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Maximum age to rent a car

When it comes to age requirements to rent a car, much attention is given to under 25 car hire and how surcharges are applied for young people or those with limited driving experience. However less well documented are restrictions over the maximum age to rent a car. We’ve pulled data from all of the leading rental agents in Europe to display the maximum age to rent a car.

Car hire maximum age Alamo / Avis / Budget / Enterprise

Country / Agent
Alamo
Avis
Budget
Enterprise
Albania 
99
99
70
99
Austria 
99
99
99
99
Azerbaijan
n/a
99
n/a
n/a
Belarus 
n/a
99
70
n/a
Belgium 
n/a
99
72
n/a
Bosnia and Herzegovina 
75
99
75
75
Bulgaria 
75
99
75
75
Croatia 
80
99
99
70
Cyprus 
75
70
99
75
Czech Republic 
99
99
99
99
Denmark 
99
99
99
99
Estonia 
75
99
75
n/a
Finland 
99
99
97
n/a
France
99
99
99
99
Georgia
79
99
65
79
Germany 
80
99
99
99
Greece 
75
99
99
75
Hungary 
99
99
99
99
Iceland 
99
99
80
99
Ireland 
70
74
75
99
Italy 
74
99
75
99
Kazakhstan
n/a
75
n/a
n/a
Kosovo 
70
n/a
n/a
70
Latvia 
99
90
90
99
Liechtenstein 
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Lithuania 
99
99
99
n/a
Luxembourg 
99
99
75
99
Malta 
n/a
75
75
n/a
Moldova 
n/a
n/a
n/a
n/a
Monaco 
n/a
99
99
n/a
Montenegro 
n/a
99
n/a
n/a
Netherlands
80
99
90
80
Norway 
n/a
99
99
n/a
Poland 
99
99
99
n/a
Portugal 
80
99
99
80
Romania 
75
99
99
99
Russia
n/a
99
n/a
n/a
Serbia 
70
99
77
70
Slovakia 
99
99
99
99
Slovenia 
70
99
99
70
Spain
99
80
99
99
Sweden 
99
99
99
99
Switzerland 
80
99
99
80
Turkey
99
99
99
99
Ukraine 
99
n/a
99
n/a
United Kingdom
99
75
99
99

Car hire maximum age Europcar / Firefly / Green Motion / Hertz

Country
Europcar
Firefly
Green Motion
Hertz
Albania 
99
n/a
76
n/a
Austria 
99
n/a
75
99
Azerbaijan
99
n/a
n/a
75
Belarus 
99
n/a
n/a
n/a
Belgium 
99
n/a
n/a
99
Bosnia and Herzegovina 
75
n/a
65
n/a
Bulgaria 
69
n/a
99
n/a
Croatia 
80
99
n/a
99
Cyprus 
73
80
78
80
Czech Republic 
n/a
n/a
70
70
Denmark 
99
n/a
n/a
99
Estonia 
99
n/a
99
80
Finland 
99
n/a
99
99
France
99
99
n/a
99
Georgia
65
n/a
n/a
99
Germany 
n/a
n/a
n/a
99
Greece 
75
75
80
99
Hungary 
n/a
n/a
n/a
99
Iceland 
99
99
90
99
Ireland 
n/a
n/a
n/a
75
Italy 
99
99
n/a
99
Kazakhstan
n/a
n/a
n/a
80
Kosovo 
99
n/a
n/a
n/a
Latvia 
99
n/a
99
75
Liechtenstein 
99
n/a
n/a
n/a
Lithuania 
99
n/a
99
75
Luxembourg 
99
n/a
n/a
n/a
Malta 
n/a
75
69
75
Moldova 
70
n/a
n/a
99
Monaco 
99
n/a
n/a
n/a
Montenegro 
75
n/a
99
99
Netherlands
99
n/a
80
99
Norway 
99
n/a
n/a
99
Poland 
99
n/a
99
99
Portugal 
99
99
n/a
99
Romania 
70
99
70
99
Russia
65
n/a
n/a
n/a
Serbia 
75
n/a
70
99
Slovakia 
70
70
n/a
70
Slovenia 
80
n/a
70
99
Spain
99
n/a
n/a
99
Sweden 
99
n/a
99
99
Switzerland 
99
n/a
n/a
n/a
Turkey
99
n/a
85
99
Ukraine 
99
n/a
n/a
99
United Kingdom
75
75
80
99

Car hire maximum age Interrent / Sixt / Thrifty

Country
Interrent
Sixt
Thrifty
Albania 
n/a
99
n/a
Austria 
n/a
99
99
Azerbaijan
n/a
n/a
75
Belarus 
99
99
n/a
Belgium 
n/a
70
75
Bosnia and Herzegovina 
80
n/a
n/a
Bulgaria 
n/a
99
75
Croatia 
n/a
99
n/a
Cyprus 
n/a
80
99
Czech Republic 
n/a
64
n/a
Denmark 
n/a
99
99
Estonia 
75
99
n/a
Finland 
n/a
99
99
France
75
99
99
Georgia
n/a
65
99
Germany 
99
99
80
Greece 
n/a
99
99
Hungary 
n/a
85
99
Iceland 
99
99
n/a
Ireland 
n/a
75
75
Italy 
80
99
99
Kazakhstan
n/a
n/a
72
Kosovo 
99
99
n/a
Latvia 
99
99
75
Liechtenstein 
n/a
n/a
n/a
Lithuania 
75
99
75
Luxembourg 
n/a
70
n/a
Malta 
n/a
70
75
Moldova 
n/a
99
n/a
Monaco 
n/a
99
n/a
Montenegro 
n/a
99
n/a
Netherlands
n/a
99
75
Norway 
n/a
99
99
Poland 
99
99
99
Portugal 
99
99
99
Romania 
n/a
99
n/a
Russia
n/a
99
n/a
Serbia 
75
99
n/a
Slovakia 
n/a
99
99
Slovenia 
80
99
n/a
Spain
99
99
99
Sweden 
n/a
99
n/a
Switzerland 
n/a
99
n/a
Turkey
n/a
99
n/a
Ukraine 
n/a
99
n/a
United Kingdom
n/a
75
n/a

What rental agents have biggest restrictions?

