Renting a Car Abroad: The Complete 2025 Guide
Everything you need to know to rent a car abroad with complete peace of mind: international driving licence, insurance, documents, pitfalls to avoid. Expert advice and comprehensive guidance.
Renting a car abroad is one of the best ways to discover a country in total freedom. Whether it is for a road trip across Europe, a holiday in the United States, or a trip to Israel, car rental offers unmatched flexibility.
However, renting abroad can be confusing: international driving licence, CDW/SCDW insurance, excess charges, hidden fees... This complete 2025 guide explains everything in detail so you can avoid the pitfalls and rent with confidence.
📋 Table of Contents
1. Driving Licence and International Permit
✅ EU/French Licence Sufficient
Within the European Union:
- France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, etc.
- Your EU licence is sufficient (no international permit needed)
- Valid in all EU countries
Outside the EU — French licence accepted:
- Switzerland, Norway, Iceland
- Israel (French licence valid)
- United Kingdom (despite Brexit)
⚠️ International Permit REQUIRED
In these countries, an international driving permit is required in addition to your EU licence:
- United States and Canada (strongly recommended, sometimes mandatory depending on the state)
- United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abu Dhabi) — REQUIRED
- Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam
- Australia, New Zealand
- Japan, South Korea
- South Africa, Morocco (depending on the rental company)
💡 How to obtain it? Apply online through your country's motor authority (allow 3 weeks). Valid for 3 years. ALWAYS present both licences together.
2. Required Documents at Pick-Up
MANDATORY Documents
- ✓Driving licence (+ international permit if required)
- ✓International credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard)
- ✓Passport or national ID in date
- ✓Reservation voucher (email confirmation)
- ✓Proof of address less than 3 months old (sometimes)
Points to Watch
- ⚠️Card must be in the name of the main driver only
- ⚠️CREDIT card often required (not a debit card)
- ⚠️Security deposit blocked: €300–1,500 depending on the vehicle
- ⚠️Licence held for at least 1 year
- ⚠️Minimum age: 21–25 years depending on country/rental company
3. Insurance: CDW, LDW, SCDW Explained
⚠️ CRITICAL: Insurance is the most important — and most confusing — aspect of renting a car abroad. Understanding what you are paying for can save you hundreds of euros and avoid headaches in the event of an accident.
🛡️ CDW (Collision Damage Waiver)
Basic insurance (often included in the rental price)
- Covers damage to the rental vehicle in case of accident
- INCLUDES an excess (typically €800–1,500)
- You pay the excess if there is an accident; the rest is covered
Example: Example: Accident causing €3,000 in damage, CDW with €1,000 excess → You pay €1,000, insurance covers the remaining €2,000
✨ SCDW (Super CDW) or Full Cover
Zero-excess insurance (paid option: +€15–25/day)
- Reduces the excess to €0
- You pay NOTHING for damages (except exclusions)
- Complete peace of mind
💡 Recommended for long road trips, expensive vehicles, or if you are unsure about local driving conditions. Cost: €15–25/day (€105–175 for 7 days).
💳 Credit Card Insurance (Visa Premier, Gold Mastercard)
Many premium bank cards include car rental insurance
- Visa Premier / Infinite: CDW insurance included (excess covered up to €100,000)
- Mastercard Gold / World Elite: same
- American Express Platinum: premium coverage
✅ Advantages: Saves €15–25/day | Covers excess | Free with your card
⚠️ Important conditions:
- Decline SCDW from the rental company (keep basic CDW only)
- Pay for the rental with this card
- Maximum rental duration: 31–62 days depending on the card
- Report any claim to your bank within 5 days
- Check exclusions (countries, vehicle types)
4. Hidden Fees to Watch Out For
🚨 Common Traps
1. Young drivers (under 25)
Surcharge: €15–30/day. Can double the price! Some companies refuse drivers under 21.
2. Additional driver
Cost: €8–15/day per person. Free with some loyalty cards.
