Age Restrictions

Before You Book

Younger drivers intending to hire a campervan may find some extra conditions and charges apply.

Some suppliers may also have maximum age restrictions.

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Age Restrictions

Hiring a campervan is an affordable way to travel and visit so many parts of Australia. From remote locations to untouched coastlines and the city lights, you can travel at your leisure and create your own itinerary in your campervan.

We want everyone to experience a campervan holiday or weekend getaway, here is what you need to know when it comes to age restrictions.

How Old Do I Need to Be to Drive a Campervan?

To drive a campervan, motorhome or 4WD camper, most companies require you to be 21 years of age or older and you must hold a full unrestricted driver’s licence. You will also need a minimum of two years driving experience with some suppliers. If you wish to be an additional driver, you must also meet these licence requirements and have your details added to the rental agreement at check-in.

However, age requirements vary significantly between suppliers. Several companies accept drivers from 18 years of age, while one supplier requires drivers to be at least 25 years old. The table below shows the minimum age for every campervan supplier available through DriveNow.

Supplier Age Comparison

Supplier	Min Age	Max Age	P2 Plates	Notes
Apollo	21	—	—	—
Awesome Campers	21	86	—	—
Britz	21	—	—	—
Camperman	18	85	Yes	—
Campervan Village	21	—	—	Selected vehicles from 18 (surcharge applies for 18–20)
Cheapa Campa	21	—	—	Endeavour and Hitop available from 18
Cruisin Motorhomes	21	79	—	—
GoCheap Campervans	21	—	—	—
Grip 4WD	21	—	—	—
Hippie Camper	18	—	—	—
JUCY	18	—	Yes	—
Let’s Go Motorhomes	21	—	—	—
Maui	21	—	—	—
Maui Elite	21	—	—	—
Mighty Lite	18	—	—	HiLite and Delite models
Spaceships	18	—	Yes
Star RV	21	—	—	—
Tasmania Campers	21	—	—	—
Travellers Autobarn	18	80	Yes

Age requirements can change — always confirm with the supplier at the time of booking. When booking on DriveNow, the minimum age for your selected vehicle is displayed in Step 3 on the booking page.

Why Do Age Restrictions Apply?

Campervan age restrictions are driven by insurance and risk. Younger drivers are statistically more likely to be involved in road accidents, and campervans are larger and heavier than standard cars, requiring more driving experience to handle safely. Insurance underwriters set higher premiums for younger drivers, which is why most suppliers set their minimum age at 21 rather than the legal driving age of 18.

For the same reason, some suppliers apply maximum age limits or require a medical certificate for older drivers — insurers may require evidence of fitness to drive beyond a certain age.

Options for Drivers Aged 18–20

If you are aged 18 to 20, you still have plenty of options. Six suppliers — Camperman, Hippie Camper, JUCY, Mighty Lite, Spaceships and Travellers Autobarn — accept drivers from 18 years of age with a full licence.

Two additional suppliers offer selected vehicles to 18-year-old drivers:

Cheapa Campa — Endeavour and Hitop models
Campervan Village — selected vehicles (a surcharge applies for drivers aged 18–20)

Of these, Campervan Village is the only supplier that charges a young driver surcharge. The other suppliers that accept 18-year-old drivers do not charge an additional fee based on age, though some (such as Travellers Autobarn) note that additional insurance fees may apply.

Things to Keep in Mind as a Younger Driver

Excess amounts — the standard excess (your maximum liability if something goes wrong) ranges from $500 with Camperman to $5,000 with JUCY and Cheapa Campa. Consider purchasing excess reduction to lower your liability, particularly for longer trips. See our insurance and excess reduction guide for more detail.
Bond — most suppliers will place a hold (bond) on your credit card at pickup, typically equal to the excess amount. Make sure your card has sufficient available credit.
Driving experience — even where the minimum age is 18, you must hold a full (unrestricted) driver’s licence. Some suppliers also require a minimum of two years driving experience.

Can I Drive a Campervan as a P Plater?

If you are 18 years or older and hold an Australian Green P Plate (P2) licence, you can hire a campervan with Camperman, Hippie Camper, JUCY, Spaceships and Travellers Autobarn.

P1 (red P plate) licence holders are not accepted by any campervan supplier on DriveNow. If you hold a P1 licence, you will need to wait until you progress to a P2 licence before hiring a campervan.

Keep in mind that P plate driving conditions vary by state — for example, some states restrict the number of passengers a P plater can carry at night, or limit engine power. Check your state’s P plate conditions to make sure they are compatible with your planned trip.

Is There a Maximum Age to Hire a Campervan?

Most campervan suppliers do not set a maximum age limit. However, a small number of suppliers do have upper age restrictions:

Supplier	Maximum Age
Cruisin Motorhomes	79 years
Travellers Autobarn	80 years
Camperman	85 years
Awesome Campers	86 years

Some suppliers that do not have a stated maximum age may still ask drivers over 75 years to provide a medical certificate confirming they are fit to drive. If you are over 75, we recommend contacting the supplier or the rental branch before your trip to confirm their requirements.

Does Vehicle Size Affect Age Requirements?

In general, the minimum age set by a supplier applies to their entire fleet — a 2-berth campervan and a 6-berth motorhome from the same supplier will usually have the same age requirement.

The exception is suppliers that offer selected smaller vehicles to younger drivers while requiring 21+ for their larger fleet. Cheapa Campa and Campervan Village both follow this model, offering their more compact vehicles to 18-year-old drivers while keeping larger motorhomes at a 21+ minimum.

If you are under 21, stick to suppliers and vehicle models that explicitly accept your age group — the comparison table above shows exactly which options are available to you.