Many car hire companies allow you to cross borders in a rental car. There are, however, caveats and costs involved, and not all rental companies allow it. Here’s what you should know before you can take a hire car abroad.
Which car rental companies allow cross border travel?
If you want to rent a car to travel from the UK to mainland Europe, you must tell the hire company in advance. There will be paperwork involved and that can take time to organise. If you don’t inform them and then take your hire car to Europe, you’ll break your contract and void your insurance and breakdown cover.
Post Brexit, the number of UK car hire companies that allow cross border travel has dropped significantly. Many have imposed restrictions on which countries you can drive to and some only allow certain cars overseas. Here’s a breakdown of the main rental car companies in the UK and their cross-border fees and restrictions.
| Rental company | Cross-border fees | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Avis | 1-7 days: £104.40 8-14 days: £146.16 15-21 days: £180.95 22-28 days: £250.56 | Avis only allows cross-border car rental to Ireland from the UK and requires a minimum of five days’ notice before travel. |
| Budget | 1-7 days: £104.40 8-14 days: £146.16 15-21 days: £180.95 22-28 days: £250.56 | Budget only allows cross-border car rental to Ireland from the UK and requires a minimum of five days’ notice before travel. |
| Europcar | Europdrive Pack: up to £312 Cross-Border Pack: up to £187.43 | Europdrive Pack fees vary by country and are calculated at time of rental. Cross-Border Pack is only for travel to Ireland. Fees vary by trip length. |
| Hertz | 1-7 days: £171.99 8-14 days: £209.90 15-21 days; £226.51 22-28 days: £301.73 | Hertz only allows cross-border car rental to Ireland from the UK. Cover can be bought at time of pick up. |
| SIXT | Visit the Continent fee: Unavailable UK Island Hopper: £45 (one off) | SIXT’s Visit the Continent fee varies by country and length of rental. UK Island Hopper applies to UK territories and Ireland only. |
Note this is a non-exhaustive list, for reference only, and doesn’t go into detail regarding company-specific rules. Use the rental company links to visit their own dedicated pages for more information. And remember – if in doubt, ask!
Can I cross borders in a rental car for free?
From the UK and within Europe, it’s unlikely you’ll find a rental company offering free cross-border travel. This is because insurance policies and legal requirements vary from country to country. If you leave the country you rent in, your insurance is no longer valid and you’ll need a new one. That, inevitably, costs extra.
This isn’t always the case further afield. If you’re hiring a car in the US, for example, you can often cross the border to Canada without paying a surcharge. Just make sure you take a valid passport and the insurance documentation given to you by the rental company. And as always, check before you travel.
Can I drop off my car hire in another country?
One-way car rental involves picking up your car in one country and dropping it off in another. This can be a great option for a destination road trip without having to then face the return drive. For example, if you want to drive to from the UK to Barcelona and enjoy a French road trip en route. You can cruise through the continent, drop the car in Catalonia and fly back to Blighty.
If you plan to drop off your rental car at your destination and return home another way, think about what you pack. It’s easy to load up the car with stuff, but may not be so easy to bring it all home again on a plane or train.
Duncan Madden, travel writer
If you plan on leaving the car in a different country, you’ll have to pay a one-way car rental fee. This is on top of any cross-border fee, and can be expensive. Not every company and rental branch will cater to one-way drop-offs, so you may need to search around for the right rental.
Keep in mind that there are also country and zone-specific rules in Europe. For example, you may not be covered or able to drop off your rental car outside the EU. The same applies if you take your car to Spain‘s Balearic Islands, even though you’re not technically crossing a border.
Driving a rental car from the UK to Europe
Once you’ve found a rental company that’s happy for you to take your hire car into Europe, there are some things to organise. Before you book your rental:
- Make sure you’re happy with the cross-border fee. Most rental companies give this a snazzy name like Europcar’s ‘Europdrive Pack’, and make it a mandatory add-on for cross-border car rental. It’s a neat way of grouping charges for extra taxes, insurance and roadside assistance.
- Complete your VE103 form. This Vehicle on Hire certificate, is a legal document required in the UK when you take a hire car abroad. It proves you have permission from the rental company to drive the car outside the UK. It works like an alternative to the vehicle’s logbook when you’re not the registered owner.
- Check the vehicle comes with all the necessary kit and meets European regulations with a UK sticker or numberplate logo. Different countries also have rules around mandatory equipment that must be in your car at all times. Driving in France, for example, you must have a warning triangle, hi-vis jacket and replacement bulbs with you. Whereas driving in Germany in winter means you’ll need winter tyres and even snow chains for your car.
- Familiarise yourself with driving rules for different countries. Speed limits, legal alcohol limits, horn eitquette and of course, which side of the road to drive on!
- If you’re driving in a non-EU country, check for any extra regulations you may need to take into account. You may find your travel insurance doesn’t extend to non-EU countries unless you have an International Driving Permit (IDP). An officially recognised multi-language translation of your UK licence, you can pick one up online of from the Post Office.
Cross-border car rental rules in the US
If you’re renting in the US and plan to drive across state or national borders, let your rental company know. Different companies impose different rules for different borders, regions and car categories so it can be a minefield.
Most major national hire car companies don’t restrict driving across state lines. Among the big names, Avis, Budget, Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, Enterprise, National and Alamo all allow cross country rentals. Book with any of them and you can drive across borders without incurring incremental fees.
If you’re travelling on a one-way rental, you’ll need to pay a one-way fee just as you would in the UK and Europe. For long-distance journeys, don’t forget to book an unlimited mileage hire car – it could save you a fortune.
Special cases and limits on US cross-border car rental
You won’t be able to cross country if you hire with some regional or smaller national chains. Most don’t have the network to accept drop-offs far from the pick-up location and can’t assist in roadside emergencies. Some may allow driving out of state but have limits on which states.
For example, you could hire a car in California and drive to Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Utah or Washington. But you couldn’t drive to Florida or New York, as they’re too far away. Violating these territorial restrictions would nullify your contract and leave you solely responsible for any incidents that might happen.
Some rental cars have GPS trackers that alert the rental company when they cross a border. Just one more reason to make sure you’ve got the necessary permissions in place before you travel.
Duncan Madde, travel writer
There are also special rules to keep in mind for the non-contiguous states. Hire cars in Hawaii must typically stay on the island you hired them in. And hire cars in Alaska must typically stay in state. Wherever you’re renting, check the terms and conditions of your hire agreement. Special offers and weekend rates may not include the unlimited mileage you’ll need to drive across borders.
Cross-border rules from the US to Canada and Mexico
Most US rental companies will let you drive your hire car into Canada. Exceptions often include luxury cars, exotics and large cargo or passenger vehicles. The same rules for driving between states in the US may apply to driving to Canada.
Driving to Mexico is usually more complicated. If you let the rental company know in advance, and it’s permitted, you can buy extra cross-border insurance. Regardless of your trip, you must let the car hire company know if you’re planning on driving across a border.
Cross-border rules in Latin America, Africa and Asia
In South America, Africa and Asia, crossing borders in a rental car can be much more challenging. At the very least, you’ll need additional border documentation and will often face a sea of admin to navigate. These are more complicated regions that require further explanation beyond the scope of this article.
At the very minimum, have all the necessary documentation and appropriate driving licence prior to travelling. And check your rental terms to see if you need a Letter of Authorisation to cross borders with your rental.
Want to know more about hiring a car?
This article is part of the KAYAK Car Hire Guide series, packed with useful, practical articles on every aspect of renting a car. From the best time to book to the best way to pay, from what insurance to get to how to deal with an accident should the worst happen – dive in!