3. Airport pick-up fee
Surcharge: €20–50 for airport pick-up/drop-off (airport taxes).
4. One-way rental (different city)
Fees: €50–300 depending on distance. Very expensive between different countries.
5. Equipment (GPS, baby seat)
GPS: €10–15/day (use your phone!). Baby seat: €5–10/day or FREE with Elynor Tours.
6. Automatic gearbox
Surcharge: €8–15/day in Europe (included in the USA).
5. Fuel Policy
✅ Full-to-Full (RECOMMENDED)
You collect the car with a full tank and must return it full.
The fairest policy. You only pay for what you consume.
❌ Pre-paid Fuel (AVOID)
You pre-pay a full tank and return the car empty.
TRAP! Fuel price inflated by 30–50%. You lose any unused fuel.
⚠️ Empty-to-Empty
You collect the car empty and return it empty.
Rare. Hard to estimate the exact amount of fuel needed.
6. Destination-Specific Rules
🇺🇸 United States
- • Automatic gearbox standard (no surcharge)
- • Insurance recommended (medical costs are very high)
- • International permit strongly recommended
- • Electronic tolls E-ZPass ($1–5/day + tolls)
🇮🇱 Israel
- • French/EU licence sufficient (no international permit)
- • SCDW insurance recommended (winding roads)
- • No tolls (free roads)
- • Be aware of Shabbat (Friday evening to Saturday evening)
🇦🇪 Dubai / UAE
- • International permit REQUIRED
- • Many speed cameras
- • Salik tolls (electronic, €1–2 per passage)
- • Luxury cars available (Ferrari, Lamborghini)
🇪🇺 Europe (EU)
- • EU licence valid everywhere
- • Motorway vignettes required (Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia)
- • ZTL zones in Italy (restricted traffic zones — fines €80–100)
- • Congestion charge in London (£15/day)
7. 15 Expert Tips from Elynor Tours
1. Book 2–3 months in advance
Save 30–50% and guarantee availability
2. Compare ALL fees
Displayed price ≠ final price. Check insurance, young driver, airport fees
3. Take photos
Photograph/film the vehicle condition (bodywork, interior, mileage) before leaving
4. Check your bank card
Visa Premier/Gold often covers the excess → saves €15–25/day
5. Refuse pre-paid fuel
Always choose 'Full-to-Full'. Pre-paid fuel is a costly trap
6. Read the contract
Check unlimited mileage, insurance exclusions, fuel policy
7. Keep all receipts
Fuel, tolls, parking. Essential in case of a dispute
8. Check toll options
Electronic tolls (E-ZPass, Via Verde, Telepass) → rent the device (€1/day)
9. Additional drivers
Declare ALL drivers. Insurance is void for undeclared drivers
10. Return on time
Delay >1h = an extra day charged (€40–100)
11. Check the vehicle before leaving
Test brakes, lights, tyres, wipers. Report any issue IMMEDIATELY
12. GPS: use your phone
Google Maps/Waze is free. Rental GPS: €10–15/day
13. "Or equivalent" category
You book a category, not a specific model. Accept alternatives
14. Fill up BEFORE the airport
Airport fuel stations cost 20–30% more. Fill up 5 km before
15. Save the rental emergency number
Store in your phone. Essential in case of breakdown or accident
Conclusion
Renting a car abroad is a wonderful experience that gives you total freedom to explore at your own pace. With this complete guide, you have everything you need to:
- Know which documents to bring (international permit, insurance)
- Understand CDW/SCDW insurance and save money with your bank card
- Avoid hidden fees (young driver, pre-paid fuel, one-way)
- Know the local rules (tolls, restricted zones, driving)
🚗 At Elynor Tours, we support you throughout your car rental abroad:
- ✅ Personalised advice for your destination
- ✅ Negotiated rates with the best rental companies
- ✅ French-speaking support 7 days a week
- ✅ Full price transparency (no hidden fees)