European Travel

Passport: In most European countries you will need at least six months remaining on your passport (issued in the past ten years) at your planned date of departure from Europe. This does not include Ireland. In Ireland your passport just needs to be in date during your travels. 

Driving Licence: A valid UK licence is required for touring in Europe. We require all drivers to be at least 25 years of age and have at least 2 years driving experience. If you have a paper licence or a licence issued in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Jersey or the Isle of Man then you will need an international driving permit 

Vehicle Insurance: Our vehicles are fully insured for driving in Europe. Proof of insurance must be kept onboard the vehicle. Our insurance certificate can be found on all vehicles in the driver reference guide.

You no longer require a green card to prove you have vehicle insurance. 

Proof of vehicle ownership: When driving abroad you need to be able to prove ownership of the vehicle. Normally this is proven through possession of the vehicle’s log book (V5C) 

When driving a rental vehicle in Europe, you still need to prove the vehicle’s ownership and that you have the authority from the hire company to use it. Instead of supplying the V5C, you will be supplied with a VE103B form which is the only legal alternative.

Headlights: We supply a pair of adhesive headlight beam adapters for driving at night. These can be fitted with ease prior to departure at the ports. Application instructions are provided. 

Evidence of return: We require you to provide evidence of a return ticket (Euro Tunnel/Ferry crossing) that shows your return to the UK no later than the day prior to the final day of your hire period. 

Health cover: We recommend you apply for a GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card). This is not a legal requirement but it’s free – so why not. You can apply for your GHIC card by clicking the following link – https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/healthcare-abroad/apply-for-a-free-uk-global-health-insurance-card-ghic/

Travel insurance: Regardless of travelling abroad, we recommend hirers take out their own travel insurance when holidaying. 

Plan ahead: It’s important to plan your journey in advance. You will need to take into consideration any tolls and tunnels on the route. You will also need to be aware of the rules of the road and how they might differ between countries. 

Country specific guides: The AA website provides fantastic tips for when you’re touring abroad. You can also download and print country specific rules of the road. Please click the following link to view road  rules of the country you’re planning to visit – https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/country-by-country 

Low Emission Zones (LEZs): are areas where the most polluting vehicles are regulated. Usually this means that vehicles with higher emissions cannot enter the area. In some low emission zones the more polluting vehicles have to pay more if they enter the low emission zone.
Low Emission Zones are also known as:

• Environment Zones,
• Umweltzonen (Germany),
• Milieuzones (Netherlands),
• ZCR, Zone à Circulation Restreinte (France)
• Lage-emissiezone (Belgium)
• Clean Air Zones (England)
• Miljøzone (Denmark),
• Miljözon (Sweden),
• Lavutslippssone (Norway),
• Alacsony Kibocsátási Övezet (Hungary),
• ZTL ambiente (Italy)