Age and car rental. How does that work exactly?

From what age can you rent a car? What about the maximum age? And why do young drivers sometimes pay a surcharge? We are happy to explain it to you.

What is the minimum age for driving a rental car?

In general, the minimum age to drive a rental car is 25 years, but this can vary per destination and even per category. In addition, it is required that you have a valid driving license for at least one year (sometimes even two). So we cannot give an unequivocal answer. The best thing to do is to check the rental conditions of your preferred car; there you will find exactly what the rules are for that specific car. 

Lower the minimum age for car rentals

Usually the minimum age is 25, but it is often possible to lower it. This can be arranged in advance with our Young Driver service. With this service you can lower the age from 25 to 21 years. The age reduction is then part of your all-inclusive rental price and thus already arranged and paid for in advance. In the filter menu you can see if this service is available at your destination.

Is the Young Driver service not available? Then you can still lower the age by paying a surcharge on the spot. This is often more expensive than the Young Driver service. In the rental conditions you will see exactly what is possible and at what cost for each rental car. You do not have to inform us about such a age reduction, you just have to pay the costs on the spot when you pick up the car. Is lowering the age limit not mentioned in the rental conditions? Then it is unfortunately not possible for that selected rental car and with that local partner.

What if you reach the minimum age during the rental period?

Do you have a birthday coming up during your holiday and then you reach the minimum age for car rental? Unfortunately, that is not considered a good enough reason to let you rent the car. The date of pickup of the car and the date you sign the rental contract determine your age.

Maximum age for car rental

There is a maximum age for car rentals at several destinations. No, this is really no age discrimination and we do not doubt your driving skills. Sometimes we hear: ‘I'm already in possession of my driving licence for 55 years, always drove properly and never caused any damage! Can I still rent the car?’ We understand that thought very well, but the maximum age (like the minimum age) has everything to do with the insurance conditions of the local fleet provider. We cannot deviate from them. If a maximum age applies at your destination, you will also find this in the rental conditions.

Can you increase the maximum age to rent a car?

Fortunately, you can raise the maximum age at some destinations. This way you can still explore your holiday destination with a rental car. In the rental conditions you can read more about raising the maximum age and the amount of the surcharge you will have to pay locally.

How do you see the age for each car?

The minimum and maximum age requirements are stated in the rental terms and conditions. So you can select the car that suits your age in advance.

In addition, on the page where you provide your Personal details, we ask you to indicate your age. Is it different from the minimum or maximum age allowed for the rental car you have selected? Then you can immediately see whether you can still rent the car and what the possible costs are. At Sunny Cars we stand for clarity and transparency!

Why are there differences between the permitted ages?

At Sunny Cars we work together with several local car rental companies. The age requirements are determined by their insurance conditions. We have to stick to those age requirements. It’s good to know that we do not determine this ourselves.

Why is it sometimes impossible to rent a car even though you have had your driving license for years?

Maybe you've had your license for four years and have never had any damage. Or maybe you got your license in one go. Why are you still not allowed to rent a car? Because they only look at your age and not at your experience.

Does the minimum age also apply to the additional driver?

Yes, for any additional driver the same age rules apply as for the main driver. If an additional driver wants to lower the age, this is possible. There are 2 supplements to take into account: 1 for adding an additional driver to the booking and 1 for lowering the age.