When you hire a rental car, you can arrange for additional drivers to drive the car, but there are some rules to be aware of.
If you would like to add additional drivers to your hire car in the United Kingdom, the good news is yes, this is possible — most car rental providers will permit you to add an additional driver to your booking. However, an extra fee may apply for any additional drivers, and they will need to present their licence at the counter in order to be added to the rental agreement. Read on for more details.
Each additional driver is subject to the same requirements as the primary driver, so you need to keep the following three points in mind:
Driver Licence: Each additional driver will need to hold a full driving licence to the same standards as the primary driver.
Additional Driver Fee: In most cases, there will be an extra charge for every additional driver that is added to the rental agreement.
Age Surcharge: Younger drivers will generally have to pay an additional fee. Your rental provider’s terms and conditions will specify this surcharge.
Additional drivers will need to be recorded when you collect the rental car — not during the booking process. They will need to attend the rental collection counter with you, present their driver licence, and sign the applicable paperwork to be added to the rental agreement. The fees for this will be included in your rental agreement and added to the cost of your rental car. Alternatively, additional drivers can be added before or after the collection date by visiting one of the rental provider’s depots.
Yes, your spouse or partner will be permitted to drive the rental car so long as they are present at the rental counter with a valid licence at the time of collection. Some rental providers may waive the additional driver fee for the spouse of the primary driver, however, they may have certain requirements or validation processes regarding this.
You can add as many drivers as there are seats in the rental car, but keep in mind that any applicable additional driver fees may apply per driver, so more drivers may mean a higher overall rental cost.
Generally, there is a fee per additional driver, but these fees will vary depending on your rental provider and location. Prior to booking, you can always contact your prospective rental provider to confirm the fee.
