How Old to Rent a Car in Europe? Minimum Age by Country

There is no single minimum age to rent a car in Europe: each company sets its own by country, and the figures differ even inside one country. Sixt’s pages give 18 for Germany and 21 for the UK, while Avis UK’s page gives 23 for the UK. This guide compares the published figures from Sixt, Avis, Europcar and Hertz as of October 2026, then covers senior limits, licence-history rules and the International Driving Permit. Rules change, so confirm the figure for your pick-up country when you book.

How Old Do You Have to Be to Rent a Car in Europe?

The box is here because the Sixt Germany, France, Spain and Ireland pages say the renter needs a valid driving licence plus an ID or passport at pick-up. Hertz’s European Driver’s Guide lists minimum and maximum age, a credit or debit card requirement and a possible International Driving Permit among the restrictions that can vary by location.

That variation is the answer to the question in the title: the figures below come from each company’s own pages for each country, and Avis UK’s page says to always check before booking. This is general information, not legal advice.

Minimum Age Requirements Across Europe

The table puts Sixt’s country pages next to the minimum ages on Avis UK’s under-25 car hire page, which says its answers apply to corporate locations and that some licensee-owned locations may have different policies. Sixt’s Ireland page gives two licence-history figures in different sections, so both are shown.

Country	Sixt minimum age	Sixt licence held	Sixt young driver fee stated	Avis minimum age
Germany	18	Not stated (valid licence)	Under 23	19
France	18	At least 2 years	Under 25	18
Italy	18	1 year	Under 25	18
Spain	18	Not stated	Under 23	21
Portugal	19 (in general)	1 year	Fee applies, age not named	Not listed
Greece	21	Not stated	Under 23	21
Netherlands	21	2 years	Under 25	Not listed
United Kingdom	21	1 year	Under 25	23
Ireland	21	4 years in one section, 5 years in another	Under 25	21

Avis UK’s list also gives 19 for Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Sweden. It adds that you need to have held your licence for at least a year to rent an Avis car.

When Does the Young Driver Surcharge Stop?

It depends on the company and the country. Sixt’s pages for Germany, Spain and Greece say the fee applies to renters under 23, while its France, Italy, UK, Ireland and Netherlands pages say under 25. Avis UK says its young driver surcharge applies to drivers under 25. Europcar Ireland’s help article says all drivers must be at least 26 to avoid additional charges, with a young driver surcharge for ages 22 to 25.

Young Driver Fees: What to Expect

Sixt’s country pages say a fee applies but do not give amounts; its Italy page says the exact fee varies by location and vehicle category and points to the booking details. Two other companies publish figures:

Company page	Fee stated	Applies to
Avis UK under-25 page (approximate daily, capped at 10 days)	Spain GBP 17, France GBP 26, Italy GBP 16, Germany GBP 9, United Kingdom GBP 40	Drivers under 25
Europcar Ireland help article (updated September 18, 2025)	EUR 30 per day on top of the vehicle cost	Drivers aged 22 to 25

Avis says the surcharge for your pick-up location is included in the quote once you untick “Driver aged over 25” and enter your date of birth. As arithmetic only: Avis’s France figure of GBP 26 per day with the 10-day cap on that page works out to at most GBP 260 for the surcharge. Avis also notes that exact fees vary.

For a US-focused look at the same cost, see is it more expensive to rent a car under 25 and the best car rental companies for under 25 drivers.

Senior Driver Rules and Surcharges

Maximum-age rules are rarer on the pages read, and no senior surcharge amount appears on any of them. What they do state:

• Europcar Ireland: the help article says there is no maximum age to rent a vehicle.
• Sixt Ireland: people under 25 and over 80 need to show documentation proving they have driven accident-free for the past five years.
• Hertz rental terms page (location code ORK): customers over 75 can rent if they drive on a regular basis, provide a letter from their insurance company stating no accident in the last 5 years and a current motor policy, and provide a current letter from their doctor stating they are in good health.
• Hertz European Driver’s Guide: lists a minimum or maximum age as a restriction that can vary by location.

The other Sixt country pages in the table above do not state a maximum age, which is not the same as there being none. Ask the branch before travelling.

Driver’s License Requirements

Age is only one test. Several pages also set how long the licence must have been held:

• Sixt: 1 year in Italy, Portugal and the UK, 2 years in France and the Netherlands, and 4 or 5 years in Ireland (the page gives both figures), per the country pages above.
• Avis UK: at least one year of holding a full licence.
• Hertz rental terms page (location code ORK): licence history by car group: 6 years for the small groups listed (such as a Toyota Aygo X or VW Polo or similar), 8 years for the Nissan Navara, Ford Transit Custom, Renault Master and VW Caddy groups, 10 years for groups such as the VW Golf, Skoda Octavia and Peugeot 3008, and 12 years for all other groups, each including a minimum of 2 years at full licence status.
• Europcar Ireland: the age article lists minimum ages by car group, covered in the next section.

Sixt’s France, Spain and Ireland pages add that a licence in a non-Roman alphabet, such as Arabic or Cyrillic, needs an international driving permit. Sixt’s Portugal page says EU licences are accepted as-is and that a licence from a country outside the international driving licence treaty needs an official Portuguese translation. For how rental desks check licences, see do rental car companies check your license.

