New Driver Car Hire

Need to hire a car but you’ve held your licence for less than 12 months? You’ve come to the right place. 

Here at Indigo Car Hire, we work with suppliers around the world who specialise in car rental for new drivers. Thankfully, the cost for this service is also lower than you would think. 

Yes, it’s true that a number of car hire companies state that you must have held your licence for at least 12 months in order to hire a vehicle. Some even ask for two years of experience, depending on your age. 

However, a number of our suppliers do offer car hire for new drivers, and the only time restriction is that you must have passed your test and have your licence in your hand. This means that, if the postal service is on your side, you could hire a car in the UK within a week of passing your test. 

Passed your test but unsure how to obtain a physical licence so you can hire a car? All of the information you need is here. 

Can You Rent a Car as a New Driver in the UK? 

You’ll be thrilled to hear that the restrictions for new driver car hire aren’t too onerous. As long as you meet all of the below conditions, you’ll be able to rent a car as a new driver in the UK: 

• Hold a full, clean UK licence
• Aged 25 or over
• Possess a debit or credit card in your own name
• You are on the electoral roll at your current address*

*If, for some reason, you do not yet appear on the electoral roll, you can still hire a car. However, you will need to pay for it using a credit card.

If you have any points on your new licence, it may still be possible to arrange this service. This will depend on the number of points and what they are for. Call or chat online with one of our rental experts for further information regarding car rental for new drivers in this instance.

Finally, please note that our car hire for new drivers offer is only available to people who are at least 25 years old. For information regarding our young driver car hire service, please view our young driver page.

Popular Locations For New Driver Car Hire

Most new drivers look to hire a car in the UK. Below we’ve outlined all of the information you need to know about hiring a car in your local area:

This list is by no means exhaustive, so if you’re searching for car rental for new drivers and you can’t see your exact location listed above, please get in touch with our team. 

Contact Us To Discuss Car Hire for New Drivers Today

If you are a new driver and wish to hire a car in the UK or abroad, then contact us today. We will make the whole process easy for you. You can contact our team via phone (0113 88 00 748), email ([email protected]) or using the chat function on this page.

Added to this, as well as offering car rental for new drivers, here at Indigo we’re also proud to offer a number of other complementary deals, including both debit card car hire and low deposit car hire. With both of these options, you can also add a free additional driver.

New Driver Car Hire FAQs

Can I hire a car having just passed my driving test? 

Yes, providing you have received your licence in the post and are over 25 years of age (when hiring in the UK). 

What’s the difference between new driver car hire and young driver car hire? 

New driver car hire and young driver car hire are different products that suit different drivers. 

New driver car hire is perfect for people who passed their driving test less than 12 months ago and are aged 25+. 

Meanwhile, young driver car hire is the perfect solution for people aged under 25 and are looking to hire a vehicle. It’s important to remember that ‘young drivers’ in this context may have been driving for multiple years. For example, someone who is aged 24 and has been driving since they were 18 is still classed as a ‘young driver’. However, a 25-year-old who has just passed their test is not seen as a ‘young driver’ and is instead viewed as a ‘new driver’. 

I’m under 25 and just passed my test, can I hire a car? 

Unfortunately you cannot if you’re hiring in the UK. However, if you would like to hire a car abroad for a holiday, then we can help in most cases.

What do I need to do to be able to hire a car as a new driver? 

You will need your licence, a proof of address that matches the address on your licence and a form of payment in your own name. Credit cards are preferred, but in some cases we can take payment from your debit card.

What cars can I hire as a new driver? 

In the UK, you can hire various vehicles, from small city cars up to the larger family cars that fit into the ‘compact’ category.

Can I hire a car with my pass certificate? 

Unfortunately, even though we can provide car hire to new drivers, you can only hire a vehicle once you have received your photo card driver’s licence. However, you can apply for this as soon as you pass your test and it usually only takes 1-2 weeks to arrive through the post.

Can I hire a van as a new driver? 

Yes, even if you have held your licence for less than 12 months, we can arrange for a van hire. The largest van we can offer as a new driver is a LWB (Long Wheel Base) van.

If I hire a car as a new driver, do I need to have P plates? 

P plates are not mandatory, so they are not required for a rental.

Can I rent a car with less than 1 year on my licence? 

Yes, you can hire a car as soon as your new driving licence arrives in the post. This applies if you’re 25 or older, you possess a debit or credit card in your own name and you’re on the electoral roll at your current address.