Which requirements apply and whether you also need a valid International Driving Permit depends both on the country where your driving licence was issued and on the country where you rent your vehicle.
IMPORTANT: The same conditions apply to all registered additional drivers.
Renting in Europe
Minimum age
- Europe (excluding the UK and Ireland): Drivers must be at least 18 years old and have held their licence for at least one year
- UK and Ireland: Drivers must be at least 21 years old and have held their licence for at least one year
To prove your driving experience, the date your licence was issued must be clearly visible, e.g. here on the back of a German driving licence:
Driving licence
- Your licence must permit you to drive vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes: category 3 or B
- If you have lost your licence or it has expired, we also accept an officially issued temporary licence.
- Still have an old German paper driving licence ("Lappen")? Here you'll find more information about it.
When do I need an International Driving Permit?
✅ National licence only (category 3 / B) is sufficient:
- Licence issued in an EU member state, EFTA country, or the UK
- UK licence – despite Brexit, still accepted without an International Driving Permit in the EU / EFTA → all info for UK citizens
- Ukrainian licence: under the EU's temporary protection scheme → still accepted without an International Driving Permit in the EU / EFTA
- US military personnel in Germany (special rule)
⚠️ International Driving Permit additionally required:
- Licence issued in a non-EU/EFTA/UK country (e.g. USA, Canada, Australia,…)
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Your customer account, "Drivers" section will automatically notify you via pop-up as soon as you enter such a licence.
Important: If an International Driving Permit is required for your licence and you cannot present it at vehicle pick-up, unfortunately vehicle handover will not be possible.
Minimum age
USA, Canada: Drivers must be at least 21 years old and have held their licence for at least one year.
To prove your driving experience, the date your licence was issued must be clearly visible, e.g. here on the back of a German driving licence:
When do I need an International Driving Permit?
✅ National licence only is sufficient:
- USA: Licence category C/D (Mississippi / Colorado: category R)
- Canada: Licence category 5/G (Ontario) – category 5-GDL (Probationary) is also accepted, provided the issue date is at least 1 year in the past
- Special rule for Quebec, Labrador, Newfoundland: category 5 only permits vehicles up to 4,500 kg – the Family Freedom therefore requires category 3
- EU/EFTA/UK: A valid category B/3 licence from an EU, EFTA, or UK country is sufficient for pick-up. An International Driving Permit is not required. We still recommend applying for one in case you need to prove your driving eligibility during a police or vehicle check.
- In North America, the weight limit is 26,000 lbs (approx. 11.8 tonnes) – a non-US/CAN category B/3 licence therefore also entitles you to drive our campers over 3.5 tonnes.
⚠️ International Driving Permit additionally required:
- An International Driving Permit is required if your licence was issued outside of Canada, the USA, or the EU/EFTA/UK.
- You must always bring your national licence as well.
- Your customer account, "Drivers" section will automatically notify you via pop-up as soon as you enter such a licence.
Important: If an International Driving Permit is required for your licence and you cannot present it at vehicle pick-up, unfortunately vehicle handover will not be possible.
You can ignore this notice. The information in this article takes precedence.
What is an International Driving Permit?
The International Driving Permit is not a standalone licence, but an additional document.
- It is only valid together with your national driving licence.
- It serves as a translation of your national licence.
- As a rental company, we are legally required to verify that you are permitted to drive the vehicle. The International Driving Permit helps us clearly verify your driving eligibility at pick-up.
- Your driving eligibility may also be checked by police or during vehicle inspections. The International Driving Permit ensures it can be easily read and recognized abroad.
Some driving licences – e.g. from Turkey – already include an International Driving Permit on the back. In these cases, you don't need a separate document.
How do I apply for an International Driving Permit?
How you obtain your International Driving Permit differs depending on the country where your licence was issued. Please contact the relevant authorities or your automobile association directly.
Since processing times can take several weeks depending on your country of origin, we recommend applying for your International Driving Permit well in advance of your vehicle pick-up.
Exchanging older licences for EU card licences
Please make sure to check whether your licence is affected by this and needs to be exchanged before pick-up: Driving licence exchange in Germany (paper licences & card licences)