The majority of countries in Europe have a rental agent who will rent a car without restriction or surcharge to anyone up to 99 years of age, however some are more generous than others and it also varies by country.

Taking the average maximum rental age, Avis are the most accommodating across all countries with an average maximum age of 98. They offer car rental to anyone up to 99 in all counties in Europe apart from Ireland (74), Kazakhstan (75), Malta (75), Spain (80) and the UK limited to just 75. The most restrictive car rental agent in Europe is Green Motion who average just 88 years old, offering rental cars to anyone up to 99 years old in just 8 countries in Europe.

Malta has the lowest age restriction on car rental at just 75. All rental agents on the island have a maximum rental age of 75, whilst Green Motion limit this to just 69. The maximum age you can rent a car in Albania is 76, available from Green Motion. Budget and Enterprise will rent a car up to the age of 70, whilst Alamo have the strictest policy with a maximum age of just 69.

Average / lowest upper age limits on car rental

Country
Average
Lowest
Albania 
71
76
Austria 
97
99
Azerbaijan
87
99
Belarus 
93
99
Belgium 
86
99
Bosnia and Herzegovina 
78
99
Bulgaria 
83
99
Croatia 
91
99
Cyprus 
81
99
Czech Republic 
86
99
Denmark 
99
99
Estonia 
88
99
Finland 
99
99
France
97
99
Georgia
81
99
Germany 
94
99
Greece 
88
99
Hungary 
97
99
Iceland 
96
99
Ireland 
78
99
Italy 
92
99
Kazakhstan
76
80
Kosovo 
87
99
Latvia 
92
99
Liechtenstein 
99
99
Lithuania 
91
99
Luxembourg 
90
99
Malta 
73
75
Moldova 
89
99
Monaco 
99
99
Montenegro 
94
99
Netherlands
89
99
Norway 
99
99
Poland 
99
99
Portugal 
95
99
Romania 
90
99
Russia
88
99
Serbia 
82
99
Slovakia 
89
99
Slovenia 
85
99
Spain
97
99
Sweden 
99
99
Switzerland 
93
99
Turkey
97
99
Ukraine 
99
99
United Kingdom
86
99

Senior Driver Surcharge

Should a senior driver surcharge be applicable, this will be set out in the terms and conditions of your individual rental, however unlike the young driver surcharge, this is has largely been abolished, with just a maximum age restriction in place. Check the individual terms and conditions for your rental or ask a member of the team who will advise accordingly. Be sure to let use your age at time of rental (return date) and not time of booking to ensure we have the correct information.

Can I rent a car if over 65?

Absoltely. 65 used to be an age whereby rental agents would either prohibit car rental, or more commonly apply a ‘senior driver surcharge’ in effect the same surcharge applied to the under 25’s and young drivers. It’s no secret that the youngest and eldest drivers are the most likely to be involved in an accident, be it though inexperience or otherwise, car insurance premiums tend to peak for the youngest and oldest in society reflecting the risk profile for these groups. However, whilst most rental agents still apply a young driver surcharge for under 25’s, on the whole the upper age limit to rent a car has been increased to 99.

Fitness to drive and rent a car.

No matter what the maximum age limit to rent a car as set by the rental agent in a given country, you’ll still need to present a valid driving license when colleting the car. Different countries have different policies when it comes to fitness to drive and in some countries you are required to renew your driving license at certain ages which require varying levels of certification or declarations. If you are over 70 and intent to rent a car, ensure your driving license is valid.
 
Country
Renewal Required
Renewal Age / Term
Medical requirements
Belgium
No
n/a
None
Denmark
Yes
70 - renewed for four years
71 - renewed for three years
72-79 - renewed for two years
80+ - renewed for one year
If ill, shorter terms possible.
Doctor certificate required
United Kingdom
Yes
70 - mandatory renewal for three-year periods
Self declaration of ability to meet driving vision standard required. Any medical condition that could affect ability to drive must be reported to the DVLA.
Finland
Yes
45 - renewed every five years
70 - renewal period subject to medical review
After 45 years of age, medical review required every five years including vision test. Renewal requires medical examination and verification of ability by two people.
France
No
n/a
None
Germany
No
n/a
None
Ireland
Yes
Annual renewal regardless of age
At 70, a certificate of medical fitness is required
Italy
Yes
Renewed every 10 years up to 50
Renewed every 5 years from 50-70
Renewed every 3 years over 70
Medical test required with renewal
Netherlands
Yes
70 - medical review required every five years
Subject to physical condition, medical review may be more frequent, vision test is required
Portugal
Yes
70 - renewed every two years
Medical exam is required every two years
Sweden
No
No renewal required
None
Phil Partridge
Posted: September 20, 2019 by Phil Partridge
About the Author -

Travel writer, car rental guru, Phil has rented cars all over the world and shares his knowledge and experience on the Rhinocarhire.com Blog. Favourite country to visit: France.

Last updated: Sunday, February 4, 2024
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