italian Embassy?
Hi Stuart, as long as you have have an International Driving Permit in addition to your Australian licence (and a passport if the licence does not have a photo) then this is all you need. I have checked on the Australian Automobile Association website and the permit should include a translation of your identification details in Italian. Here is a link the webpage for full info: http://www.aaa.asn.au/touring/idp.htm.
Let me know know if you need any further clarification.
Rob
Hi,
Do I need an International Driving Licence or International Driving Permit to hire a car in South Africa? I’m from the UK and have a photocard licence – some people say this is enough but others say not.
Thanks
Mark
Hi Mark, as long as you bring both parts of your UK driving licence then you will be fine. There will be no International driving permit.
Let me know if you have any other questions. Have a great trip to South Africa.
Rob
Hi – I’m returning to the UK with only the plastic part of my licence (whhich worked just fine abroad, can you give some idea (very rough) how much it might cost to have the DVLA do the verification that you mention on the web site ? Thanks Chris
hello Avis!We are planning to have road trip in the UK.All of my friends and myself are holding a non uk license: New Zealand, USA, Hong Kong and German one
. Does it matter to rent a car with our license from you? Or we should turn it to a international license before hand?? Thanks!
Hi Chris, the cost of calling the DVLA to verify your licence is £5.88.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
Hi Roy, you will only require an International Driving Permit if your licence is written in non-roman alphabet. Otherwise your current licence is fine on it’s own.
Let me know if you need any further information. Have a great trip to the UK.
Rob
Hi Avis!
I’ve just passed my practise test for UK driving license, but I’ve got my home country (Uzbekistan’s) license since 2001 it’s written on roman alphabet, but it says in french ”Permis de conduire” not in English that is driving license, will I still be able to hire a car from you? Thanks!
OK Elyor, below I have listed different answers dependent on your situation. Simply pick the scenario that applies to you and this should give you your answer!
1. If you have been resident in the UK for less than a year than it is fine for you to use your Uzbekistan licence.
2. If you have resided in the UK for more than a year and you have not yet qualified for your full UK driving licence then unfortunately you would not be able to rent a car
3. If you have resided in the UK for more than a year and you have qualified for your full UK driving licence then you are fine to rent. If you have held your UK driving licence for less than a year then be sure to present your Uzbekistan licence in addition to your UK one to prove you have been qualified to drive for more than a year.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions or if I have missed a scenario that applies to you!
Rob
I noticed your above comment re: foreign licences as it is similar to my situation. I have held an Australian licence for ten years. However, the UK issuing authority required me to surrender my Australian licence when I applied for a UK one (I didn’t have to pass a test, fortunately, just did a straight exchange). It seems odd that I was able to hire cars in the UK previously using my Australian licence, but now can’t with my UK one because I’ve had it less than 12 months. Is there a solution?
My apologies – I now see your response to Hazel’s question in April. I do still have an old expired Australian licence I can present, so I assume your answer to her applies to me also.
Hi Ben, if you have had to surrender you actual licence then you could request for a record of your license duration from your original issuing country, which you could present in addition to your new UK drivers licence. We recommend that you obtain this. However, if this is not possible, the replacement UK license will bear a code of 70 on the reverse of the license denoting an exchanged license. This assists with verification that driving entitlement has been in place for longer than just the UK licence. The duty manager will allow the car to be rented out at their discretion (I’d recommend calling the station before-hand to double check if you are going to do this).
Rob
Dear Customer Service,
I am currently living in the Netherlands and due to longterm residency I needed to surrender my Turkish driving licence and change it with the Dutch one in EU Credit Card format. Therefore, I don’t possess any more my turkish one.
The Dutch one was given in less than a year ago however in the back part of the licence it clearly states the category (B) and valid from 1992 to 2017 (i.e. including the former driving history). It also bears the number 70 and my old turkish driving licence number as a remark.
We are thinking to rent a car from Avis in Italy next month. Do you think this can cause any confusion or problems there?
thanks,
Hi Alper, I have checked with one our colleagues at Avis in Italy and they have confirmed that this will be fine. They have advised that two forms of photographic idea are required but your passport in addition to your driving licence will be fine for this.
