Van Hire Age / Licence Guidelines
We've compiled the table below to provide an at-a-glance guide to the different age, licence and mileage rules used by each of the main UK van hire companies. Young drivers should not despair either. We've listed the minimum age requirements for each company below; as long as you are over 21 you should be able to hire a van.
Please note that while we make every effort to keep this information up to date, we can't guarantee that it is correct. Please contact the hire company concerned directly if you have any questions.
| Company | Min. age | Max. age | Driving License Requirements | Hourly Hire? | Mileage Restrictions? | Travel Outside UK? |
 |
25 | Usually 75 | Minimum 2 years full UK licence, maximum of 6 points for minor offences. | No | No | No |
 |
21-25 (depending on van) | Usually none but some branches limit age to 70/75 | Full UK licence held for at least one year and without any serious endorsements or recent disqualifications. | No | No | No |
|
21-25 (larger vans/trucks over 25 only) | 75 | Full, clean licence held for at least 1 year. | No | No | See our Driving A Hire Van Abroad page |
 |
23 (surcharge applies for 23-25 yr. olds) | 74 | Full EU licence held for at least one year or appropriate International Driving Licence - check with Europcar if unsure. | Yes | No | No |
 |
Usually 21 (surcharges may apply for under 25s) | Varies depending on location | Full UK Licence held for 1 year (2 years in some locations). | No | No | No |
General Notes
- Anyone with a new-style photocard license will also need to provide the paper part.
- A deposit will be taken from your credit card before you leave - usually £200-£300. This will be cancelled on the van's safe return.
- Rental companies normally require 2 forms of ID, sometimes including a passport for non-UK nationals. You should be informed of the requirements when booking.
- Remember to check the fuel policy - the most common setup is that you will be provided with a full tank and will have to return it full, or be charged an inflated price for the missing fuel.
- Remember that most vans run on diesel - many hire companies will make you liable for the cost of sorting out any fuel mistakes. Filler caps are normally labelled with the fuel type - check.
- Almost all hire vans up to and including Luton/box vans can be driven on a standard car license (Category B licence) as they will have a maximum gross/laden weight of 3.5 tonnes or less.
- Anyone wishing to drive a 7.5t truck will need Category C1 entitlement on their licenses. If you took your car test before 01/01/1997, you should already have this. Anyone who has taken their car test since 01/01/1997 will need to take a separate category C1 test.
