What are the driving license requirements?
To rent a vehicle with Europcar in the UK or Northern Ireland, you must meet the following requirements:
Licence Validity
- You must have held a full and valid driving licence for at least 12 months.
- For rentals starting from Plymouth, Exeter, or Taunton, the licence must have been held for at least 2 years.
- No copies or provisional licences are accepted.
Licence Endorsements & Disqualifications
We carry out checks on driving licences and take certain endorsements and disqualifications into account. Below is a simplified overview of what’s acceptable:
Important: If your licence has two or more periods of disqualification, it will not be accepted—even if the endorsement codes themselves are normally allowed.
Driving Licence Checks (UK Licence Holders Only)
Each time you rent a vehicle in the UK, you must validate your driving record using the DVLA’s ‘Share Driving Licence’ online service:
- Go to: www.gov.uk/view-driving-licence
- Log in using: Driving licence number, National Insurance number, Home postcode
- Generate a one-time passcode to share with us
If you cannot use the online service:
- Call the DVLA on 0300 083 0013 (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm), or
- Bring your National Insurance number when you collect the vehicle, and our team will assist you
Old-style UK Paper Licences
If you have an older paper licence, you’ll need:
- A Share Driving Licence passcode
- One of the following photo IDs: Valid passport, Armed Forces ID card, Police warrant card. Other forms of ID are not accepted.
Non-UK Driving Licence Holders
You must present:
- A full and valid driving licence held for at least 12 months
- The licence must be:
- Clearly recognisable as a driving licence
- Valid for the category of vehicle you're renting
- Accepted for use in the UK
If your licence isn’t in English or Latin characters, or doesn’t meet these conditions, you’ll need an International Driving Permit (IDP) in addition to your home licence.
If you're unsure about your eligibility or endorsements, we recommend checking in advance to avoid any delays at pick-up.