Have a great trip to Italy!
Rob
I was hoping to hire a car in greece for a couple of days but forgot to pack my license – doh!! One of the agents mentioned a toll-free number that will fax my details does this exist for uk? If so can anyone help with the number?
Many thanks in advance
Willie
Sometimes I’m surprised I even manage to remember my passport I’m that bad!
Faxed copies of licensees aren’t generally accepted as a rule. If you could email me at comments@avis.co.uk and let me know which office you are planning to rent from I will speak to them directly and see if there are any options available.
Rob
Hi, I’ve just moved to the UK from India and hold a full Indian Driving License (for the past 5 yrs)- Can I rent a car? Can I purchase a car in the UK?
Thanks
Seshagiri
Hi Seshagiri, if you have resided in the UK for less than a year than your Indian Driving Licence will be fine. I should note that, if it is written in non-Roman alphabet then an International Driver Permit is required.
Let me know if you need anything else.
Rpb
I am looking to hire a car from you next month, to go from my home in coventry for a weekend break to newquay. I have 9 points on my licence, will i have any problem in hiring a car.
Hi Paul, you should be fine but I’d check with the rental office first as it is essentially left to their discretion. This location is essentially serviced out of our Truro office and the number is 01872 262226.
Rob
Hi Rob, I’m heading to the UK this December for a month holiday, and thinking of hiring a car. I have an Australian NSW P2 licence. It’s techinically not a full licence, but it’s not a learner’s licence either. I’ve been driving for more than 2 years now (on top of the 1/2 year driving on learners’ licence). I’m 22 years old by the way. Just wondering whether I can legeally drive there & rent a car using my AUS-NSW licence?
THANKS heaps!
Hi S Lai, I’ve checked our policy on this licence and unfortunately we do not accept it. Additionally, the minimum age for renting a car in the UK is 23 years old (with drivers under the age of 25 being subject to a Young Drivers Surcharge).
It might be an idea to shop around but I’d suspect that these policies are fairly standard. I’m really sorry that we aren’t able to be of more help but if you do have any other questions then please do not hesitate to ask!
Rob
Hi, my husband and I are coming back to England from Brazil. He holds brasilian license and we are wondering if he will be able to hire a car with this? or does he need to get it translated?? he is also 24 years old is his a problem?? lastly can i pay on my credit card for him to hire the car as i will be with him but i do not drive!
Hi Michelle, as long as it is written in Roman alphabet (which I assume a Brazilian licence is!) then it will be fine. Otherwise you will require a International Drivers Permit.
24 is ok to drive although a Young Driver Surcharge of £12.93 per day is required for drivers under the age of 25.
Finally, as long as you are there to present the credit card when you collect the car then you’re good to go!
Have a great trip back from Brazil!
Rob
hi i was wondering if you could help me. i’m twenty four years old and a few months ago recieved my license back after a disqualification which is now over. My american boyfriend is coming over in december and i’d like to be able to hire a car and show him round england a bit. would i be able to hire a car with my license and what is the youg persons sur charge? do you get this back at the end of the hire or something? thanks for your help
Hi Lucy,
When exactly did you receive your license back? Unfortunately you must have held the license clean for at least a year so if you have only had it back for a few months then you wouldn’t actually be able to rent the car.
Apologies
Chris
hi i have held my full uk license for 8 months but i have been driving i nigeria for 5yrs can i rent a car
Hi Feyi,
It would depend upon whether you surrendered your Nigerian license when you applied for your UK license. If you are able to provide your clean Nigerian license along with your UK license then there wouldn’t be a problem. If you don’t have your Nigerian license now then unfortunately you won’t be able to rent a car with only your UK license as it hasn’t been held for 12 months.
Hope that helps
Chris
If you are going abroad its always best to make sure you have all your documents as there is no going back once you are there and it could ruin your holiday!
