Information on Renting a Car in Ireland

For the best deal, make your reservation directly with an approved car rental company.

The car rental fleet is regularly updated. Member companies are committed to providing vehicles that are in a safe and roadworthy condition and as a minimum are maintained in accordance with manufacturers servicing requirements. A comprehensive range of car makes, models and sizes is available including Minibuses, Estates, People Carriers and Space Wagons. Professional valeting, preparation and servicing ensures cars are presented to the highest standards designed to improve your driving experience.

To rent a car in Ireland you will need a valid current driving licence and a credit card. Passports are usually required for ID purposes. Some miniumum driving experience restrictions may apply. Ensure you provide details of any additional drivers that will be driving. Most rental cars have manual transmission so ask about automatics well in advance. If you plan to travel between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland or if you want to pick up the car at one location and return it somewhere else, check out these requirements when you book. Reserve your car as early as possible to ensure you get the car you want at a reasonable price.

You will be required to sign a rental agreement, so spend some time in advance to select the various insurances, waivers and other options appropriate to your needs and understand the costs involved. Value added tax (VAT) will be charged and you should take note of any airport, fuel, refueling or other charges.

Third party insurance is compulsory and will be included in the rental rate. This however only covers you for other people’s injury and damage to their vehicle.

Rental companies will normally also provide:

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which limits your financial liability for damage to the rented vehicle. Rentals are subject to a liability excess. (Purchasing additional cover can offset this excess). Visitors, who wish to claim CDW coverage using a credit card facility (e.g US MasterCard Gold or Platinum), are advised to provide documentary evidence confirming the cover for their trip to Ireland. You should note that CDW conditions may have exclusions (windscreen, tyres)
Theft Loss covers, which limits your financial liability for loss or theft of the rented vehicle.
Personal Accident Insurance, which covers the driver for personal injuries.

Inspect the vehicle carefully on collection by walking all the way round it looking for any signs of damage. Check the spare wheel and the tools. Make sure that any damage is noted in full on the rental agreement before you sign it. Allow plenty of time, particularly at busy rental sites, when checking the vehicle on return. Make sure that the vehicle is inspected by the rental company and that you both agree, note and sign for any damage on all copies of the rental agreement. The rental company expects you to take good care of their vehicle. You will be liable for damage to the vehicle arising from misuse, off road driving or other acts of negligence which are regarded as breach of contract. These charges will include loss of income arising from a vehicle not being available for renting. This also applies to the theft of or from the vehicle.

There is now a large of proportion of diesel vehicles on the car rental fleet. This has led to much confusion causing people to accidentally put the wrong type of fuel into their vehicle. Be careful when refuelling. The nozzles are usually color coded to indicate which grade of fuel they dispense, however the color coding differs between countries. For example, a black handle in Ireland indicates that the fuel dispensed is diesel. In the US, diesel pumps commonly use green hoses and green slipcovers over the nozzle. North American customer need to be particularly vigilant. If you realise you have put the wrong fuel in the car, do not turn on the ignition or start the car. Seek help and contact your car rental company.

We strongly recommend you spend some time reviewing the rules of the road.

Link to Rules of the Road