Common Questions About Car Rentals

With some exceptions you need to be over 21 to hire a car in Australia. If you are between 21 and 25 the rental car supplier at 
the collection point may ask you: 

· To select a specific vehicle category that allows drivers to be under 25 years of age (some suppliers restrict certain vehicle categories to only 25+ hirers) 

· To pay a Young Driver's Age surcharge to complete the rental agreement 

In Australia all drivers are required to hold a current full and valid driver’s licence for at least 12 months, without any restrictions. Probationary licences are not accepted. Your valid driver’s licence must be presented when collecting your rental vehicle along with the licenses of any additional drivers. 

Driver licences must be in English or supported by a certified translation or international driving permit along with your licence. For non-English language-based driving licenses we always recommend to also carry an International Driving Permit. 

Each vehicle is displayed with ‘or similar’. When making a reservation, you are booking a vehicle category and not a specific vehicle model. Specific makes and models within a vehicle category may vary in availability and features such as passenger seating, luggage capacity, equipment, mileage and engine size. 

As rental car companies will not guarantee that a particular make, model or colour will be available for a specific reservation, unfortunately DriveNow cannot either. 

Car rental companies turn over their rental fleets on a regular basis and as vehicles move between branch locations and different cities. Therefore, occasionally the vehicle you pick up may not be the exact make and model you selected at the time of booking. Normally the vehicle will be within the vehicle category booked however if none are available it will be a similar size or alternatively the next category available. 

No. No rental supplier will guarantee that a particular make, model or colour will be available for a specific reservation. You will notice that vehicles are always designated “or similar” as specific makes & models within a vehicle category may vary in availability and features such as passenger seating, luggage capacity, equipment, mileage and engine size. 

Vehicle types, images and specifications displayed online are given as a guide only, they are simply an example of the type of vehicle that the rental company includes within that Vehicle category. You will be booking a particular category rather than a specific vehicle model. 

Yes. Check with the staff at the rental branch where you collect your vehicle before departing. Failure to adhere to restrictions will invalidate all insurance cover. 

Rental companies do impose restrictions on vehicle usage and these may include driving only on maintained sealed roads with strictly no off-road use and not taking the vehicle on a ferry. 

Yes your arrival flight number is important information for the car rental company if you are collecting a vehicle from an airport. Your flight number will indicate to the rental car company which terminal you will be arriving at (Domestic or International Terminal). 

If you experience a flight delay and the rental company is aware of your flight details, they are more likely to hold the vehicle for you. Without arrival flight details in your reservation and if you haven’t collected the vehicle at the booked time, they may treat your reservation as a ‘no-show’ and release the vehicle to another customer. 

Where possible it is recommended that you book in advance. During peak periods such as long weekends, Easter, Christmas and School Holidays, vehicles sell out well in advance. 

This is particularly true for specialty vehicles such as 12-seaters, People Movers, luxury & sport cars along with 4WD’s which all sell-out quickly and early. Customers should considering booking 3-4 months in advance to secure the best rate and avoid the disappointment of missing out due to supply being exhausted. 

Yes. DriveNow is a comparison web site with live pricing fed directly from our rental partners. As such pricing can change at the discretion of the rental provider and as vehicles are booked by other customers. However once you have made your confirmed booking the rates are locked in for the booking dates you have selected. 

Booking in advance is always recommended to secure the best rate, generally the earlier you book the cheaper the rate. 

Rental companies offer both child and booster seats. You can hire infant and child seats when making your car booking. Use the comments section to provide any further details. Each rental provider has its own charges and conditions on seat hire, and fees can vary depending if you’re hiring from an airport or city location.