Lucy
Hi, I have a california Drivers licence and have had it for 9 years now. I currently reside in the UK and dont have a UK license,i drive only in the USA on business and im in the USA on a regular basis. I am an Avis Preferred member. My next trip is planned for the 6th April and i have just realised that my California licence expires on the 10th April 09. Im going to the DMV to renew it but will this be a problem as i need to have the car rental for two weeks?
Hi Eve,
For all car hire, the licence must be valid for the whole period of the hire.
I would suggest either:
Renewing your licence by mail or e-mail – details can be found at http://dmv.ca.gov/dl/dl_rdc.htm.
Or
You may be able to book the car for four days (when the licence is valid) and extend the hire directly with the rental location, once the licence has been renewed at the DMV in California.
On the second option, I would advise speaking to the US reservations department and rental location before the hire to ensure that this is possible. You can contact the US reservations department on 1-800-331-1084.
I hope this helps you.
Stephen
Hi,
I am planning to hire a car in Barcelona in May. However I have just looked at my licence,and its dated July 08, even though I passed my driving test last May which would technically make me a fully qualified driver for a year. So in this instant is there any way to hire a car?
Hi Elaine,
Unfortunately the license must have been held for a year so the earliest you would be able to rent a car would be in July 09.
Apologies
Chris
Hi
Me and my brother are travelling to the US next week and hoping to hire a car from Avis in San Francisco to drive to LA. I have had the photocard of my license stolen, can i rent a car with just the paper part of my license, I don’t think i have time to reapply for a photocard.
My brother has an old style license with no photocard, is this eligible to hire a car in California?
Thanks in advance for your help
Hi Helen,
It will depend upon what the paper part of your license says on it. Providing it clearly shows a valid from date and a valid to date; to prove that it is current you won’t have any problems.
You will obviously have your passport with you for photographic proof so as long as the license shows the dates then you will be OK.
Hope that helps
Chris
Hi,
I am flying to Los Angeles this Wednesday on urgent business but cannot locate the paper part of my UK driving license. Can I still hire a car using just my photocard?
thanks
Hi Charlie,
As long as the licence is full and valid, the photocard on its own will be fine.
I hope this helps.
Stephen
Hi,
I am a UK citizen, but US resident for the last 5 years. I have held a valid US license for over 4 years, and have a photocard UK license from when I lived in the UK, but cannot locate the paper part of the license. Is it OK to hire a car with the US license alone?
Thanks
Hi Rob,
The US licence will be fine. We can also rent to you with the photocard but will have to call the DVLA to confirm your licence.
I hope this helps.
Stephen
Hi Rob:
I recently replaced my Pennsylvania driver’s license which had been lost. The new license which I now have has an “issued date” of 2 weeks ago. I’ve had a Pennsylvania driver’s license since 2003. I’ve been driving for 20 years (had previous licenses in other states). Will I be able to rent a car in the UK given that the replacement license is only 2 weeks old? Is there any way to prove my driving history to deal with the 1-year rule?
Thanks,
Peter
Hi Peter, is there an indicator on the licence to indicate it’s a replacement licence? If so, this should suffice. Otherwise it will be left to the manager’s discretion. In this instance I would suggest calling the rental office in advance to make them aware of this. If you can let me know what location you are renting from I can send you the number for that location? To be absolutely safe, you should be able to request proof of your driving history from the licence issuing authority.
Rob
Hi, I have a Malaysian drivers licence expiring 2010 and would like to hire a car for travel in the UK. Is is okay or should I get an international drivers licence?
Also I will be arriving in manchester via a coach at Manchester central
Coach Station, Chorlton Street, Greater Manchester at
14:15. 20th Jun 2009. I would like to hire a car to go to Lake district. Do you have a branch close by in manchester?
Hi Rob, I have a 29 year old with a P2 license issued in New South Wales. Basically in NSW after you pass your driving test (I passed mine 3 years ago), you have two intermediate licenses (the P1 and P2). The P2 is the last stage before you get your full license. I’ve been able to hire cars in Switzerland and in Australia with a P2 license – can I check whether I would be able to hire cars in the UK with Avis?