Do I Need an International Driving Permit in Europe?

The answer depends on where your licence was issued. Two sources cover the most common cases.

• UK licences (GOV.UK’s international driving permit page): no IDP is needed to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein with a UK photocard licence, though paper licences and licences from Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man may need one. Its table gives country notes: France and Greece, no IDP; Belgium, up to 6 months on a photocard licence; Germany, up to 6 months; Denmark, up to 90 days; Cyprus, up to 30 days. For hired cars it repeatedly says to check whether the car hire company says you need an IDP.
• US licences (AAA’s International Driving Permit page): the IDP is valid only when carried with your licence, costs $20 at AAA and cannot be issued more than six months before the effective date. AAA says some countries do not recognise a US licence but do recognise an IDP (it names Hungary), others honour the US licence but require a local-language translation (it names Spain), and a rental company in a country may require an IDP even when the government does not.
• Hertz: its European Driver’s Guide says most countries recognise a valid US driver’s licence, but some require an IDP, and that an IDP is a supplement to the US licence.

For the UK side of this question, see can an American rent a car in London, and for the general booking steps see how to rent a car in Europe.

Car Type Restrictions for Young Drivers

Meeting the minimum age does not always open every car. The pages read say:

• Sixt: most country pages say some car categories have a higher minimum age; Greece says that can be up to 28, Portugal says not all categories are available under 25, and Ireland says most larger vans and trucks need a driver of 30.
• Europcar Ireland: mini, economy, compact and intermediate cars at 26; full-size, premium, luxury and standard minivan groups at 28; commercial vans at 27.
• Avis UK: selected car groups are unavailable to drivers under 25.
• Hertz: an additional driver must meet the minimum age for the rented car group and bring their own licence.

Country-Specific Quirks to Watch For

• Ireland (Sixt): a minimum age of 21, licence history given as 4 years in one section and 5 in another, and credit cards only.
• UK: Sixt says 21 and Avis says 23, so the same country gives two minimums.
• Cross-border trips: Sixt’s Germany and France pages say which countries you can enter depends on the car category, and its Ireland page says driving into Northern Ireland needs written permission from the branch, with a fee.

Which Country Is Friendliest for Young Drivers, and Which Is the Strictest?

Among the Sixt pages read, 18 is the minimum in Germany, France, Italy and Spain, while Greece, the Netherlands, the UK and Ireland are at 21, and Ireland adds the longest licence history. On the Avis UK list the UK, at 23, is the highest. That is a comparison of the pages read, not a ranking of every country or company.

What to Do If You’re Too Young to Rent

The tables show that the minimum age for the same country differs by company, for example Spain at 18 on Sixt’s page and 21 on Avis UK’s page. Compare the published minimum for your pick-up country at more than one company. For other age-related rental questions, see can an 18 year old rent a car.

Insurance and Rental Policy Questions

Age rules sit alongside cover rules. Hertz’s guide says its collision damage waiver is not insurance and that theft protection is mandatory in some European countries. For the wider insurance picture, see what is a damage waiver on a rental car and does travel insurance cover car rental.

Conclusion

Rental age in Europe is set company by company and country by country, from 18 on several Sixt pages to 23 on Avis UK’s UK listing. Before you book, check the minimum age, the fee cut-off, the licence history and any IDP rule for your pick-up country. The figures come from the pages named above in October 2026; this is not legal advice.

FAQs

What’s the minimum age to rent a car in Europe?

There is no single figure. Sixt’s country pages give 18 for Germany, France, Italy and Spain, 19 for Portugal and 21 for Greece, the Netherlands, the UK and Ireland, while Avis UK’s page lists 18 to 23 for the countries it names.

Do young drivers always pay extra fees?

On the pages read, every company that states a rule charges young drivers: Sixt under 23 or under 25 depending on the country, Avis UK under 25, and Europcar Ireland for ages 22 to 25.

Can seniors rent cars in Europe?

Yes on the pages read, with conditions at some companies. Europcar Ireland says there is no maximum age, Sixt Ireland asks people over 80 for proof of five accident-free years, and Hertz’s terms page asks customers over 75 for insurer and doctor letters.

Do I need an International Driving Permit in Europe?

It depends on your licence, the country and the company. GOV.UK says a UK photocard licence needs no IDP in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, and AAA says a rental company may require an IDP even when the government does not.

Can I rent a luxury car if I’m under 25?

Car groups can carry higher minimums. Sixt’s Greece page says up to 28 for some categories, Europcar Ireland lists 28 for full-size, premium, luxury and standard minivan groups, and Avis UK says selected groups are unavailable under 25.

Can a 23-year-old rent a car in Europe?

On the pages read, yes in the listed countries, usually with a fee: Sixt’s fee ends at 23 in Germany, Spain and Greece but runs to 25 elsewhere in the table, and Avis UK’s UK minimum is 23.

Do you need a credit card to rent a car in Europe?

Sixt Ireland accepts credit cards only, Sixt France lists Visa, MasterCard, American Express and China Union Pay and not prepaid cards or cash, Sixt Netherlands accepts credit and debit cards, and Avis UK lists one major credit card in the renter’s name.