Find out beforehand about international driver’s licenses and any special restrictions on foreign drivers placed by governments or rental companies overseas. U.S. drivers should be particularly aware that some other countries impose age limits on driving and renting that do not exist in the United States.
Rental companies in some countries will not allow people over a certain age (generally 70 or 75) to rent cars. Other countries may impose a surcharge on older drivers, or they may limit access to certain types of cars. Finally, in many places providing a rental is at the discretion of the rental agency; the agency may turn you down regardless of age if they feel you are too old to operate a vehicle.
Here are specifics on a number of countries where senior travelers may have difficulty:
- Czech Republic: No legal age restriction, but older drivers may encounter difficulty with rental agencies.
- Denmark: Legal age limit for rentals is 80.
- Greece: Some agencies restrict rentals to drivers under 70.
- Ireland (Republic of): Legal age limit for rentals is 75. Surcharges on drivers 70-74.
- Italy: Some agencies restrict rentals to drivers under 75.
- Poland: No legal age restriction, but older drivers may encounter difficulty with rental agencies.
- Romania: Some agencies restrict rentals to drivers under 70.
- Slovakia: No legal age restriction, but older drivers may encounter difficulty with rental agencies.
- Turkey: No legal age restriction, but older drivers may encounter difficulty with rental agencies.
- U.K. & Northern Ireland: Some agencies restrict rentals to drivers under 70.
In some places, rules for leasing a car may be less restrictive than renting.
It’s also a good idea to check driving rules in all countries for cross-border trips, even if the country you are initially renting in has no age-based restrictions. Make sure you are still legally entitled to operate a vehicle in all countries you’ll be visiting, not just the one in which you rent.