Hi,
I am sure this has been discussed somewhere earlier on this page, but I wanted to confirm again.
If I have had a british license for less than a year but have held the license from my home country, India, for the last 5 years, can I rent a car with avis/others in UK or europe?
Thanks.
Hi Hani,
If the license is written in non-roman alphabet then you would need an International license along with your current Malaysian license.
The nearest office would be our Manchester Piccadilly office (1 Ducie street) which is about 5 minutes walk from the bus station.
Chris
Hi Olivia, apologies for the late reply – I was just waiting for the answer on this one as yours is not a common question! Unfortunately, we would not accept the P2 licence, only the full licence.
I’m sorry that we have not been able to help you in this instance but please do not hesitate to ask if you have any other questions.
Rob
Hi Mandhan, it really depends on the situation. So from the following, please decide what applies to you… if you have resided in the UK for more than a year and you have qualified for your full UK driving licence then you are fine to rent. Finally, if you have held your UK driving licence for less than a year then be sure to present your India licence in addition to your UK one to prove you have been qualified to drive altogether for more than a year.
Let me know if you need any further clarification.
Rob
Hi. I don’t so much as have a question but rather a comment re: US licenses. I will be renting a car from Avis next month in the UK. I recently relocated to New Jersey from Vermont and by law had to swap my Vermont license for a New Jersey license. The “issued date” on the NJ license is the date I swapped it (October, 2008). I’ve continuously held a full license for the last 12 years, but am concerned that I will be denied a rental due to the “issued date” being less than a year.
I called up Avis UK and although the person was friendly and trying as helpful as possible, were also quite puzzled by this. I will be taking a copy of my old state’s driving record with me, but am surprised that this isn’t a familiar issue with Avis considering the amount of US tourists that visit the UK. I admit I am slightly concerned that I will be stuck trying to explain the finer details of US licensing laws.
There needs to be greater awareness re: US issued licenses…that because of moves between states/ license renewals etc., the “issued date” is unreliable at best at determing when the driver was first issued a full license. Confusing I know, but that’s the reality of the US system.
Great blog by the way, very helpful.
Hi Chris, great feedback! I’ve checked our policies and you’re right – we do not seem to have a process to legislate for this at the moment. But we’ve taken your feedback on-board and we’re working on it. I’ll provide update on this as soon as I get more info.
Rob
I have recently got my UK driving license. Can I still rent the car? I read somewhere that I cant do so unless I have held the license for more than 12 months.
I have my Indian Driving license (8 years) which is still valid. Its in English. Can I use the Indian license instead?
Hi Pete, as long as you present your Indian licence in addition to your UK one (to prove you have been qualified to drive for more than a year) then that will be fine.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
Hi, I have a driving license from my country (Saudi Arabia). My name, date of birth and expire date are written in English.
The problem is that there is no issue date. How can I prove that I have been driving for more than 6 years?!
Many thanks.
Where there is no issue date on a driving license there is no simple way of checking how long that license has been held. We could/would therefore not automatically reject a license without an issue date and it would ultimately be left to the managers discretion and your account of your driving period being more than a year. Without good reason to the contrary this would normally be accepted.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
Hi Rob,
I had been driving for almost 3 years. Recently received my Uk driving lincense. Im going to South Africa in June for my 30th Birthday . .Just find out that after all this intense driving I will not be able to hire in South Africa as my license is less than a month. I will have to wait till a year is over before can hire.
I really think this rule should be changed. New drivers work very hard to drive , pass the test and after all that intense driving perfecting ones self -one still have to wait for 11 months to be driving again.
I had spend £30k learning. I wont be spending anymore. I will just have to wait for my next holidays in a years time to driving on holiday, when allowed to hire.
I live in London use public transport to travel from A to B and as for going to work , its just 5 minutes away to my clinic and dont need to drive as I live in central. I do think this 1 year rule is kind to new drivers.
