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 Australian
Car Rentals - FAQ's
Will my drivers
licence be accepted?
Australian authorities will recognise a valid, unrestricted
drivers license in the English language that has been held for a
minimum of 12 months. An additional permit is not required. In
all other cases, an international drivers permit will be required.
These are issued in your home country prior to your departure. All
documents must be the original and copies are not acceptable.
How old do I
need to be to hire a car?
This will vary from one rental company to another but the usual
requirement is for the renter to be a minimum of 25 years old.
However, some Australian car
rental companies will rent a car to persons 21 years of age. A
mandatory surcharge usually applies in this case and there is no
option to reduce the insurance excess. Certain vehicle types may
also be excluded from rentals by 21 year olds. Exact details
vary between rental companies.
What happens if I receive a speeding fine?
The car rental company will either charge your credit card for the
amount of the fine or supply your details to law enforcement
agencies who will issue the fine to your postal address.
It is
strongly recommended that you pay any fines before leaving
Australia. Failure to do so could result in a future refusal of a
car rental, refusal of a future entry or cancellation of a visa on a
return visit.
Can
I get a one way car hire?
Most companies will allow an Australian car rental where the pick-up
location is different from the drop-off location. A one way fee may,
or may not, be applied to such rentals depending on the locations
involved and whether the company has a branch in both locations.
If a one way fee is applied, it will always appear in your
quotation.
Are additional
drivers allowed?
If there is more than one driver, there may be a charge applied for
any additional drivers over and above the designated driver making
the rental.
Rental Prices -
What's included?
Your quotation will itemise all the cost items involved in your
rental. The vehicle rental rate is charged per day, based on 24 hour
increments from collection time. The rate includes GST and 3rd party
insurance cover. Some airports charge an "airport recovery fee" and
in such cases, the fee will be separately itemised or included in
the total.
What is the insurance liability?
In the event of an insurance claim, the renter is liable for an
insurance excess which is usually an amount of approximately $2500.
The renter has the option to reduce their liability for the excess
amount. By paying an Excess Reduction Option of $20-$25 per day on
top of the rental costs, the excess amount can be reduced to around
$250- $300.
The insurance excess amount and the cost of the Excess Reduction
Option will vary between different car rental companies.
What about babies?
The use of seat belts is compulsory for drivers and all
passengers. Fines are imposed for failure to wear a seat belt. All
baby capsules and car seats must be secured to the anchor point. It
is not acceptable to only use seat belts to secure the baby seat.
Most car rental companies can supply an approved baby car seat for
an additional charge.
What are the speed limits?
Speed limits differ throughout the Australian states. In all
cases, the speed limits are in kilometres per Hour (Km/h). As a
general rule, the limits are:
Demarcated School
Zones - 40 Km/h (7am - 9am & 3pm - 4pm during school terms)
Residential Areas - 50 Km/h
Built-up areas - 60 Km/h
Major arterial roads and urban freeways - 70/80 Km/h
Freeways and Motorways - 100/110 km/h
All roads carry
clearly visible speed limit signs. Speed limits are strictly
enforced.
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