Australia Car Rental Requirements

There are many reasons as to why you may need to rent a car; whether you're going on vacation or even need one for business purposes, renting a car is a great way to get where you need to go without putting the miles on your personal vehicle. If you're looking to rent a car for the first time, then you might be wondering what the requirements are in your country. Read on to learn about the legal requirements when it comes to getting a car rental in Newcastle.

Age and Add-On Requirements

All rental car drivers in Australia must be at least 25 years of age. In general, only the person who rents the car under his or her name is allowed to drive the rental vehicle. Exceptions to this include designated employees and spouses of renters. All other drivers are generally considered to be 'add-on' drivers and will need to pay an additional fee to the car rental company in order to drive the vehicle.

License Requirements

Aside from being at least 25 years of age, those renting a car in Australia must also possess a valid driver's license. There are a few different license types that rental can agencies will typically accept, such as:

• United States driver's licenses
• Australian-issued licenses
• New Zealand licenses

Furthermore, most car rental agencies require renters to have carried a valid license for at least 12 consecutive months prior to renting.

Other Considerations

If you're planning on renting a car in Australia and you meet all of the above requirements, you'll also want to take insurance coverage into consideration. Your current auto insurance police may cover rental cars, but you should never assume that this is the case. Instead, check with your insurance agent to find out what kind of coverage, if any, will extend to your rental car.

If you don't have enough coverage, you can usually purchase the coverage you need from the rental agency for an additional daily fee. Furthermore, you can specify how much additional coverage you'd like to purchase based on your needs and budget. Just be sure to purchase as much as you can comfortably afford; it's better to be safe than sorry, after all.

The requirements for renting a car in Australia are pretty much in line with the requirements in place for many other countries. Be sure that you meet these and have the right amount of insurance coverage before you rent your car by keeping the above information in mind. This way, you can ensure an enjoyable and stress-free car rental experience during your trip. To learn more about the types of cars available for you rental, visit us at Newcastle Car & Truck Rental.