Thanks
Lisa
Hi, I have a similar question to Abdul above. I have a Canadian license and in our system you need to renew your license every 5 years (just apply and get a new card with updated picture, etc.) I got my original full license in 2004 but just renewed it this year. It provides a new issue date of March 2009..and i already cut up my old license. how can i prove i’ve had my license for more than 1 year?
**UPDATE TO ABOVE QUESTION**
I found my previous license with the 2004 issue date on it! although it expired march 2009..my current license is a direct continuation. if I bring both to the rental location while this suffice as proof that i’ve held my license for more than 1 year?
Great blog btw..a great source of information in the extremely confusing world of car rental.
Hi Adel, I understand your frustrations with the rule on drivers needing to have held a licence for at least a year. It’s a point of view that has been expressed a number of times on the blog.
The reason for this policy is that it is generally recognised that the more experienced a driver has, the less likely she/he is to be involved in an accident. This is a general rule that is employed by car insurers as well as car hire. I appreciate that must be frustrating and many newly qualified drivers are very competent but unfortunately we simply cannot legislate for that.
As always, I will forward your perspective to the manager who assesses the risk in this area. I appreciate any further thoughts you might have on this.
Rob
Hi Julian, bringing your old licence as proof of your driving history in addition to your new one will do the trick!
And thank you for the feedback. Have a great trip and let us know if there is anything else we can do to help!
Rob
Hi,
Urgent request! I’m travelling to Vancouver in Canada this afternoon, but can’t find the paper part of my UK license. I only have the photocard. Will i still be okay to rent a car i’ve booked with Avis?
Thanks for your help!
hi,
my boyfriend is looking to hire a car next weekend, however he has 9 points on his driving license, although 6 of them are 3 years old. would he still be able to hire a car?
I am currently resident in the UAE and hold a valid UAE drivers license which has both english and arabic translation on it. My passport is british and contains the UAE residency visa.
Am I able to rent a vehicle with these documents?
Thanks
Michael
Hi Michael,
In which country are you planning to rent? As your licence has both English and Arabic it shouldn’t be a problem at all. We normally only need an international licence if the original is written solely in a non-Roman alphabet e.g. Arabic.
I hope that helps
Chris
Hi Charlotte,
Where is he looking to pick up the car? If you let me know then I’ll check with the office.
Chris
Hi David,
Vancouver have confirmed they will accept just the photocard part of your licence.
Have a safe flight
Chris
Planning to rent in the UK
Thanks
Michael
Hi Michael,
You will be fine to rent with these documents.
Chris
We will be renting a car in Germany in October.
Driving from Berlin to Munich.
Are there any restriction on driving into the Czech Republic.
Really just doing Prague for a couple of days
Thanks
Another questions having read through these questions , a lot were in reference to a minimum requirement
of 1 year holding a valid drivers license.
I have a Quebec ( Canada ) drivers license for over 30 years
and no where on it does it it give any reference to how I have held it .
never gave this a second thought in the past .
Is this a problem ?
Hi Jerry
There are no restrictions on driving into the Czech Republic so you won’t have any problems visiting Prague.
With regards to your licence does it not have an issue date on it anywhere at all? Or a date passed or anything like that? I’m positive you won’t have an issue given the length of time you’ve held it although I’m curious as to why no dates appear on it. I’ll see if I can find any thing else out.
Chris
I double checked my license again
The only information on my license is the day the current license was issued , in my case February 2008
So the year minimum would not be an issue for me . The Feb. 2008
would actually be a renewal date.
If my renewal was Sept. 2009
and i was to rent in Oct. 2009 , there would be no indication on my license that I really held a license for more than a year.
( I’ve been driving for 30 + years )
I have rented dozens of times in the U.S. Europe and Canada.
Like I said before this never even crossed my mind before I read this blog.
thanks
Hi Jerry,
How often do you have to renew your licence?
Your best bet would be to take your old licence with you to prove that obviously you have held the licence for well over 12 months.
Chris
i only have a chinese driver license. can i rent a car in UK with my chinese driver license and the translation??
Hi Shanshan, you will need an International Drivers Permit in addition to your Chinese driving licence (which needs to be a full licence held for at least a year) so, as long as you have these, you should be fine. The only circumstance in where you would not be able to use your Chinese driving licence is if you have lived in the UK for more than a year.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rob
I’m looking to hire a car in Greece next week and am still waiting for the renewal of my photocard license to come through from the DVLA. I have the paper part and the old photocard, will this be ok if it doesnt arrive in time? Thanks
I’ve spoken to several offices in Greece and they’ve all said the same. You would need to obtain some kind of documentation from the police or DVLA that clearly states that you have applied for a new licence and that until you receive the new licence you are able to use the old one. This along with the original and the paper part would suffice.
Chris
I have just tried to book a care for a hire in the USA through the Avis uk site,and while you quote me a price it won’t let me book the car and when I go the US site it will let me book the car but the quote has nearly doubled.
Hi James, would you be able to email me with the dates/times, location and car category you are trying to book (and also if you have an Avis Preferred number) and I’ll give this a go and try and work out what the problem is. If this doesn’t resolve it then I can ask some from the Reservation team to contact you and make this booking (the number is 08445 81 81 81 if you are in a hurry and need to make the booking now).
Rob
Hi there
We are travelling to Czech Republic on Wednesday 5th August. However, both my wife and I are waiting for our licences to be returned from DVLA. Mine for 3 points to be placed on, and my wife’s for motorbike entitlement (she already has 20 years car entitlement). We have been told by Avis in Prague today that we will not be able to hire a vehicle with yourselves despite the fact that DVLA are willing to fax over a Certificate of Entitlement for each of us. And despite the fact that your website quotes this is possible. I don’t understand why no one at Avis seems to have heard of a Certificate of Entitlement of seems willing to even look into this for us. Can you help?
Hi Jason,
I’ve spoken to Prague who’ve said that if you can ask the DVLA to fax the certificate’s to 00420 235 363 790 then they will be happy to accept them.
I hope that helps.
Chris
Hello. I hold a driving licence from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus since 2002 and have been driving since then. It is not classified as an international driving licence I think, but it is written with roman alphabet. Can I rent a car with this licence in the UK? Thank you.
Hi Melis,
If it is written in Roman alphabet then you will be fine renting with that licence.
Chris
Hi,
I am due to receive my Indian driving license in October 2009. When I arrive in the UK for a visit in June 2010, I will have been an Indian license holder for 8 months, is this length of time enough for me to rent a car through Avis? I am a British citizen residing in India and I also have a UK provisional license,
Deepali
Hi Deepali, unfortunately all customers need to have held a full licence for at least one year in order to qualify to rent with us. I am sorry that we are able to help you with yoru requirements at this time.
Rob
is it possible to hire a car when you have previously been disqualified? even if it was over for years ago and contained a drink driving and taking of a motor vehicle. ive had my license for over a year.
Hi Shaun
Unfortunately Avis has a strict rule that says that we do not rent to a driver who has an endorsement for unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle (endorsement code UT) regardless of when the offence occurred and that the disqualification period has ended.
I’m very sorry that we are unable to help in this instance. If you have any further questions then please do not hesitate to ask.
Vicki
hi everyone just one quick question i have only held my licence since 23.6.2009 was wondering would i be able to hire a car with not holding a licence for a yr yet ?? i am also 27 is there any ristrictions on this and if so is there a company out there that will hire me a car
Hi Lee, congratulations on passing your test! Unfortunately we are very strict on our rules for qualifying driving licences. I’m not sure any of the main providers would be any more relaxed. He might want to try someone a bit more smaller and local in this instance.
Good luck!
Rob
Hi,
I have a UK licence and have been driving for more than 25 years. I am thinking of exchanging it for a French one since I live in Paris and I only have the old-style paper licence which is falling apart. If I exchange the licence, however, would this mean I cannot rent a car for a year?
Thanks, David
Hi David,
The office would obviously need to see proof that you had held your licence for over 12 months e.g. a copy of your UK licence, a letter of Entitlement from the DVLA etc, something like this.
If you were renting in the UK then the office would be able to call the DVLA as your history would still be on record.
If you were renting outside the UK then I’d imagine the letter of Entitlement along with your French licence would suffice. If you are planning to rent in a particular country then let me know and I happily double-check with them to see what they would require.
Chris
I am travelling around the USA next year however it will be 10 – 11 months after I received my full licence – I am over 25 years old will this be an issue?
Hi Paul,
I’m afraid that you must have held your licence for at least 12 months if you wish to rent with Avis.
Apologies
Chris
Hello,
I am returning to the UK after a year traveling the world and would like to hire a car on my return…
I have both a paper license and Photocard, however the ‘Photo’ (date on section 4b) on the photocard will have expired by a few days. On the rear I am licensed to drive until 2045…
According to the DVLA I am still licensed to drive but I can only apply for a card with a new photo when I am back in the UK.
Can I hire a car with AVIS given this ?
Thanks
Tim
Hi Tim,
Providing you have the paper part with you there would be no problem at all. It is just the photo which expires not the actual licence as you said. If you haven’t got the paper part then they would do a quick DVLA check.
Chris
Hello, I will be travelling to dubai & I have UK driving licence. I have hired a car to use in dubai, can I just use my UK driving licence in dubai or will I need anything else other than my UK D/L & Counterpart?
Hi MC,
Dubai requires all non-residents to have an international licence along with their licence and counter part.
Chris
hi
i have received 3 points in the last 6 months can i still hire a car from you?
thanks
Anil
Ive been trying to post a question but not been allowed to – I keep getting a message that my question is spam. How can I get help with my question from this site?
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for flagging this. I will have a look into this for you.
If you want to send your comment to me on an email at comments@avis.co.uk I will have a look at it and try and put it up for you.
If you have any other questions or feedback please let me know.
Vicki
Hi Anil,
If you only have 3 points on your licence then yes you are fine renting a car with us.
Chris
hi there i have an international licence and was wondering if i would be able to hire a car from avis with this licence, if so can i find some more information on it please
Hi Sabz,
In order to rent you will need your original licence which must have been held clean for at least 12 months. Where was your licence issued? How long have you held it? Which country are you planning to rent in?
If you give me more information I’ll find out for you.
Chris
Hi there
I am looking to hire a car from ljubljana, slovenia for 12 days this august. I have 3 points on my licence in the last 6 months. In the booking conditions it states you can’t rent a car if you have points added in the last twelve months. Is this correct and is it slovenia specific or across all avis rental locations. Also I hope to be making booking with my air miles through there site.
Many thanks for your help, Ian
Hi Ian,
There is no problem if you only have 3 points. The booking conditions refer to the fact that you should have held a licence for at least 12 months and it needs to be “reasonably” clean. If we asked for zero points I don’t think in today’s current climate we’d actually rent any cars at all so normally up to 6 points are accepted.
I hope that helps
Chris
Hi
I hold a valid driving license issued in India (which is in English). I have this month also obtained a full UK driver’s license. I just wanted to confirm that I remain eligible to rent a car on the basis of my Indian driver’s license.
Cheers
Pranav
Hi Pranav,
Providing your Indian licence clearly states that it has been held for over 12 months then you will be fine. Taking along an international licence along with your original will help to ensure everything runs smoothly.
I hope that helps
Chris
Hi, I am travelling back to the UK on business in the first week of March and my company has booked me a car. I have a valid UK driving license but cannot locate the paper part (D470?). I am currently resident in Spain but am still using my UK license. How can I ensure that when I get to the Gatwick in March that I can pick up my car?
I have read that you can do a quick DVLA check. What extra costs will I be charged?
Hi James,
Providing you pick up the car within DVLA opening hours (8am – 8.30pm – Mon – Friday or 8am – 5.30pm on Saturday) then they will be able to do a DVLA check at an extra cost of £5. If you are arriving out of these hours it will be more complicated and you will need to contact the DVLA before your pick up time to organize a Certificate of Entitlement.
I hope that helps
Chris